A Little About Fairhaven

On the south side if the City of Bellingham, Southwest of downtown Bellingham, down the hill from Western Washington University and along Bellingham Bay rests the Fairhaven neighborhood. Fairhaven is famous for its colorful history in the 19th century. With a Chicago vision in mind, Fairhaven excitement was complete with hotels, taverns, an opera house, concert garden, restaurants and brothels. Today, Fairhaven is recognized with its historic buildings covered with red brick, and six blocks are federally designated as a historic district and is just minutes away from downtown Bellingham. This small community has so much to offer everyone who lives there!

The Fairhaven neighborhood is surrounded by parks and trails on all sides! Boulevard Park was established in 1980 is on the north side of Fairhaven and is popular year round! There are features for the whole family, including: access and views of Bellingham Bay, boardwalk, playground, coffee shop, green space, fishing dock, BBQ grills, beach, picnic tables, parking and the South Bay Trail. The South Bay Trail is 2.3 miles on a gentle grade, gravel trail and connects Downtown Bellingham to the Fairhaven Green through the beautiful Boulevard Park on the coast of Bellingham Bay.

Marine Park is on the west side of Fairhaven and, like Boulevard Park, is on the beautiful Bellingham Bay. This small park features green space, beach and restrooms. Near Marine Park is the Fairhaven Dog Park which allows off-leash dog area and home to Lower-Padden Creek and Larrabee Trail which is a .6 mile trail loop. This trail connects to the .4 mile Larrabee Trail that lead to Fairhaven Park and the Interurban Trail. Fairhaven Park has amenities such as: BBQ grills, multipurpose fields, picnic areas, playground, green space, sport courts and a seasonal summer Spray Park.

The Interurban Trail connects the Fairham Historic District in Fairhaven Park all the way to Larrabee State Park. The trail is mostly even, with one steep section in Arroyo Park. The Interurban Trail is 8.4 miles through mostly wooded area, with some views of Bellingham Bay, Chuckanut Bay and the San Juan Islands. There are so many trail entrances and places, parks and viewpoints along the way! Arroyo Park is on the south side of Fairhaven and features an off leash section for dogs, trails and creek!

When you are ready to take a break from the gorgeous Pacific Northwest views and exploring the parks and trails of the city, the Fairhaven neighborhood has a small, historic downtown area that has several small shops and restaurants in a quiet, historic community. Fairhaven Pharmacy was established in 1889, and in the present building since 1929 is just one of the reasons Fairhaven is known for its charm. With a small-town feeling, there are several unique, local restaurants in the area including the Abby Garden Tea Room for High Tea or a delicious scone. Above the Abby Garden Tea Room is Creativitea, which is a fired-art studio, where you can paint a variety or ceramic pieces or own fused glass creation. Some of the other many unique restaurants include: the Black Cat, Archer Ale House, Dirty Dan Harris Steakhouse, Mambo Italiano, Harris Ave. Cafe and the Colophon Cafe. There are also a few local chain restaurants in the neighborhood, including: Extremes Sports Grill, Jalapenos Mexican Grill and Rocket Donuts. The new Fat Pie Pizza restaurant offers 3 levels of outdoor seating with beautiful views of the Village Green and Bellingham Bay. There is so much creativity and proud local businesses and restaurants in the Fairhaven neighborhood! There are also many shops in the Historic Fairhaven District, including: Fairhaven Runners & Walkers, Serendipity, Village Books, Fairhaven Rug Gallery and many more! There are many local artists and unique features to the shops in the Fairhaven neighborhood.

The Chrysalis Inn & Spa also lives in this community with a small restaurant call Keenan’s at the Pier, spa, hotel and room for events all with a gorgeous view of Bellingham Bay. Keenan’s at the Pier, offers Happy Hour, bar space, patio seating with amazing views of the Bay and an always evolving menu. A South Bay Trail entrance is right next to the Chrysalis Inn & Spa. Another hotel in the heart of Fairhaven, is the Fairhaven Village Inn with event space and small library.

Fairhaven is an important part of the City of Bellingham for more than its historic charm. The neighborhood is also home to the Bellingham Cruise Terminal and Ferry Terminal, the Bellingham Amtrak Train Station, San Juan Cruises and has one of the “every 15 minutes” bus lines in Bellingham. The Bellingham Cruise Terminal has many services that include: a 400-foot berth, car loading ramp, floating dock, event space, gift shop, restaurant, beautiful water view and visitor information. The Bellingham Amtrak Train Station provides a great and relaxing way to explore the Pacific Northwest. With access to the Amtrak Cascades route, you can explore Vancouver B.C, Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Salem and Eugene with reclining seats, power outlets and a Bistro Car. Another gorgeous way to explore our beautiful area is on the San Juan Cruises for whale watching, dinner cruises and tours.

There are several exciting events that Fairhaven has to offer seasonally and year round! Some of these events include Vaudevillingham, which is sponsored by the Bellingham Circus Guild and is an "uncensored variety show" on the 15th of every month! There are also book events held at Village Books throughout the year, themed cruises, Farmer’s Market for fresh produce, an Annual Sidewalk Sale for local businesses and restaurants, music shows, the Ski to Sea finish line and summer Fairhaven Outdoor Cinema on Saturday nights in the Village Green. This neighborhood is truly a community, and connects with their neighbors and the City of Bellingham in so many different ways throughout the year!

There are several schools in the Fairhaven neighborhood for children in preschool through middle school, including: Fairhaven Middle School, Lowell Elementary School, Children’s Co-Op Preschool, Larabee Elementary School, Hillcrest Kids early learning as well as a few others. After your children have a great foundation preschool to middle school, just minutes up the street, is Sehome High School, and of course Western Washington University. There is a school for everyone when it comes to education in the Fairhaven neighborhood.

The Downtown Bellingham area has so much to offer! Downtown Bellingham offers you so many exciting choices of entertainment, such as: museums, views, restaurants, shops and events! Downtown Bellingham has many events throughout the year, including: Art walks, Farmer’s Markets, parades, Sky to Sea and many others! There are also several brewery’s in Bellingham, as well as delicious local restaurants, unique shops and of course coffee! There are several unique museums in Downtown Bellingham, such as: Mindport which is a hands-on museum to investigate sculptures and science, the Spark Museum which displays inventions and innovations that changed the course of human history and Bellingham Railway Museum. Whether you walk, run, ride the bus, ride your bike or drive, there is something waiting for you in the exciting downtown area.

Fairhaven Realty

Real estate in Fairhaven features homes and condos for sale that range from small (studio to 2 bedroom) to medium (3 or 4 bedroom) family homes. These homes and condos for sale are near parks, the small downtown area or trails and creeks. There is something for everyone to enjoy in Fairhaven. Enjoy the small town feel, gorgeous views, a walk in the park, a short distance to downtown Bellingham or a wonderful shopping and dining experiences when you live in the Fairhaven neighborhood. Whether you are looking for an amazing condo for sale with water views, or a home for sale for your family, Fairhaven has something for everyone.

Many of the condos for sale in the Fairhaven neighborhood have bay or city views, garage parking, a lobby entrance and security gates. Many of the condos for sale are right in the heart of the downtown Fairhaven area while others are along the coast of Bellingham Bay near Boulevard Park. Whether you are looking for a walking distance to the many downtown shops and restaurants or a walk along the bay in the park, the Fairhaven condos for sale have a lot to offer any family. Some of the condos for sale have features such as: a balcony or deck, jetted or soaking tub, an elevator or even a lovely fireplace for our chilly, rainy nights. Some of the new or updated features in the condos for sale include granite counter-tops, stainless steel appliances and classic trim work.

Many of the homes for sale in the Fairhaven neighborhood are just blocks outside of the Historic Fairhaven District. There are homes for sale for every family and budget, with several different small neighborhoods in Fairhaven. Some of the homes have luxury qualities, such as: beautiful Bellingham Bay views, security systems, jetted tubs, walk-in closets, hot tubs and spacious kitchens or decks for entertaining. Some of the other homes that are more established are smaller with unique features as well as updated features, such as: a new roof or siding, new paint, kitchen appliances or new flooring! Whichever small neighborhood you live in, you are a part of the Fairhaven community and only walking distance to the Historic Fairhaven District.