Living in Bellingham means you have some of the best driving scenery in the country right outside your door. Within an hour, you can be hugging cliffs above Puget Sound, winding through old-growth forest, staring down at a turquoise alpine lake, or rolling slowly through San Juan Island farmland with nothing but time.
As a family-owned used car dealership in Bellingham, we spend a lot of time thinking about which vehicles are right for the way our customers actually live — and the way people live here involves a lot of gorgeous, sometimes challenging drives. Here are our five favorite scenic drives near Bellingham, with a note on the best vehicle type for each.
1. Chuckanut Drive (Highway 11)
Distance from Bellingham: Starts just south of downtown, about 15 minutes
This is the one every Bellingham local has driven a hundred times and still loves. Chuckanut Drive winds 21 miles along the base of the Chuckanut Mountains, hugging cliffs above Samish Bay with views out to the San Juan Islands on clear days. You'll pass through Larrabee State Park, by oyster farms, and down into the Skagit Flats.
Best vehicle: Any car handles Chuckanut fine, but a convertible or sport coupe makes the twisty bits extra fun. An SUV works perfectly if you want to stop and hike the Fragrance Lake trail.
2. Mount Baker Highway (Highway 542)
Distance from Bellingham: About 35 minutes to the mountain
Head east from Bellingham toward Glacier, and the highway follows the Nooksack River through dense rainforest before climbing toward Mount Baker and Artist Point (road closes in winter above the ski area). This drive rewards you with one of the most dramatic mountain vistas in Washington — and the road itself is beautiful the whole way.
Best vehicle: AWD or 4WD SUV is strongly recommended, especially past the ski area or in shoulder seasons when there's snow. A Subaru Outback, Toyota RAV4, or truck does great here.
3. San Juan Islands Ferry Loop (Anacortes to Lopez or San Juan Island)
Distance from Bellingham: About 45 minutes to Anacortes ferry terminal
Take your car onto the ferry from Anacortes, cross to Lopez Island (the flat, quiet one) or San Juan Island (busier, with Friday Harbor and whale watching). The roads on the islands are narrow and pastoral — farms, orchards, water views, no traffic. It's the antithesis of a highway.
Best vehicle: Any car fits on the ferry. A smaller car or wagon is ideal for the island roads — you're going slow and enjoying the scenery, not covering distance.
4. North Cascades Highway (Highway 20) — Fall in Particular
Distance from Bellingham: About 1 hour to the Cascades foothills; 1.5 hours to Washington Pass
Highway 20 through the North Cascades is one of the most scenic roads in the United States — alpine passes, glacier-carved valleys, and in October, a blaze of fall color that draws photographers from across the country. Washington Pass (5,477 feet) offers a pullout with views of Liberty Bell Mountain that genuinely take your breath away.
Note: Highway 20 closes in winter between Ross Lake and Mazama, typically November through April.
Best vehicle: AWD or 4WD SUV with decent ground clearance. The road is well-maintained but you'll want confidence on switchbacks and in changing fall weather.
5. Lummi Island via Gooseberry Point Ferry
Distance from Bellingham: About 25 minutes to Gooseberry Point
One of Western Washington's best-kept secrets: a tiny 5-minute ferry ride from Gooseberry Point delivers you to Lummi Island, a quiet, largely residential island with stunning sunset views over the San Juans. Drive the loop road, stop at The Willows Inn (if you can get a reservation), and watch the sun go down over the water. The whole island is less than 10 miles across.
Best vehicle: Any car handles Lummi Island. The ferry takes passenger vehicles but is small — arrive early in summer weekends.
Having the Right Vehicle Makes All the Difference
If you're doing these drives on tired all-season tires in a two-wheel-drive sedan, you'll still have fun — but you'll be thinking about the road more than the scenery. The Bellingham lifestyle really calls for something with AWD, good ground clearance, and the kind of reliability that lets you think about where you're going, not whether you'll make it back.
At MB Motors, we stock a great selection of SUVs, trucks, and crossovers that are perfect for PNW adventures. link to inventory We've been in Bellingham since 2009 and know exactly what local drivers need.
Ready to upgrade your adventure rig? Come see us at 700 Ohio St or call (360) 312-3004 — we'll help you find the perfect vehicle for Bellingham's backyard. Find your next adventure SUV in our link to inventory today.
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