As the weather warms up and the days become longer, people are gathering around Bellingham to watch the summer sunsets. With a variety of parks around Bellingham, people have the opportunity to watch the sunset from the beaches to the mountains.
One of Bellingham’s most popular parks for viewing the sunset is Boulevard Park. The park sits on the bay, providing a space where people can enjoy the sunset on the grass lawn, the beach or by walking down Taylor Dock toward Fairhaven.
Bellingham Parks and Recreation manages a majority of the parks around town.
“We always try to make things as accessible as possible,” Nicole Oliver, director of Parks and Recreation, said. “We built Taylor Dock specifically with wheelchair breakpoints, where you can stop at a bench, so you can make your way down the ramp.”
Bellingham Parks and Recreation is working to provide more areas that have waterfront access, helping to increase the amount of sunset viewing spots around town. The pier at Little Squalicum Park is a project in development, intended to reopen by the end of 2024, creating an accessible spot for people in north Bellingham to catch the sunset.
The Port of Bellingham manages some of the other sunset viewing spots in Bellingham, notably Marine Park and Zuanich Point Park. Marine Park is a popular park for sunsets in Fairhaven, with people gathering on the beach or swimming in the bay.
Cercanía Alexander and her partner enjoy going kayaking down the bay during sunsets, starting at Marine Park. Alexander watches the sunset regularly during the summer and has a few notable spots in town.
“A classic spot is going to be the top of Oyster Dome. I like it because hiking down in the dark is really fun. Going out in the water on a kayak is a super highlight also,” Alexander said.
People gather to watch the sunset at Marine Park in Bellingham, Wash., on May 12, 2024. The vibrant colors light up the sky and reflect off the water as the sun sinks below the horizon. // Photo by Miles Vander Vennet
Sunsets are an event that allows the community to gather and connect. With Bellingham located on the bay, the sunsets are right on the water.
“I think sunsets are a huge part of being a waterfront community,” Oliver said. “Whenever we do our Essence of Bellingham photo contest, [we have] more of the pictures of sunsets than any other thing.”
The best spot to watch a sunset depends on the person and who you ask. Stephen Matera is a landscape photographer in Seattle and has had the chance to catch some of the sunsets around Bellingham.
“As a photographer, I look for dramatic guise in landscape photos, and often the most drama comes in the transition between weather. Transitioning from sunny to cloudy or rainy to sunny, those are the moments I look for when I go out and shoot,” Matera said.
When taking photos of the sunset, Matera said he likes to keep it as natural as possible to show the true color of the sun and sky. He will adjust the contrast if needed, but tries to avoid any editing.
“Bellingham is a great spot to take sunset photos,” Matera said. “I was recently at the Lummi Reservation area. That is a really pretty spot and you get a lot of bald eagles out there.”
With sunsets getting later as the summer solstice gets closer, there will be lots of opportunities to catch the golden hour. Where will you catch it?
Miles Vander Vennet (he/him) is a city life reporter for The Front. He is a junior transfer student and is going into the public relations major. In his free time he likes playing video games, going on hikes with his dog and playing basketball and lacrosse. You can contact him at milesvandervennet.thefront@gmail.com.
