Blaine

Blaine is a city in the Northwest Cascades region of Washington (state). It is the major land border crossing between this part of Washington and the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. It straddles Interstate 5 which terminates in Blaine, and is on the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

Understand

Blaine (aka "the Peace Arch City") was settled by Europeans in the mid-1800s and named after James G. Blaine, secretary of state and presidential candidate. It was incorporated as a city in 1890.

Blaine is a border town and the northern terminus of Interstate 5 which becomes BC-99 as one crosses into Canada. Blaine is also the most Northwest town in the Lower 48 States.

The Department of Homeland Security has two border inspection stations: Peace Arch Crossing to the west for passenger vehicles & the "Truck Crossing" to the east for both commercial entry and passenger vehicles. A great deal of Blaine's economy is based on legal trade across the Canadian border and Blaine also has a long history of smuggling.

Its population was estimated to be 5,400 in 2018.

Blaine has two large marinas with hundreds of boats. Salmon, crab, and other seafood are widely available.

• 1 Blaine Welcome Center, 546 Peace Portal Dr (In Skye Hill Station next to Starbucks), ☏ +1 360-332-4544. M-Sa 11AM-4PM, Su 1-PM. (updated Jan 2022)

Get in

By car

Blaine is the location of the two primary ports of entry between this part of Washington and the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. See the Get in – By car section of the Northwest Cascades article for details.

Blaine is the northern terminus of Interstate 5.

By plane

The nearest major commercial airport is Bellingham International Airport (BLI ^IATA). Vancouver International Airport (YVR ^IATA), while across the border in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada, offers a much wider range of destinations.

By bus

• Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA), ☏ +1 360-676-7433. Operates public transit bus service in Whatcom County including Bellingham, Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden, and Sumas. Also operates bus route 80X traveling north from Burlington and Mount Vernon in Skagit County to Bellingham. (updated Sep 2022)
  • Route 75 operates from Monday to Saturday between Blaine and Bellingham via Ferndale.

Get around

By taxi

• Red Cab Taxi, ☏ +1 360-332-1960. (updated Jul 2022)

See

• 1 Peace Arch State Park (Go north on 2nd Street until the loop at A Street.), ☏ +1 360 332-8221, PeaceArch@parks.wa.gov. 8AM-dusk. A grand white arch in a grassy lawn marks the US-Canada international border. On either side of the park are frequently lines of cars crawling slowly through the border checkpoint lines. You can enter the park from either the US or Canadian side, and walk all around it, but you must leave by the side you entered, or else formally pass through the border checkpoint. Free. (updated Nov 2020)

Do

There are many biking & walking trails, including along Boundary Bay. Blaine is a major birdwatching area. There is a casino in Blaine, a library, and various small businesses.

• 1 Birch Bay Waterslides, 4874 Birchbay Lynden Rd, ☏ +1 360 371-7500. 
• 2 Birch Bay State Park, 5105 Helweg Rd, ☏ +1 360 371-2800. Summer 6AM-dusk, winter 8AM-dusk. (updated Mar 2018)

Buy

• 1 Duty Free Americas, 20 12th St (Exit 275 on SR 543), ☏ +1 360 332-5223, store213@dutyfreeamericas.com. 24 hr. However, online orders only available for pickup 8AM-10PM. (updated Jan 2022)

Eat

• 1 Drayton Harbor Oyster Company, 685 Peace Portal Dr, ☏ +1 360-656-5958. (updated Mar 2021)
• 2 Bordertown Mexican Grill, 538 Peace Portal Dr, ☏ +1 360-441-7661. M-Sa 8AM-8PM, Su 10AM-7PM. (updated May 2021)

Drink

• 1 The Wheelhouse Bar and Grill, 746 Peace Portal Dr, ☏ +1 360-332-3512. Sports bar with billiards and pull-tabs. Full menu including sandwiches, burgers, and pizza. (updated Mar 2021)
• 2 Beach Cat Brewing, 7876 Birch Bay Dr, #101 (I-5 Exit 270), ☏ +1 360-366-8065, info@beachcatbrewing.com. (updated May 2021)

Sleep

• 1 Smuggler's Inn Bed & Breakfast, 2480 Canada View Dr, ☏ +1 360 332-1749, fax: +1 360 332-1749, info@smugglersinnblaine.com. Check-in: 3-9PM, check-out: 11:30AM. Eight guest rooms in a three-story Victorian house. $100-350/night. 
• 2 Semiahmoo Resort, 9565 Semiahmoo Pkwy, ☏ +1 360-318-2000, toll-free: +1-855-917-3767 (reservations), guestservices@semiahmoo.com. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Mar 2021)
• 3 WorldMark Birch Bay, 4810 Beachcomber Dr, ☏ +1 360-371-0880. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 10AM. One and two bedroom suites with kitchens by a rocky beach. It has a partially covered outdoor pool, hot tub, and game room. (updated Mar 2021)
• 4 Birch Bay RV Campground, 8418 Harborview Rd, ☏ +1 360-371-7432 (ranger station), toll-free: +1-888-481-6348 (reservations). (updated Jan 2022)

Go next

Canada's West Coast gem Vancouver or head south to Seattle for a great time on the Sound

Routes through Blaine

Vancouver ← Surrey ← becomes ← (cars) ←	N  S	→ Ferndale → Seattle
Vancouver via ← Surrey ← becomes ← (cars / trucks / buses) ←	N  S	→ ENDS at