Chuckanut Drive, is state highway 11, which begins at I-5 exit 231 in Burlington, Washington. Traveling north, this is a favorite and historic entry into Whatcom County. For many miles the road hugs the shoreline, offering incredible views of passing bays, with islands in the distance. Completed in 1896, Chuckanut Drive was the first land access to the Bellingham Bay community of Fairhaven from points further south. Previous to its completion, the common access into the region was by boat due to an impenetrable carpet of ancient cedars growing from the mountains to the sea. At milepost 14, Chuckanut Drive passes Larrabee State Park, with access to beach, tide pools and trails. Encompassing 2,000 acres, Larrabee was the first designated state park in the state of Washington.

On this day that we drove to Bellingham and back via Chuckanut drive we chose the Oyster Bar to stop for a bite. We decided on some treats from the sea for our meal, oysters and salmon gravlax.

Chuckanut Drive culminates in the Historic Fairhaven District, known for its Victorian-era red-brick architecture, quaint shops and restaurants.

I’m linking up with Tom the Backroads Traveler for Tuesday’s Treasures.

Today I’m heading north again to British Columbia to meet up with some of the Mennonite Girls to meet one of our favorite bloggers face to face in Chilliwack. I’ll share soon about the meeting with photos. We also are having a very warm day in the Pacific Northwest with predictions in the 80’s. Nice driving weather.