Bellingham

"You’ll need your passport for this day trip, but it’s one of the most rewarding you can take from Vancouver. Bellingham, a college town just south of the border in Washington state, has a surprisingly good collection of Art Deco buildings and, because of Western Washington University, a quirky and young population that is very outdoorsy.Like the small towns north of the border, the Bellingham area has an excellent craft brewery scene. In fact, it has over a dozen breweries for a population of fewer than 100,000. Naturally, it has a few of the best beer bars in the Pacific Northwest, including Aslan Depot. To do Bellingham car-free, get up early and take the Amtrak Cascades line from Pacific Central Station in Vancouver and return that very same evening. You can stroll the city on foot or, better yet, take a bicycle on the Amtrak. The ride from the Amtrak station to the center of town is on a dedicated path along the water and takes fewer than 20 minutes. Impress the locals by referring to their cool little town as The Ham." - MATADOR_NETWORK