Downtown Bellingham, Washington

Upon check-in, slip the desk agent a tip and ask for the best room they can find at your current booked rate. Often times a quick $10 or $20 bill can go a long way towards the mood of the person who directly decides where you lay your head for the night.

Call ahead to make sure your reservation is still active and rebook if there are any price drops or changes in number of people staying with you. Another cost saving tips is to bundle the stay with airport parking and shuttle to avoid hefty fees.

Policies vary on the availability of pet friendly rooms to it is wise to be open, honest and upfront during the booking process. You may find yourself kicked out or even paying a large deposit if you are not in a pet-friendly hotel and bring one anyway. New ADA laws are fuzzy though as service animals are not required to be documented and proprietors are legally not allowed to ask if the animal is a pet vs. a service animal.

Bellingham has several options for shopping for specialty food items that are not found in regular grocery stores. Shops tailored for "foodies" offer tastings of the products as well as scheduled culinary classes to perfect your skills. Shop for infused oils, salts and spices from around the World!

Bellingham brings a custom fit every time a shoe is bought locally. Nothing beats the hands on experience of shoe shopping to add to your collection of Men's, Women's and Children's shoes. Try them on, walk around and make sure you have the best fit as every manufacturer is a bit different on sizing.

Bellingham is the place to plan your wedding. You'll be spending a lot of time downtown as there are so many wonderful shops to find invitations, photographers, bakers, caterers and jewelers. Planning your wedding will be a breeze with so much support from local merchants to make a perfect and memorable day.