Gregory Scruggs: 6 places to explore on a beachy road trip from Seattle to British Columbia
SEATTLE — Aptly named Boundary Bay hugs the curious corner of our region where Washington and British Columbia meet and mingle. There are border crossings on both ends of this saltwater haven, where shallow depths and vast tidal swings generate warm waters that attract beachcombers and birders alike. Here are six points of interest to explore on foot, bike, car or kayak.
Peace Arch Historical State Park and Provincial Park
Once you've dealt with border-crossing rigmarole, pull over instead of speeding off. This unique binational park allows visitors to freely cross the border as they admire the monuments and plaques commemorating U.S.-Canada relations — as long as they return to whichever side they started in. The Peace Arch itself missed out on its centennial celebration in 2021 due to pandemic border closures, but the stately structure in Blaine, which is surrounded by formal gardens, is worth pondering anytime.
File away these tidbits for your next Cascadia trivia night:
— What does the Peace Arch commemorate? (Answer: The signing of the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812.)
— What two vessels are depicted on the Peace Arch? (Answer: The Mayflower and the S.S. Beaver.)
123 Second St., Blaine; parks.wa.gov/562/Peace-Arch or bcparks.ca/peace-arch-park
1001 Steps
Escape the crowds in White Rock as you duck through a residential neighborhood of pricey waterfront real estate and down the exaggeratedly-named 1001 Steps. I lost the exact count but the zigzagging staircase is more like 200-and-some steps. A trail parallels the railroad tracks, then a tunnel takes you under them and out onto a quieter stretch of beach along Boundary Bay.
12500 Block of 15A Ave., Surrey, B.C.; surrey.ca/parks-recreation/parks/1001-steps
Crescent Beach
A smaller seaside resort...