Seven miles south of Bellingham on Chuckanut Drive, Larrabee State Park (360/676-2093) was the state’s first, created in 1923 when Charles Xavier Larrabee’s family donated 20 acres in his honor. The park contains a popular campground with tent ($14) and RV ($20) sites, plus coin-operated showers. It’s open year-round. Make reservations ($7 extra) at 888/226-7688 or www.parks.wa.gov. Now covering more than 2,500 acres of mountainous land, the park borders Samish Bay, with a boat launch, a sandy beach for sunning, and tidepools for marine explorations.

Nine miles of hiking trails include the southern end of the Interurban Trail, connecting the park with Bellingham. Other trails lead to scenic Fragrance and Lost Lakes for trout fishing, and to dramatic vistas from the 1,941-foot summit of Chuckanut Mountain (also accessible via a gravel road).

Continue north from Larrabee State Park to Teddy Bear Cove, located at the foot of the cliff just before you enter the Fairhaven District. For many years it was an unofficial nude beach, but the county purchased the land and started fining the au naturel crowd $125 per infraction in 1997. The prudes strike again.