The Tour de Whatcom is a bicycle ride and although the course is marked, the START/FINISH Line is the only street along the route that is completely shut down. Riders are expected to obey the rules of the road and observe stop signs and signals along the route. Please be mindful of vehicles on the road in places, safety is our number one priority.

The start and finish line for the Tour de Whatcom will once again be held at 1107 Railroad Ave at Boundary Bay Brewery in downtown Bellingham but this year the start line will be in the back alley behind the building.  The Bellingham Farmer’s Market will be open on the day of the ride, which provides a wonderful backdrop of people, music, food, and energy.

We have a message board that you can use to create a post if you are looking for someone to ride with. Make sure to include the route you are doing and your average cycling speed. Head HERE to post or view posts from other cyclists.

We receive very good feedback on our rest stops and hope that what we provide is just what you need to get to the next station.  We’ll have fresh fruit, water and other beverages, fig bars, KIND bars, bread and bagels with PB&J, Nutella, jerky, nuts, trails mix and various sweets all courtesy of our Sponsor, the Bellingham Grocery Outlet.  Century and Metric riders also have roasted potatoes and hard-boiled eggs at some stops. With that said, if you have a limited diet or allergies, you may want to bring your own snacks.  All stops have porta potties and water available.

There is not a minimum age for riders. However, bike trailers and tag along systems for pulling children (eg. Trail-a-bike, Co-pilot) are not permitted. It is up to each parent to determine their child’s ability to safely complete the course.

It varies greatly but we’d say the 100 milers range from 13-21 mph. The 44 milers from 11-19mph. And the 22 milers from 8-12mph.

We work with area bike shops to provide as many tech services as we can.  We have a bike tech at the start and we strive to have an experienced tech at every rest stop, but each rider should carry basic repair kits.  We have support vehicles ready to pick you up if you need a lift to a bike tech or back to the finish area.  We also have several motorcycles on the course. These are marked by bright yellow vests of the riders.

As of 2022, parking is now metered in downtown Bellingham on Saturdays from 11:00 am – 6:00 pm.  There is free weekend parking at the Commercial Street Garage at 1300 Commercial Street which is 4 blocks from the Start Line.  We recommend you bike to the start line from your home or hotel if possible.

We recommend arriving 20-30 minutes before your departure time to collect your bib and use any last minute services.

Yes, you can register on the day of the ride 30 minutes before your scheduled departure.  We strongly recommend that you register online prior to the event this year.

For REGISTRATION inquiries please contact: Whatcom Events/Tour de Whatcom 360-746-8861 or Email: info@tourdewhatcom.com.

You have two options this year to collect your bib and safety pins:

Option #1 – Friday from 4:00 – 6:00 pm at our Bellingham office, 2227 Queen Street #6.

Option #2 – Saturday, 30 minutes before your start time, at the Mountain Room in the back alley behind Boundary Bay Brewery.

Online registration closes the Thursday prior to the ride.. Walk-up registration will also be available 30 minutes prior to your departure, cash or credit card only.

Each route leaves at a different time to ensure that riders don’t all arrive at the After Party at the same time.  This will ensure faster service to check into the bike corral and get your beer and food order in a timely fashion. PLEASE NOTE: if you leave before the designated times, the rest stop services may not be ready. We ask that you respect our volunteers and wait for the designated start times for service. Thank you!

Yes, we mark the course with “Dan Henry Arrows” and try to provide additional signs at major turns. Having said that, it’s still important you glance at your map at each rest stop and get a general sense of where you are going. On the 100 mile route, there are only a few turns that are not at stop signs. Click here to see Route Maps & Map My Ride Details.

The Boundary Bay Brewery Beer Garden (all ages) is open to all riders after you finish and serves up a great BBQ. There are a dozen restaurants within walking distance of the finish area and the Farmers Market has great food vendors until 3 pm. Plan on sticking around and enjoying the area, many out-of-town riders book a hotel and “make a weekend” of it.

We have partnered with several hotels in the area that provide a block of rooms at a special rate for Tour de Whatcom riders. You can find the list of hotels here.  We recommend you book soon because hotels in the area fill up quickly in the summer.

Yes, because this is a social ride and not a race, we welcome e-bikes.