Cornwall Beach, recently renamed Salish Landing in 2023, sits along Bellingham Bay at the 500 block of Cornwall Avenue in Bellingham, Whatcom County. The beach and avenue honor Pierre Barlow Cornwall (1821-1904), a San Francisco industrialist and philanthropist who owned many businesses along the West Coast including Bellingham. Cornwall, originally from New York, made the long trek to California in 1848 and began opening businesses along the west coast, managing profitable coal mine operations in Bellingham until 1878 and forming the Bellingham Bay Improvement Company in 1889 with an association of investors. In 1909, Bruce Cornwall and Bertha James Cornwall Fisher donated 65 acres to the City of Bellingham in honor of their father Pierre, creating Cornwall Memorial Park. The Bellingham Parks and Recreation Board recommended the new name Salish Landing after extensive public process, with the City Council formally adopting it on January 23, 2023, recognizing the indigenous Coast Salish peoples' historical connection to the area.
Kayaking and paddleboarding launch from the 17-acre waterfront park for exploration of Bellingham Bay with routes toward the San Juan Islands visible across the water, views of Lummi Island, and opportunities to observe maritime activity. Swimming opportunities exist during summer months though Bellingham Bay's cold waters limit extended swimming. Beachcombing along the shoreline reveals smooth stones, driftwood, shells, and beach glass deposited by tides. Wildlife watching includes harbor seals, bald eagles soaring overhead, great blue herons, and diverse seabirds utilizing Bellingham Bay's marine ecosystem. Views capture sweeping vistas across Bellingham Bay to the San Juan Islands, Lummi Island rising from the water, and Mount Baker visible to the east on clear days. The waterfront park provides walking paths, picnicking areas, and access to Bellingham's revitalized waterfront district. The renaming to Salish Landing honors the Lummi Nation and other Coast Salish peoples who called these shores home for millennia, with Whatcom County's name deriving from a Nooksack word meaning "noisy water."
Bellingham waterfront dining offers diverse options near Cornwall Beach and Salish Landing. Keenan's at the Pier in Chrysalis Inn and Spa creates fresh local Northwest cuisine with breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and dinner on the deck with views of Taylor Dock, Bellingham Bay, Lummi Island, and San Juan Islands. Anthony's at Squalicum Harbor serves scenic waterfront dining overlooking Bellingham Bay with fresh Northwest seafood and sweeping views of San Juan Islands and boating activity. Anthony's Hearthfire Grill features spectacular Bellingham Bay and San Juan Islands views with open kitchen specializing in hearthfire cooking, premier Northwest beef, and fresh seafood. Lighthouse Bar and Grill at Bellwether Hotel creates fresh food from scratch kitchen with local breweries on tap overlooking Bellingham Bay. Woods Coffee overlooks the Waterfront District with food from local Whatcom County farms.
