Sumas

Sumas is in Whatcom County in the North Cascades region of Washington State. It is at an important land border crossing between Washington State, USA and British Columbia, Canada.

Understand
Sumas, Washington State is an incorporated town of about 1,500 people located in Whatcom Country. Cherry Street is the main north–south access for the town and the location of most of the businesses of interest to visitors. There is also an industrial park to the west and residential areas around the business core.

Bank of America (only bank in town) has a small but full service branch on Cherry Street. They have an ATM, allow Canadians to open accounts, and offer safe deposit boxes. There are also ATMs at the IGA and in various gas stations. Most businesses have separate cash drawers for US and Canadian currency and will readily transact in either currency but cash exchange rates can be favorable or quite unfavorable depending on the business.

The local library (limited hours) offers free Wi-Fi. The local Rotary Club operates as a dual nationality club (Abbotsford-Sumas) with meetings alternating on both sides of the border.

By car
Sumas is immediately adjacent to the Canadian border, located to north. Border lineups often clog up Cherry Street, as there is a busy border crossing in town:



By public transit
Route 71X operates from Monday to Saturday between Sumas and Bellingham.

The nearest public transit stops in Abbotsford are located a few blocks from the border crossing.

Get around
Everything of interest, including the border crossing, can be easily walked to as the commercial area is two blocks wide and about 8 blocks long. Cherry Street is the main thoroughfare, terminating at Canadian customs and immigration. Signs designate a golf cart zone in town, but golf carts are never seen on the streets.

The presence of US Homeland Security staff and cameras right in this small town tends to reduce serious crime, leaving local police with little to do but enforce the varied but generally very low speed limits in Sumas. Drive slowly or be prepared to help fund the local police department.

See

 * A small monument to the victims of 9-11 can be found near the US Border Station
 * The former US Border station is located slightly south-east of the current Canadian border post. This brick building with a hip roof was moved and converted to private use.
 * Due to somewhat primitive survey techniques when the border was monumented, much of Sumas is actually north of the 49th parallel and therefore the northernmost incorporated US community in the lower 48 states. If you have a GPS, turn it on and see for yourself.

Do

 * Shop for inexpensive dairy, gas and other groceries
 * Cross the Canadian/US Border into Abbotsford
 * Sumas stages rodeo and other public events at the fairgrounds on the south edge of town

Buy
Compared to similar sized towns, Sumas status as a border town has led to many more gas stations than would be expected to sell lower priced fuel to Canadians. Be like the Canadians and gas up on the cheap before crossing the border. It generally be less expensive to buy dairy, eggs, and alcohol in the United States than Canada, but keep in mind that there are exemption limits, especially for alcohol. If you cross into Canada exceeding exemption limits, especially for cigarettes and alcohol, expect to be heavily taxed.



Drink
See the eat section for listings.

Connect


At least three private businesses offer courier shipping and receiving services to a mainly Canadian clientele.

Go next

 * Abbotsford
 * Bellingham