Sumas, Washington travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Sumas is a town of about 1,500 people in northwest Washington State. It has a major land border crossing into British Columbia, Canada.

1 things to do · 2 places to eat · 2 places to stay

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Sumas

Sumas Rodeo Grounds

Sumas stages rodeo and other public events at these fairgrounds.

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Jun–Sep. Summer highs reach about 70°F; winter lows dip to about 33°F. Wettest: Dec and Nov. (climate data from nearby Port Angeles)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
BLI Bellingham International Airport, Bellingham — 19 mi away. Directions
ESD Orcas Island Airport, Eastsound — 35 mi away. Directions
SEA Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Seattle — 107 mi away (major hub). Directions

Sumas is immediately south of the Canadian border, and is at a major border crossing. See the Get in – By car section of the Northwest Washington article for details.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Food for you

Cuisine (tap to filter)

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Map

Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.

Understand

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.

Get in

By car

Sumas is immediately south of the Canadian border, and is at a major border crossing. See the Get in – By car section of the Northwest Washington article for details.

Go Huntingdon - Sumas

Open to all vehicles.

Abbotsford, BC (Highway 11) - Sumas, WA (WA-9)🕒 24/7Checked Aug 2023

Maps

By public transit

Go Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA)

Operates public transit bus service in Whatcom County including Bellingham, Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden, and Sumas. Also operates bus route 80X traveling north from Burlington and Mount Vernon in Skagit County to Bellingham.

☎ +1 360-676-7433Checked Sep 2022

Maps Website

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. There is also an industrial park to the west and residential areas around the business core.

Cherry Street is the main north–south access for the town and the location of most businesses. Cherry Street leads directly to the border crossing, so lineups often clog it with stopped traffic.

The presence of U.S. 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.

Signs designate a golf cart zone in town, but golf carts are never seen on the streets.

See

A small monument to the victims of 9-11 can be found near the U.S. 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.

Do

Do Sumas Rodeo Grounds

Sumas stages rodeo and other public events at these fairgrounds.

south edge of town

Maps

Buy

As a border town, Sumas has 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.

Most businesses have separate cash drawers for U.S. and Canadian currency and will readily transact in either currency, but cash exchange rates can be unfavorable depending on the business.