Semiahmoo Resort is located along the Pacific coast in Northwest Washington, a few miles south of the Canadian border and across Drayton Harbor from the town of Blaine, WA.

 

Airports

 

Three airports are commonly used by visitors to Semiahmoo: 

 

Bellingham, Washington (BLI) (see http://www.portofbellingham.com/airport/default.htm) is approximately 25 miles from the resort and is a smaller regional airport with access through Horizon Air.  Horizon Air partners with other major airlines such as Alaska Air, Northwest, United and American to bring passengers to Bellingham.  Air travel prices might be higher flying into Bellingham than other larger airports, but would offer the shortest driving time to the resort.  Avis, Budget, Hertz, and National provide car rental services at the airport.  For those of you interested in sightseeing trips, there are also frequent flights each day from Bellingham to the San Juan Islands.  Limousine ($45 each way for up to 5 passengers), taxi ($40 each way), and bus shuttles ($90 for a 10 passenger van) are available from Bellingham to the resort.  See the Resort Detail page of this website for more information.

 

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (YVR) (see http://www.yvr.ca/) is approximately 40 miles from the resort and some additional time should be allotted due to the border crossing.  Vancouver has many major air carriers and rental car companies.  Limousine ($95 each way for up to 5 passengers), taxi ($70 CDN each way plus border wait time), and bus shuttles ($70 CDN each way for 3 passengers) are available from Vancouver to the resort.  See the Resort Detail page of this website for more information.

 

Seattle-Tacoma, Washington (SEA) or “Sea-Tac” (see  http://www.portseattle.org/seatac/) is the largest U.S. airport within reasonable driving distance and is approximately 125 miles from the resort.  The drive from Sea-Tac to the resort is approximately 2 ½ hours.  Most major air carriers and rental car companies are located in Sea-Tac.  Limousine ($160 each way for up to 5 passengers, $190 each way for up to 8 passengers) and bus shuttles ($58 each way for a single passenger, $30 each way per person plus $50 group surcharge for multiple passengers) are available from Sea-Tac to the resort.  If you fly through Sea-Tac to get to the meeting, please be aware that return flights after the meeting to the Midwest, Southeast, or Northeast will likely be departing from early morning to around noon in order to arrive home the same day.  Since the meetings for the conference run through mid-day on Wednesday, you might consider staying Wednesday night either at the resort for an early drive to Sea-Tac, or staying at a hotel near Sea-Tac on Wednesday night.  We have been advised that hotels near Sea-Tac often get booked months in advance so please do some advance planning in order to ensure a smooth trip home.  We will also have some activities and an open Hospitality Suite at the resort on Wednesday evening to entertain anyone who is staying through Wednesday night.  See the Resort Detail page of this website for more information.

 

Driving Directions

 

From I-5, Semiahmoo is most easily accessed from Exit 270. Turn off the exit ramp onto Birch Bay-Lynden Road. Turn right on Harborview Road. Turn left on Lincoln Road and follow the signs to the resort.

 

See http://www.semiahmoo.com/contact_map.asp for pictures of maps and more information.

 

 

Please view the following links for information if you plan on any travel in Canada during your visit:

 

Please be advised that Canada has laws about entering the country if you have a past DUI conviction.  See http://gocanada.about.com/cs/bordercrossing/a/DUI.htm for more details.

 

	Borderline Identification
	Canadian Customs Officers operate under similar rules and regulations as the USDHS, although are not as strict in enforcement of identification standards as their US counterparts. This is not to say that if they suspect something is amiss that they will not take your vehicle apart (literally), but they tend to be a little more trusting than their friends across 'the line'.
	Can You Prove Who You Are?
	What you need before you cross the border. It doesn't matter where you coming from or your citizenship, US authorities are adamant about their new security measures so they know who is entering the USA. This includes US citizens who are returning home after a vacation or business trip to Canada.
	Passports - What You Need To Know
	Although not yet required by international law, authorities in the US and Canada are strongly urging trans-border travellers to obtain and carry a passport. Here is what you need to know about passports.
	Permanent Resident Cards
	Proof of permanent residency has been in effect for many, many years, but it was a paper document (IMM 1000 Record of Landing form) with no picture. After the tragedy of 9/11, the government decided to develop a card that was virtually impossible to forge, and could carry an electronic strip of information accessible by customs and immigration officials.
	Americans want Canadians to Stay Home
	For millions of Canadian citizens, travelling just became a little dicier, especially if they were born in a Middle Eastern country. If they feel that any person is a threat for any reason, real or imaginary, the United States government is exercising their right to deport the person from the country; however, they are deporting them to their country of birth, not their country of citizenship.
	Papers Please - Documentation for Crossing the Border
	Canada Customs and the US State Department strongly suggest that US citizens carry some identification documents showing citizenship such as a US passport (this is the best), birth certificate, or baptismal certificate.
	Expired or Expiring Passports
	If you find yourself in a position where your passport will expire before you can make it home, it is imperative that you contact your country's Embassy as soon as possible so that they may issue new or extended travel documents. This usually means an extra expense, and is some cases a personal appearance at the embassy to explain your situation.