Cheese travel
Cheese in Washington
Begin at Beecher's in Pike Place Market, where you can watch the cheesemakers through the window every day from 9am. Then drive north to the dairy country of the Skagit Valley and Whatcom County: Samish Bay Cheese near Bow has a farm shop open daily, and Ferndale has two creameries that sell from the farm.
Factories and Dairies to Visit
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Where the Cheese Is
Seattle has the one big name, Beecher's Handmade Cheese, which makes its cheese in full view of the market crowds. North of the city, the flat farmland of the Skagit Valley and the Whatcom County dairy towns near the Canadian border hold most of the farmstead makers. Whidbey Island, a ferry ride from Mukilteo, has a sheep dairy with a farm store, and the lower Columbia River has a creamery in a restored barn at Cathlamet.
When to Go
Beecher's and the Bow and Ferndale shops are open year round. Late spring to early autumn is the nicest time for the farm drives, and some small makers extend their hours in summer: Little Island Creamery, for example, opens its farm store from Friday to Sunday.
A Day Trip North of Seattle
Watch the morning make at Beecher's, then drive north on Interstate 5 to Bow. Samish Bay Cheese sells organic cheese, yogurt and meat from its farm on Bow Hill Road. Carry on to Ferndale for Twin Sisters Creamery and the Ferndale Farmstead farm stand, then come back down the motorway, or make a weekend of it with a night in Bellingham.
Creameries and Farm Shops to Visit
| Place | Town | What you can do | When | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samish Bay Cheese | Bow | Farm shop for organic cheese, yogurt, beef and pork, plus local wine, cider and beer | Mon to Thu 11am to 4pm, Fri to Sun 10am to 5pm | samishbay.com |
| Twin Sisters Creamery | Ferndale | Cheese shop at the creamery, 6202 Portal Way | Tue to Sat, 11am to 5pm | twinsisterscreamery.com |
| Ferndale Farmstead | Ferndale | Self-serve cheese farm stand at 2780 Aldergrove Road; tours on request | Monday to Saturday | ferndalefarmstead.com |
| Glendale Shepherd | Clinton, Whidbey Island | Sheep dairy farm store with its own cheeses | Daily, 11am to 4pm, no appointment | glendaleshepherd.com |
| Little Island Creamery | Cathlamet | Farm store in a restored barn on Puget Island | Friday to Sunday; see its calendar for hours | littleislandcreamery.net |
| Cascadia Creamery | Trout Lake | Group creamery tours and tastings by arrangement | By arrangement | cascadiacreamery.com |
Acme Farms and Appel Farms do not take visitors, and the Washington State Cheesemakers Association no longer publishes a trail map or festival.
Where to Stay in Washington
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Questions People Ask
Where can you watch cheese being made in Seattle?
At Beecher's Handmade Cheese in Pike Place Market, at 1600 Pike Place. The cheese kitchen is behind a window, and the shop and cafe are open daily from 9am to 7pm.
Which Washington cheese farms have shops?
Samish Bay Cheese in Bow, Twin Sisters Creamery and Ferndale Farmstead in Ferndale, Glendale Shepherd on Whidbey Island and Little Island Creamery in Cathlamet all sell from the farm.
Is there a Washington cheese festival?
Not at the moment. The Washington State Cheesemakers Association's festival and cheese trail are no longer published.