Western Washington University is a public university in Bellingham, Washington, with student-led campus tours, visitor parking, and an interactive map for finding buildings and accessible routes. The campus is about a 12-minute drive from White Orchid.
- Location: Bellingham, Washington.
- In-person tours: 60 minutes, including a 30-minute admissions information session.
- Adjacent to campus: Sehome Hill Arboretum, with 6 miles of trails.
Finding your way around campus
Western’s interactive campus map helps you locate buildings, accessible routes, and parking. It also shows real-time parking availability, which can help you decide where to head before you arrive.
The university’s outdoor sculpture collection is open to the public at any time. Indoor sculptures can be viewed when campus buildings are open; building hours may vary during summer, intersessions, breaks, and holidays, so check individual galleries for their hours.
Campus tours and visitor information
Western offers in-person student-led tours and virtual tours, with options that include admissions information. Choose the format that suits your visit, then use the university’s admissions visit page to sign up for an in-person tour.
In-person tour
The in-person tour lasts 60 minutes and is led by a student guide. It includes a 30-minute admissions information session.
Virtual tours
The student-led virtual tour lasts 60 minutes. A separate 90-minute option combines a tour with an admissions-counselor information session.
How do you get to Western Washington University?
From I-5, take Exit 252 for Samish Way/WWU, turn west onto Samish Way, and follow signs to Bill McDonald Parkway and campus. Once on campus, allow at least 20 minutes to reach your destination if you park in the C lots. Blue Line WTA buses shuttle through campus every 15 minutes.
Where can you park on campus?
On-campus parking is very limited, and the visitor spaces and payment rules vary by time and lot. Check the official site before you go, especially if you need accessible parking or are visiting during a weekday.
Weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Visitor spaces available for purchase are in Lots 6V and C; additional paid parking is available at the off-campus Lincoln Creek lot. Lot C requires a permit during these hours, though visitors can pay by day. Lot 6V requires payment by day at all times and has no permit option.
Evenings, weekends, and holidays
After 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and at all hours on weekends and holidays, paid visitor spaces are available in Lots 6V, 7G, 9G, 11G, and 19G. Parking in Lots C, 12G, 27R, and Lincoln Creek is free during those periods.
Main-campus rates are $2.00 per hour and $14.00 per day; the daily rate at Lincoln Creek is $5.00. You can pay through the ParkMobile app or at a pay station in designated lots, using your vehicle license plate number. On weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., visitors with a state-issued disability placard also need a WWU parking pass.
They can pay at pay stations in Lots C or 6V or use ParkMobile Zone 1200. After 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends and holidays, a valid state disability placard means no WWU parking pass is needed.
What can you combine with a campus visit?
Sehome Hill Arboretum sits adjacent to campus and offers a natural-area outing before or after a tour. The 175.5-acre area has 6 miles of trails, a historic quarry, and an observation tower.
FAQs
Does Western Washington University offer campus tours?
Yes. Western offers in-person student-led tours and virtual options, including a longer virtual tour with an admissions-counselor information session.
Where can visitors find campus buildings and accessible routes?
Western’s interactive campus map includes building locations and accessible routes, along with parking details and real-time parking availability.
Is visitor parking free at Western Washington University?
Some lots are free during evenings, weekends, and holidays. At other times, visitor parking may be paid or require a permit, depending on the lot.
Can you visit Sehome Hill Arboretum during a campus trip?
Yes. The arboretum is adjacent to campus and has trails, a historic quarry, and an observation tower.