We knew it already, but it’s nice to see Bellingham make this national top 10 list

OK, OK, if you live here, this is one of those “well, no duh” kind of stories. All you have to do is look at the shops located on just about every other corner here in Bellingham to realize that this city takes its coffee seriously.

But at the same time, it’s nice to get a little affirmation that the coffee around here is as good as it gets. It’s like a shot of caffeine, if you will.

National Geographic Travel on Wednesday released its list of the small cities (population less than 600,000) in the United States that provide the best caffeine fix, and – surprise, surprise – Bellingham made the top 10.

According to the story, Nat Geo teamed with Resonance Consultancy to form the list to identify the top 20 small cities for coffee shops, before picking its favorites “with offerings ranging from great hikes, to museum tours, to pure relaxation—all with a perfect morning joe.”

None of the cities were designated at the “No. 1” city, but Bellingham was the first photo displayed in the article, so do with that as you will.

“This coastal paradise means you can stay in a bustling, caffeinated city, with easy access to nature's wonder,” Nat Geo wrote in its description of Bellingham. “Whale watching and skiing is accessible seasonally, while the slow drip is available year round.”

So who’s our top competition? Also making the list were: Portland, Maine; Anchorage, Alaska; Santa Cruz, California; Greenville, South Carolina; Spokane; Boulder, Colorado; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Charlottesville, Virginia.

This story was originally published March 8, 2018 at 1:06 PM with the headline "We knew it already, but it’s nice to see Bellingham make this national top 10 list."