A practical guide to Point Roberts, Washington: why the 49th parallel left it on the wrong side, how to get there by road, boat or air, parks and beaches, border tips and daily life on the peninsula.
Point Roberts, Washington, is a U.S. exclave: its only land connection is through Canada. Wikipedia gives a 2020 census population of 1,191, down from 1,314 in 2010, and says the number swells to about 4,500 in summer, mostly with Canadian visitors. The area is about 12.65 square kilometres (4.9 square miles), all land.
It lies south of the 49th parallel, the border set by the Oregon Treaty concluded on 15 June 1846, so the southern tip of the Tsawwassen peninsula ended up on the American side. It borders the municipality of Delta, British Columbia, and about 22 miles (35 kilometres) south of downtown Vancouver.
Our 18-second Short about Point Roberts is below. For the quick version, see our Point Roberts travel guide.
The 1846 Oregon Treaty used the 49th parallel as the border, and the southern tip of one peninsula fell just below that line. Wikipedia describes Point Roberts as bordered by Canada and by water, with Boundary Bay and the Strait of Georgia to the south and west.
The result is an unusual geography. To reach the rest of the United States by road, you drive about 25 miles (40 kilometres) through Canada. The Point Roberts–Boundary Bay Border Crossing is the only authorised land access to Canada, and Wikipedia calls it the westernmost crossing in the Lower 48.
By road, drive north into Canada, follow Highway 99 and then Highway 17 west toward Tsawwassen, and cross back into the U.S. at the Point Roberts crossing. That means you cross the border twice, so bring a valid passport and confirm current rules with both countries’ border agencies.
There are alternatives that avoid Canada. Wikipedia mentions the Point Roberts Airpark and the Point Roberts Marina Resort, which allow access to the rest of Washington without entering Canada. A temporary Port of Bellingham ferry to Blaine ran from August 2020 and ended in August 2021 when the border reopened to non-essential travel. A travel article we used lists a private boat charter from Bellingham and flights with San Juan Airlines, and says there is currently no regular ferry.
Daily life shows the quirk. Point Roberts Primary serves kindergarten through third grade, with about 15 students and one full-time teacher, according to Wikipedia. From fourth grade on, students travel about 40 minutes through British Columbia and cross the border four times in total.
Post office boxes are rented to Greater Vancouver residents for mail and parcels, and Wikipedia says about 40 times more Canadians have mailboxes there than there are residents. After a 1973 drought caused tension, a 1987 agreement requires the Point Roberts Water District to buy raw water annually from the Greater Vancouver Water District.
When Canada closed its border to non-essential travel in March 2020, a study found the area lost 80 percent of its business. The border fully reopened in August 2021. Canadians also visit for cheaper American gasoline when the Canadian dollar is strong.
Travel guides list these places:
A 13-mile loop around the peninsula is popular with cyclists and has little traffic. The golf course reopened in spring 2025, and a one-day music festival, Strings and Things, is held at the marina in July.
One guide reports no hotels on the peninsula, so options are camping or short-term rentals. Services are limited: one grocery store, a hardware store and two gas stations. Kiniski’s Reef Tavern and the Saltwater Cafe both have patios with ocean views.
A riptide often forms off the southwest point, and strong winds and currents can create dangerous conditions. Reaching the park by boat means a long, open crossing through busy shipping channels. Check Canadian border procedures if you continue into British Columbia waters.
Wikipedia’s account of the Oregon boundary dispute says the 49th parallel was the original U.S. proposal for the mainland border. The U.S. Senate ratified the treaty on 18 June 1846 by a vote of 41 to 14. The treaty kept Vancouver Island as British territory, and its wording on the water boundary, “the deepest channel”, left the San Juan Islands in dispute until arbitration in 1872.
That background explains why the line looks arbitrary on the ground. A straight parallel across a peninsula does not care about coastlines, and so one small piece of land ended up separated from the rest of the country. The slogan often remembered from the era, “Fifty-four Forty or Fight!”, appeared by January 1846, not during the 1844 campaign, and is often wrongly credited to Polk.
These are our own suggestions, not official advice.
Wikipedia says about 40 times more Canadians have mailboxes in Point Roberts than there are residents, and that the peninsula swells to about 4,500 people in summer, mostly Canadians. Our source material says Canadians could not buy land there until 1953, and today own almost half the property. The community therefore lives between two countries, shaped by cross-border trade, mail and seasonal residents.
For most travellers, the draw is the oddity of the place plus the coast: beaches, parks, whale watching in summer, and quiet cycling roads. It is more of a half-day or day trip than a long holiday, unless you rent a cabin.
This is our own suggestion, not an official itinerary.
The Oregon Treaty of 1846 set the border at the 49th parallel, and the southern tip of the peninsula fell just below that line.
By road through Canada, crossing the border twice, or by private boat, charter or small plane that avoids Canada.
Wikipedia gives 1,191 at the 2020 census, and about 4,500 in summer.
Yes, because the only land route runs through Canada. Confirm current rules with both countries’ border agencies.
One guide reports no hotels on the peninsula, so options are camping or short-term rentals.
Canada closed its border to non-essential travel in March 2020, and a study found the area lost 80 percent of its business. The border fully reopened in August 2021.
For mail and parcel boxes, and for cheaper American gasoline when the Canadian dollar is strong.
Point Roberts Primary serves kindergarten to third grade. From fourth grade, students travel through British Columbia, crossing the border four times.
Visit Lighthouse Park for whale watching in summer, Monument Park for the 49th parallel marker, Lily Point Marine Park for trails, and cycle the 13-mile loop.
A temporary Port of Bellingham ferry to Blaine ran from August 2020 to August 2021. A travel article says there is currently no regular ferry.
About 12.65 square kilometres, or 4.9 square miles, all land.
A riptide often forms off the southwest point, and strong winds and currents can create dangerous conditions, so check conditions and local advice before entering the water.
There are few hotels, so camping and rentals are common. Compare prices and reviews, and check the cancellation terms before you reserve.
See stays in Point Roberts on Booking.com →
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We checked this guide on November 8, 2026. Border rules, ferry services, opening hours and camping rules change. Confirm border requirements for your passport with the border agencies of both countries before you go. Confirm details with official sources before you go.
Sources checked November 8, 2026: Wikipedia: Point Roberts, Washington · HistoryLink · Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism