For those wishing to add scenic enjoyment to a race, the Birch Bay Marathon certainly has plenty to offer. The course follows Birch Bay itself for the first three miles and nearly five at the end with an additional stretch in the middle. On the opposite side of the peninsula both laps show off Drayton Harbor and the little border town of Blaine which boasts the Peace Arch as a symbol of international harmony. Blaine's nearby neighbor to the west is British Columbia's White Rock. The Cascade Mountains stand high in the distance. As the course winds its way back toward the bay, the Canadian Gulf Islands lie off in the distance.

Local wildlife includes all sorts of mammals, birds, fish and sea life. Deer, muskrats, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, crows, ducks, eagles, geese, grouse, gulls, herons, hummingbirds, jays, owls, woodpeckers, wrens, clams, crabs, mussels, oysters, seals, starfish, bullheads (well, not everything is exciting), salmon, steelhead, and more. Some of these are certain to be around on race day.