Location: Birch Bay, Washington State, USA (Minutes to Canadian Border & Bellingham, Seattle, 2 hours.) View Map
Accommodations: Cottage, 2 Bedrooms + Detached Unit, 1 Bath (Sleeps 4-6)
Birch Bay is a short drive north from Seattle on I - 5 and minutes south of the Canadian border near Vancouver B.C. We're at the corner of the US and Canada and within a very short distance of Bellingham, Washington.
If you want some of the best and easiest beach access in Birch Bay, try Lora's Cottage. You'll find several miles of open beach to walk or bike. When the tide is out there are miles of tide flats on which to make sand castles or clam. And one of the features which sets this cottage apart is a delightful gated, wooden foot bridge that leads to a privately owned spit where you can find your own driftwood log to sit on and gaze at sunsets, sometimes peaceful in pastel blue and yellow or raucous in vivid color splashed across the sky.
Lora's Cottage inspires comments like "That cottage is sooo cute! as they stroll past the white picket fence. Modern comforts & new furnishings simply make Lora's mellow age all the more delightful! Old fashioned wood windows let partial views of the Bay & sunshine in, while original wood floors throughout & a tiled wood stove give warmth & a great atmosphere for summer vacation or a romantic getaway. (wood provided in winter, electric heat throughout)
One bedroom has a very comfy queen memory mattress bed plus our second cable TV, an LCD flat screen. The second has a full bed. A queen sofa sleeper in the living room sleeps two more. Lora's is a perfect little cottage for two, comfortable for four and sleeps 6 in a pinch.
A short walk south along the Bay brings you to Birch Bay's "C" shop--known all over the county for its European trained chocolatier's - watch as they craft. You'll find pastries, breads, pizza and lunch there as well. Though not open winter months, you can order ahead Christmas and Easter goodies. A short walk north on Birch Bay Drive takes you to Shores, Tradewinds Cafe, and CJ's Restaurants, more restaurants & golf. Or how about just relaxing on your own old-fashioned covered sitting porch at the cottage with lemonade or iced tea? Or grind your own coffee beens for that perfect cup. In the new little tea cupboard is a vintage china tea set. Chances are you'll find some Stash tea in the cupboard and...there are some crystal wine goblets! We have added a new Weber grill, beautifully clad in green enamel and there's a large yard, too, for picnics & play. We've also added free Broadband Internet, so bring your laptop if you like.
Your off season stay (Oct - April, excluding holidays) comes with half a dozen free cinnamon rolls. They're baked fresh by a prize winning local baker & delivered to the cottage. We're hearing lots of raves about these!
A separate, detatched bedroom is available. This has a loft bed, full & twin on top and a sofa, drawers and our Whirlpool Duet washer/dryer set. Great for extra guests and teenagers.
We are members of Birch Bay Chamber, Bellingham Whatcom Tourism and Washington State Tourism.
Note: We also own Seashell Cottage, listing # 37252, another vintage cottage, just across the narrow lane, listed also on this site. Rent both cottages for larger gatherings, sleep 17 comfortably
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer: Deluxe Whirlpool front loading
- Dryer: Deluxe Whirlpool front loading
- Linens Provided: Beach towels, quality sheets and linens to go with cottage decor, electric blanket
- Off Street Parking: room for a couple vehicles
- Wood Stove: A beautiful tiled woodstove with rock hearth and wall, firewood & firestarters provided in winter months, electric heat, too
- Beds
- Queen Bed: high quality new memory mattress
- Double Bed
- Convertible Bed: sofa bed in living room with pad added for extra comfort
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV (2) : Suround Sound
- DVD (2)
- VCR
- CD Player
- Stereo System
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen: smoothtop range, quality small appliances, including coffee grinder, very cheerful new kitchen, cottage style. A real china tea set in a special cupboard, usually some Stash tea on hand
- Cooking Utensils Provided: plenty of quality utensils provided, stand mixer, coffee grinder, blender, hand mixer
- Refrigerator: ice maker
- Dishwasher
- Microwave: full size
- Ice Maker
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill: Beautiful green enamel Weber gas BBQ, picnic table
- Lanai: sitting porch, View of Bay
- View/Location
- Beach View: Partial beach view, one house between. Lora's has quiet private beach on a private spit, accessible via gated footbridge.
- Communications
- Telephone
- WiFi (Wireless Internet)
- Other Amenities
- Private beach via quaint gated footbridge, this is very unique to Birch Bay and to our cottage
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Golf
- Theme Park (Amusement Park)
- Shopping
- Sightseeing
- Restaurants
- Kayaking
- Sailing
- Boating
- Shelling
- Swimming
- Windsurfing
- Biking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Antiquing
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Museums
- Miniature golf
- Horseback Riding
- Other Activities
- People love to walk & bike along Birch Bay Drive with its quaint village atmosphere. Birch Bay State Park with trails, beach and interpretive programs is 1 mile Excellent Golf & Semiahmoo nearby, Water Park, Mini Train Rides, Go Karts, Surrey Rentals, Whale Watching Tours, lots of wildlife, eagle perches steps from cottage, Dutch themed Lynden, Fairhaven in Bellingham, Semiahmoo Spit, Make it a two nation vacation, visit Vancouver B, C, & Seattle, we're one of Washington's few resort areas, a true gem of the Pacific Northwest, tucked between two major metropolitan areas
Rate Details (In US Dollars, CAD at Par)
Sept 8 - May 21, 2010 $150 / night, $900 / wk, 2 night min.
May 22, - September 5, 2010, 225 / night, $1,050 wk
Watch for our annual Jan/Feb discount except 2010 Olympics wks are $1,150
Blackbird House (Bunkhouse) sleeps 3 ask for details
10.5% tax, CAD at Par thru PayPal
Credit Cards, Check, Money Order or PayPal US funds.
Oct. - April guests receive 1/2 dozen fresh cinnamon rolls, except holidays.
No security deposit if we have your Credit Card # on file, price includes cleaning
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Credit Cards Accepted:
Map & Owner's Profile
Lora's Cottage, Private Beach, 2010 Olympics Reasonable Rates
Year Purchased: 2004
Why the Owner Chose Birch Bay
Birch Bay is close to Seattle and Vancouver B.C., close to countryside and small towns and villages as well as Bellingham. Lora's Cottage is one house from the beach and also includes shared private beach rights to an undeveloped portion of the spit at the mouth of Terrill Creek. One of the features we truly enjoy about this property and Seashell Cottage (across the lane from Lora's) is that there is no railroad track to cross. This type of property is not common in Washington State. There is also no ferry necessary, it's easy to get to, however it's away from the hustle and bustle of urban living. Full time residents as well as vacationers love to walk and bike along the beach, the whole place exhudes a holiday resort atmosphere. Birch Bay Drive separates us from the beach, but there's not enough room to build, so the view of the beach has been preserved for the public as well as home owners without beach front property. Also we have low bank beach, no hills or berms or bluffs to hikde down.
The Unique Benefits at this Cottage
It is really fun to go crabbing in August. We take our small skiff out a couple miles into the bay along with neighbors and pull the pots, come back and have a crab feast outside. We like just going across the street to the beach and watching sunsets. It's fun to talk with neighbors who come by. Our daughter loves the "C" Shop and when we get a break from providing vacationers a clean well maintained cottage, we sometimes sbeaj iver to nearby Semiahmoo where our sailboat is moored. We just love the entire coastal area and the fact that it's so close to Canada! Vancouver and Victoria rock! The whole area is eco conscious and outdoor oriented. We have more sunshine in Birch Bay than Bellingham or Seattle.
On the west side of the mouth of Terrill Creek is private beach accessed via gated wooden footbridge
Everyone's favorite for ice cream, cinnamon rolls, pizza, sandwiches and, yes, hand crafted chocolates and other candies.
Owner's Map of Birch Bay
We are Kelvin and Patti Barton and have three grown children. We bought the cottages after our youngest graduated high school. We manage the cottages as a full-fledged Birch Bay business but are still able to provide that personal touch unlike a major hotel.
Property Photos
- Great any season Private Beach, Accessed via Private Footbridge - Birch Bay, Washington Lodging
- To the left is Lora's white picket fence - Birch Bay, Washington Lodging
- Lots of lace, a rocking chair, tea and a front porch - Birch Bay, Washington Lodging
- Make yourself at home!
- inviting living room
- modern kitchen full of 1930's charm, quality small appliances and a tea set
- Well equiped kitchen has stand mixer and coffee grinder
- Queen Memory Foam Mattress, quilts & original art
- Cottage decor integrated with modern LCD wall mount TV, bedroom 1
- 2nd bedroom, very sweet with full size wicker bed
- 2nd bedroom, nostalgic cottage built-in dresser with embroidered doily & lace
- Sunset from Lora's porch
Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #51871
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This listing was first published here in 2004.
Date last modified - November 07, 2009
