There are SO many places to go & things to do in our area. Adventure by day and relax by night! Most of our guests like to explore and take advantage of beautiful Bellingham and surrounding areas. World-class attractions are a walk (or a very short drive) away. Done playing for the day, our guests relax and enjoy the luxuries of this inviting house and peaceful property close to Lake Whatcom.

From the moment you arrive, you will feel pampered; the home is immaculately maintained and exquisitely outfitted. Read on to learn about the many included extras... (Hint - read the photo captions for complete details.)

THE NEIGHBORHOOD is evolving from the original cabins of yesteryear to modern Craftsman style homes. Geneva maintains a rural-small town feel: many families keep small flocks of chickens and the roads have no sidewalks, but downtown Bellingham is a quick eight-minute drive away.

It's a quiet neighborhood, nestled in tall evergreen trees. Lake Whatcom is a few blocks away - swim, fish and even have a small campfire on the public access beach. One of Bellingham's most remarkable parks, Whatcom Falls Park, is less than a mile away. Visit the impressive waterfalls and walk or bike the miles of interurban trails. Take advantage of the tennis courts, a skatepark and basketball courts. Kids can fish in the stocked pond, and burn off energy at the playground. The nearby elementary school has an extravagant playground as well (available during the afternoon and on weekends.)

ACTIVITIES
* Mountain Biking ... Galbraith is literally out our front door and boasts world class biking!
* Skiing or snowboarding ... Mt. Baker is a reasonable 55 minute drive away. Mt. Baker is one of the snowiest ski areas in the nation.
* Hiking ... Many amazing trails are within a few miles of here.
* Kayaking ... Whale watching ... Bellingham's got it!

LOTS OF COOKS IN THE KITCHEN
Return from playing to your "home away from home" and enjoy all the amenities of a well-appointed home. Cooking is a dream in the fully-stocked kitchen; you will find name-brand small appliances, double ovens, a vegetable prep sink, tons of counter space, designer cookware, sharp Global knives and a commercial gas range. There is space for many cooks at the same time, so make it a group activity!

RELAX TOGETHER IN THE GREAT ROOM
The rest of the group can keep the cooks company in the living room that adjoins the kitchen in the great room. The giant stone fireplace is the central feature of the room (and we'll provide a manufactured fire log for every night of your stay!) Kick back on the Restoration Hardware leather sofa or play provided games around the oversized coffee table. The long cherrywood dining table comfortably (and elegantly) seats eight.

OUTDOOR LIVING
The great room opens onto a deck where you will find a gas BBQ, outdoor dining and a fire table with four cozy cushioned chairs (contact us for fire table propane). Enjoy the outdoors in the "tea house" even if it is raining. (We love sitting around the fire table in the snow!) Strings of Edison lights illuminate the backyard with a magical glow (and then go off automatically at 11 pm thanks to the "smart house" features.) Enjoy a crackling fire in the outdoor fire pit - guests are responsible for getting firewood from a nearby store.

WORK REMOTELY
The WiFi here is lightening fast (1 gigabit). If you must work during your visit, work in comfort & privacy in one of two dedicated workspaces.

BONUSES
* Enjoy a selection of bath salts, scrubs and bath bubbles to use in the spa-like jetted tub for two!
* Make your favorite espresso drink using our Breville espresso maker and provided syrups. Take a latte on your adventures in provided thermal mugs!
* We provide a long-burning manufactured fire log for each night of your stay. Please note - NO real wood fires in the indoor fireplace please - wood throws sparks and creates soot stains! (Thanks in advance for following our request - violations will incur a $150 fee.)
* Help yourself to the blueberries and the herbs in our veggie garden.
* Store your bikes safely (or other sports equipment) in a locked shed or garage. We can provide bike tools and a bike stand by advanced request. You can even wash your bike after a muddy ride using the warm outdoor spigot!

Our home is best suited to sleep 7, but by setting up a remarkably comfortable queen-size air mattress in a private room (office), we can accommodate 2 more people with advance notice. Please be well-aware of the bed configurations when you make reservations (the 7-person capacity counts any double beds as double occupancy.) Do you have a large group? Reserve early and combine this reservation with a reservation at "Hip & Sunny Lake Whatcom Apartment" located above the garage to sleep four more!

Learn more about Bellingham Happenings, as well as what's new with the house and property by visiting our social media pages.

We recently added this property to VRBO, but we are not new to sharing our home with visitors. Below are two reviews from folks who have stayed at "Play Hard but Rest Easy" through a home trade.

FEBRUARY 2022 (five stars) "We had a wonderful stay at Kjerstin‘s home. Everything was sparkling clean and the home was a wonderful retreat after a busy day of adventures in the Bellingham area. We felt very welcome in this home and neighborhood and loved the local treats and tips. We are looking forward to planning our next visit already!"

SEPTEMBER 2022 (five stars) "This was our second exchange with Kjerstin and Jim. Kjerstin is a wonderful host and we really appreciated the great communication. Their home is in a lovely quiet neighborhood close to parks and trails, yet only a few minutes drive into town. Their home is not only beautiful and inviting, it’s also clean and well-kept. Highly recommend."

THINGS TO NOTE
This is a well-maintained, sparkling clean, "loaded" luxury home, but it is not perfect. The "imperfections" will not interfere with your wonderful stay, but we want you to know about them ahead of time.
* scratches in the cherry wood floor (doggy love)
* outdoor deck to be refinished summer 2024
* four tiles missing from exterior of ensuite tub surround (deliberately removed for tub maintenance)
* perennial beds will have some weeds. I wish they wouldn't, but they just will [sigh].
We continue to make improvements regularly.

If you make a reservation at "Play Hard, Rest Easy", you can expect to enjoy top-shelf, luxury accommodations; unprecedented attention to detail; and opulent inclusions not found in most vacation rentals. You will absolutely find it worthwhile! Welcome!