If you know me, you know I've written many reviews for Bellewood in Lynden, WA and yes, I'm…read moreofficially a regular! But honestly, I just want to share this place with the world because it's truly something special. Plenty of places have a "Santa" visit for the holidays... but Bellewood? They get THE real Santa Claus. The real deal. And would the real Santa charge? Nope! Free visits and free photo Saturdays and Sundays in December from noon to 4pm. And that's only the beginning. Bellewood is buzzing this time of year: Tons of apples (and they ship to out-of-state family and friends!) New spirits coming out of their distillery Unique gifts, ornaments, and goodies for everyone (lots of local vendors stuff here!) A cozy spot to settle in with a coffee and escape the chaos of the season As for me? I come for the weekend meals breakfast and lunch are always amazing. We also grab our favorite cottage pie for easy dinners when we don't feel like cooking. And don't even get me started on their frozen meatballs... lifesavers on busy weeknights and absolutely delicious. One of my favorite times to visit is early in the season or during the off-season. It's peaceful, the coffee is hot (free refills) and the view of Mt. Baker (or even the clouds) is beautiful. And the service? Simply the BEST around. Truly. Bellewood isn't just a place it's an experience, and one I'm grateful to have right here in our community.

Lovely apple farm I'm afraid lunch, cider and a bakery. Clean, local. Unfortunately the day we…read morevisited they were quite shorthanded, only 3 in the cafe. We made our lunch orders and waited 45 minutes for sandwiches. Okay. Our drinks and bakery item weren't served. Finally got a glass of cider. No bakery item after we were all finished with the meal. After waiting in line again to inquire about the missing item I was told gruffly "I'm busy, I'll get to it". Next, tried shopping gift shop and asked when the distillery would be open. "wait, when the rush is over". It never opened. We had items we wanted to pay for but no one ever came to the register. Not a great visit. Looks like it could be great for families, if it was staffed better.

Such a cute cheese shop! I've gotten a couple charcuterie boards here for a party, and wine and…read morecheese pairing event, and come by to sit out on the patio to share a bottle of wine and cheese board . Every experience at Appel Farms has gone above expectations! The owner is so sweet and provides great service, the cheese is always delicious, and the inside and outside are great spots for a little gathering. A hidden gem of Whatcom County

Went here with my friend for an afternoon trip and wasn't disappointed! Staff were super friendly…read moreand informed, and I swear, this is the only place in the country that still has bottles of water being sold for a dollar each!

This is a sweet farm. The animals are tame and will eat from your hands. We got to hold a baby…read morebunny. The mama bunny was born here and the grandma bunny also lives here. The goats are so silly and fun to watch and feed. The ducks, turkeys, chickens walk around freely and there are two nice dogs. The sheep were resting in the pasture and the cow was hiding out today. There are lots of places where you can interact with the animals or just sit under an umbrella and be entertained by them. It was easy to make a reservation on line, find the farm, parking and the family was welcoming. We will return.

i highly recommend visiting Bode Farm, rescue and sanctuary. it is a great place to bring your…read morefamily or even go alone just to have time with the animal is so healing and peaceful. I'm so grateful for the kindness of the Bose family and how they show up for animals in need by giving them a safe and living place to live out their lives without fear or harm. it is easy to see that each animals is loved and cared for, they are so friendly and fun to interact with. We will definitely be going back as soon as possible! it truly feels like a little spot of heaven on earth here.

Mountain View Farm was the perfect venue for our August 2024 wedding!…read more We initially discovered Mountain View Farm through internet searches and were immediately drawn in by the beautiful photos. After visiting the venue in person, we knew it was exactly what we were looking for. Oana, who manages the venue, gave us a tour of the backyard and the house. Seeing it firsthand helped us visualize how we wanted to set things up. The outdoor space was ideal for the event itself. At the same time, the house provided a convenient and cozy option for us and our family to stay together, eliminating any worries about accommodation or travel time. The location is just far enough from Vancouver to feel like a peaceful escape, but close enough that it's easily accessible--only about a 45-minute drive. It ticked all the boxes for us. Venue Details: House rules: No shoes inside, and quiet hours start at 11 PM. Guests are responsible for cleaning up, trash/recycling and collecting towels in the laundry room. Pricing: The indoor house is $1,000 per night (5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms). Outdoor space prices vary by guest count: $135 per hour for up to 25 people, $165 per hour for up to 50 people. Rentals: They offer table and chair rentals (rectangular tables for 6 people, round tables also available) that can be added to your contract. Decor: Oana has decor available for rent, or you can bring your own. We loved the flexibility of choosing our own vendors, although they also provide recommendations. Before the wedding, we visited the farm one more time to finalize the layout and decor details. Oana was incredibly helpful throughout the planning process, and we were thrilled to have her as our day-of coordinator. Her knowledge of the venue and her experience made everything run smoothly. We stayed at the farm for two nights--one night before the wedding and the night of--which was a huge help. It gave us time to settle in, unpack, and handle some of the setup the day before. The house is spacious and lovely, there's room to take it easy and even a jacuzzi, One minor issue some of our guests mentioned was the house's septic system, which requires no tissues to be flushed to avoid a potential flood. Honestly, we found this to be a small sacrifice for such a beautiful venue. The Wedding Day: The day of the wedding was absolutely perfect. Oana played a key role in ensuring everything went off without a hitch. Our guests loved the venue, and many commented on the stunning views. It felt like our little hidden gem, and all our hard work paid off. The photos were breathtaking, especially with the unobstructed views of Golden Ears. In the end, Mountain View Farm was the perfect choice for an outdoor wedding. We're so glad we had the flexibility to customize the space with our own vendors and decorations, and it gave us the beautiful, peaceful setting we were looking for.

We chose Mountain View Farm for my daughter's grad party and it was the best experience we have…read moreever had. With the stunning backdrop and well designed property amenities everyone loved it and had a beautiful time. Oana, Milad and the owner are beyond helpful and accommodating of any needs. We would highly recommend any special occasion to be held here.

We attended the Christmas Cocktail Crawl at Ripples Winery Events, this November, purchasing…read moretickets for a VERY reasonable price. IT WAS EXCELLENT!! It was a great start to the Christmas season, with the entire venue decorated beautifully with Christmas trees lit up in fairy lights, country charm decor, cozy fire pits and quality live music. None of us drink alcohol so we chose the DD tickets. An assortment of delicious appetizers and wonderful non-alcoholic mocktails (as well as alcoholic cocktails) and beverages were served at 12 different 'stations'. We wandered about, enjoying the ambiance, listening to great music, choosing our appetizers and beverages, and receiving the most excellent service from all the people who worked the event. A huge "thank you" to Caroline and Chris, as well as to the whole team, whose creativity and hospitality shone through every part of the event. We enjoyed every moment. We will DEFINITELY go again next November. It's a very popular event so plan early for next Christmas. It's a good idea to make a reservation and purchase tickets for any of their events early, when they advertise for next year. This year's events were 'sold out'...so you know they provide a great experience.

We attended a wedding here at the Secret Garden today and what a beautiful venue!! It is rustic,…read morepretty and very lush with a plethora of tropical trees! Having the roof over the space was great as it did rain but they will still able to maintain the open air feeling. I absolutely love the covered fire area where you can sit with a glass of wine and get some fresh air! The ceremony and reception were in the same space with a quick turn around in between. There is a really great room for cocktails and appies for guests that would prefer to stay in between the ceremony and reception! The location is a bit remote but only 10 mins to some great restaurants in Abbotsford for those that want to grab a bite in between! Would highly recommend this venue...it's beautiful!