We are Kelvin & Patti Barton, enthusiastic Birch Bay cottage owners. My husband and I had been looking for vacation property in Washington State for some time. We wanted a place our family could make memories in and have plenty to do while in the area. We also wanted a place that was not commercialized. In 2003 we vacationed in Birch Bay and walked down the little beach lanes with all the quaint cabins and cottages where we found folks relaxing with generations of their family. We decided Birch Bay was a wonderful place, not too far from our home just north of Seattle, but far enough to have that pristine feel that is so relaxing. One thing that was important to us was to be within walking distance of the attractions Birch Bay has to offer; restaurants, the "C" Shop (Candy Shop) cafes and shops. We wanted to be in the middle of the fun part of Birch Bay and we found two quaint cottages, second and third from the beach. We really enjoy the fact it's so close to Canada. There's a whole other country at our doorstep. Canadians own in Birch Bay and love to visit just as we love to visit Vancouver and Victoria B.C. I particularly love to get Murchie's Tea and Canadian maple syrup. When we're not maintaining or improving the cottages, you might find us socializing with neighbors, at a Birch Bay community meeting or across the street enjoying a spectacular Birch Bay sunset on unobstructed beach. We like to crab at Birch Bay. We go out with family and neighbors, each with a skiff and small motor. We raft our boats together with our hands just for the fun of it when we're in the middle of the bay. We compare bait crab pots, choose the biggest crabs, mark our catch cards and race on back to shore. Then we join in a neighborhood crab feast. Sometimes we take our guests out with us if it works out just right.
Birch Bay has long been one of Washington's resort areas and is known for its vacation cottage rentals. We are happy to join in the fun of helping create happy and memorable vacations and off season getaways for our guests.
We have thoroughly renovated both our cottages, so don't let "vintage" or "quaint" make you think they're not modern. Don't let "comfortable" make you think worn & torn! We constantly receive compliments on how thoughtfully furnished and well supplied the cottages are. Our guests tell us it's obvious to them that we care about their special time together with family & friends or just relaxing or finding a smorgasbord of activities in our area.
We are also constantly improving the ease of making reservations. With our new credit card system in place, it is no longer necessary to reserve with a large deposit over and above the rent. But you can still pay by check or money order if you prefer.
We do not have a dedicated phone line, so when we answer "Hello" please don't be put off! We're still a very small business, but we take pride in our Birch Bay community, being directly involved with community planning and as many community events as we are able. We value our quaint little neighborhood with tiny lanes and the neighborhoods around and about us.
We belong to Whatcom County Shore Stewards. We voluntarily follow 10 wildlife-friendly guidelines in caring for our beaches, bluffs, gardens and homes.
Our business is registered and licensed with Washington State Department of Licensing as "Cottages by the Beach". Click the link below and type in our business name.
We are members of Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce.
We also belong to Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism.
For vacation/holiday planning, click on the logos above and try their websites.
Another nice site to try for more Whatcom County area things to do is Kulshan.com.
We try to give a personal touch. If you have special interests, just let us know and we will try to direct you to a website or give a phone number or address.