The Bellingham Real Estate Blog » Whatcom County Recreation

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival- Check it out this weekend!

Fawn — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:12:07 +0000

Although this week’s weather may not have been the most “Spring like” it’s time for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Many of the tulip fields are already in full bloom and gorgeous. Each particular field has it’s own set of activities and hours. Both the RoozenGaarde and Tulip Town fields have beautiful displays ready for you to enjoy! To view a complete list of all the tulip fields you can visit the Tulip Field Map.

The tulip festival runs from April 1st -31st weather, or as long as the flowers are still in bloom. Many other activities also surround the festival from the Tulip Run to Whale Watching Tours leaving near by Anacortes, it’s sure to be a great trip and day for everyone! For complete information on the Tulip Festival you can visit the event office at 311 Kincaid St in Mt. Vernon, WA or by telephone at 360-428-5959. A special thanks to Steve and Nicole Gordon for the great shots of the tulip fields!

For more information on Bellingham Real Estate or to search for homes in the Bellingham and Whatcom County area visit www.JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com, your one stop Bellingham real estate and community information resource!

“Reel” Estate Salmon Fishing Report for the San Juan Island Area

Fawn — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:50:31 +0000

The fishing in the San Juan Islands has been nothing less than spectacular. A good friend Ralph from the Gig Harbor area had a great report for the middle of March “26 keepers,” in one day. The limit is 2 fish per day but catch and release is allowed. Another report from the last Sunday in March was “12 Salmon,” from good friend and client Rod Nau.

We think the best report of the year is from one of The Johnson Team’s most treasured past clients, Mike McAuley. Mike along with Kirk Hawley, both from Ferndale and Pat Phillips, from the Eastern Washington area managed several fish between March 31-April 1st in the Annual Anacortas Salmon Derby. They won 2nd place and the several thousand dollars side bets. Smiles all around for the crew of the – Fish-n-Jul. Most of the large fish in the derby were caught on bait but some spoons are still very effective as the season comes to a close.

Congrats on the big win guys, looks like a very successful fishing derby! If you need any fishing tips give The Johnson Team Fishing Hotline a call (360)303-2734 and we are happy to help.

“Reel” Estate Fishing Report for The San Juan Islands

Fawn — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:42:22 +0000

Fishing out in the San Juan Islands has been pretty slow overall. The Black mouth Salmon opener was December 1st and from our reports it was pretty hit & miss. We did have 1 favorable report from over at Point Thompson (north end of Orcas Island) – a lucky fisherman hit the jackpot and landed 8 fish in 4 hours ranging from 10-20 pounds, unfortunately they were all native fish and had to be released.

This is pretty typical for the December fishery but as we get to the latter part of January expect the reports to heat up. Alden Bank outside sandy point was hot January 25 to 30th last year. The Reel Estate boat landed 25 salmon in 3 trips so if you are looking for the current report, make sure to call the hotline and see if the fish are in. 360-303-2734

The Roche Harbor Salmon Classic Invitational is February 2-4, 2012 and The Johnson Team 2902 Trophy will be at the cannon start ready to go at 7am sharp.

If you would like to be entered to win a fresh salmon fillet from the derby courtesy of The Johnson Team Real Estate tex the word JohnsonTeam to 22828 to be entered to win!

*Winners must be able to pick up fillet in Bellingham.

Sandy Point Bullhead Derby

Rich — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:13:25 +0000

Annual Sandy Point Bullhead Derby

Lauren Bredeson - a Proud Winner

Saturday August 20th was a great day for the kids at Sandy Point. It was the 6th Annual Bullhead Derby. There must have been 100 of them running around at the awards ceremony. The biggest fish was over a pound but even the kids that caught the smaller ones had a great time. Hot dogs, chips and soft drinks were provided and it could not have been a better day with the 70+ degree temperatures. Lauren, one of the smaller members of The Johnson Team landed a 6 oz beauty and was rewarded with a free Kayak rental for 2 Days from LFS in Bellingham. All the prizes were donated and we thank all of the companies for their support.

Enjoy your tour of Sandy Point and it’s ammenities

Tennant Lake Interpretive Center Ferndale

Rich — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 00:02:08 +0000

Tennant Lake Interpretive Center Ferndale WA

If you are looking for a great place to spend an afternoon, time spent at the Tennant Lake Interpretive Center will be time not soon forgotten.

Tennant Lake Fragrance Garden

The site includes:

Tennant Lake which is a birders paradise
Elevated boardwalk from which you can explore the marshes
50′ tower that, from the top, you get a 360 degree bird’s eye view of Whatcom County & beyond
Fragrance garden that is full of exotic smells
An interpretive center

The Fragrance Garden at Tennant Lake

All and all it’s a place where time has no meaning and before you know it, the sun will begin to set & you’ll wonder what happened to the day.

Enjoy your tour through Tennant lake, the Fragrance Garden, the 50′ Tower and The Interpretive Center.

Visit Bellingham’s Boulevard Park and Taylor Street Dock

Fawn — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:42:58 +0000

Bellingham's Boulevard Park

With all this incredible weather the Bellingham area has been experiencing lately it’s a perfect time to get out and enjoy some of the local sights and amenities. South Hill’s Boulevard Park happens to be one of my favorite places to go on a sunny afternoon or for an evening stroll to watch the Sunset.

Boulevard Park is located on just north of the historic Fairhaven District along South State Street and Bay View Drive. You can access the park off of South State Street and take the stairs down to the Park, down Bay View Drive and park in the park’s main parking lots or enjoy a leisurely stroll fromFairhaven to the Park via the Taylor Street Dock.

Taylor Street Dock connecting Fairhaven and Boulevard Park

Once you arrive at Boulevard Park you are greeted with breathtaking views of Bellingham Bay, Lummi Island and the Fairhaven Ferry Dock area. Boulevard Park boasts picnic tables and barbecue grills making it the perfect spot for a Summer afternoon barbecue or outdoor party. Not only is the park a lot of fun but it’s also a wonderful learn opportunity with it’s educational interpretive displays and over water Boardwalk. If a morning walk is more your style be sure and stop by a local favorite Wood’s Coffee located within the park and featuring locally made pastries and espresso drinks.

Port of Bellingham Views

From Boulevard Park you can view the Alaska Ferry when it’s in Port as well as many local sail and power boaters who are anchored up outside of the Fairhaven Boat Launch. The Ferry Terminal is local gem with many weddings and community events being held in the building.

If you have family or friends visiting from out of town a favorite hotel destination is Bellingham’s Chrysalis Inn located above the Taylor Street Dock and Boulevard Park. The Chrysalis Inn is a wonderful hotel featuring a world class spa and stunning views of the park and the water’s of Bellingham Bay beyond.

Do you have a favorite Whatcom County Summer destination? If so, we would love to hear about it! Feel free to email your photos and spots to Info@JohnsonTeamRealEstate.com and we will display them here on our blog!

The Salmon Are Biting Out in the Water’s of The San Juan Islands

Fawn — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 03:36:41 +0000

: Mike Bredeson with his 20 lbs Chinook Salmon

The Johnson Team’s own Mike Bredeson and his good friend Lance Lootens were out fishing in the Northern San Juan Islands last Sunday, and managed to land this bright 20 pound Chinook Salmon. They brought the fish in just off Sucia Island on the wall just North of Shallow Bay.

The fishing conditions have been incredible lately and the fish seem to have started to show up too! Since the July 1st opening the “Reel Estate” 2902 Trophy of Mike Bredeson’s has managed to land 19 spring salmon.

If you are thinking of heading out fishing in the Puget Sound or the water’s of the San Juan Islands don’t hesitate to contact Mike Bredeson with the Johnson Team at (360) 303-2734 as he would be happy to share the latest “hot spot.”

Bellingham Salmon Derby Coming Soon!

Fawn — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 20:43:35 +0000

If you are into fishing then you won’t want to miss out on the Puget Sound Anglers Bellingham Salmon Derby. This year’s derby is being held July 8th-10th. Prizes for the derby are $5,000 for first place, $2,500 for second place and $1,000 for third place with two secret weight prices of $500 each.

If you have never participated in the derby you should check out the Bellingham PSA website to learn more about the event. Fishing for the event is in what is known as “Area 7″ more commonly referred to as the San Juan Island area. According to the PSA website last year there were 364 entrants into the derby, including 63 kids. Fishing starts at day break each morning and the awards ceremony is held at 1pm at the Squalicum Harbor boat launch.

To learn more about the derby or to enter visit the Bellingham Puget Sound Angelers website.

Mt. Baker Ski Area- A Majestic Whatcom County Retreat

Fawn — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:59:22 +0000

Located just a short 1 hour drive outside of Bellingham up State Route 542 (known by locals at the Mt. Baker Hwy) you will find the Mt. Baker Ski Area in the foothills of majestic Mt. Baker. You can see the snow covered peaks of Mt. Baker and the Twin Sisters while driving in and around Whatcom County. Mt. Baker serves as a spectacular backdrop to many views around Bellingham.

Skiers, Snowboarders, Snowshoes and Snowmobiles visit the mountain daily to enjoy the wonderful powder and world famous ski conditions. According to www.MtBaker.us , the mountain receives an average snowfall of 647 inches a year. The Mt. Baker Ski Area has a total of 8 quad chairs and 2 ropes tows. There are two ski lodges an upper Heather Meadows Day Lodge and a lower larger lowerWhite Salmon Day Lodge, which is where I spent one of my days last week. My little brother was in town visiting from Wasilla, Alaska and my sister in law and I took him to the mountain to enjoy a day of snowboarding. I had a lot of work to do and was unable to hit the slopes but I was able to get some work done in the midst of some of the most incredible views an “office” could ever have.

If you are looking to take a trip up to Mt. Baker but have never been there are lots of opportunities available for everyone. Mt. Baker offers daily lessons and rental in both skiing and snowboarding with rental rates starting at $25 for children on up to $36 for adults. If you are thinking of making a vacation of your visit there are many accommodations available within the Mt. Baker Ski Area vicinity you can visit the accomodation list on the Mt. Baker Ski Area’s website. Many people also own vacation homes in the along the Mt. Baker Hwy on the way up to the Mt. Baker Ski Area. If you would like to search for homes or properties currently available in the eastern Whatcom County area you can visit the Mt. Baker Area Real Estate Search here.

Hike to Oyster Dome on Blanchard Mountain in Whatcom County

Rich — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 14:43:48 +0000

Hike to Oyster Dome on Blanchard Mountain

A Great Place to be on Christmas Eve

Last night I asked Graham, our youngest son, if he’d like to join me this morning, Christmas Eve, on a hike to Oyster Dome on Blanchard Mountain. I was sure that he’d be all over it but added the comment “If he thought he could keep up”. Well you know that he was banging on my door at 7:00 AM this morning. He & Mia were all set to go. In fact he had some disparaging remarks about his Dad’s ability to maintain the pace. Pretty bold talk for a kid expecting Christmas presents just a few hours before Santa Claus is supposed to arrive.

Blanchard Mtn is only about a 15 minute drive from Fairhaven in Bellingham and while the hike to Oyster Dome & The Overlook is only about 7 miles round trip with an elevation gain of only a little more than 2,000+ feet it’s a 3.5 mile trip of serious switchbacks & straight up billy goat scramble. It’s a great test of your legs, lungs & knees – mine actually held out pretty good. It’s well worth the effort as the views to the South into Skagit County and to the West of the San Juan and Gulg Islands are nothing short of sdtunning. The wind was blowing about 25 to 30 & it started to rain but in this Country, if you wait till all the lights are green you’ll never leave your front door. We put on our Northface & Gortex and headed out. It’s a Christmas Eve that he & I won’t soon forget.

Click here to view a map of Oyster Dome & Blanchard Mountain

All in all, it was a terrific day & time well spent with my youngest son. If you’d care to view additional photos, you can access them at the Oyster Dome Photo Gallery on my Facebook page.

A Morning Well Spent with My Son

If you have a favorite trail or hike that you’d like to share with us please do so. Of course if your interest is in purchasing real estate rather than hiking it, we can help you with that as well. Just give us a call at 360-319-3267 or toll free at 1-888-713-3056