How to spend 48 hours in this lovely Dutch town in Northern Washington

Lynden is home to Washington State’s largest Dutch settlement which was established in 1874. This special little town is known for its rich history which travelers will immediately notice as they walk down the iconic Front Street. In addition to being known for its Dutch heritage, Lynden is known for its region’s farmland. Did you know Lynden is one of the biggest producers of Raspberries in Washington State? Pretty cool huh?

Since moving to Northern Washington, we’ve popped over to Lynden for fun events such as the Northwest Washington Fair and Raspberry Festival, and then for some of their delicious Dutch treats at various bakeries. More recently, I was able to experience more of what Lynden has to offer from a historical perspective. In this article, you’ll find a 48-hour itinerary that includes great places to eat, cute coffee shops, museums, parks, and much more!

Day One

Start your day on a working farm at Oostema Farmstead

Oostema Farmstead is spread across 117 beautiful acres. Their property offers a unique and memorable farm stay experience, perfect for those looking to unwind in nature. I checked in the evening before at 4:00 pm and did a little bit of exploring on the farm which is totally okay for guests to do. Be sure to say hi to the cows and chickens! Oostema Farm has various rentals to choose from to meet every traveler’s needs. This time I stayed in the Little Farmhouse, which is a one-bedroom villa with a full kitchen for cooking and felt extremely spacious. While in Lynden, it just made sense to stay on a gorgeous farm surrounded by animals, berry fields, and gorgeous mountains. I’m such a sucker for a view so waking up every morning and seeing a stunning sunrise over the farmland with mountains in the background was chef’s kiss.

Check out Bellewood Farms & Distillery

Bellewood is a crowd favorite in my household as we go numerous times a year for events such as Ciderfest, apple picking, or to grab a delicious cinnamon roll. Bellewood is a family-owned business and you can absolutely feel it when you walk in because you’re immediately treated like part of the family. Every single time we visit, we’re greeted at the front by the friendliest of people which instantly makes you feel welcome. Bellewood’s farm store is a wonderful place to shop for local gifts, grab some fresh cider, buy apples, and even sit down for breakfast or lunch. As if they couldn’t make me love them more… Bellewood does a lot to give back to the community. One specific thing that I loved was they distribute apples to the local schools then the students have an opportunity to come to the farm for field trips and see where the apples were grown and explore the area.

Is there a distillery on site for visitors to experience?

In addition to their farm store and cafe, they have an in-house distillery where guests can try some of Bellewood’s spirits. They are Washington’s first true farm-to-glass apple distillery, which is pretty neat. You can try award-winning Brandy, Vodka, and Gin at their gorgeous free Tasting Room which is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Some of my favorite vodkas are from Bellewood, such as their Honeycrisp Apple vodka. They have lovely cocktail recipe cards you can take with you along with the spirits so be sure to look for those on the counter.

What is apple picking at Bellewood Farms like?

Bellewood has 47 acres and nurtures over 25,000 semi-dwarf trees, including 22 varieties of apples and pears. They are best known for producing premiere quality Honeycrisp apples and Washington’s Cosmic Crisp apples. When it comes to orchards, Bellewood is pretty amazing. They open up U-Pick apples around early September and it goes until around Halloweenish. Pay for the size bag you want up front then walk or ride the train out to the orchard (train ride is an additional charge). We love walking out to the orchard and even going through the corn maze on the way! We usually grab the smallest bag for $25 and fit around 15 or so apples in it depending on the size of the apples. I keep up with what apples are available when by following Bellewood on Instagram. In addition, you can find what apples they offer here. While you’re visiting, be sure to grab some fresh apple cider and apple cider mini donuts (which are only on the weekends in the fall) because they are delicious. Learn more about their orchard here.

Learn about Lynden’s history at the Lynden Heritage Museum

While visiting Lynden, this museum is an absolute must to learn about the city and what makes it so special. The Lynden Heritage Museum is located in what was the John Deere dealership for Northwest Washington which is pretty cool if you love history like I do. As soon as you step into the museum it’s as though you’re being transported back in time. With three floors of areas to explore, you’re sure to spend a decent amount of time inside. I believe I spent about an hour and a half and could easily return and find new things I didn’t see the first time.

Go shopping on Front Street

Front Street is Lynden’s iconic street for shopping, dining, museums, you name it. I highly recommend walking down the street and popping into the numerous shops. From cute boutiques, flower shops, thrift shops, antique shops, bookshops, and cafes, there’s something for quite literally every traveler. Some of my personal favorites are Eucatastrophe Coffee and Used Books, Summit Thrift Store, Lynden Florea, and Fresco Chocolate.

The Newsroom Pub

While on Front Street, plan on a dinner at The Newsroom Pub. The Pub is in the original space where the Lynden Tribune printed newspapers for 41 years and you’ll see that theme throughout the entire restaurant. Upon entering The Newsroom Pub, you’ll find a brief history of The Lynden Tribune on the “The Lynden Tribune Wall” which displays photos of the founding father, Sol Lewis, his family, employees, the original building, and more. The Newsroom Pub’s mission is to serve delicious food with finely crafted beer, cider, and wine in a fun environment while honoring Lynden’s rich heritage.

We started with the Bitterballen, a Dutch delight of gravy meatballs breaded and deep fried, served with housemade honey mustard dipping sauce. These are very good. The meatballs were seasoned well and very flavorful as was the breading and then with the housemade sauce the entire dish was chef’s kiss. For entrees, we had the Bacon Smash Burger which is 2 locally grown beef smash patties, from True North Meats with crispy bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion smashed together and served on a brioche bun with their exclusive smash sauce and the Wings-n-Chips which includes juicy chicken wings tossed in your choice of sauce served with fries and ranch or blue cheese. I chose the lemon pepper dry rub and it was delicious. The wings were cooked perfectly and the sweet potato fries were divine!

Day Two

Enjoy a morning dip in the hot tub at Oostema

Nothing hits harder than a hot tub soak in the fall. At Oostema, they have one hot tub but guests have the ability to book an hour slot to enjoy a peaceful dip while on the farm. I booked my time for 8:00 am and it was so tranquil — I really felt like I was by myself on the farm.

Grab a coffee and pastry at Lynden Dutch Bakery

Start your morning with some Dutch specialty treats at Lynden Dutch Bakery. They have a large selection of baked goods at the counter, and a variety of breads can also be found on the shelf in the back, along with various treats to grab and enjoy later. What makes this business so special is that the Lynden Dutch Bakery building has operated as a bakery since 1910, making it the city's oldest establishment dedicated to this trade. While you’re enjoying your stroopwafel latte and Poffertje Muffin look around and enjoy the beautiful and historic architecture.

Explore the incredible Jansen Art Center

If there’s one place that is hands down my favorite in Lynden it’s the Jansen Art Center. The J is a multipurpose facility offering many avenues for the community to engage with the arts. Growing up, I’ve always been connected to the arts whether it was painting, photography, performance, you name it I was a part of it. The Jansen Art Center offers studios in ceramics, jewelry, music, theatre, paint, fine arts, and textiles providing opportunities for both seasoned artists and beginner students to hone their skills in learning and open studio environments. In addition to classes available to the community, the center features pieces from hundreds of local artists in their solo and juried exhibits and welcomes large audiences to various performances and recitals. From the moment I walked into The J I felt excited to get more involved whether it be a ceramics class or getting back into watercolor painting. What makes the Jansen Art Center even more special and historic is it’s the site of Lynden’s former City Hall and Fire Station. The library, jail cells, morgue, and council chambers have all been repurposed into an artistic community. While visiting, grab a coffee at their coffee shop, Festival Espresso, then enjoy the artwork displayed, and finally, check out their beautiful gift shop. I’ll certainly be coming back to purchase gifts for my friends and family members because of their unique and local artist offerings.

Grab a little treat and coffee at Eucatastrophe Coffee and Used Books

You can’t have too many treats while you’re in Lynden with how many bakeries and coffee shops there are on quite literally every corner. I was looking for a place to kill some time before dinner and popped into this lovely bookstore and coffee shop. That’s one thing I love about Front Street, there’s always somewhere to pop into and experience. Eucatastrophe Coffee and Used Books was the perfect spot to walk around and browse their book collection with a butterscotch mocha in hand. In addition to that, I had a lemon cookie that was incredible — like I will be back for that thing. I actually found it at McTavish to order here too🍋. Be sure to check out their gift section near the register because they have some cute things including the most adorable Lynden postcards.

Go for a stroll in the historic Berthusen Park

Berthusen Park is a place for the entire family plus your fur babies! The park was originally the farm homesteaded of Hans Berthusen in 1883. Hans and his wife Lida Hawley-Berthusen cherished their home and barn which were built from trees grown on the farm. Hans and Lida prepared a will so that following their deaths in 1943 and 1944 their entire 236 acres were given to the people of the city of Lynden to enjoy and preserve which is now Berthusen Park. The park provides picnic areas, group shelters, playground activities, old growth forest for hiking and educational purposes, and horseback riding. This park is an ideal spot to grab sandwiches from Avenue Bread and enjoy a picnic in nature or explore the trail system under the towering evergreens.

Make a delicious dinner at Oostema

What I really enjoyed about Oostema Farmstead is that you can truly experience a home away from home vacation. With a full kitchen and then a farm store on the property to shop from, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a home-cooked meal. They offer tender Wagyu beef, savory pork, freshly laid eggs, local cheese, and more. I would stop by the local grocery store (Safeway is my go-to) to grab sides, crackers, etc. When in season the farm store does offer a veggie medley from their garden so check for that before going to the grocery store. In addition, be sure to set up a time to shop in the Oostema Farm Store because it’s by appointment only. I set up a time right before my check-in on the first day and it ended up working out perfectly because I could store everything I needed in the Little Farmhouse fridge. One evening I ended up making a fabulous little charcuterie board to enjoy with local cheese and jelly from the farm store and it was the perfect way to spend the night.

Day Three

Make a fresh breakfast and enjoy a slow morning before checking out

Ending your vacation in Lynden with a leisurely morning will be the perfect finale to your trip. The Little Farmhouse has everything you could possibly need to make bacon, eggs, and a fresh pot of coffee. You could even purchase a fresh loaf from Avenue Bread and spread some of Oostema’s jam they sell to really make your breakfast a ten out of ten!

Overall, staying in the Little Farmhouse was wonderful and we would do it again in a heartbeat because of its proximity to town while still feeling secluded on a farm, the style and overall aesthetic of the villa, and the views. I just could not get over the sunrises and sunsets from this farm and let’s not forget about the stars you can see from just outside — absolutely magic.

Events in Lynden I love

When it comes to events in Lynden, it feels like something is always going on. Whether it’s a festival down Front Street, the famous Northwest Washington Fair and Rodeo, or a performance at The Jansen Art Center, there’s something you can plan a trip around.

Here are some of my favorites:

Northwest Raspberry Festival - July

Northwest Washington Fair - August

Northwest Christmas Parade - December

Lynden is such a special little city that everyone nearby should visit at least once — because once you visit… you’re sure to come back time and time again! I’m already planning a little staycation back to this Dutch town. Check out more about what to do in Lynden and the surrounding area at Visit Bellingham & Whatcom County.