Spring is definitely upon us and Seattle is heating up! To get in the spirit of summer, my wife and I, along with another couple, planned a getaway to take advantage of the beautiful weather we’ve been having. We’d heard that Semiahmoo, a resort and spa with two golf courses about two hours north of Seattle in Blaine, WA, had recently gone through a full renovation. We looked a little deeper, and after reading about all the amenities, it was a definite yes. Here’s a summary of the 7 ways we made it an awesome weekend.

 
1. We made it an easy drive
After a quick drive north on an early Saturday morning we checked in at the resort which is just a few miles shy of the Canadian border. We were greeted by super friendly staff who gave us a detailed overview of the multiple restaurants, the lavish spa, full fitness center and my personal favorite, our golfing options. We already had booked an 11 a.m. tee time that day so we didn’t take too much time touring the facilities and instead went to our rooms to settle in. It was obvious the rooms had recently been remodeled and they looked amazing! Early impressions about Semiahmoo were nothing short of excellent.
 
interior
 
 
2. We played some golf
We had a perfect day for golf with very little wind and minor overcast. Seeing as it was early spring I expected the course to be a bit wet and maybe even muddy in some locations. In reality the course was in surprisingly excellent shape all the way through.
pond

The course at Semiahmoo Golf & Country Club was built for people who love a playable course.  That doesn’t mean it’s easy though. As an average (at best!) golfer, I like the idea of being able to hit most greens with decent shots. The course was designed by Arnold Palmer, who emphasized playability and he had a knack for keeping things interesting. Each hole was quite unique and had various obstacles, including water features playing into shots at just the right times. I still can’t get over the pure beauty of the course we played.

semiahmoo-golf-country

 

3. We kept our wives happy

Our better halves spent the afternoon on a hike to Birch Bay and then indulged in some spa “stuff,” as they put it themselves. I won’t pretend to know everything that goes on in a spa, but they seemed more than happy with their experience. They raved about it really! I tried to follow along and caught a few words I actually understood, like “massage,” “facial” and “moisturizer.”

 

4.  We made time for cocktails

After a days worth of excitement and exploring we were ready for a drink! Semiahmoo Resort and Spa has a few dining options but prior dinner we decided to have a couple beverages at the wonderful waterfront sports bar called Packers. This was perfect for all of us since our wives could take in the view of the harbor and the Peace Arch at the Canadian border while my buddy and I caught up on a few sports highlights… Go Mariners! The vibe was lively but not crowded, which was just our style. As it was still fairly early we didn’t grab anything to eat at Packers, we just enjoyed a couple of very well made Manhattans that really set the tone for an amazing evening.

 
Dining
 

5. We had a waterfront dinner

After finishing our tasty drinks we made the short walk for dinner at Pierside Kitchen, which had a decidedly different, more upscale tone. About halfway through dinner a nice gentleman greeted us, asked about our experience and inquired to see if there was anything missing. Turns out he was the general manager, Mark Andrew, and had recently taken over. He filled us in on many of the great things they’ve done and are in the process of completing to enhance the customer experience.  The service was exceptional and we had some terrific seafood, don’t miss out on the fresh from the harbor oysters!

 
Restaurant
 
 

7. We hung out at the beach

The next morning we grabbed coffee and headed to the beach for some additional relaxation before checking out. While we enjoyed a little reading and downtime, it was hard to focus when we were surrounded by such amazing northwest beauty, not to mention the lively barking of the nearby seals! There were quite a few of these adorable creatures lounging in the morning sun.

beach
 

Semiahmoo absolutely delivered a getaway that I could repeat again. Looking forward to returning so we can partake in many of the other activities that guests can choose to do in and around the resort (we saw others in fitness classes and some playing outdoor volleyball). Even though we were gone for only 24 hours I felt totally refreshed when we headed home. Next time I will be sure to bring my bike or borrow one from the resort so we can cruise along the water!