Planning a family reunion in Washington State or British Columbia? Look no further than The Lodge at Palmer Lake, a spacious and scenic lakefront vacation rental nestled in Okanogan County, WA. This historic lodge combines rustic charm, modern amenities, and an unbeatable waterfront location to create the ideal setting for multi-generational get-togethers. With room for up to 27 guests under one roof, plus endless activities on-site and nearby, The Lodge at Palmer Lake offers everything you need to make lifelong memories with your extended family.

Spacious Lakeside Lodge Built for Large Families

One of the biggest challenges of a family reunion is finding a single venue that can comfortably accommodate everyone. The Lodge at Palmer Lake solves this with 10 furnished bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, offering 19 total beds ranging from king suites to rooms with 4 twins perfect for kids – enough space to sleep up to 27 guests in comfort. Multiple floors and common areas ensure that nobody feels cramped or “on top of each other,” even with a full house. Past reunion groups have loved that the lodge is “very nice and spacious” with “several nice areas that we could sit and visit indoors and outdoors.”

Key amenities make group stays easy and enjoyable:

• Fully-Equipped Kitchen & Dining – A large kitchen with dual refrigerators, gas range, microwave, dishwasher, and a full array of cookware lets you prepare big family meals with ease. There are two BBQ grills and a spacious dining area, so the whole clan can share meals together. Guests consistently praise the “fantastic kitchen [that’s] capable of serving a group” – perfect for celebratory dinners or pancake breakfasts.
• Great Room & Game Areas – The lodge’s main level features a huge Great Room anchored by a massive stone fireplace and surrounded by comfy seating. It’s an inviting spot for storytelling, board games, or cozying up with hot cocoa on cool evenings. A pool table (antique billiards table) adds friendly competition for all ages, and there’s a 75″ flat-screen TV with Dolby surround sound for movie nights. Downstairs there is ping-pong and more space for kids and teens to hang out. With so many options, one guest noted “so much space [and] something for everyone” when describing their family gathering here.
• Wrap-Around Decks & Screened Porch – Enjoy fresh air and lake views from the expansive decks and the screened-in porch with rustic timber beams. These outdoor living spaces are ideal for BBQ cookouts, relaxing with a morning coffee, or watching a spectacular sunset over the water. Two gas BBQ grills are provided on the deck, so you can host family cookouts with a panoramic lake backdrop.
• Cozy Bedrooms & Kid-Friendly Bunk Rooms – Each bedroom has its own charm, furnished for comfort with quality beds (4 king, 3 queen, 3 double, 9 twin). The upper floor even features a fun “sleepover” loft with multiple twin beds – a perfect hideout for cousins to bunk together and giggle into the night. All linens and towels are provided, and the home stays comfortable year-round with heating, air conditioning, and even radiant floor heating on the first level.

In short, The Lodge at Palmer Lake offers a private, all-in-one home base for your reunion. Spread out, relax, and enjoy being together under one roof.

Waterfront Fun: A Private Beach and Lake Activities for All Ages

One of the Lodge’s crown jewels is its prime lakefront setting. The property boasts 300+ feet of private waterfront on Palmer Lake, including a low-bank pebble beach and dock reserved just for your group. This means your family can enjoy the lake literally steps from the front door. From dawn to dusk, the waterfront offers endless entertainment and bonding opportunities:

The Lodge’s private beach and dock on Palmer Lake let your family enjoy swimming, boating, and paddling with the lodge visible just across the quiet road.

• Swimming & Boating: Palmer Lake is a 2,100-acre lake surrounded by mountains – a true hidden gem with warm summer water and very few crowds. The gentle shallow shore is perfect for little ones to wade safely, while deeper water just off the beach allows older kids to swim and even jump off the dock into the lake. Bring your powerboat or jet skis (the public boat launch is a 3-minute drive away) – the lodge provides a dock, large mooring buoy, and 30 acres of grounds. Palmer Lake’s typically glassy-smooth water is ideal for waterskiing, wakeboarding, tubing and wakesurfing with almost no other boats around. Your adrenaline-junkie relatives can tow a tube or try wakeboarding, while others paddle a canoe or kayak in the quiet morning hours (paddleboards and other watercraft are available on-site). Few family reunion venues offer a private beach like this, and it elevates the experience – as one guest shared, “The private beach was amazing – protected and shallow for the little kids, and the older kids could jump off the dock.”
• Fishing: Pack the fishing rods! Palmer Lake is renowned for its excellent fishing year-round, so anglers in the family will be in heaven. Right off the lodge’s dock or shore you can catch smallmouth and largemouth bass, rainbow trout, yellow perch, black crappie, kokanee salmon, and even burbot. The lake has produced trophy-sized fish and is known for a strong spring kokanee run and hard-fighting bass. Kids and grandparents alike can bond over casting a line in a gorgeous mountain setting. (There’s a convenience store in the tiny town of Loomis, 5 minutes away, that sells bait and tackle in case you need supplies.) In winter, adventurous anglers can even try ice fishing on the frozen lake’s surface – an unforgettable experience followed by hot cocoa by the fire.
• Paddle, Float, and Play: The calm waters are perfect for casual fun like stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing, or float tubing. The lodge provides a number of water toys (check availability), and you’re welcome to bring your own paddleboards, kayaks, or inflatables. The whole family can spend hours together at the water – whether it’s toddlers splashing at the shore, teens showing off on paddleboards, or cousins lazily floating on inner tubes. With the stunning backdrop of pine-forested hills and rocky slopes around the lake, even simply sunbathing on the dock feels special. Wildlife sightings are common too – watch for eagles, herons, or even bighorn sheep on the hillsides!

And the fun isn’t only on the water. The Lodge’s 30-acre property gives you room to roam and play on land as well. There’s a grassy lawn for yard games (a badminton and volleyball set are available) and a fire pit for evening campfires and s’mores under the stars. With minimal ambient light in this rural area, the stargazing on clear nights is phenomenal – imagine the kids’ delight at seeing the Milky Way for the first time. From swimming to stargazing, every generation will find something to enjoy at this lakeside retreat.

Year-Round Adventure – From Summer Sunshine to Winter Snow

One of the Lodge at Palmer Lake’s greatest strengths is its year-round appeal. Whether you’re planning a sunny summer reunion or a cozy winter holiday gathering, the lodge and its surroundings offer activities for every season.

☀️ Summer Delights: Summer is prime time at Palmer Lake, with 300+ days of sunshine per year in this region. Warm days (often in the 80s°F) and low humidity make it perfect for swimming, boating, and outdoor play. Beyond the lake fun detailed above, your family can enjoy hiking and exploring the area’s natural beauty. A popular outing is the Similkameen Trail, a scenic riverside path on a former railroad grade – it’s an easy, family-friendly trail that follows the Similkameen River for up to 9.7 miles (do as much or as little as you like). Pack a picnic and enjoy mountain views and perhaps some wildlife spotting along the way.

For a low-key adventure, try gold panning in the Similkameen River – it was the site of Washington’s first gold rush in the 1850s. The lodge even keeps gold pans on hand so the kids (and kids at heart!) can swirl some river gravel and hunt for specks of real gold. It’s a hands-on history lesson and fun competition to see who strikes it rich!

Another great group activity is touring the local wineries and orchards. Drive 30 minutes north to Osoyoos, BC or the Canadian Okanagan region, which is famous for its vineyards. The Okanagan’s “Golden Mile” wine country features 80+ wineries within an hour’s drive, many with tasting rooms and farm-to-table restaurants. Book a private wine tour for the adults while the kids stay back at the lake, or make it a family affair if you have adult children – a perfect afternoon excursion. Golfers in the family will also have options, from the casual 9-hole course in Oroville (18 miles away) to championship courses in Osoyoos, BC (about 27–30 miles away). With so many summer activities – ATV trails, horseback riding, farmers’ markets in nearby towns – you can easily fill a week-long reunion with a new adventure each day, if you choose. (Or simply alternate between lazy lake days and day trips – the balance is yours to strike!)

❄️ Winter Wonderland: The fun doesn’t stop when the snow falls. In winter, Palmer Lake transforms into a peaceful, snow-dusted retreat where your family can enjoy classic cold-weather pastimes. Step outside the lodge and you’ll find opportunities for ice skating and ice fishing right on the frozen lake. When the ice is thick, you can strike up an impromptu family hockey game or leisurely skate session with the stunning mountain scenery around you. The owners note that it’s common to see bald eagles congregating on the ice in the mornings, especially after ice fishing – they’ve spotted as many as 20 eagles at once, an awe-inspiring sight.

The property itself offers a great venue for sledding and snow play. With 30 acres including a large open field and a loop road through the woods, kids (and adventurous adults) can sled to their hearts’ content without ever leaving the grounds. Bring some sleds and watch the laughter unfold. For those with snowmobiles, the lodge is an excellent base: you can access miles of groomed snowmobile trails nearby, with some trailheads just a short drive away (and you can legally ride ATVs/snowmobiles on certain country roads to access the trail systems). The Washington State Snowmobile Association maps show trails in close proximity to the lodge, so you can trailer a couple of sleds and explore the winter backcountry together.

If downhill skiing or snowboarding is your family’s passion, you’re in luck as well – Apex Mountain Resort in BC is about an hour and a half drive across the Canadian border, making for a feasible day trip to hit the slopes. Closer to home, local cross-country skiing trails in the Okanogan Highlands offer more winter recreation. After active days in the snow, your group can return to the lodge to warm up, share a hearty chili or soup dinner from the crockpot, and maybe hold a family talent show or trivia night in the Great Room. The lodge’s cozy wood interiors and mounted wildlife decor (yes, there’s a giant moose on the wall!) give it that classic winter lodge ambiance, like your very own private ski chalet. A holiday gathering here – whether Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s – would be nothing short of magical.

Accessible & Secluded: Meet in the Middle of WA and BC

Geography often complicates family reunions, but The Lodge at Palmer Lake’s location helps make it easier. It strikes a rare balance of being secluded and peaceful, yet still accessible for relatives coming from all over Washington State and British Columbia.

• Central Pacific Northwest Location: Palmer Lake is in north-central Washington, just minutes from the Canadian border. It’s roughly a half-day’s drive from major population centers – about 4.5–5 hours by car from the Seattle–Puget Sound region (Seattle, Bellevue, etc.) and around 4 hours from Vancouver, BC (via the Osoyoos border crossing). One recent group of guests noted that family members converged “from across Washington” and the lodge was “a perfect location” for their gathering. Instead of some flying and some driving, everyone can road-trip to the reunion with a reasonable and scenic drive.
• Easy to Find, Beautiful to Drive: The lodge is located just off Loomis-Oroville Road (close to Highway 97, the main north-south route through Okanogan County). Paved roads lead you nearly all the way – no long dirt-road treks into the wilderness. As you approach, you’ll be treated to gorgeous views of the Okanogan Valley, and finally Palmer Lake itself. Despite the convenience, the setting feels worlds away from city life. As one guest put it, “It is a little ways off the beaten path but so worth it once you arrive. You will not be disappointed.” The relative remoteness means zero traffic noise, few nearby neighbors, and a sky full of stars at night – yet you’re not actually remote in terms of accessibility.
• Near Tourist Hubs: If you have family coming from Eastern Washington or the BC interior, the location is great for them too. It’s about 2.5 hours from Wenatchee, WA and under 2 hours from Kelowna, BC. The Lodge is just 30 minutes south of Osoyoos, BC, a popular resort town on Lake Osoyoos. This proximity to Osoyoos means your Canadian relatives can easily combine the reunion with a visit to wine country or Okanagan attractions. It also means grocery stores, restaurants, and medical facilities are within a 30–40 minute drive (Omak, WA is another town about an hour south for major shopping). Knowing services are not too far away adds peace of mind, especially for longer stays or larger groups.
• Secluded Retreat: There’s no development to the south of the lodge, nor directly across the lake – it’s a pristine view. The property is bordered by forested hills and the lake, giving kids plenty of space to explore in a safe environment away from traffic and congestion. This sense of having your “own little world” for the week is something families really cherish – it allows everyone to unplug from daily stress and focus on quality time together.

Making Unforgettable Family Memories at Palmer Lake

What truly makes The Lodge at Palmer Lake special for family reunions is the unique experiences and memories it facilitates. Because it’s not just about the beautiful house or the activities – it’s about those moments of connection between relatives, young and old, that will be talked about for years to come. At this lodge, opportunities for memory-making abound:

• Gatherings Around the Fire: Evenings at Palmer Lake often end with the family circling around the outdoor fire pit or the great room’s hearth. Roast marshmallows, sing a few campfire songs, or have Grandpa and Grandma share stories from “the good old days.” With the crackle of the fire and a sky full of stars overhead, these simple moments become precious memories.
• Big Meals and Bigger Laughs: Imagine a huge barbecue feast on the deck – steaks and salmon on the grill, kids playing tag on the lawn while the sun sets over the mountains. Or a pancake breakfast around the massive dining table, with multiple generations flipping pancakes and brewing coffee in the gourmet kitchen. The lodge’s facilities let you dine together comfortably, and it’s around those tables that some of the best laughter and bonding happens.
• Multi-Generational Fun: During the day, you’ll see toddlers building pebble castles on the beach, teenagers teaching younger cousins how to paddleboard, and uncles organizing an impromptu fishing derby off the dock. Perhaps the whole crew takes a pontoon boat ride around the lake’s shoreline, or a group hike up a nearby trail to enjoy a panoramic view. Back at the lodge, the game room might host a family ping-pong tournament, while others assemble a giant jigsaw puzzle in the living room. With so many options, each person can find joy in their own way, yet you’re all sharing the experience together. One past guest observed that “the house [comes] complete with everything… Plenty of room to spread out… and the older kids loved the loft ‘sleepover’ space. This place is special.”
• Memory Keepsakes: The lodge itself has a rich history (originally built in the 1930s, with much of its antique charm preserved), and it encourages guests to add to that history. Consider bringing a guestbook for your family to sign or a scrapbook to fill with Polaroids taken during the reunion. The scenic backdrop is perfect for a family photo shoot – gather everyone on the dock at sunset or in front of the lodge for a group picture that will be a treasured keepsake. Some families even create reunion traditions here – a friendly fishing competition, a talent show in the great room, or a yearly “cousins vs. parents” volleyball match on the beach. These are the kinds of rituals that turn into cherished family lore.

In the words of one guest, “This property is the perfect place for a large family getaway. The scenery is beautiful and the area is peaceful… I highly recommend this listing.” The Lodge at Palmer Lake truly sets the stage for families to reconnect and make memories that last a lifetime – whether it’s the thrill of a first wakeboard ride, a quiet coffee with your siblings on the deck as the lake lies calm in the morning, or a raucous evening of laughter echoing in the halls of the old lodge.

Ready to Plan Your Family Reunion?

The Lodge at Palmer Lake has everything you need to host an unforgettable family reunion – space, comfort, activities, and an unbeatable location that’s accessible for relatives across Washington and British Columbia. It’s a place where you can “create lasting memories with family and friends,” just as the owners intended. Popular reunion dates tend to book up in advance, so it’s wise to start planning early.

Interested in learning more or reserving your dates? Visit our booking inquiry page to check availability, ask any questions, or begin the reservation process. Don’t settle for a generic hotel or squeezing into a few small cabins. Upgrade your family reunion experience with a private lakefront lodge where everyone can stay and play together. At The Lodge at Palmer Lake, you’ll find the perfect blend of adventure and relaxation, privacy and convenience – all in one gorgeous location. We invite you to come make memories on the shores of Palmer Lake and see why so many families leave saying “we will definitely be back.” Here’s to a reunion filled with laughter, love, and the unparalleled beauty of Palmer Lake!

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