If it's on the weekend and 5/18 is a Sunday, I think - then, I'm a solid maybe...we have a few months to firm it up.

Yes, Bellingham, especially the older, historic section, a bit south of downtown B'ham (which is Fairhaven) is on the water, heck it's got the ferry terminal to Alaska there...plenty of places to meet whether it's inside or outside too. There's a shopping mall just north of Bellingham called Bellis Fair...but the premier outlet mall is further south on I-5.