Tag: cottages

A rental cottage in Castine, Maine: small-town bliss in a family-friendly setting

We just returned from a vacation up in Castine, Maine. I’ll have more to say about the wonderful time we had on vacation, but before I do, I just had to write a review of the place at which we stayed because it was remarkable and the rest of the world needs to know about it1.

Castine is a small village in Maine, located on the eastern portion of a peninsula that juts out into the Penobscot Bay. We–and by we I mean Kelly, myself, the Little Man and the Little Miss–stayed at a rental cottage that seemed perfectly situated, with the mouth of the Bagaduce river spread out in front and a long dirt road, like the tail of a yawning lion trailing behind. The owners, Bob and Sam Friedlander, live in the house just across the driveway from the cottage. They rent out the cottage in the summer months, when the weather in this part of Maine is at its best. And it is no surprise that the cottage is booked for most of the summer because it is the perfect vacation spot for families looking for a quiet, small town setting with lots of activities for adults and children alike.

The cottage itself is built into a converted garage, although you wouldn’t know it from the inside. Walking into the cottage you find yourself standing in and entryway that overlooks a rustic, comfortable living room and dining area, surrounded by windows that look out onto a river sprinkled with sailboats, moorings and lobster traps.

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The living room contains a wood-burning stove, although in July and August, it is unlikely, you’ll need it. Nor do you need air conditioning. Open the windows and let the fresh cross-breeze cool the rooms. Those breezes are like the trade winds in Hawaii. The cottage is stocked with books, games, and maps. There is a television in the living room, although I doubt you’ll ever need to turn it on. And for those who simply cannot completely disconnect from the world at large, there is even wireless Internet access.

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  1. Fair warning: the cottage owners are family, but I’ve never allowed that to preclude an honest review, especially when the experience was as grand as ours.