Belle Haven is an apt name for this place, it’s a magical place, heaven on earth. Our group consisted of my husband, myself, and our three grown sons and one girlfriend and two dogs. One son came from DC for the long weekend and the other came from PGH for the end of the trip, both pretty easy drives. The house is beautifully decorated with original art, oriental rugs and comfortable yet elegant furniture. The kitchen island is gigantic! The kitchen is well equipped and there is a really nice grill on the deck just past the screened-in-porch. None of us really ever wanted to leave and we had no reason to. This was the perfect place to recharge.
Here’s what we all loved about the place:
The peace and quiet – this beautiful retreat is far from the beaten path, far enough that there are no distracting noises from other people, cars, boats, etc. All you hear is nature, the water, the wind, the birds and each other.
The required unplugging – our cell phones (Verizon) did not get service and, while the Wi-Fi worked fine, we decided not to use it. There was one television in one bedroom and one in the kitchen (which we never tried). We actually hung out together, played cards, paddled, played lawn games, read books, visited, cooked, just enjoyed each other’s company.
Fishing and crabbing from the dock.
Having our dogs with us and watching them run free on the farm.
Staying in – We went out for groceries a couple of times but mostly we paddled out to the sandbar and explored the property. We began our evenings with cocktails on the deck and then grilled fresh fish and shrimp that we bought at the local seafood stand and prepared the crabs that we caught and the oysters we harvested!
The Sunsets – both at the end of the cornfield and from the deck and kitchen windows. The sunset was spectacular every night.
The stars – no light pollution out there so the night sky was awe inspiring.
The beds – very comfortable.
The kayaks and canoes – we made use of these every day. I especially loved kayaking out the creek just around the bend and watching the birds in the morning. One of the kayaks had a cup holder perfect for a cup of coffee. From that spot, I would watch white and blue heron and ospreys.
Here’s what we did not love:
Leaving and returning to reality – that’s it.
Also, Pete, the property manager was wonderful! We were lucky enough to meet him on our first day.
Thanks for the best vacation EVER!
