River Cottage - Fish, Birding, Kayaking, Near Beach!

• Great Birthday Weekend!

  Great Birthday Weekend!

  • Guest The Three Nursekateers
  • Date of stay 01/17/13
  • Review Submitted 01/22/13
  We spent this past weekend in the river cottage to celebrate 2 January birthdays (mine & a friend's). Every year we've chosen a different place for a weekend getaway around our birthdays & would get together with another friend we went to nursing school with - we were "the 3 Nursekateers" ;) We've been camping (too cold in January!) & to Gulf Shores (not ideal in January either), but when we found this cottage on VRBO.com we knew it would be perfect for a January vacation! (and it was) This place might become our new birthday tradition! We brought kayaks & had a nice day paddling on the river - pretty scenery & saw lots of birds. We enjoyed the pingpong table too - and had a really competitive pingpong tournament the last night we were there :) This home provides plenty to do for those who like an "active" vacation, as well as a "relaxing" getaway in its secluded location surrounded by nature - the dock provides a great place for gazing at the stars at night, and the back porch for viewing gorgeous sunsets every evening. If anyone else is looking for a winter getaway on the coast, I would definitely recommend this cottage! I'm sure this place is a great vacation spot any time of year as well. Thank you Julie for providing all the info we needed for a great vacation! The directions to the home were easy to follow & it was nice having the list of recommendations of places to eat/things to do that you sent. We bought all our groceries from the Walmart you mentioned & tried one of the restaurants (Baudeans) on our way to the cottage. I would definitely recommend the alligator appetizer from Baudeans - they give you a good amount too. The river cottage & views were as beautiful as the pictures, & the furniture/beds were comfortable too. We were able to cook all of our meals at the cottage in the fully equipped kitchen that had everything we could need - including a crockpot & blender. When we went to use the grill it was really dirty/moldy - but the kitchen was so nice we didn't mind cooking our hamburgers inside. Also, one of the light fixtures under the house didn't work so at night the lighting wasn't great around the pingpong table - but it was enough to still be able to play & we still had a great time. Overall it was a great birthday weekend & I would love to celebrate my birthday here again!

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, age 55+.

  Owner response: Thanks so much for your visit and your kind words about our home. I'm glad that you had a wonderful birthday weekend. I'm sorry to hear that the grill was not left clean by the prior guests - this is an amenity we like to provide and hope that it will be left in good condition. We will check it out, as well as the light bulb. Thanks again for your visit. Update: the non-working fixture was a result of a tripped, but bad breaker, which will will have repaired. Thanks for letting us know (and for future guests, if notified during your visit we can usually take care of any inconveniences or anything that needs attention). The grill had been left dirty by prior guests, our apologies. It's sparkling now. :)

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Beautiful home...

  Beautiful home...

  • Guest melissa t.
  • Date of stay 07/14/12
  • Review Submitted 07/24/12
  My family and i recently took a week vacation in this home. The home is so beautiful and very comfortable. The baby slept through the night in the home and now that we are back home shes back to waking every few hours. lol. We were able to catch crabs on the dock which was so fun. The kids were able to run around and play outside with no worries of cars passing. We would love to come back to this home in the future.

  Owner response: Hi, Melissa, I'm so glad you had a wonderful time. So glad even the baby had a relaxing visit! We look forward to having you visit again! Thanks! Julie

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Peace and Tranquility!

  Peace and Tranquility!

  • Guest Bob
  • Date of stay 03/15/12
  • Review Submitted 03/27/12
  Julie's home Is better then the photos! After entering the home I knew I wanted to stay longer than planned and didn't want to go anywhere else. The home was very clean, well appointed had everything that was needed for a wonderful stay. It was quiet and peaceful. Though not a fisherman, I mangaged to catch many fish, all of which were returned to the river. Best of all, it was so nice to be able to see the stars at night! I hope to return for another visit! I would recommend this home to anyone who wants to get away from the rat race for awhile to relax and unwind.

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, girls getaway, families with young children, age 55+.

  Owner response: Thanks so much for your kind words, Bob, I'm glad to hear the cottage was a wonderful getaway for you, as we hope it will be for all who visit! Thanks again for your stay, and we look forward to your next visit!

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• A Blast!

  A Blast!

  • Guest Eleanor M.
  • Date of stay 07/21/11
  • Review Submitted 01/07/12
  Sorry late but, my roomates from college and their spouses,children and I had an awesome time! Even tough it rained two of the days we were here we enjoyed everything about the house, the pier to fish, and the girls enjoy the ping pong table! All in all we enjoyed it so much and took so many pictures that the two roomates that didn't attend are in for this year. Wish you had a bigger house, because I truly enjoyed the organization and comfort of your business and making sure our getaway was this best you could give! Thumbs up Mrs. Julie thanks again for everything! Eleanor McMillion!

  Owner response: Thanks so much for your review, Eleanor..... it's great that you have great memories 6 months later! We do have two larger homes available for weekly stays in summer - www.homeaway.com/216921 (max 12 guests) and www.homeaway.com/152737! We look forward to having you stay with us again! Julie

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Crabtree Getaway

  Crabtree Getaway

  • Guest Thomas C.
  • Date of stay 06/19/11
  • Review Submitted 06/28/11
  The house is just as beautiful as the pictures depict. It is very tastefully decorated and so comfortable. For those who like to cook, the kitchen is very well stocked with utensils. My four-year old grandson was ready to move in the first day we arrived. The owners were easily accessible and returned our phone calls in a very efficient manner when we had questions. We enjoyed fishing from the dock and late evenings on the screened porch. I would recommend some outdoor blinds on the screened porch so that it does not get so hot from the afternoon sun. It was great to walk next door for fresh shrimp. We would definitely recommend this house to anyone who is looking for a quiet getaway. We look forward to returning again in the future.

  Recommended for: Families with young children, age 55+.

  Owner response: Thanks for your visit and kind words, Thomas. I'm so glad your family had a nice visit. Come back soon!

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• Amazing & Beautiful!

  Amazing & Beautiful!

  • Guest Jennifer
  • Date of stay 06/18/10
  • Review Submitted 08/05/10
  I have to say I was blown away with this place when we arrived. Wow! We were originally going to stay on Dauphin island, but we were "kicked out" when the oil spill hit. HUGE blessing for us! This "cottage" is FABULOUS! There is no way you can find anything nearly as nice for this great rate! The pictures are accurate, but they do the place no justice. (My sister wants to build this house in Indiana for her family!) The rooms are very large and accomodating and decorated beautifully, yet kid-friendly. The beds were extremely comfortable and each bedroom had it's own bathroom! It was much cleaner and nicer than any hotel or other vacation rental I've ever stayed in. From my experience with vacation rental properties, the tranquil setting isn't something you can find based upon a written description. The secluded area made us feel relaxed, calm, peaceful, etc. We were within an easy 10 minute drive to Bellengrath Gardens or Dauphin Island. We also enjoyed walking the quiet road and spending time on the dock and the full-length, screened-in porch. I highly recommend this place to anyone wanting to spend quality time with the people they're with and for those who love nature and the great outdoors. Young and old alike will enjoy! Thanks, Julie and Steve for a great time. We will be back!!

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers, adventure seekers, age 55+, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 3/3

• River Cottage

  River Cottage

  • Guest Susie
  • Date of stay 07/10/10
  • Review Submitted 07/23/10
  I want to go back! This was a perfect vacation for us and our two teenagers plus one of their friends. We all enjoyed canoeing, and fishing off the dock. In the early mornings or evenings, watching the fiddler crabs come out and play as well as the herons fishing for their dinner was incredible. The sunsets and sunrises were beautiful. Dauphin Island is so much fun to ride bikes on the awesome bike trail, as well as hang out at the wonderful beach. We also enjoyed sneaking out a day to go to New Orleans. The house was very comfortable - we lived out on the screened in porch under all of the ceiling fans. Loved watching all of the boats go out on the river. Perfect for everyone who enjoys serenity - and also likes plenty to do!

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers, age 55+.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Peaceful hideaway close to Dauphin Island

  Peaceful hideaway close to Dauphin Island

  • Guest Jeannie F
  • Date of stay 02/19/10
  • Review Submitted 03/01/10
  I was looking for a place to relax and unwind after Mardi Gras and found the perfect spot. The surroundings are beautiful and serene. The home is very nicely decorated and fully supplied with everything needed for cooking a full meal or grilling outside. I spent most of my time outside on the screen porch and pier near the house. I look forward to renting the cottage again in the summer or early fall, but plan to have my grandchildren with me. They would love fishing on the pier and being able to go the beach. I recommend this home to anyone who wants quality family time without all the distractions of everyday life!

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers, age 55+, sightseeing.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

• • Guest Anonymous
  • Date of stay 07/11/09
  • Review Submitted 07/11/09
  Julie- Our family really enjoyed staying at the River Cottage over the 4th of July weekend! Very relaxing and laid back. We especially enjoyed kayaking on the river, playing ping-pong, cooking and eating shrimp from Zirlott's. And we always enjoy the beaches at Dauphin Island. The home is very comfortable and had everything we needed. Thank you for accomodating us.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 2/2

Short Stay (last min only) 2 night min $550.00. 
Summer 2013 - $1400 weekly May 4 - September 6, 2013   Nightly, $250 w/4 nite min
  5% tax and $75.00 cleaning fee
Weekly Rentals Only Summer and Holidays . Add $300 for holiday weeks.
Rates subject to change (reserved bookings do not change, of course!)

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.