Attractive, comfortable, well-appointed three-story beach house in quiet-canal side setting. Complete second floor and third floor living areas, overlooking breezy treed canal community. Direct launch of your own or rented light watercraft, and nearby public boat launch for larger vessels; access to bay and area waterways from backyard dock. Or stay at home and enjoy seeing waterfowl, or crabbing off dock. Convenient location with bakery, dollar store, McDonald's, Subway and pizza less than a mile away. Short walk (0.4 mile) to South Bethany beaches or use complimentary passes for parking beach side. Bethany Beach boardwalk and seaside bandstand close by. Canal House can comfortably accommodate up to twelve people in four bedrooms,(and one full- size sofa-bed in ground floor living area). Ground Floor Living area: comfortable chairs and sofas including one fold-out sofabed, 2 desks, separate television viewing area, piano, second sofa Washer and dryer, utility sink Access to back yard deck, porch swing, dock and canal; gas grill and charcoal grill Main Floor Elevated screened porch with ceiling fan and patio furniture overlooking canal Kitchen: fully equipped, including dishwasher, microwave, and toaster oven; garbage disposal, Keurig coffee maker Dining area: Breakfast table and full dining table Living area: comfortable leather chairs and sofas with access to screened porch overlooking yard and canal Master bedroom: Queen-size bed with in-suite bathroom Bedroom 2: two double beds Full bathroom in hallway 2nd Floor Bedroom 3: two single beds and twin-size futon Bedroom 4: one Queen-size bed Full bathroom in hallway Kitchenette/living area: comfortable chairs, bars stools at kitchen counter, refrigerator, sink, cabinets, dishes, microwave, coffee maker, dinette table and chairs Separate entrance and third floor deck with patio furniture. Saturday-to-Saturday weekly rentals (partial weeks depending on availability) No smoking permitted. No pets allowed.
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During the rental months of May and June we require that the primary renter provide a copy of their photo ID within 24 hours of our request.
Important information
You need to know
Property # 7027677
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Note from host: contact us for specific requests
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock
About the area
Bethany Beach
Located in South Bethany, a neighbourhood in Bethany Beach, this holiday home is near theme parks and on the waterfront. Jolly Roger Amusement Park is a popular attraction and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Bethany Beach Beaches and Ocean City Beach. Nick's Mini Golf - Nick's Pirate Golf and DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and kayaking nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling and ecotours.
Chief Little Owl Totem Pole - 3 min drive - 2.8 km
Town Museum - 3 min drive - 2.8 km
Getting around
Ocean City Station - 26 min drive
Ocean City, MD (OCE-Ocean City Municipal) - 31 min drive
Restaurants
Wawa - 5 min drive
Ocean 99 - 4 min drive
McDonald's - 9 min walk
Bethany Diner - 6 min drive
Dunkin' - 19 min walk
Frequently asked questions
Is Canal House - Relaxing Family Retreat pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Canal House - Relaxing Family Retreat?
As of 2 Jun, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Canal House - Relaxing Family Retreat on 23 May, 2027 start from S$450, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Canal House - Relaxing Family Retreat?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Canal House - Relaxing Family Retreat?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Canal House - Relaxing Family Retreat?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Canal House - Relaxing Family Retreat located?
Located in South Bethany, this holiday home is within 1 mile (2 km) of Bethany Beach Beaches and Fenwick Island Beach. Bethany Beach Boardwalk and Chief Little Owl Totem Pole are also within 2 miles (3 km).
Reviews
9.8
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Absolutely a great place to stay; exceptionally well eqipped kitchen; lots of room; Would recommend this home to family and friends; I would definately stay here again.
Paul S.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 25 Aug, 2025
Many thanks for your kind review. We love to cook so we have a lot of utensils and pots and pans and baking supplies around. Glad you enjoyed those. Yes, come again. You were great guests!
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Roy F.
31 Aug, 2025
Liked: Check-in, communication, location
We had a great time we would stay here again the homeowner was great with communication and walking to the beach was fun and took about10 to 15 minutes
Roy F.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 3 Sept, 2025
Glad you had a great stay at Canal House! Come again anytime!
We love staying at the Canal House! Lots of room to spread out, peaceful location. But close to everything! Of course the screened in porch with view of canal is wonderful! We will be back next year! Thanks for the goodies at check-in.
ron e.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 17 Aug, 2025
Thanks for being great guests. We love knowing that people are making happy memories at Canal House! We welcome you back anytime!
The house was great for us to enjoy a vacation with our adult children and grandchildren. There are lots of books, toys, games, and gear for kids. We appreciated the well-equipped kitchen and large capacity washer & dryer. We spent a lot of time on the screened porch and lower deck overlooking the canal. It is a quiet neighborhood great for safe bike riding & jogging. Location is an easy walk to the beach. The only disappointment is that we never found the advertised kayaks.
Glenda C.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 15 Sept, 2025
Glenda,
Thank you for this lovely review. We are so glad you enjoyed our house and the various provisions for the kids.
I'm sorry about the confusion regarding the kayaks. We do advertise a dock with "back yard access to canal for light watercraft such as kayak or canoe of your own or rented from a local outfitter." I've updated our listing to specifically point out the dock as the amenity. I'm sure that must have been disappointing to look for kayaks and not be able to find them.
Jane
We had a wonderful return stay at Canal House. Jane was very communicative, and very easy to work with. There was even a small welcome gift waiting for us upon arrival, such a nice touch! The house is as advertised, and our family of 11 (6 adults, 5 kids) had plenty of space! Thank you so much!
Michael M.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 17 Aug, 2025
So glad you had a good time. With all the porches and sitting areas, there is plenty of room for everyone making the house comfortable for large groups. Really glad to see you return and we welcome you back anytime.
Jane
We really enjoyed our stay at the Canal House. The house is comfortable and well appointed, and we love the shade provided by trees in the yard. We took advantage of being on the canal by bringing our crabbing boat (and snagged close to a bushel out in the Bay), and doing some kayaking along the local canals and creeks. Saw lots of birds along the way. Thank you, Butlers!
Shawna M.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 14 Jul, 2025
Shawna,
I am so glad you were able to really take advantage of our location right on the water. Sounds like a lovely trip. The wildlife refuge right in the neighborhood really encourages the birds, so we see many all the time, including the resident blue heron, Gus! Come again, anytime.
Jane
We were a three generation family with an age range from 75 to 5 years old. The house was well equipped and met all our needs perfectly. The house space provided plenty of opportunities to hang out together or find a nice private area for relaxing. The owners (Jane) were very responsive to our questions. We loved the screened in porch, the porch swing and overlooking the canal. We took advantage of the provided beach passes to South Bethany Beach less than a 5 min. drive. We love this area.
John C.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 25 Aug, 2025
Yes, the house is especially well-suited for multiple families because of the second kitchen with private entrance, and all the porches and sitting areas. There is always a place to hang out with people or to sneak off and read a book or do a puzzle. We love the screened porch, too, because it is so lovely to look out on the water. Thanks for being great guests. Come again anytime!
We had a wonderful week at the Canal house! They had everything that you could imagine and more. It was a great layout for our two families and plenty of space. Can’t wait to go back!
Christina S.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 5 Aug, 2024
We are so glad you had a good time. Yes, the house lends itself perfectly to two families at a time, allowing plenty of room for everyone. You were great guests. Please come back any time!
We enjoyed our stay and will likely return. Lots of space to spread out and we enjoyed the close proximity to the beach.
Only suggestion would be to update some of the mattresses.
Benjamin N.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 28 Aug, 2023
So glad you enjoyed your stay and the easy access to the beach. We appreciate when our renters point out areas of the house that need attention that we have overlooked. We will certainly update mattresses during the off-season since it has been a while since we have done that. Thanks for the note. Visit us again!
We had a wonderful stay with our family again at the Canal House. Jane was easy to communicate with and the location and size of the house helped us to enjoy the beach while having plenty of room for everyone. We hope to continue to return year after year!
James P.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 16 Aug, 2023
You are lovely renters and we welcome you back any time.
Jane
The House was the perfect size lots of room for the children to play and ride bikes outside and a safe place. Having the three separate living, Spaces was perfect. Distance to the beach was great and the house was more than adequately equipped for everything we could’ve needed.
April S.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 24 Aug, 2024
April,
Thank you for your review. Yes, we try to outfit the house so there's plenty to do even on a rainy day. And the layout lends itself well to a crowd with plenty of room for everyone. Come back any time.
Jane
We loved your home! Great location, nice beach! Peaceful and relaxing. Lots of wildlife to watch. Plenty of beach supplies. We will be back next year!
ronald E.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 14 Sept, 2021
Ron,
So glad you had a good time at Canal House. We try to keep lots of sand buckets, shovels, sifters, kites, paddles, unbrellas, chairs and coolers around to help make any trip to the beach lots of fun. Welcome back anytime!
Canal house was exactly as depicted. It's a classic cottage, but with all the things you & your family need for a great beach week. The location is perfect, especially the parking passes that allow access to uncrowded, beautiful beaches!
Randy B.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 8 Oct, 2023
We try to keep the place stocked for our own convenience and then just leave everything there for renters to enjoy, too. So, yes, it's got "all the things you and your family need for a great beach week." Come again!
The Canal House is an absolute must stay. It is a short distance to the beach and MANY other attractions. We love the screened porch and seating area out back of the house. The owners care about their property. The updated master bathroom was terrific. We LOVE the Canal House!
Richard B.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 27 Jun, 2024
Rich,
Thank you for this review. We are glad you enjoyed the new master bathroom! We try to make upgrades every year so the bathroom, the dock and the third floor deck all received facelifts this past winter. You are great guests and we welcome you back anytime.
We enjoyed our second year at this home. Love the location. Beach passes are great! Plenty of room to spread out. Screened porch is wonderful for relaxing!
ronald E.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 19 Aug, 2022
Thanks for your repeat business. We love that screened porch, too. I can never get enough of sitting in the treetops looking over the canal with my morning paper!
This property has everything you need. The kitchen was well equipped. Communication with the owner was excellent. My husband loved being able to do some crabbing and fishing right in the backyard. We would definitely rent this property again.
Susan M.
Stayed 8 nights in Sep 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 28 Mar, 2020
We were glad to have you stay at Canal House. We too appreciate the dock and back and how it offers us a multitude of activities and fun outings. Come again any time.
This was our 3 year staying at the Canal House. Peaceful, relaxing, plenty of space. Love the beach passes, so easy! My favorite spot is the screened in porch! We hope to be back next year!
ron e.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 16 Aug, 2023
Everyone loves that porch including us...it is the favorite spot in all the house because of its location in the treetop above the canal. Rain or shine, it is a gem. Thanks for coming. Welcome back next year!
Having three floors were nice to spread out. The owners were friendly to deal with. The neighborhood is quiet and everyone enjoys walking their doggies. The screen in porch is nice. The beach was nice.
Saunny B.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 6 Jul, 2023
Thanks for your review. Our house is special in that we can walk to the bay or walk to the beach yet be in a quiet locale. And everyone enjoys the screened-in porch up in the treetops!
Verified
10/10 Excellent
Verified traveller
31 Jul, 2018
very nice
House was great Had everything we needed. Enjoyed relaxing by the canal.
Wasn't thrilled with the ocean at Bethany (lots of rocks in the sand & dredging going on)
but location is good being near Rehoboth & Ocean City. A very nice vacation spot
Verified traveller
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 28 Mar, 2020
So glad you had a good time at Canal House. Being close to the canal is a bonus when vacationing at the beach. We love to sit on the screened porch and have our meals, watching the wildlife (and humans) pass by on the water.
We wish the Army Corps of Engineers could have scheduled their beach renewal project for the off-season, but this is when they were able to do it. Replenishing beach sand after winter storms is an important part of addressing beach erosion and we are lucky to have the help in maintaining our play areas. This year it sounds like it fell during your vacation time rather than being invisible to our guests as usual.
We again enjoyed our stay at the Canal House. The location and beach passes are perfect. The weather wasn't the best, but plenty of space to spread out and relax. My favorite space is the screened in porch. We will be back next year! The new master bathroom was a great addition. Thanks for another relaxing week at the beach. Our happy place!
ron e.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 24 Aug, 2024
So glad you liked our brand new master bathroom! Everyone likes that screened-in porch overlooking the canal. It's a great place for a cup of coffee, to take any meal, or to read or to do puzzles. We love that space, too! Thanks for being great renters. Come back any time.
Another great stay at this house. This was our third visit. The weather was great and we all enjoyed our stay at this well equipped home. We had a small issue on arrival that was promptly taken care of by the property manager.
Susan M.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Oct, 2021
So glad to have you back again this year. We try to make the house homey by having it well-equipped with games, books, beach supplies and kitchenware. Thanks for noticing! Welcome back any time.
This is our 3rd year staying at Canal House. We like it better every year. So much to do either the canal out back, the proximity to the beach and all the fun things to do in the area! Thanks Jane! We will be back next year!!
Marcia A.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 24 Aug, 2022
We agree! The place is a gem and we are lucky to have it and to be able to share it. Thank you for returning yet again!
About the host
Hosted by Michael Butler
This house has been in our family since 1999 when Jane's parent's purchased it to use as a rental property. Although from the Hudson Valley of New York the family has vacationed on the Delmarva Peninsula for years. Because of our longstanding interest in the area Jane's in-laws started renting properties here too, and now a contingent of over twenty cousins, siblings and other family and friends convene once a year. One sister-in-law has had Pasta Night followed by board games and cards games at her nearby rental for over 30 years. And trivia night, Mexican night and more continue to be family traditions for us all. The house is our center of fun and we welcome and encourage others to use it similarly to strengthen the bonds of family. My two rules for this house are that I must go to the beach every day, and I must play the piano every day.
Why they chose this property
This house is so comfortable to be in with its breezy atmosphere and multiple porches. There is a nook for everyone to enjoy. It is a great house for families and for kids.
What makes this property unique
The canal is tough to beat with the opportunities for crabbing, fishing and launching of a small craft. It is a pleasure to simply sit out there and read a book. The screen-in porch gets the most attention it seems since it overlooks the canal and draws folks for breakfast, lunch, dinner, reading, games, crafts, you name it. It is a lovely spot to sit. That porch swing downstairs is pretty terrific also. And besides the pleasure of the bay and the quiet community we can just as easily walk to the ocean and enjoy the thrill of the beach and the water. We get the best of both worlds at this house.