Cottage vacation rentals in Middlesex County

We loved out time at this Bayside home. My boys spent outside upon hours at the little private beach, where the water doesn't really get deep for quite a ways and the waves were never very rough. it was perfect for them. we all enjoyed the hot tub, kayaks, comfortable beds. My personal favorite was the hammock right by the water, listening to nothing but the waves and the calls of the ospreys that made the area their home. Forget the overly built up touristy areas and give this place a try. You will not regret it.

Our stay in this home was such a treat! We enjoyed utilizing the kayaks to boat around in Chesapeake Bay. The hot tub was an absolute delight, perfect for evening stargazing, saw lots of shooting stars, and could see the water of the bay from the hot tub. We also enjoyed doing November cold plunges from the hot tub to the pool. While the living room is not expansive, it fit our needs for family game & movie nights. The bed linens were so comfortable, and Lori was beautifully responsive & friendly when we would reach out with a question. We also enjoyed the nearby Sandy beaches.

We LOVED our stay! The screened porch overlooking the beach was so peaceful and our favorite place to be in the evening. The house was lovely, well cared for, very clean, and very tastefully decorated. The welcome book provided everything you needed to know about the house and surrounding area. We will be back again!

We had a great time staying here! Clean, modern, fully stocked home just as described in the listing and photos. The sunsets over the water are indescribable. Relaxing hot tub, wonderful outdoor space, lovely campfires, and comfortable bed and bath rooms made our trip stress free and extremely enjoyable. We barely left the property - we felt right at home. Our point of contact host, Ana, was very responsive and communicative. Would definitely recommend! Look forward to booking again in the future! Thank you for a vibey holiday weekend!

We absolutely loved staying here! It was the perfect distance from Cape Charles where we visited during the day. It was the perfect little getaway!

This is a really nice getaway that is peaceful and serene. The home is older, but has some nice updates. I am one that appreciates a home with character. It is in a secluded area, so at night its gets really dark in the hot tub area which we made good use of. Waking up to views of the lake was my favorite part of the day. I was sad when the sun started to go down. There are neighbors, but the houses aren't very close to each other. It is located in a small town so there aren't many food options. The restaurant we went to wasn't very good, so I'd highly recommend cooking for your stay or bringing food. That's what we did. We cooked our meals and grilled. It was fantastic. Four of us stayed there comfortably. Two couples. Overall we had a nice 3 days and I'd highly recommend.

Great peace of history in a peaceful location. Kids thought it was coolest place ever to go kayaking, fishing, catching crabs, and relaxing inside playing chess and listening to some records. Richard was very accommodating with how far we had to travel and was able to help with a flexible check in time.

Our trip to The Half Shell Haven was great! The place was clean, extremely well stocked, and included many extras! We had crazy weather the first two days, but we had plenty to do at the house. My boys loved being on the water and the game room and my daughter loved the hot tub and bicycling. My daughters service dog enjoyed a nice reprieve and seemed so happy. We had a great time, and were honestly sad to go! If we find ourselves back up in Virginia we will definitely stay here! Thank you for the care and attention to detail to ensure a great trip!

Would return and recommend to others. Beautiful pristine space with numerous areas for guest to spread out and experience the beauty of the area and learn about the history and renovation of that particular farm and community. Very interesting restoration of existing structures and addition of many more places and ways to learn about and enjoy the natural surroundings.

Perfect getaway for rest, relaxation and fun! Kayaks were fun, too breezy and chilly waters for paddle boarding, maybe next time! Beautiful location! Clean and comfortable, felt like home!

I had a great stay! The space was quiet, and very clean—perfect for relaxing. It was also pet-friendly, which was a big plus. The host was friendly and communicative, making everything easy from check-in to check-out. Would definitely stay again!

I truly wish I could put into words just how beautiful and peaceful this home and property were. It is truly a place that was so inviting and well maintained it made me miss the eastern shore of Virginia and start looking at properties in the area. The land is so cool to walk and explore and the bay at this home is just serene. To be able to wake up and see the view this home has is just spectacular. Matt is spot on with the description of his home and you truly can't find one thing wrong with this home or the property surrounding it and having a dog,it is so key with the wash station outside because our lab puppy could not get enough of the bay or going out in the kayaks with us. I truly wish they had more stars to rate this home. Thank you for being so gracious and allowing us to visit your spectacular home!

Very secluded but I don't mind that all. The home is beautiful and the host is very attentive.

This is our second time staying at Sunset Haven— appropriately named. Gorgeous sunsets and weather was perfect. Great and considerate communication with Terri. House was pristine and had every thing you could need. We will be back! Thank you Terri!

We had a wonderful time! The atmosphere was incredibly peaceful and relaxing—perfect for unwinding, even on the rainy days we had. The space was beautiful, cozy and calm. Gina was a great host—very responsive and proactive in checking in to make sure everything was going well.

Incredible stay on a beautiful property. It’s quiet, private, VERY well maintained and just awesome. I truly hope to stay at this location again in the future because it was that great! You can tell the history in the cottage yet it’s updated and cozy. Also I’ve NEVER stayed at a location so clean!!!! From the cottage itself to the grounds, everything was very well taken care of.

This was our 1st visit to The Crab Shack. All I can say is Wow, just Wow! This was the cleanest, nicest and cutest Airbnb that we have ever stayed at over the years! It was amazing! My husband and I traveled from Sarver, PA with our 2 Golden Retrievers to celebrate our 10 year Wedding Anniversary! We all had the best time ever! We spent most of the time here at the Shack just cooking on the grill and listening to music and the girls did a lot of swimming fetching for balls! Thank you Carlisle and Mary for making our 10 year Anniversary simply perfect! ❤️☀️😎🥂🍾🦀 We can’t wait to come back! ☺️

Great spot. Brought a camp chair and binoculars and sat by the shoreline. Drove to the windmill point tiki bar on fleets island for a sunset walk. Enjoyed kilmarnock & white stone. Had a soft shell crab sandwich at Bay Bistro, oysters & crab dip at Tides Inn. Great thrift stores in kilmarnock. Nights were peaceful and starry with the sounds of frogs. Definitely recommend staying here if you’re looking to explore the northern neck.

What a perfect cottage! Beautifully (but comfortably) furnished, right on the water, incredibly well-stocked. Arranged so families can spread out, or gather together. Everything you could possibly require or desire for a vacation or getaway was there. And the area is full of things to do--walks, birdwatching, antiquing, or, if you're an architecture geek like me, historic sites and buildings. You're also a 3-minute walk from the best restaurant on the Northern Neck, Merroir Tasting Room. Can't wait to come back.

We had a great time at Diana’s place. The water access was awesome and we had lots of fun with the kayaks. We were able to walk through a wooded trail to a nearby restaurant which was so nice. The location felt private and naturally beautiful while being not far from grocery stores and restaurants. Diana’s neighborhood is beautiful and the space is charming and comfortable. Such a fun way to see the Chesapeake, we would love to come back!

What a wonderful place and host! Pictures do not do it justice. It looks like a cosy cottage on the outside, but it is much bigger on the inside. Very clean. The first floor provides an extremely functional living space - living room, dinning area, kitchen and sun room. The couch in the sun room is extremely comfortable. The bedroom and bathroom upstairs are palatial. The two bedrooms downstairs are very cosy and have their own beautiful bathrooms. One of the downstairs bedrooms has a wonderfully enclosed porch off of it. Everything is up to date and very functional - Wi-Fi, heating and air conditioning, washer & drier, kitchen appliances, etc. And the host was quick to respond to any questions. We hope to return soon and take advantage of the outdoor activities.

Review This was our second time staying in this adorable cottage. We spent 10 days in 2023 & we just spent another 10 days! (May/June 2025) We would love to return again in the future! Clean and cute with a small private beach and gorgeous sunrises! The screen porch and outside shower were a plus! The bed was very comfortable. The kitchen had everything we needed to cook our meals. Kayaking was fun! We brought our bikes and daily biked around the area and we also walked the charming town of Urbanna. We attended church at the Urbanna Baptist Church and met several of the locals who were so friendly and welcoming. What a relaxing delightful place! It was a pleasure meeting Ned on our first day. We cannot say enough good things about this enchanting place. Thank you Ned and Holly for sharing your cottage with us and for the great communication! We hope to visit again!

Kitchen was well stocked. Bathrooms, kitchen, everything was clean, beds were very comfortable. Beautiful yard and sunroom where we spent most of our time. Close to excellent restaurants. We really enjoyed our stay and plan on staying again in the future.

Mystic Is a quaint, clean and welcoming houae. All details from pictures to knick knacks create a complete theme. Instructions were easy and thoughtful. Communications were prompt and thorough. This home and its owners create a perfect sanctuary.