The house is set on Rt. 6A in Brewster, Mass. - a road that happens to be the longest designated National Historic District in the U.S. Brewster, itself, is known as the Sea Captains' town, because of all the sea captains who once called it home. It's a 15-minute walk/3-minute drive/bike ride from a charming little neighborhood beach on Cape Cod Bay, with great walking and bike riding opportunities all around. Oh, and if you like fried seafood and ice cream, this area totally has you covered. :)
While most people think of the Cape as a summer destination, it's beautiful all year-round. The spring can be wet and gray, but that's when all the migrating songbirds pass through. We don't get the fall leaf colors of Northern New England, but the weather through October can be surprisingly mild, and the light is sublime if you're a painter or photographer. And the winter can be a perfect time for a hike along the National Seashore or in Nickerson State Park, which is just down the road from my house.
Because of renovation work, COVID and current travel plans already in place, I'll be looking for exchanges late 2021 and into 2022.
The space
The house recently received some big upgrades, including a brand new cook's kitchen, redone upstairs bath and overall spiffing up. There is a queen bed upstairs, two twins downstairs and options for figuring out inflatable beds for the other two bedrooms now used as office and TV room, respectively. There are two baths - one on each floor - one with shower and other with tub/shower. There's central heat and air conditioning, along with a small Jotul wood stove for cooler weather. It's not a large house - about 1,200 sq. ft., total, but it packs in a lot of character.
Outdoors, there's a really pretty backyard, complete with hammock, that's perfect for a wonky croquet course. Beyond that, there's about an acre of wetland and upland woods where wild blackberries and Concord grapes can be found, in season (warning: the path gets a bit overgrown in summer). Also, as every Cape Cod cottage should, mine features a nice little enclosed outdoor shower - perfect for washing off salt and sand after a day at the beach.
I've noted pets are welcome - I'd just like to have a conversation about that when we start talking. I do have a 10-1/2-year-old golden I'd like to be able to travel with to local New England locations, if that works. Also, as a result, this is likely not the place for anyone with dog allergies - I do my best to keep up with vacuuming, but... 😁
Guest access
Two floors, with a set of steps to get up to the house from the parking area, so accessibility might be an issue for some.
Notes
There are a few options for getting here. The most direct, for those flying, is flying into either Boston (~2 hours in decent traffic) or Providence, RI (a little closer) and renting a car. During the summer, we'd likely want to arrange things so you weren't arriving Friday afternoon - Saturday if you were driving from Boston. That's a big changeover period for weekly tourist rentals.
Features
Washer
Dishwasher
Clothes dryer
Oven
Microwave
Coffee machine
Fridge
Iron
Hair dryer
Heating
Air conditioning
TV
WiFi
High Speed Internet
Bathtub
First aid kit
Wheelchair accessible
Smoke alarms
Fire extinguisher
Bed sheets
Towels
Workspace
Fireplace
Home cinema
Toys
Gym
Sauna
BBQ
Pool
Hot tub
Balcony
Garden / yard
Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace
Covered porch / verandah
Kosher home
Meat-free kitchen
Gated community
EV Home Charger
Bikes
Camping gear
Kayak
Tennis court
Standup paddleboard
Travel Styles
Romantic
Foodie
Relaxing
Beach
Water
Hiking
Cycling
Golf
House rules
Suitable for infants under 2
Suitable for children ages 2-12
Pets welcome
No smoking
Dates of Availability
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Neighbourhood
The house is right on Main Street (Rt. 6A), so in the summer season it's a bit busy. The backyard is really private, though, thanks to the brush that grows in on either side in the spring/summer. Very easy walking distance to one of Cape Cod's best restaurants (The Brewster Fish House) along with a great clam shack. You also can just stroll the Main Street sidewalk to take in the lovely, historic homes, many of which were built by the town's famous sea captains.
Getting around
There's a lot to walk to from the house, but a car will be needed to get to food shopping (about 4 miles away) and any beaches/restaurants outside the immediate area.
Map of Approximate Location
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Feedback
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Premium
Chuck
I'm a self-employed freelance writer living in the Cape Cod town of Brewster, Mass. For those who don't know, Cape Cod is a 70'ish-mile-long peninsula that sticks out into the Atlantic. Brewster is on the Cape Cod Bay side, where the tide goes out over a mile during the twice-a-day low tides. Also a number of local freshwater ponds, and the oceanside beaches are just 15 minutes away. I'm new to home exchanging, but love to travel, most recently to Brazil in November 2019, and Edinburgh for Hogmanay that New Year's. My house is currently getting updated - brand new kitchen and general sprucing up. I'm looking forward to putting it to use for exchanging later 2021 or early 2022.
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Cozy cottage-style home with side deck and large back garden.
My house is set on Rt. 6A, which recently earned National Scenic Byway status - it already has been recognized as the longest, contiguous historic district in the U.S. The road stretches more than 20 miles, with many historic homes - like this one, across the street from my house - lining its way.
Hydrangeas are like the state flower of Cape Cod (that's a joke - Cape Cod is only its own state to those of us who live here). If you visit during July or August, you'll see many in bloom wherever you drive.
Kitchen is totally updated, with a cozy eating area and wonderful light/views of the back garden.
Still waiting on the glass for the cabinet doors - but the GE Profile range is the heart of the kitchen.
Comfortable living room, with a wood burner for fall/winter/spring evenings.
This is an amazing sofa for an afternoon nap.
The den/tv room has a sofa/chaise for evening viewings.
The downstairs guest room has two comfortable twins, with a full bath right across the hall.
The stairs to the upstairs floor are a tad steep, just so you know.
Upstairs bath with shower.
The upstairs shower is on the small side, but it's fully fitted.
Main bedroom with queen-size bed.
The main bedroom is dual-aspect, and feels a bit like a treehouse in the summer.