A sunny, elegant cottage surrounded by nature is minutes from all that VA's Tidewater Region has to offer. Great eateries, boating, festivals, and upscale shopping with a small town vibe. Open plan living spaces, indoors & out, and 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths gives you room to spread out and spaces to come together. Add your kayak, miles of river, tons of games, private community pool (open memorial day) and a cool town you can walk to with great shops and restaurants and you have it all! The space The combination of whimsical Carpenter Gothic architecture and serene pastoral views surrounded by walking trails and water, gives a story-book vibe to this community of 19 houses (which were inspired by the camp tent revival sites of the late 1800’s.) Our double Gothic arched doors open onto a beautifully designed space with a living room, gas fireplace and large smart screen with Apple TV, a dining area with seating for 6 and a new, open plan kitchen. Beyond the kitchen, double doors open onto a generous raised screened-in porch overlooking the property through the trees and down to the kayak dock on Carter's Creek. Adjacent to the dining area, an elegant staircase takes you up to the master bedroom level with dramatic double Gothic doors at one end, a super comfy king bed at the other and a large double sink bathroom with spa tub. Adjacent to the kitchen, another staircase leads down to two more bedrooms, each with a plush Queen bed and its own full bath. The bedroom at the back also has access to the rear patio with a fantastic outdoor shower, a comfy seating area with Adirondack chairs in one corner and, for big meals, a table that seats 10, in the other corner. It's a good spot for an oyster binge as you can hose the whole thing off when you're finished - so dig in! It's short walk through the woods on the path that starts next to our house, to reach the dock nd launch your kayak or a rented one. Follow that path a little further to VG’s private swimming pool where you’ll find rafts and pool games, a BBQ area with tables and chairs, and lots of lounges. Opens Memorial Day weekend. For morning walks and evening sunsets there’s a beautiful open meadow directly across from the cottage to gaze at from our front porch with a cocktail or meander through with a dog.....or at any time of day, the hammock swinging in the breeze on the side yard might tempt you. Guest access We are a easy 10 minute walk from Irvington through the meadow and vineyard. Go early for a great cup of coffee at The Local or grab lunch or dinner at one of Irvington's 6 fine dining spots: The Office, The Vine, Dredge, Hope & Glory Inn and 2 spots at The Tides Inn (this is more of a drive than a walk.) There's a bike rental in Irvington - so you can pedal in and out of town if you'd rather - or drive - there's easy parking everywhere. Other things to note I must also mention The Compass Entertainment Center, a 5 minute drive from the cottage, with a huge arcade, batting cages, bumper cars, climbing wall, go-karts, kid-zone, putt-putt golf, ropes course, virtual reality, ice-skating, a decent restaurant and a multiplex theater with ridiculously comfortable reclining seats and a tasty NZ sauvignon blanc “to go.” Granted, it’s a bit of an anomaly out here….but a welcome one when you have bored kids on your hands or a rainy day and you need an escape.