This waterfront Bellport, Long Island home overlooks the bay and rests in total privacy yet is walking distance from the marina, the village, shops and restaurants, and the Gateway Theatre. The house has beautiful views of the bay, a heated salt water pool, flower gardens, a fire pit area, a barbecue, and a terrace overlooking the bay with eating and seating areas shaded by big umbrellas. Even the outdoor shower has a view of the water! We have bicycles to explore the area or to just ride into the village for a quick visit to Carla Marla’s Ice Cream Parlour. There are 2 kayaks and a paddle board which launch from the private beach at the bottom of the lawn. This is a perfect home for a family vacation. You will not feel that you are staying in a rental house. You will be guests in our home (in our absence of course!). Our house is filled with art and books and games and puzzles. The large living room with its fireplace and tv is in the center of the house with 2 bedrooms on either side so there's lots of privacy. The kitchen is fully equipped with cake pans and electric beaters, a food processor, and Le Creuset pots and pans. Anyone with a desire to whip up an angel food cake will find the special cake pan next to the souffle dish and the muffin tin. Three sets of sliding glass doors open onto the large outdoor terrace which has a seating area, a dining area, a gas fired grill, and the heated salt water pool, all enclosed by a low brick wall and overlooking the bay. Bellport is a quaint, historic village located on the South Shore of Long Island and has all the advantages of eastern Long Island without the long drive - its only an hour and a half from NYC - and without the Hamptons’ buzz. This is a place to relax and regenerate! The main street, which is a 10 minute walk from the house, is two blocks long and lined with shops and a few restaurants (and several yoga studios of course!) The small marina is a 10 minute walk from the house where there are free concerts on Friday nights at the outdoor bandstand. Bring a picnic and listen to the live bands. There's a playground right on the water and the marina offers sailing and paddle board lessons. The Gateway Theater, one of the most well-known summer theaters in the region, is a 5 minute walk from the house. The next town west of Bellport is Patchogue with lots of restaurants and a small movie theatre. Bellport is one of the rare villages with its own golf course and tennis courts, a bay side beach ("Mother's Beach") and a private ocean side beach ("Ho Hum") on Fire Island serviced by a ferry which leaves daily on the hour from the marina. Renters who wish to use these amenities are required by the village to purchase a Resident Guest ID card for $400 which permits 2 adults and 3 children 12 years and under to use all village amenities and pay Resident rates. Additional permits are $75 per person. For short term renters we recommend the drive to Smith Point - the county's largest oceanfront park. Though there’s always something to do we often end up staying at home - to read a book in the hammock under the cherry trees, to watch the hummingbirds in the flower garden, or launch the kayaks and explore the bay, or build sand castles on our private beach. In the evening we open a bottle of wine and watch the light fade to pink and orange as the sun sets, then fire up the grill and cook local clams and fish from our favorite seafood shop and grill fresh local produce from the nearby farm stand topped off with one of their home-made pies, and then toast marshmallows at the outdoor fire pit, swim at night under the stars in the salt water pool, or sit in the spacious living room and watch a movie on the large tv. Our neighbors are lovely and though we can’t see them from our house we are very respectful of each other’s privacy. We turn down the music and keep the noise low after 10pm. The village has strict rules regarding noise disturbance after 11pm and anyone violating the rules will be fined! We do not permit parties or events at the house and our house and property does not permit smoking. Arrival time is after 2pm and you will be met by a caretaker who will give you keys and show you the house (air conditioning, pool toys, kayak paddles, beach towels, etc) and who will be available throughout your stay for any questions or emergencies. The house will be clean upon your arrival and we expect you to do your best to keep our home, especially the cooking utensils, in the same condition as you found them. Our housekeeper comes once a week and is also available to assist on other days by arrangement with you. Housekeeping charges are included in the rental fee unless we find that the house, especially the kitchen, is unacceptably dirty in which case there will be a $300 cleaning charge. We don’t expect you to spend your holiday cleaning but we also don’t expect to find that we need to get stains out of sheets or scrub food from pots that have been put away half dirty. Well-behaved pets are also welcome. Check out is by 4pm and the caretaker will assist with your departure and check that the house is in good order. If possible we will accommodate to your schedule and adjust arrival/departure times.