Bayfront Cottage. Private pier! Sunsets! Sunrises! 4 acres! New bike trail.
Looking for some privacy and isolation yet on the water? Our Bay Cottage is perfect for you.. celebrate its 100 birthday! Originally built in 1925. You can spend your days fishing from the private pier, riding your bike or walking along the new trail in front of the property, kayaking Mobile Bay, crabbing, laying out in the sun on your private “beach“, sitting on the screen porch with a good book, watching movies on the smart TV, or taking naps! Here you can forget about all the problems of the world and relax in paradise.
We have looked for the perfect beach house for many years! We finally found it in the summer of 2014. This vintage cottage originally built in the 1920s, but modernized, sits on a secluded 4 acre lot surrounded by live oaks and huge pines! You can enjoy the sunrise and sunsets overlooking Mobile Bay while sitting on your screen porch or on your shoreside deck. Bringing along a canoe or small boat, you have your own small boat launch from the yard.
Our property is a Birder's Heaven. Not only can you sit on the screen porch and watch Great Blue Herons, Osprey and Pelicans fly by and fish for a meal around the dock, but the neotropical migrants are amazing. We enjoy the dolphins also!
This cottage is one of a kind! The interior is a classic with heart pine floors, walls and ceilings. The cottage has 3 bedrooms, with the master suite having its own bath. The other two bedrooms share a lovely bath. There is a laundry room with washer and dryer. The kitchen includes a full stove and oven, dishwasher, and all the necessary cooking supplies to make it possible to prepare your own meals. Or you may drive just a few miles to enjoy fine cuisine at a number of restaurants at Jesse’s, Beach Club or in Gulf Shores.
Mobile Bay is a fisherman's paradise! You can fish from the pier, catch live crab with one of the traps on site, or put your kayak in and enjoy the bay. Mark catches redfish, flounder and specks.
If you enjoy the beach side of Ft Morgan, the Mobile St public beach is a short drive (or bicycle) away. I love to walk or run the Pine Beach Trail across highway 180 through Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. See photos to see the beauty!
If you like to ride bicycles, there is a nice bike trail just down the road that goes all the way into Gulf Shores. This trail is being extended on past our cottage! The cottage is only about 8 miles from Gulf Shores, close enough to run to town for groceries!
Add dates for prices
Have a question?
AI iconBetaBeta
Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.
Similar properties
Waterview getaway with Private Pier, Balcony and Kayaks
Gulf Shores
Waterview getaway with Private Pier, Balcony and Kayaks
The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Gather used towels and store extra beds
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks and take out the rubbish
Turn off the lights and return the keys
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Important information
You need to know
Property # 644298vb
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
Host has indicated that there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
About the area
Gulf Shores
Located in Gulf Shores, this cottage is near a water park and on the beach. While the natural beauty of Fort Morgan Beach and Gulf Shores Beach can be enjoyed by anyone, those looking for an activity can explore The Wharf.
Zooland Mini Golf and Waterville USA are also worth visiting. Jet skiing, kayaking and scuba diving offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with cycling nearby.
Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
Fort Morgan Beach - 5 min drive - 6.3 km
Hangout Music Fest - 12 min drive - 18.9 km
Gulf Shores Beach - 13 min drive - 19.3 km
Fort Morgan - 19 min drive - 25.6 km
Getting around
Mobile, AL (BFM-Downtown Airport) - 81 min drive
Restaurants
Sassy Bass - 8 min drive
Jesse’s On The Bay - 3 min drive
Beach Bums Coffee & Deli - 6 min drive
The Village Hideaway @ The Beach Club - 6 min drive
Tiki Bar @ The Beach Club - 7 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Bayfront Cottage. Private pier! Sunsets! Sunrises! 4 acres! New bike trail. pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total). Some restrictions may apply, so please contact the property for more details.
How much does it cost to stay at Bayfront Cottage. Private pier! Sunsets! Sunrises! 4 acres! New bike trail.?
As of 17 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Bayfront Cottage. Private pier! Sunsets! Sunrises! 4 acres! New bike trail. on 25 Aug 2026 start from AU$427, 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 Bayfront Cottage. Private pier! Sunsets! Sunrises! 4 acres! New bike trail.?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Bayfront Cottage. Private pier! Sunsets! Sunrises! 4 acres! New bike trail.?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Bayfront Cottage. Private pier! Sunsets! Sunrises! 4 acres! New bike trail.?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Bayfront Cottage. Private pier! Sunsets! Sunrises! 4 acres! New bike trail. located?
Nestled on the beach, this Gulf Shores cottage is within a 10-minute walk of Bon Secour Bay and Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. Fort Morgan Beach is 2 mi (3.3 km) away.
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Beautiful and quiet property. Maggie was the best at communicating and recommending places to go and things to see. The Cottage though was where we spent most of our time. We will be back!
Edward G.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 7 May 2026
Edward, what a pleasure to host you and your friends!
Our family of 4 had an excellent week here. We sat on the pier and watched dolphins and sunsets. We grilled some fresh fish and veggies. We slept great in the comfy beds and they had all the items needed for our stay.Great memories were made and we would stay here again for sure.
Brian R.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 9 Apr 2026
Yall were wonderful guests! So glad that you all enjoyed your stay.
The owners were FANTASTIC! They were warm and welcoming to my family. They checked in to see how things were going. The place was exactly what we were looking for as well. We reached out to Maggie and Mark multiple times with questions about the house, the area in general and recommendations on places to see and go and they were great in responding quickly and their recommendations were great as well, especially the beach down the road which was not as over-crowded as the public beach downtown and the Charter Fishing recommendation was awesome. We will return.
Eric W.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Apr 2026
Eric and family were lovely guests! They left the cottage in great shape… Thank you so much!
I enjoy being able to share our special place on the Gulf Coast… And all the magical things in the area!
What a beautiful location and home! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The home is well stocked with everything you could possibly need. From watching beautiful sunsets, to walking our dog along the new walking and biking trail, there was always something to do. We checked out the various beaches, Fort Morgan, and the nature trail. On the rainy day, we curled up on the screened in porch and listen to music on the Bluetooth speaker while baking cookies. Like I said, this place has everything and is so comfortable. The host is very communicative, sharing photos in advance to build the excitement and staying in touch with ideas for local adventures..
Mary Lou M.
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 6 Mar 2026
Mary Lou and family were the perfect guests! Please visit again soon!
Beautiful bay property close to ocean, shopping, and local attractions. Cottage was clean, cozy, and equipped with all we needed. Host is very informative, friendly, and accessible. We had an amazing time.
lynda g.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Sept 2025
Thank you so much for your review. Such a nice wonderful positive things to say!. I’m curious why not a five star… we have almost all five star reviews and work so hard for excellent reviews. We communicated several times during your stay and there was no mention of anything wrong or that you needed. I work very hard to make it the best it can possibly be. Anytime a concern comes to me during someone’s stay, I try to make it right. Immediately.
This was listed by VRBO as beachfront. The pictures posted by owner were clear that it is waterfront and there is a bulkhead but no beach. It has spectacular views of the bay and a ladder on the pier for swimming but no beach for wading. So check the photos posted by the owner and you'll see exactly what to expect. Owner was very nice and accommodating. This is a quaint and historic cottage in a wooded area. There are houses nearby but they are hidden by the foliage so it feels quite cozy and private. The long driveway was a very lovely walkway through the woods that my dogs LOVED! There is a beautiful unspoiled gulf beach about a 2 minute drive away.
Marianne B.
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 6 Dec 2025
Marianne and family were great renters. I believe that she got a bit confused about the’beach’ situation. Our amazing historic cottage is a Bay Cottage with a small boat ramp to access the water for kayaks and canoes… and a 100 foot private pier for fishing and sunset watching! It faces the Mobile Bay and site on 4 acres of forests. The gulf beaches are about 3 miles away with a great new boardwalk to access the beach there.
Marianne had asked about seining and yes, you could enter the bay at the boat ramp and seine in the bay. Please take a look at the photos and captions and see how wonderful our Bay Cottage is!
This may be my yearly getaway location. Absolutely wonderful cottage with great vibes and even better views. I can’t speak highly enough about our stay. Super clean, cozy and the perfect place to recharge with family. Maggie was WONDERFUL to work with. I can’t recommend this place enough!
Charmaine W.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 2 July 2025
Thanks for selecting our Bay Cottage to vacation in! We love it also!
We enjoyed our stay at Bay Cottage. The view of the bay was so relaxing and a heron was on the dock every morning to greet the new day. There was a constant bird symphony. It was a perfect get away.
Linda M.
Stayed 6 nights in May 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 28 May 2025
Thank you so much! Mark and I are at the Bay Cottage now and enjoying that view of the water from the screened in back porch! I’m so glad y’all loved it like we do
A cozy cottage very peaceful with lots of privacy. The owls hooting at night was nice when watching the stars . Very enjoyable vacation from the cold weather.
Ann S.
Stayed 13 nights in Jan 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 13 Feb 2025
Ann, you all were wonderful guests and are welcome‘home’ to the Bay Cottage anytime!
We had a great 3 night stay here. We really enjoyed being able to fish from our own private pier and also the privacy you have. Mark and Maggie are great hosts and are more than happy to make your stay special. We hope to be able to go back real soon!!
We enjoyed our vacation at this lovely cottage! We loved that there was a private dock and we were able to catch fish and crabs off of it. We saw dolphins early in the morning and again at sunset. The sunsets were beautiful! There was easy access for launching kayaks and we appreciated that it was pet friendly. The cottage had everything we needed for a comfortable stay. Communication with the owner was excellent.
Spent our week outside of the hustle and bustle of the beach, with our own bay view to enjoy!
Loved the week that we spent at Maggie & Mark’s cottage! Maggie and Mark have been amazing hosts. They made the check in/ check out process so easy and promptly responded to any questions that we had.We loved the screened porch and the sunroom. Almost spent our whole day there! This place is excellent for a private, romantic getaway or if you’re looking for a break from a busy life trying to relax! We will definitely recommend this place!
We so love staying at Bay Cottage! VERY quiet and peaceful! Love that you can walk out the back door onto the dock and fish whenever you want. Love the screened in porch and relaxing and listening to the bay. If you’re looking for peace and quiet, this is your place!
Shena S.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 15 Oct 2024
Thank you. We enjoy sharing the peaceful Bay cottage with folks!
We enjoyed the area very much. Dolphin watching. Charter fishing. Private pier fishing and just relaxing Glass blowing Ceramic's at the art center was fun! Lots to do and see in the area. Great place to come back to in the evening and relax.
Dave S.
Stayed 11 nights in Nov 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Dec 2024
Wow! So glad you loved it! We do too!
About the host
Hosted by Maggie Johnston
Maggie recently retired from the Executive Director of Wild Alabama...www.wildal.org. For 16 + years she ran the Educational Programs at Camp McDowell. Mark retired from 26 years as the Executive Director of Camp McDowell, near Jasper, Alabama. He is enjoying retirement but still doing renovation of houses, building a new vacation cabin in the forest, and keeping up our acreage and cabins.
Why they chose this property
Amazing and unique! You'll love it. Such a quiet, private home right on the water of Mobile Bay...while still being so near the beach. We love the quarter mile driveway.
What makes this property unique
4 acres of peace and quiet on the water. Bird watching paradise. Fish from the dock or put in a canoe and paddle around the bay. Sitting on the huge screen porch watching the dolphin dance and fish...and pelicans and Great Blue Herons fish as well.
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests