Our waterfront home is the perfect vacation getaway. It’s near all the attractions of central Pennsylvania, yet removed from the crowds. We are located just one half mile off Highway 322/22, within a 30-minute drive to Hershey and under an hour to Gettysburg or the Dutch country. Ski Roundtop is just 40 minutes. You enter your own private acre where Mother Nature beckons you through the stunning views of the many windows. Launch from your own private dock to a kayak adventure paddling among the islands with the bald eagles and wild life, or take a day trip floating down the Susquehanna. Soak in the beauty of the natural surroundings from the porch swing on the riverbank or relaxing by the waterfalls on the patio.
Our family has many special memories of get-togethers at the river house, and we enjoy sharing it with others. We have 4 kayaks (including a fishing kayak and a double kayak so an adult can take a small child out), a canoe, several inner tubes, and we provide basic fishing gear. You can wade or swim in the river right behind the house, and in summer the water level is usually pretty low, so kids can wade along the bank and spend hours catching minnows and other critters. Take a lazy inner tube float on a warm summer day.
There is a private dock for your use and a porch swing down by the river, as well as a fire pit on the river bank where you can roast marshmallows and hot dogs.
The property sits along the historic Pennsylvania canal system, and our lane was the original towpath where mules pulled barges along the canal. To get to the house from State Road 322, you drive 1/2 mile down the lane with some paved and some unpaved sections, but easily passable in all seasons. We are close enough to the road that some noise can be heard (approximately 500 feet across a field and through trees to Rt. 322 and the train rail beside it.)
Numerous hiking trails are nearby, including the Appalachian Trail a 10-minute drive away, and there's a nearby rails-to-trails biking/hiking trail with 18 miles of wilderness trail with no roads, yet it is level and easy for children to navigate. With just a ten-minute drive, you can take a three mile walk around Wildwood Lake and visit the nature center there.
The house itself is over 100 years old, and it has random width solid Pennsylvania white oak floors in the kitchen, spacious living/dining area and in the sunroom. The rest of the house has oak flooring, tile, or carpeting (master bedroom only.) We have done two major additions to the original structure. The kitchen is well equipped with a ceramic top stove, refrigerator with ice maker, a KitchenAid dishwasher, microwave, upgraded small electrics (toaster, pancake griddle, blender, waffle maker, coffee grinder, Keurig, regular coffeemaker, etc.), and all the dishes and cooking utensils you might want. Guests often comment on how well-furnished and handy it is, just steps from the spacious dining table that accommodates a large family or group of friends.
What really takes your breath away is the view of the river as you walk into the living room and look through the columned opening through the sunroom to the river. The deck is shaded by towering trees in summer and we have a dining table and a Weber Genesis grill with a side burner on the deck. Down by the river (in all seasons except winter) is a porch swing to sit and watch the river flow, a fire ring, and a few chairs and benches.
The story behind the house is that we bought it as our vacation home in 1993, and it is only a thirty-minute drive from our primary residence. We wanted something near enough that we could use it often. As it turned out, my husband's mother who lived in Alabama was widowed and wanted to live near us. She moved into the river house and lived there for the rest of her life, enjoying watching her visiting grandchildren play on the river bank. When our children grew up and Grandmother passed away, we decided to begin renting this home to travelers.
My husband Dave and I are not absentee landlords. We live in the area, and, in fact, we are often found in the small guest house on the lot next door to the river house. If you need anything, want advice about area attractions or directions, or if something should break down, you will be able to reach us directly without any trouble. We are excited about sharing our home that holds so many memories for us.
ARRANGEMENT OF BEDROOMS
First Floor:
Master – one queen bed
Second bedroom – one queen bed and one (very comfortable!) futon that can make a full-size bed
Third bedroom – one full size bed
Attic Bedrooms:
(Since this is a 100-year-old attic converted into bedrooms, the attic steps are a little steeper and more narrow than those you would find in a contemporary home, and the ceiling follows along the roofline. The fifth, smallest bedroom is accessed through the large fourth bedroom. Both attic bedrooms have skylights.)
Fourth Bedroom – one queen bed, one twin bed (It also has a sitting area with a couch, chair, and TV.)
Fifth Bedroom – one full size bed, one twin bed
RESERVATIONS
We mostly book through VRBO because it’s very safe and secure for our guests. During check out, Guests review our attached rental agreement and house rules and agree to them by checking the box and completing the reservation request. Due to insurance regulations, we rent only to those over the age of 25. For smokers, we ask that you smoke outside only and properly dispose of cigarette butts.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Our stated cancellation policy is strict on VRBO because they don't give us the option of stating what we actually do. If you have to cancel, we will do all we can to rent the house to someone else. We stay fully booked in the summer and usually get more requests than we can handle in other seasons as well, so we have mostly been successful in rebooking. No matter when you cancel, even if it is near your arrival date, if we are able to rebook your dates to someone else, we will refund your payment in full!
