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Unique Waterfront Small Cottage

Waterfront cottage with kitchen and patio

Photo gallery for Unique Waterfront Small Cottage

Little Bell Spring
Outside
Outside Porch
Outside Porch
Outside Porch

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
1 bedroomSleeps 233.1 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Fireplace
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

View map
  • Place, Fanning Springs State Park
  • Place, Hart Springs Park
  • Place, Manatee Springs State Park

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 2)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Living Room 1

1 Single Futon

Inside bath

Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Hair dryer

Outside shower

Outdoor shower

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Outdoor shower
Kitchenette
Dining area

About this property

Unique Waterfront Small Cottage

Please note that the Suwannee river levels can rise according to rainfall amounts as far up-river as Georgia. When this happens; the brown water covers the springs in the area and my spring will not look like the photo provided. These river levels can be monitored at http://www.mysuwanneeriver.org/realtime/river-levels.php

This cute little cottage is the perfect getaway for the couple who loves the Florida outdoors. It is called the Dragonfly Cottage and is located just off the Suwanee River in Fanning Springs Florida. Fronting little Bell spring, one of the counties 63 beautiful springs; it is the ideal spot for swimming, kayaking, canoeing and paddle boarding.
This area is called Florida's nature Coast; with an impressive network of bicycle trails close by, as well as quaint Gulf coast communities like Steinhatchee, Suwanee, and Cedar Key.
Enjoy 1.5 acres of spring front property with majestic live oak trees, a canoe & 2 kayaks as well as a dock, and fire pit. The cottage itself is a tiny 256 sq. ft. under air but includes big amenities like a separate bedroom with a queen size bed, cozy electric fireplace, a full inside bath with corner shower. There is a cute little dining table for two and everything you need to cook with is included. There is a full size refrigerator, microwave, two burner hotplate, electric skillet and griddle, large crock pot, blender and a toaster/oven large enough to bake a cake. Outside, there is a private outdoor shower stall for showering or rinsing off after a long day of outdoor activities, and you can watch the sun go down while enjoying a glass of wine sitting in the Adirondack chairs on the covered porch at the end of the day.

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Amenities

Kitchen
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Outdoor space
Parking available
Barbecue

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Adults only
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
The cottage is very small therefore out of respect for other guest who may have allergies to pet dander, no pets are allowed!
The septic tank for the cottage is also very small and more than 250' away. Please be respectful of that by NOT flushing large amounts of toilet paper
If you use countertop appliances, please clean them before returning them to thier storage shelf. Housekeeping assumes they are clean if stowed.

Important information

You need to know

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 not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock

About the area

Trenton

Located in Fanning Springs, this cottage is on the waterfront. Dakotah Winery and Hart Springs Park are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Fanning Springs State Park and Manatee Springs State Park. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
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Map
Fanning Springs, FL

What's nearby

  • Fanning Springs State Park - 13 min walk - 1.1 km
  • Hart Springs Park - 17 min drive - 16.1 km
  • Chiefland Farmers Flea Market - 20 min drive - 16.8 km
  • Manatee Springs State Park - 26 min drive - 27.2 km
  • Ginnie Spring - 47 min drive - 52.0 km

Restaurants

  • ‪Beef 'O' Brady's - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Hardee's - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Dakotah Winery - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Gails Cafe - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Suwanee Belle Landing - ‬4 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Unique Waterfront Small Cottage pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Unique Waterfront Small Cottage?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Unique Waterfront Small Cottage?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Unique Waterfront Small Cottage located?

Situated on the waterfront, this cottage is 1 mi (1.7 km) from Fanning Springs State Park and 1.5 mi (2.4 km) from Suwannee River. Dakotah Winery and Hart Springs Park are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 151 out of 184 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 23 out of 184 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 184 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 184 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 5 out of 184 reviews

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Staff & service

7.6/10

Amenities

7.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.0/10

Eco-friendliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.6/10

Communication

9.4/10

Location

9.4/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Kevin M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Cozy Cottage
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lisa H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy and Quiet

The cottage was cozy and quiet , we enjoyed staying there and had everything we needed .Very quiet .
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Ralph M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Review

We loved this beautiful place! It's a great stay for nature lovers. The cottage was small, but comfortable. The grounds and river/spring is beautiful. Birds were playing and fish were jumping.
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Alyssa C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

Beautiful water

relaxing and lots of wildlife
Stayed 2 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Josh T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Absolutely gorgeous little cottage on an acre and a half. The location was less than a mile from Fanning Springs and the boat ramp. We were very close to great bike riding in wildlife as well. The little cottage itself was perfect. Off grid a little so expect it but everything you would need for two people. They even gave extra rolls of toilet paper, paper towels, plenty of towels, lots of DVDs and great working WiFi. We do have a video up on YouTube under flippin tail Suwannee Springs where you can see the whole property and cottage. The spring on the property was not accessible by boat as the water level was quite down in the Suwannee but I’m sure certain times of the year it would be. They have accessible kayaks and a little canoe to use. Really truly a bargain and a great stay! Much appreciated for the hospitality!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

kate r.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cozy little cottage met all my needs.

All the necessities, comfortable bed, peaceful, beautiful view, great stay. Thank You!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

christian m.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Getaway

This vacation afforded us the opportunity to discover more of an area that we love in florida. This is a great getaway for a couple of adults who enjoy the outdoors. We fully intend to revisit here as often as we can.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Peter K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Long weekend

It was a piece of heaven here on earth loved every day but it went by too fast ii would definitely go back
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Joseph S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fanning Springs get-away

Fanning springs was amazing and just a short canoe trip from the house. We also enjoyed the small spring adjacent to the property for swimming and feeding the turtles. The house was small, but was everything we needed. Sitting on the front porch reading, watching the birds flying around and the mullet jumping was extremely relaxing.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Tim H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cool

Awesome
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Katie K.

A little piece of heaven

This place is so nice.... there is a spring right at your dock.... you can see all kinds of fish and other water animals.... you can fish your heart out and you can relax in the nice and quiet. The cottage is small but perfect for two..... it is so cute and super clean. I can’t wait to come back.... it was just what we needed.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2018

10/10 Excellent

Sarah T., St. Petersburg, FL

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quiet place on the springs

My husband and I enjoyed this getaway from our busy lives (kids, pets, jobs, St. Pete). The quaint cottage is peaceful. We took out the canoe to the Suwannee River one day, walked around Fanning Springs another day (the water was clear and cool), and then relaxed and spent quality time together the rest of the time. By far the best restaurant, the Bradford Gathering, has the best breakfast on Saturdays only and is about a 45 minute drive. The BBQ place down the street from the cottage was delicious too. It was nice to sit on the porch and just unwind.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Casey O.

Quiet and relaxing

The cottage was a lot more private than we expected which was a good thing. Made you feel like you really were away from it all. The parcel it’s on has a significant amount of water frontage which was awesome! The cottage was clean and the perfect size. I have no complaints at all other than it was raining, but no one can control that! We ate at several local restaurants in the area and they all were fantastic. Can’t beat this cottage for the price! Host was very accommodating and nice. Overall we had a great stay and definitely plan to be back. It’s honestly probably the best vacation rental we’ve ever rented!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

Jenna A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Old Florida Gem

My roommate and I drove 2 hours from Jax to stay at this gem for some R&R and it sure did deliver! We spent hours on the porch enjoying the beautiful old Florida feel and view. We had the pleasure of seeing many birds in there natural environment. We saw owls, cardinals, blue jays, woodpeckers, crows, cranes and herons. We also saw turtles basking in the sun and even caught a manatee munching on the vegetation. The spring was covered in brown water and vegetation so we didn’t swim there but Fanning Springs is literally across the street and was beautiful! The property is close to all the necessities but far enough away to really relax. This is my second time staying at this cottage and it definitely won’t be me last. My new favorite vacation spot!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

4/10 Poor

Christina N.

Liked: Check-in, location
Disliked: Cleanliness, communication, listing accuracy

Not like it looks in the pictures

Before I booked I specifically asked about the floating dock and it being there. I was told it was, when we got there it wasn’t. Unfortunately the place was not very clean nor did represent what the pictures show in terms of amenities. The view - amazing though! If it was listed as camping, that would be more accurate.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

nickolas w.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Stunning “Old Florida” paradise, we can’t wait to go back!

This is one of the coolest places we have ever stayed! The property is gorgeous and very well maintained, with a great front porch, fire pit, and dock. Provided kayaks and canoe are a plus. The springs were pretty full of foliage later in the day, but that didn’t stop us from spending hours kayaking the calm spring area and out into the extremely close by Suwanee. We swam in the springs multiple times as they were much clearer in the morning and afternoon and had a blast jumping off the dock. The cabin is small, but has everything two people could need. We honestly spent almost our entire stay outside enjoying the beautiful surrounding nature. We also brought our bikes and enjoyed a long ride on the nearby trail, and also biked all around the neighborhood. The perfect socially distanced couples retreat. We absolutely cannot wait to go back!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2020

6/10 Okay

Amanda H.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location
Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy

Not like the pictures

The property was absolutely beautiful it is just everything needs maintenance. There is no floating dock like in the pictures. There is nothing to sit on at the dock except a very old rusted bench. The cottage needs so much work, the floors are not a little uneven there are really big waves in the floor, there is a thick layer of mold around the bottom of the shower. The owner just put in a ring doorbell on the cabin so when you sit outside you feel like she could be watching and listen to you, I don’t know that she does it just made me feel uncomfortable. The cottage itself could be perfect with some upkeep. Even with all that if you love being on the water it was worth it.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Deborah H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
My wife and I were a little apprehensive when we booked a cozy cabin near Fanning Springs for a mini-vacation instead of our usual beach getaway. But we were pleasantly surprised.“Cozy” doesn’t begin to describe it—quiet, peaceful, and full of natural magic. Time seemed to pause there. While sitting on the porch, a brave kitty approached us, and soon a whole tribe of cats had adopted us, offering nonstop purring therapy.The next day we launched the canoe and paddled through stunning Bell Springs toward the Suwannee River. Once on the river, massive armored fish—some as long as our canoe—leapt from the water and crashed back down, explaining the “Danger, Jumping Sturgeon” signs along the shore.It felt like a real adventure. We paddled to Suwannee Belle Landing, where we found free canoe parking and the best coconut shrimp I’ve ever had. Recharged, we made our way back to our cabin retreat.Another highlight was the nearby Lighthouse Restaurant, where time slowed again thanks to a full salad bar and a mouthwatering combo of steak and snow crab legs.When we finally left, the cat tribe was clearly disappointed—and so were we. But we returned feeling completely refreshed. A magical escape we’re still talking about weeks later.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

David H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very cozy and inviting

The property was great and a perfect getaway.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

Chuck L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Dragonfly cottage

Cute cottage
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mike R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Week with friends

Property was clean. Grounds were neat and well kept. Settings was peaceful and serene
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Angel B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent location

This is such a beautiful cozy spot on the water! Perfect location if you are looking to visit local springs. The yard and view of the river is so peaceful
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025

8/10 Good

Rosalia B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great little cabin

The cabin is small but has everything you need. From a small fully equipped kitchen to bathroom and kayaks/canoes, the place was great. There was a grill and fire pit. One really big downside was the amount of ticks. You could not do anything outside without one of those jumping on your skin. The water outback was a little dark so not made for swimming but you could go for a little ride on canoe if you wanted.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mike D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Looking at Houses Weekend with Realtor

We spent very little time at the cottage as we were looking for a home to buy during our stay. The cottage was very clean and everything was in good working order. Plenty of towels available and the bed was comfortable. The cottage is very small and is meant for two guests only. We did not utilize the grounds or spring in the back due to our short stay. The cottage is located in a quiet area away from the main Highway or shopping. The property is gated and not difficult to find.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Joan W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect peace and quiet

Such a fantastic place for peace and quiet. Location is well maintained and spacious outside, cozy and comfortable inside. Local springs in the area should be added to your things to do list. Crystal River is just shy of an hour away, an easy drive and worth the trip during manatee season. Would recommend this cottage as an excellent "home base"!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

About the host

Hosted by Deborah Kirkland

Host profile image
This unique little cottage got its start as a 10’x12’ storage shed used to store tents, tools, and other items needed to cleanup, and maintain the dock and property. Built mainly out of necessity with the outdoor shower stall being it’s first addition; over time the shed evolved into the cottage you see today. A small window unit provided AC in the summer and a space heater took care of the heat in the winter. Over the next few years, the cottage became a labor of love for my late husband and me, with the addition of the indoor bathroom and then a small bedroom. The covered front porch is the final addition providing a wonderful space to relax and enjoy a beverage after a long day of outdoor adventure.

Why they chose this property

This property is best suited for two people who want to re-connect with nature at it's best and leave the hustle & bustle of the city behind for a few days.
The average stay is generally 2-4 nights but I have had a few writers or artists looking for solitude for longer periods of time. My per stay cleaning fee is based on that therefor longer stays will be subject to additional cleaning and linen fees for your comfort.

What makes this property unique

This is a private, secluded, cozy spring front retreat designed for enjoying the outdoors but keep in mind nature can be unpredictable and unfortunately, as much as I would like to, I cannot control it. In Florida, rain doesn't generally last for long periods of time. unless there is a hurricane. When there is a pending hurricane, based on its intended path, I will generally suggest rescheduling guests for their safety.
All Florida springs are effected daily by the waterways they are connected to. The Suwanee River and its tributaries experience minimal water level changes with the daily Gulf tide and rain levels. Occasionally however, if the rain levels are significant upriver, even as far as the Okefenokee swamp in Georgia; the river levels will rise pushing the river water (brown water) and sometimes aquatic vegetation into the tributaries temporarily covering our springs. This does not effect kayaking or canoeing but you may choose to swim a few miles south at Manatee Springs where the ground elevation is a little higher and the springs are rarely impacted by higher water levels. To monitor the water levels in our area go to real-time river levels on the internet. Scroll down to the Suwannee river and click the Wilcox station. This will give you the river levels for the last 30 days. A good reference number for clear swimming in our little spring would be about 4 feet or under. If this is important to you please monitor the levels because I will not be able to provide a refund due to elements beyond my control.



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