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Bayfront Cottage. Private pier! Sunsets! Sunrises! 4 acres! New bike trail.

Photo gallery for Bayfront Cottage. Private pier! Sunsets! Sunrises! 4 acres! New bike trail.

Pup friendly pier!
Property video
Fishing from the private pier ...what a joy!
Screened in porch overlooking Mobile Bay
Front of cottage surrounded by live oaks, a picket fence and a 4 acre lot!

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • Bring your furry friends
    Top-rated for creating memorable stays with your pets.
  • On a private beach
    One of the rare properties in the area with its own private beach.
  • Centrally-located
    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.
  • Discover nearby landmarks
    Near Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
3 bedrooms1+ bathroomSleeps 6

Popular amenities

  • On private beach
  • Onsite parking available
  • Dog-friendly
  • Kitchen
  • Washer/dryer
  • Air-conditioning

Explore the area

View map
Gulf shores, AL
  • Place, Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Place, Fort Morgan Beach
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Place, Gulf Shores Beach
    ‪13 min drive‬
  • Airport, Mobile, AL (BFM-Downtown Airport)
    ‪69 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Single Bed

sunroom

1 Single Bed

1 bathroom, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Outdoor shower

Outdoor shower

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Outdoor shower
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

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!

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Exterior
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  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
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Waterview getaway with Private Pier, Balcony and Kayaks

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs (limit 2 total)
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Check-out instructions

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. Waterville USA and Zooland Mini Golf 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.
View more Cottages in Gulf ShoresOpens in a new window
Map
Gulf shores, AL

What's nearby

  • Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Fort Morgan Beach - 5 min drive - 6.3 km
  • Hangout Music Fest - 13 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 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 steps from Bon Secour Bay and 2 mi (3.3 km) from Fort Morgan Beach. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge is 0.4 mi (0.6 km) away.

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 194 out of 205 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 8 out of 205 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 205 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 205 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 205 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lori O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Maggie is a great hostess! She’s responsive to emails and texts. The cottage was just as expected…cozy and quiet! Great bike riding path to town…hopefully the next one we come down..the path the opposite direction will be finished. Great restaurant not far away..Jesse’s On the Bay.Would recommend renting this hidden gem!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 26 May 2026
Thank you so much! And thanks for taking care of our lovely home on the Bay!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Edward G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
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!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 7 May 2026
Edward, what a pleasure to host you and your friends!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Brian R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
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.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 9 April 2026
Yall were wonderful guests! So glad that you all enjoyed your stay.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mike M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Peaceful and quiet. Clean and cozy.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 22 March 2026
Thank you!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Eric W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
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.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 4 April 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!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Mary Lou M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
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..
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 6 March 2026
Mary Lou and family were the perfect guests! Please visit again soon!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Donna H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Loved the privacy and the easy area for our dogs.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dana D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This was a perfect spot for a relaxing vacation. The house is exactly as shown in the photos. Plenty to do in the area.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca B.

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

So Relaxing

Beautiful sunrise and sunsets every day. Dolphins, crabbing and fishing plentiful. Very pretty area close to Gulf Shores beach
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 2 July 2025
Thanks for staying at our wonderful Bay Cottage
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Charmaine W.

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

Blissfully Cozy

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!
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!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

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

Family vacation

Awesome quiet place to stay very close to all activities
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

8/10 Good

Marianne B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
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.
Stayed 7 nights in Nov 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 6 December 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!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Linda M.

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

Relaxing

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.
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
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ann S.

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

Nice winter break

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.
Stayed 13 nights in Jan 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 13 February 2025
Ann, you all were wonderful guests and are welcome‘home’ to the Bay Cottage anytime!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

kellybutcher1988@gmail.com B.

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

Cute Cottage on the Bay

The cottage was exactly what we were looking for - just the right size, great location and amazing views! We would love to stay here again.
Stayed 8 nights in Oct 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 18 November 2020
Thanks so much!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

MARK D.

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

QUICK GETAWAY

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!!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 4 March 2025
Thank you for the kind words! Come again soon.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Stacey P.

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

Bay cottage

Bay Cottage was warm and inviting. We really enjoyed our short stay there. I will definitely look to returning hopefully next year
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Joe B.

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

Bayfront Cottage was great!

This was a great rental! Good location, it was close to town but secluded enough for privacy.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Christina C.

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

Cozy cottage on the water

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.
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 22 June 2025
Thanks so much!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Emily B.

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

Beautiful house and property. We loved the beautiful natural bay cottage.

Everyone was incredibly helpful and made our stay very easy. We hope to return soon.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 12 December 2022
Awww… thanks! Maggie
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Heather D.

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

Wonderful!!

Great location, short drive for beach access, privacy. Wonderful fishing from pier, got to see dolphins too. Highly recommend!
Stayed 9 nights in Jul 2024
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Kim T.

Perfect Hideaway

Beautiful, clean, comfy, and the a/c works GREAT!! Awesome sunsets & close to everything - we had a blast! This place is truly magical...
Response from VrboOwner on 24 March 2020
We think it is magical also. So glad you agree and had fun! I arrived just after you all left and was so impressed with how clean you left the place. Thanks so much for your love and respect for our little piece of heaven!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Priscilla S.

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

restful!

This is an amazing property which is secluded from the busy Gulf Shores area. The owners and manager are VERY nice and made our stay more enjoyable! The cottage is well equipped and the water view is perfect! Would stay here again!!
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 28 February 2021
You guys are wonderful! Thanks for your patience with our rebuilding of the pier!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Rick B.

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

Awesome Cabin by the Bay!

Relaxing and private cottage on the bay side of Ft Morgan in Gulf Shores. Screen in porch overlooking the water, shade trees are abundant, and a awesome location overall. We loved staying here and will do it again if we return.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 5 July 2023
Thank you so much for your sweet comments and hope you come again soon. Maggie
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Shena S.

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

Love Staying at Bay Cottage

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!
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 15 October 2024
Thank you. We enjoy sharing the peaceful Bay cottage with folks!

About the host

Hosted by Maggie Johnston

Host profile image
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

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