In the woods down a private road, grandma hides out with her records, her orange fondue pot, and her copy of Jonathon Livingston Seagull.
Sunnyside sits right on the Stone Creek which roars so loud, you'll barely hear one another on the porch. But you'll also instantly fall asleep in any of the bedrooms.
The house sleeps eight: a queen bed in the main bedroom, another in the teal bedroom with its 70s era Malm fireplace, and 4 twin-sized beds in bright bunkroom. There are bed linens and towels galore, enough for an army, so don’t bring your own. Soaps? They’re there. Forgot your toothbrush? Yup, there’s spares.
The kitchen is fully equipped with modern appliances and all the tools to satisfy the most discriminating foodie. The cupboard’s fully stocked with spices, flours, oils, and vinegars, and the fridge is stocked with all the condiments you want so you don’t have to worry about the little stuff. Is there coffee? Yes, both whole bean and ground for espresso and cappuccino, or just regular coffee .
Planning a family feast? The dining room seats 10.
The home is heated and cooled by a state of the art HVAC system. In winter, fire up the living room fireplace and the Malm in the bedroom. The water heater is on-demand, so go ahead and fill the tub, and soak for an hour. A full size washer and dryer are installed for your convenience.
OUTSIDE
The fire pit behind the house comes with a stack of firewood; please don’t bring your own so we can avoid invasive insects. And there's a grill in the pavilion, charcoal provided.
For the kids, there's colored hickory nuts for nut races in the creek. Explore the woods behind the house, but beware! you might find traces of goblins bowling ninepins.
LOCATION
Sunnyside sits on the abandoned road that 100 years ago was the route over the Blue Mountain between Berks and Schuylkill Counties. It’s about a mile south of the Appalachian Trail at the Fort Dietrich Snyder monument, and a mile north of the village of Schubert. Each is a wonderful walk, even moreso with your pup.
Cabela's is 12 miles away and Lancaster County 40 miles. The house is 164 miles from Washington, 130 from NYC, 92 from Philly. Gettysburg is 80 miles away, Knoebel's Amusement Resort is 30, and Hershey Park is 35. Both the Yeungling Brewery and Rausch Creek are 22 minutes away. Maps, guidebooks, and a custom notebook list the hundreds of other activities, adventures and amusements nearby. We'll send you the 14 page list of things to do in the are even before you book so you can plan ahead.
What's provided? Grandma has no patience for knitting and demands gigabit wifi. The house has propane insert in the stone fireplace in the living room and another in the teal bedroom; a 50" flatscreen TV with premium cable in both the living room and main bedroom, blu-ray DVD player for the provided 70s movies, and in the dining/sunroom, there's a record player with LPs from the 60s and 70s. There are plenty of board games and a wondrous library for adults and kids.
The fully-equipped kitchen has everything you need: Jenn-Air stove, microwave, toaster, crockpot, fridge, dishwasher (hooray!), cooking utensils, pots and pans, flatware, dishes, and glasses. I provide basic staples like ketchup, mustard, mayo, butter, sugar, flours, teas, olive oil, vinegar and spices so you don’t need to worry about the little things. Stored under the stove is the fun stuff: milkshake maker (ice cream and sauces provided), fondue pot (cheese provided but bring your own beer or wine), popcorn maker, mixer, and more.
On the counter as soon as you walk in is a 3-ring binder of instructions on how to work all the home utilities (TV, cable, wifi, thermostats, trash), along with the 14-page list of local activities, and a map to the AT.
Have an extended family? The companion "Cozy Appalachian Trail Cottage", "Kittatinny Ridge Retreat", and "Blue Mountain House" are just uphill. Book three or four at a special rate.
When you come, bring a printed copy of the directions, and food; a tablet or laptop and cellphone. I provide all the bed and bath linens, household papers, and soaps; firewood and kindling. Do not bring your own firewood as it may house infestations of dangerous insects like the spotted lantern fly and emerald ash borer.
Because there are multiple deadly risks (you could get attacked by a bear, bitten by a snake, drown in the creek, fall from a tree, gas yourself with the fireplace; oh, there's lots of good old-fashioned mortal dangers here), you will be required to sign a formal rental agreement and release before admittance.
The whole house, the creek, the woods behind are all yours. Upon confirmation you'll be given detailed directions with pictures of every turn and your personal access code. You let yourself in and out at will, so you'll never see your host, though he lives downstream if ever there's a problem.
