We (two adults, two elementary-school-age children, and one dog) spent five nights of Spring Break at this charming beach cottage, and we all wished we could have stayed longer. The setting was rural and wonderfully quiet, but not too isolated -- for instance, it only takes 10 minutes to drive to Deluxe Foods in nearby Rio Del Mar. And you'll want to go out to buy some butter and bread, because you'll be frying up some delicious fresh eggs from the chickens who live next to the cottage!
We were in town to visit family in the area, but we started and ended every day with a trip to the beach at the end of the street. It took us a full 15 minutes to walk down to the sand, so be sure you bring everything you need, and (speaking from personal experience) that your kids go to the bathroom before they leave the cottage!
The beach is not part of the state park system (although it is adjacent to Manresa State Beach), so it is undeveloped: the path to the beach is quite rustic, and there are no stairs, trash cans, bathrooms, or lifeguards. To us this was a completely good thing, as the beach was so private that usually it was just us and a fisherman or two. It was peaceful, clean, and beautiful. We collected sea shells, built structures from driftwood, and on one or two sunny afternoons the kids even dared to splash in the chilly water. They also took advantage of the sand toys provided by the cottage, a nice touch!
The cottage is very clean, well-decorated, and larger than I had expected from the photos, with enough room for our family of four: my husband and I took the queen bed in the bedroom (very comfortable, with nice linens), and both kids slept in the living room, the 11-year-old on the couch (not pulled out into a bed) and the 8-year-old on a twin folding mattress (which we brought) on the floor. They were cozy and comfortable. The cottage had just about everything we needed, from books to blankets to towels to toiletries. You aren't going to be making elaborate meals in the kitchen, which is cute and vintage rather than equipped for gourmet cooking, but once you've eaten those fresh eggs you won't mind so much.
The owners were wonderfully responsive and helpful, loaning us a leash the first day when we had temporarily lost ours, and making many good suggestions for local places to go. All in all, it was a great experience and we hope to be back soon!