Saltaway is open May 1 to Nov. 1. Built as a private club in 1949 by one of the founders of Boston's Institute for Contemporary Arts, this collection of masonry and wood-frame duplexes, scattered along a wooded hillside overlooking the water, has been run as a cottage colony since 1963. Some of them have original designed by well-known artists and have counterparts in museums. You'll find fresh flowers in your room and have the benefit of daily maid service, but you won't find a television or telephone. Instead, commune with nature, read a book, stroll down the road to the harbor or go to the beach.
Children are welcome.
Scattered along the sand dunes and fragrant pines of the Cape Cod National Seashore, Surf Side is part of an idyllic summer community, where children run free down sandy dirt roads and the only sound late at night is the roar of the tide. This is quintessential Outer Cape, where the sharp beach grass blows on high dunes overlooking white beaches. These are some of the only oceanside accommodations in this area, perfect for families, and they book fast. Try for the Ocean Breeze or Surf View cottages, the two closest to the water. Surf Side is open from early April through October.