We have been doing family vacations for at least 10 years and this year at the Bait Can ranks number one! We include three generations of six adults, five children, and one golden retriever. On the practical side I appreciated the nice, heavy beach towels that were provided as well as so many items like the coffee grinder, dish soap, and condiments left from guest to guest; one son said he loved having the beach chairs and toys, and the yard games; the other son said the appliances, sharp knives, the beautiful house and wonderful space were super. (We came from Indiana, Texas, and Louisiana so it was good not to have to worry about all of the above.) Beds were so comfortable, even though the kids spread out every night in the living room--cousins forever.
The house is totally charming, a living history with wonderful artwork and a real authenticity. The front porch is perfect for sitting to read or visit and cocktail hour. The side yard was perfect for our family wiffle ball tournament (you will find some balls in the bushes when the leaves fall off, Margy--we didn't want to ruin the flowers.) The outdoor shower was perfect for rinsing off sand, tho I wouldn't have wanted to be in it when someone dumped some ice water from the dining room window.
The walk to the beach was easy. The morning walk (before 9:00) with our dog was like a doggie day care, so much fun for owners and pets. We spent days at the beach, a day at a state park, and two groups of the family went on trips with Captain Bruce of the Libreti Rose, a real highlight of our trip. We caught two stripers, a totally delicious fish you cannot find in the store. We got lobster at a fish market in Arundel, Margy's recommendation, and it was wonderful. Being a family who loves to cook, the only eating out we did was for a lobster roll/taco lunch.
If there is a downside, it was that we were not used to such concentrations of traffic on the freeways, but as one one son put it, Damn Great Trip!