How many guests does The Bayside Escape sleep?

Up to 24 guests across 6 bedrooms and 5 queen sleeper sofas. Sleeping breakdown: 1 King, 4 Queens, 4 Twins, and 5 Queen sofa sleepers (all in the main house).

Is The Bayside Escape pet-friendly?

Up to 2 dogs, $150 per stay. No cats.

What are the check-in and check-out times?

Check-in is at 4 PM and check-out is at 10 AM. Early check-in and late check-out are not available — back-to-back bookings require full turnaround time.

How do I book The Bayside Escape directly?

Book direct at thebaysideescape.com: there's no platform service fee, you earn 8% back in Bayside Rewards credit on every stay, and you deal with the owner directly.

What is the cancellation policy?

Full refund if you cancel 14 or more days before check-in. For a stay 14 or more days away, a 30% deposit is charged at booking and the remaining 70% balance is auto-charged 3 days before check-in; closer in, the stay is paid in full at booking. Inside the 14-day window, the booking is non-refundable.

Is parking available at The Bayside Escape?

Yes — the driveway accommodates 10 cars, including space for boat trailers.

What is the Flex Barn at The Bayside Escape?

The Flex Barn is a 1,600 sqft multi-use space included free with every booking. It features 16-ft ceilings, a 16-ft sliding barn door (drive-in capable), and rubber flooring. Perfect for yoga, corporate workshops, indoor games, movie nights, or gear storage. It is not a sleeping space — all sleeping is in the main house.

Blog/Crabbing With Kids: A Family Guide to the Chesapeake's Best Free Activity

Family Travel5 min read· June 2026

Crabbing With Kids: A Family Guide to the Chesapeake's Best Free Activity

Ask grown-ups who summered on the Chesapeake as kids what they remember, and a lot of them will say the same thing: crabbing off a dock with a string and a net. It costs almost nothing, it's gloriously hands-on, and it can keep kids happily busy for hours. Here's how to do it on your Hooper's Island stay.

The front deck at The Bayside Escape, looking across the road to the marsh and the bay

What you need

The beauty of kid crabbing is how little gear it takes:

String or a handline — a ball of cotton string is the classic, cheapest setup.
Bait — raw chicken necks are the time-honored favorite (a fish head works too).
A long-handled dip net — the most important tool; you scoop the crab before it lets go.
A bucket or basket for your catch, and tongs or gloves for safe handling.
Optional collapsible traps for a more hands-off approach alongside the handlines.

How to do it

Tie on the bait. Secure a chicken neck to the end of your string and lower it to the bottom.
Wait and feel. When you feel a tug or see the line tighten, a crab is feeding.
Reel in slow. Pull the line up smoothly and steadily — too fast and the crab lets go.
Net it. When you can see the crab near the surface, swoop the dip net under it from below.
Into the bucket. Drop your catch in, re-bait, and do it all again — the kids will be hooked.

The backyard and play area at The Bayside Escape, a kid-friendly base for a crabbing trip

Rules, limits, and safety

Maryland lets you crab recreationally with simple gear like handlines and dip nets — often without a license for that kind of casual shoreline crabbing — but seasons, size limits, catch limits, and gear rules all apply, and the details matter. Always check the current Maryland DNR crabbing regulations before you go (our crabbing license guide is a good starting point). A couple of universal rules: the crab season runs April through mid-December, you must throw back undersized crabs and egg-bearing females, and an adult should always be at the water's edge with little ones — life jackets for the youngest are a smart call.

A string, a net, and a whole summer afternoon

The Bayside Escape is a water-view home on the Chesapeake Bay in Fishing Creek, MD — a kid-friendly base for crabbing and exploring. Create a free account and get $100 toward your first direct booking.

Create account and claim $100 Check your dates

The best part: dinner

If you catch enough keepers, you've got the makings of a real Chesapeake supper — steam them with Old Bay and let the kids brag about catching the meal. (See our guides to cooking your catch and to picking a steamed crab for the full feast.) Even a modest haul is a win; the fun is in the catching, and a bucket of crabs released at the end of the day is a perfectly good outcome too.

Quick tips

Crab on a calm morning or an incoming tide for the most action.
Keep the net in the water-ready position — crabs vanish fast.
Bring patience and snacks; the lulls are part of the rhythm.
Handle crabs from the back to avoid the claws, and teach kids to respect the pinch.