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/What Is the Flex Barn? Ten Honest Ways Groups Use Our 1,600 Sq Ft 'Yes Space'

Trip Ideas6 min read· July 2026

What Is the Flex Barn? Ten Honest Ways Groups Use Our 1,600 Sq Ft 'Yes Space'

When people first see The Bayside Escape, the question we hear most is: "So what's the barn for?" The honest answer is — whatever your group needs it to be. We call the 1,600-square-foot Flex Barn "the yes space" because it says yes to almost anything. It's a big, open, step-free room with a wide rubber-mat floor, and its whole value is that it's not locked into one purpose. Here are ten real ways guests actually put it to use.

The Flex Barn at The Bayside Escape — a wide, open, rubber-matted room with high ceilings

First, what the barn actually is

Before the ideas, the facts. The Flex Barn is a separate 1,600-square-foot structure with 16-foot ceilings and a 16-foot sliding barn door. There are step-free ramps in and out, and the floor is covered in cushioned rubber matting — easy on knees, easy on dropped things, easy to sweep. The big door means you can even drive a vehicle or a boat trailer straight in. What it does not come with is a pile of fixed equipment; aside from the giant magnetic tiles stored inside, groups bring their own gear. That blank-slate quality is exactly the point.

Ten ways groups use the yes space

A family rec room. Room to spread out when 24 people need somewhere that isn't the living room — a second hub for the group.
A rainy-day or hot-day escape. When the weather won't cooperate, the barn keeps the kids moving and the group together indoors.
A yoga or movement studio. The open floor and matting make a natural spot for a morning stretch, a workout, or a quiet flow before coffee.
A team strategy room. Corporate and club groups use the space to gather, plan, and reset away from the bedrooms.
An indoor group dinner. Bring folding tables and you've got a rain-proof spot to seat a crowd for one big meal.
Gear and boat storage. Kayaks, coolers, bikes, and trailers all fit — and the barn can be driven into to load and unload.
The kids' fort HQ. Five sets of giant magnetic tiles live here — enough to build a castle, a fort, or a rocket (see our build guide).
Movie or game night. A big open floor invites a projector, blankets, and a crowd — bring your own setup and settle in.
A quiet corner. Big groups need somewhere to step away; a chair and a book in a calm, roomy space does the trick.
The floor for a small celebration. When a group is marking something, the barn gives you room to gather that the house alone can't.

The grassy backyard at The Bayside Escape, which flows right into the Flex Barn's step-free ramps

Why "flexible" beats "fully equipped"

A game room with a fixed pool table serves one purpose. A yoga studio serves another. What large groups actually need is a room that changes with the day — a workout in the morning, a fort in the afternoon, a group dinner at night. Because the barn isn't pre-loaded with gear, you're never working around someone else's idea of fun. You bring what your group loves and the space adapts. That's the design philosophy in a sentence: an empty, well-built room is more useful to more people than a crowded, single-use one.

A house — plus a whole extra room to play in

The Bayside Escape sleeps 24 on the Chesapeake Bay in Fishing Creek, MD, with a 1,600 sq ft Flex Barn that bends to whatever your group needs. Create a free account and get $100 toward your first direct booking.

Create account and claim $100 Check your dates

Making the most of it

A little planning goes a long way. If you're picturing a group dinner or a movie night, bring folding tables, chairs, or a projector — the barn supplies the room, you supply the gear. If it's a workout you're after, a few mats and a speaker are all you need on top of the rubber floor. And if you're bringing kayaks or bikes, remember you can drive right up to the door to load in. The barn's superpower is that it meets you where your trip is.

A note on the rest of the property

The barn is a bonus, not the whole show. The main house has three living spaces with 75-inch TVs, a full kitchen built for group cooking, and a lighted pergola out back. The Bayside Escape has panoramic water views of the Chesapeake — you walk across the road to reach the shoreline itself. The barn simply gives your group one more place to gather, which is exactly what makes a big trip feel spacious instead of crowded.