Furnished cottage, A/C, fan, heat: 1BR/Queen bed with firm hybrid mattress, lux organic cotton linens; kitchen/Antique farm sink, gas range, small oven, refrigerator with freezer; Sitting/Chair and convertible loveseat, 43? LED flat screen; Bath/small, shower, sink and toilet; Deck/seating, loungers and chiminea (Mexican ceramic fireplace) with water view. A clean, airy, white pinewood walls, schoolhouse lighting, lots of tall windows with broad wooden blinds; a nostalgic and peaceful space. Sitting on the back corner of the property, this one queen bed, open floor plan cottage boasts a full kitchen centered around an antique cast iron farm kitchen sink, with a four-burner gas range and sizeable refrigerator with freezer. A sitting area with an upholstered chair and ottoman and a convertible love seat is complete with a 43? LED flat screen TV with full satellite programming and SIRIUS XM radio. The recently remodeled small bath has a tiled shower, sink and toilet. The spacious sleeping area has a new queen hybrid (foam/innerspring) mattress on a poplar wood platform bed covered in soft 100% cotton sheets and a colorful tropical quilt and ample fluffy and firm pillows. Between the sitting area and bed is the small antique writers’ desk ready should the muse strike. A 24' oscillating wall fan moves air and inspiration around the whole cottage. The solid white pinewood walls, beadboard ceiling with schoolhouse lighting, tall windows with broad wooden blinds create a nostalgic and peaceful surroundings for your Cedar Key vacation or visit. Outside the cottage is a two-tiered deck overlooking the mangroves and the bay. A gorgeous spot for morning coffee or a shady afternoon rest. The grounds, gardens, shoreline, barbecues, lawns and outdoor seating around Firefly Cottages are for use by all guests and can be enjoyed first come, first served all day and quietly by night. The grounds are intended to be a social space for our guests outside of quiet hours. The screen porch on Penelope is for the exclusive use of its guests. Darrin and Ian are social and engaged hosts who live in a separate cottage on-site and are at your service throughout your stay. One of us is generally on the property during "island business hours" for help with tours and activities, dining suggestions, and information about the area. We are available in the evenings for urgent needs that cannot wait. When we can, we love to sit and chat with our guests and share the space with them and do, as much as the demands of the business allow. Cedar Key is an active rural fishing (clamming) town with history, culture, fascinating topography, and the magnificent bounty from nature. A true island, Cedar Key is a remote "one road in/one road out" destination in an ecologically fragile area and provides many, but not all, services for guests. Cell service can be weak, which only leaves more time and attention for your friends, families, fellow travelers, as well as the surroundings and allows visitors to slow down, step back, and truly relax (and we provide a free, good WIFI connection). The "downtown" of Cedar Key begins 1/2 mile away and goes for about a 1/3 of a mile. It is an easy 10-15 minute walk and there are several shops and eating establishments even closer walking distance. Parking can be tight in the high season, making bicycles and "street legal" golf carts are popular options for locals and visitors alike. Both can be reserved (through us or independently) for your visit; just ask. While ÜBER has yet to arrive, sometimes the best answer is not getting around at all; the vista at the water's edge can transport you anywhere. Cedar Key is located in a severe hurricane risk zone and can be affected by storm surges and wind at times. Some of the Firefly Cottages can be flooded at these times. Guests may be asked to leave or be prepared to leave in the event of an evacuation or storm risk to their safety or the safety of the cottages. Hosts assume liability for any rents paid and unused due to storm activity or water. Guests agree to leave the property when asked and solely at the discretion of the hosts. The kitchen in this cottage allows for great meal preparation choices, but there are limits. We request that guests not FRY fish or seafood in the cottage (steamed, sautéd, & baked are fine), the size of the cottage and absence of supplemental kitchen ventilation makes cooking vapor, odors and residue incredibly difficult to remove. A $50 cleaning fee will result if fish are fried inside the cottage. (The results probably won't be anywhere as good as what can be had, cheaply, at many local restaurants.) Cedar Key is a rural town of only 700 and therefore only has necessary services for a community this size. Islanders travel to Chiefland (27 miles) or Gainesville (50 miles) for many necessities and specialty services, and our guests must as well. There is no clinic or physician, pharmacy, department store, gym, taxi, or Über. Other services, like auto repair, hair salon, bike/kayak/boat/golf cart rental, are in high demand and supply may not meet demand. If these are things you might like when here, contact us for referrals or to make arrangements in advance of your arrival; alternately, you may wish to contact the Cedar Key Welcome Center (look online) for vendors and contact information. Cedar Key is usually an unusually bucolic and uncongested waterfront village. There is an active aquaculture enterprise centered around clam leases around Cedar Key, and these men and women work the waters almost every day of the year. We provide the best access to parking and water access to these individuals. During the busiest times (4th of July, Seafood Festival (mid-Oct), Arts Celebration (early April)) and the annual Winter Snowbird Migration (January-March), town can swell and become quite busy and congested. Visitors are asked for their indulgence and patience during these periods, and asked to understand that these inconveniences are the lifeblood of our small vulnerable community.