LaVallette House

Home of the Terrapin King

Entire cottage hosted by Dominick

12 guests · 5 bedrooms · 7 beds · 2 baths

• Self check-in
• Check yourself in with the lockbox.
• Great location
• 100% of recent guests gave the location a 5-star rating.
• Great check-in experience
• 100% of recent guests gave the check-in process a 5-star rating.

The LaVallette House is where the Maryland terrapin originated! Albert T. LaVallette, Jr., launched the terrapin soup industry from this very site. (You can still see the old terrapin pins beside the driveway.) In addition to the property’s historic charm, the location just can’t be beat. The five-bedroom house is completely private. Guests have to drive through wetlands to get to it, and the only neighbors in close proximity are the gulls and the fish in the Chesapeake Bay.

The space

Crisfield is a fishing village that dates back to the time of Captain John Smith. In it’s earlier days the bay was known for it’s oysters. Albert LaVallette built the home for his wife and 3 children. Crisfield was a thriving town in the early 1900’s The train came all the way to the dock in town to load all kinds of fish, crustaceans and turtles from the surrounding waters. Today, it is a sleepy little gem working to bring tourism back to its brackish shores. The home was recently featured in SHAED’s music video for their new single ‘Once Upon a Time’.

Guest access

The house is surrounded on three sides by water; you can see the Bay from all of its windows. Outside, you can sun yourself on the private beach, sit with a cool drink on the front porch, fish and crab from the bulkhead, or launch your boat or kayak from the dock. And the fishing’s great from the front yard! You hardly ever need to leave this place—but if do you want to get out, downtown Crisfield offers charming restaurants, shops, an ice cream parlor, and plenty of places to get fresh crabs. Crisfield is known as the “Crab Capital of the World.” This home is unlike any other. It’s a perfect spot for family vacations, friends’ getaways, or writing retreats. It’s been in our family for 20 years. We love it dearly and know you will, too!

Other things to note

Please note: This charming home is quite old and thus does not have central air conditioning. It does, however, have window units in all of the bedrooms, the Captain’s room, and the family room. Screened windows also offer great ventilation! Additionally, please do NOT use any fireplaces except for the pellet stove.