A Woodsy Cottage for a Family Weekend

The kids and I snuck away to North Carolina this past weekend to enjoy some time with my brother’s family in Angier. He has four kids ages five and under with one set of twins who I finally got to meet in person. (Have I mentioned how grateful I am to be living in VA Beach within driving distance of most of my family?!)

We benefited from my brother’s masterful barista skills and my sister-in-law’s exceptional cooking. The cousins entertained each other with basketball, soccer, board games, and by watching a few classic episodes of Wallace & Gromit.

The Woodsy Cottage

Location

After researching places to stay in the area and pulling up the standard chain hotels, I stumbled upon a cozy Airbnb that proved to be a perfect spot to turn in for the night. The host, Angela, did an exceptional job creating a space that was both private and relaxing. Located in Willow Spring, the property is roughly thirty minutes from the heart of Raleigh and only fifteen minutes from the nearest Culver’s which is an important point of reference for this born and raised Wisconsinite.

If you’re up for a forty-five-minute drive and need a way to entertain younger kids, I highly recommend the Broadway Zoological Park. We explored there on Saturday and enjoyed feeding the giraffes, spotting alligators, checking out the camels, and looking at a myriad of other mammals, birds, and reptiles.

Layout

The Woodsy Cottage provides an excellent space to retreat. While I travelled with my two teen kids, I could certainly envision myself returning on my own with my laptop and journal for a personal writer’s retreat. At night, I could easily curl up with a book and a cup of hot tea.

The Airbnb cottage is set up as a guest house to the host’s main property. Street parking is a short walk. There is a stone-path walkway leading past a simple playset of swings with a slide and up toward the porch. The porch is well lit with market lights, which the host had turned on ahead of our late-night arrival.

The main floor featured a full kitchen, barstool seating, a full bathroom with a standing shower, and a living room area. The living room had a standard couch, side table, and a wood-burning stove. We did not use the stove, as the house was well heated by the wall-mounted vent system. Board games, a Keurig, specialty teas, and kitchen supplies were readily available for use.

The second-floor loft featured a queen bed, a tv, and a window overlooking the fall colors of the back woods. Because the guest house had Wi-Fi, I did not need to use the tv. Instead, the kids and I used our regular tv apps to watch our favorite shows on my iPad.

I enjoyed my morning coffee on the front porch while completing my daily Bible reading. While I’m studying Heaven by Jennifer Rothschild with the women at church, I’m reading through the Gospels independently and am working my way through Matthew. The rocking chairs on the front porch provided a relaxing space to focus while the host’s backyard chickens supplied a little extra entertainment.

Length of Stay

We stayed two nights and three days in the Airbnb property and would be happy to stay at that location again the next time we are in the area visiting family. If you are in this Southern NC area for several nights, I would highly recommend reserving this sought-after property.

Anna Schatz is a seminary-trained speaker, preacher, and writer living in VA Beach. When she is not figuring out her kids’ next snack or looking up another way to make chicken, she is typically meeting up a friend for coffee or taking her Labradoodle on a walk. She is booking speaking engagements and writing projects for 2026. Shoot her a DM on Instagram @annamschatz or email her at amschatz [at] outlook [dot] com to inquire.