About Us
Billy & Paula Arsenault...
For over 20 years it's been our pleasure to offer guests wonderful vacations here at Knickerbocker Lake Cottages. We've hosted visitors from near and far, with many families making this their vacation tradition.
Our 1982 wedding was at our home on Knickerbocker Lake, and we raised 2 sons here, as well. Born and raised in Boothbay Harbor, Billy owns and operates a plumbing & heating business, and Paula (Ragsdale) - originally from Levittown, Pennsylvania - is a visual artist. When we're not tending to the cottages & our guests, we work across the street at our plumbing shop and art studio/gallery.
Cottages...
We offer four, fully furnished cottages by the week - Friday to Friday. Our roomiest, the Cedar Lodge, has 3+ bedrooms, and 2 full bathrooms. The White Cottage has 2 bedrooms, a screened-in porch, and is situated right on the lake's edge - with a dock! The Brown Cottage, situated on the lake with an open deck, has one king-size bed, plus a walk-in closet with 2 built-in bunk beds (and it also has a dock). And our quaint Chesuncook Cottage is a one queen/bedroom, galley kitchen, with a screened-in porch.
Note: All our cottages are NON-SMOKING AND PET FREE
Rates & Availability...
Our rates are for the week - Friday to Friday - and vary from off season weeks to high season weeks. Booking rates for less than a week are pro-rated, and generally occur during the shoulder seasons; April, May, October, November.
The Cedar Lodge and the Brown Cottage are usually available for the holiday season, and sometimes extending into the winter months of January, February, and March.
What to do, what to do...
Our four cottages are nestled in a private, wooded area on a secluded end of the lake, which includes a central grassy area, complete with a sandy beach...
- ideal for swimming and boating. Kayaks, canoes, a rowboat, and most recently paddle boards are provided on a first come first serve basis that you may use for exploring or fishing (bass and trout). If you'd like to expand beyond our lake the ocean is just a few minutes away!
- Adjacent Boothbay Harbor - about a one mile walk or ride - is a popular summer destination, and known as one of the premier boating centers along the New England coast. Summer visitors take advantage of the numerous scenic cruises, sport fishing charters, whale watching excursions, and even a lobstering boat trip! One favorite Maine experience is an all-day trip to Monhegan Island, a historic island 12 miles off shore. If not able to commit to an entire day via a ferried boat ride to Monhegan, another downtown ferry will take you to Squirrel Island, or Burnt Island (living history lighthouse museum), each within our harbor, and well worth a visit! Over the last 100 years or so people have had one thing on their minds when visiting - get out on the water! They still do. Home to yacht clubs, regattas, 'boatels', marinas, and world class ship building, the Boothbay region is a mariner's destination.
- Courtesy of our fabulous Boothbay Region Land Trust (www.bbrlt.org/Hiking.htm) visitors explore secluded coves, while hiking twenty-five miles of BRLT nature trails.
- Be sure to visit Maine Department of Marine Resources State Aquarium. It has a wonderful touch tank, along with other interactive activities for children. Adults, as well, will gain valuable insight into the marine life unique to this region.
- Of course, there's always shpatsiring (walk without a destination). Our downtown harbor is picturesque, and worth a stroll across it's footbridge (with ice cream cone in hand!), or a visit to our shops & galleries showcasing local goods, souvenirs, fine art, and crafts. This midcoast region shares the same, grand tradition & history with the rest of Maine's coastline - it is home to some of the most noteworthy artists & craftspeople in our country - past and present.
- There are many fine restaurants featuring fresh, local Maine seafood. Each cottage has a complete guide book, listing plenty of restaurant recommendations - when opting for a meal out!
- Rocky shorelines dominate our region with dramatic scenes (a popular drive or walk around Ocean Point), but we are graced with a few beaches, as well. Check out Hendricks Head Beach on nearby Southport, and Grimes Cove in East Boothbay.
- For those who enjoy walking through man-made gardens, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is just down the road from us. Be prepared to pay an entry fee, and gaze at acres of parking lots.
