When you stay at the Red Barn Inn, you get access to an incredible community perk: FREE GOLF!

The feature is available to anybody staying with Red Barn Vacations at Fianna’s Landing, Chateau Royale, the Stone House at Red Barn, or renting the entire Red Barn Inn, or any of the individual rooms at the Red Barn Inn. Pretty sweet deal!

With a par 3 difficulty, this is a walk-on and walk-only course that does not require any reservations. Clubs aren’t provided, so you’ll want to plan ahead and bring some clubs from home. Usually a driver, a mid-range club, and a putting wedge suffice if you are looking to cut down on bulk, but you are welcome to bring your full bag!

Directions to the course (only a one minute drive away) are provided once you check in to any of the eligible locations. There is also a community mini golf course near the entrance to the course. Bring your putting wedge!

Smart Safety

Those of us who have ventured into a restaurant lately have quickly learned to use our smart phones to review menu items.  It’s as simple as opening your camera app and focusing on the black and white squares to connect to a webpage.  No paper to touch and instant information at your finger tips. Smart Safety in the times of COVID.

QR Codes and the Vacation Rental Industry

QR codes have experienced a rebirth with our 2020 restrictions. We at Red Barn Vacations have embraced this technology and discovered innovative ways to use it to support our homeowners.  In neighborhoods that allow signage, we have not only added our unique branding, but a qr code to every sign.  The qr code directly leads potential guests to a deeper knowledge of the home that they are standing directly in front of!

How Does it Work?

If you find yourself driving past one of our elite vacation homes, stop and open up the camera app on your phone.  Point it at the black and white box and you will notice that the qr code will be framed in yellow.  A prompt will appear at the top of your screen, suggesting that you open up the webpage in your browser.  Click on it and dive into the property description, interior photographs, floor plans, reviews, and availability.  Easy Peasy.

You can even book the home directly from your smart phone!  Give it a try and let us know what you think.

If you are interested in working with an innovative vacation rental management company that is different by design, call us today to talk about your Deep Creek Lake vacation rental home and ways we can protect and promote it.

(301) 387-3373

Opportunity to Update

There’s a common thread among our new Red Barn Vacations rental homeowners at Deep Creek Lake.  They are committed to the quality of their homes, but have been buried in the murky depths of the two big vacation rental offerings for too long.   They knew that investing in their homes was dicey. Neither large local company had the ability to protect those hard-earned investments.  The excitement of a small, elite, and ‘Different by Design’ hospitality vs lodging company was just what they were looking for.

New Everything

Best of Both Worlds is the perfect example!  After signing with us, the owners of this perfectly placed lakefront home at the foot of Wisp hit the internet in search of a fresh and clean new look.  The boxes quickly arrived, filling our farm with crispy new pillows for every bed, new boxspring and mattress covers, and even a replacement king size bed for the queen in the main floor master bedroom.

Our team spent days in the home, replacing artwork and light fixtures, patching drywall and changing out linens.  It paid dividends with a number of fantastic reviews such as this one:

So Much More to Come

I don’t know enough about the history of the Harvey Farm, but I want to learn more.

Just prior to the COVID tidal wave that washed over all of us, I was able to briefly connect with a number of the Harvey family members. We made tentative plans for a mini reunion at the farm.  I have much to learn and hopefully that reunion will take place in a post-COVID world. Here is what I know so far about the basecamp for Red Barn Vacations.

Life Before the Lake

The Harvey Farm was very large in the 1800’s and full of dairy cows.  The lake wasn’t yet created and the property flowed where ever the eye could see.  The family worked very hard by day and ate and slept in the small farmhouse that sat above the pond by night.  I know there were apple trees on the hill near the top of North Glade.  The towering oaks that line the drive even today stood as witnesses to the growing family.

Garrett County Stone

As the story goes, stone was added to the farmhouse sometime in the 1920’s.  It was taken from land owned by the family that is now part of the Deep Creek State Park.  The same Harvey brother who added stone to the farmhouse, stoned the beautiful church across the street from Uno’s and the Honi.

Three Brothers

Three families lived in the Stone House in the 1900’s, all brothers. They lived one family to a floor.  Just imagine living with your grown siblings!  As we renovated, I often wished that the walls could talk, and now and then they did, spilling out ancient images and even a few beautifully written notes.  They felt like treasures to us.

Potatoes Everywhere

The Harvey family moved away from cows and planted potatoes in the 1970’s.  The potatoes were stored in the barn and ultimately shipped to Hanover to become chips for Snyder’s of Hanover.  After the harvest, the Harvey’s were known to welcome the community to the fields to collect any leftover potatoes.

The White Barn of Long Ago

As you can see, the red barn was white back in the day.  I am not sure when in its history it was painted the red that we see today.  There were numerous outbuildings and a garage where the inn now stands.  The same white rail fence lines the drive and there were a couple of silos, the foundations of which will become the new wedding stage at Red Barn.

Murder in the Hood

It is the weekend of Halloween so who can resist a little tale of murder? No one can dispute that the women of Garrett County are tough.  It is hard to believe that the

sweet face to the right was capable of carving up her husband, but evidently she did somewhere around North Glade.

The Dream of the North Glade Inn

Next up? We will share the story of how the Harvey Farm became the North Glade Inn with out next blog post.  Do you know more of the history of the Harvey farm?  Share your memories here or on Facebook.  Be sure to follow us on Instagram and share our posts everywhere!

Growing up in Annapolis, just down the road from the town of Bowie, I always knew when David Bowie was coming to play at the Cap Center. Inevitably some innovative graffiti artist would craft ‘Welcome to’ then ‘David’ around the Bowie sign on Rt 50. It was as predictable as the yearly addition of “Surrender Dorothy” on the train bridge in front of the Mormon church that so resembles the City of OZ, visible from the DC Beltway.

My fascination with David Bowie was based on his ability to see the world differently; to fearlessly challenge norms and express his thoughts and art in a way that was surprising to others and purely authentic to him. You never quite knew what you were going to get so you kept coming back for more.

We are Different by Design

I have been practicing my particular art in the world of vacation rentals for the last number of years; applying my curious mind on a daily or, more accurately, middle-of-the-nightly basis. I attended industry events, constantly analyzed various markets, and actively sought out brilliant minds with new ideas in our field.  It was cathartic and mind expanding for our team.

Worst Answer Ever? This is how it has always been done here.

Pushing for change within a stagnant business model is rarely embraced. There comes a time for a Ziggy Stardust moment.  In 2019, the time came to partner with like-minds and recreate vacation rentals at Deep Creek Lake.

An Elite Customer Experience for Only the Most Quality-Committed Homeowners and their Guests

Red Barn Vacations was born of a belief that a vacation rental business is not a mere lodging offering, but belongs firmly in the hospitality realm. Home owners and guests deserve personalized attention. This customer-centric service is only possible in the Deep Creek Lake market when you manage a small number of only the best vacation homes. We are Different by Design.

Follow the story of us through this blog, on Facebook and Instagram, or swing by our basecamp at the Red Barn Inn in Swanton next to Waterfront Greens.

If you are a homeowner and desire to learn more about Red Barn Vacations, click here!

We are only getting started.

I’m not a prophet or a stone aged man, just a mortal with potential of a superman. I’m living on.

~David Bowie

Guest blog by Jessie from Red Barn Vacations. Every year, my family comes down to Deep Creek for the annual Art & Wine festival, benefiting HART for Animals.

The whole crew in a previous year. 

It’s a highlight of my year: great local art, wine galore, and time with my favorite people. Thanks to this year’s understandable cancellation of the festival, we’ve been forced to get creative. That’s right: we are hosting our own ‘ DIY Art & Wine Weekend’ at the lake! Here’s how you can do the same (any weekend of the year):

The Art

• Many of the shops in Downtown Oakland are still open including art galleries and antique shops. Many interesting and innovative pieces of art can be found in this walkable downtown setting.  (And, while you’re down there, you may as well start on the art part, too, with visits to the Vagabond Taproom and Sipside Lounge, which just unveiled a beautiful new outdoor space.
• There are tons of at-home art projects that both the talented and  less-than-talented (like myself) can pursue. My family opted to each purchase paint-by-number kits, but there are a variety of crafts that can be undertaken in the home, like stitching (all the rage), adult coloring books, and so much more (Please just be respectful to carefully cover any surfaces within the home when launching experimental art projects).
• Grab some supplies and try to follow along to an episode of Bob’s Ross’ ‘Joy of Painting’ series. Every episode is available for free on Netflix! Whether you are making cherish heirlooms or cherished memories
  (or both), this activity is fun for the whole family.

The Wine

• Firefly Farms: A local artisan goat-cheese shoppe in nearby Accident, Firefly Farms does not have a huge selection of wine, but they do have a great curation. Whatever you buy from Firefly, be in wine or cheese or other savory staples, is guaranteed to be good.
• Deep Creek Beverage: This store is located at the north end of the lake area and has a drive-through window! No need to ever leave your car, just tell the clerk what you want and they will fetch it for you. The staff here (and everywhere around town) is incredibly helpful and ready to make suggestions.
• McHenry Beverage Shoppe: Offering the widest selection of inventory at the lake. If you want to browse around, this is the option for you.
• There are some killer spots around the lake to grab a drink, in whatever form you prefer. Some of our favorites include: Mountain State Brewing Company, Short Story Brewery, Vagabond Taproom, Sipside Lounge, Moonshadow Cafe, and The Honi-Honi Bar.

Charitable Donation Made to HART 

• HART for Animals is a great local organization working hard to help out our furry friends. HART uses 87% of all its revenues to support charitable programs, including adoptions, spay/neuters, rescue and transports, and sheltering. Many of their fundraising events for 2020 had to be cancelled, but their resolve to help remains the same. if you chose to partake in a DIY Art & Wine weekend, consider making a donation to HART, who inspired the idea.

Pontoons, speedboats, kayaks, stand up paddle boards, and more! The lake is full of marinas with all your favorite watercraft.

Weather you are looking for a peaceful cruise along the many coves and inlets of the lake, or if you want to go dock-to-dock at some of the best destinations around the lake, there is nothing quite like exploring Deep Creek by boat. Make sure to put pit-stops at the popular Honi Honi Bar and delicious Lakeside Creamery on your list! These iconic Deep Creek Lake destinations are essential stops along any day on the lake.

There are tons of rental options along the lake to help get you in the watercraft that is right for you. Boats of all sizes, speeds, and price-points, both motorized and self-propelled. Some rental places even provide delivery and pick-up service for those renting lakefront homes.

Here’s a quick guide to the many rental options at the lake:

Marinas
Deep Creek Marina
Bills Marine Service
The Aquatic Center
Silver Tree Marine
Fun Time Water Sports
High Mountain Sports
Lake Life Boat Rentals

Other
Deep Creek Water Trampolines

Fishing Equipment 
Bill’s Outdoor Center

Have your own boat? 
The boat launch at Deep Creek Lake State Park is available 24 hours a day, weather permitting, to help get you in the water, quick and easy.