My late husband, Paul, and I first came to Brewster on vacation more than 25 years ago. At the beginning of the week, Paul announced quite firmly, "We will be buying no real estate on this vacation."
This was an odd thing to say, since we had never bought real estate on any previous vacation.
We came expecting nothing more consequential than a week at the beach. Instead, we fell in love with Brewster, made an offer on a house before the week was over, and learned on our way home that it had been accepted.
So much for Paul's declaration.
Within a year, we had packed up our lives and moved to Brewster full time with our two young children. Apparently, we weren't very good at vacationing.
In 2007, we purchased 123 Crosby Lane and began sharing a little bit of the place we loved with others. Since then, we've welcomed guests from around the country and the world, many of whom return year after year and have made the house part of their own Cape Cod traditions.
Paul died in 2022, but the life we unexpectedly created here remains very much a part of me. I still love Brewster and enjoy sharing this special place with others.
Just be careful about announcing that you won't be buying any real estate while you're here.
What is special about this property?
What makes this property special is the combination of location, privacy, and space. Tucked away on a private three-quarter-acre lot, the house is just a three-minute walk from beautiful Crosby Landing Beach on Cape Cod Bay — close enough to wander down for a morning swim, spend the day on the beach, or return for one of Brewster's spectacular sunsets.
In the other direction, the Cape Cod Rail Trail and 1,600-acre Nickerson State Park are also just a short walk away, offering miles of biking and hiking trails, freshwater ponds, swimming, and kayaking.
At home, there's plenty of room to spread out, indoors and out. Generous living areas, a sunny breakfast/sunroom, newly finished lower level, and garage recreation area with ping-pong give adults, children, and teens places to gather — or escape one another! Outside, the large lawn, gardens, and expanded bluestone terrace provide plenty of room for games, grilling, outdoor dining, or simply relaxing after the beach.
It's that rare combination — walk to the beach, bike to Nickerson, plenty of room for everyone, and wonderful privacy at home — that makes 123 Crosby Lane such a special place to spend a Cape Cod vacation.
What is special about your town?
Brewster still feels like Old Cape Cod. Known as the "Sea Captains' Town" for the many historic homes built by 19th-century ship captains, it has retained a wonderfully unspoiled, rural character, with winding roads, conservation lands, freshwater ponds, and miles of beautiful Cape Cod Bay shoreline.
But what truly sets Brewster apart are the Brewster Flats. At low tide, Cape Cod Bay recedes for nearly a mile, revealing an extraordinary expanse of tidal flats to explore — a wonderland for children searching for crabs, shells, and other sea life, and just as magical for adults. At high tide, the warm, gentle Bay waters return, creating some of the Cape's best family swimming.
Brewster is also home to the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, historic Stony Brook Grist Mill, Nickerson State Park, the Cape Cod Rail Trail, excellent golf, galleries and shops, and some terrific places to eat and gather — from the acclaimed Brewster Fish House to coffee and conversation at the Snowy Owl.
For all there is to do, Brewster has managed to remain remarkably low-key. There are no traffic lights, no fast-food strips, and relatively little commercial development. It's a place where nature, history, beaches, and village life still define the experience — which is exactly why we fell in love with it more than 25 years ago.