Slow time down for a few days or a whole week at our quaint retreat in this historic coastal town. Be a hermit. Meditate. Breathe. Unwind with culinary projects in the house. Spend time strolling our streets to shop or eat. Head to the shore; be a beach bum or soul surfer; get the sand in your toes and salt on your skin.
Food
Berlin was voted the coolest small town in America a few years back. With its historic down-to-earth charm just 15 minutes from the shores of the Atlantic, you’ll understand why. Downtown we have dining and sweets — seafood or farm-to-table, sandwiches or pizza, a local creamery for sundaes and cones, and shops for desserts and treats. After-hours, walk to any of Berlin’s watering holes: a renowned craft brewery, historic bars, hip socials, or a wine bar. For starting the day we have quality coffee and a juice bar to set your body right.
Shopping
Amidst the epicurian offerings there’s opportunity to shop at your leisure, from home decor and kitchen wares, to fashion, to toys, to beach inspired merchandise. We have olive oil, art galleries, vinyl records, and surf inspired shops. Add to this a wonderful independent book store whose walls are covered with works of acclaimed local artists and shelves lined with good reads for your vacation.
The Hermitage
Zen on Main St is a little dojo in bungalow south of town center; a retreat hidden in plain sight. Two quiet, comfortable bedrooms and a relaxing living room make this space restorative and inviting. Meditate or do yoga. Settle in and relax on the couches. Unwind with music or stream movies and series. The kitchen is ready to be cooked in, and our breakfast nook is equally fantastic as a place to sit for long chats over meals. However you define ‘retreat,’ our hermitage can accommodate you.
Furnishing the bungalow are wooden couches, tables and chairs from our travels. We lived for a long time in Taiwan with frequent trips to Japan and Southeast Asia — working, living the culture, training in Zen and tai chi. And we want to share that experience with you.
Sand and Waves
Whether your beach preference is ‘coastal resort’ or ‘back to nature’, in less than fifteen minutes you can be in either type of seaside sweet-spot. On the one hand you can head to Ocean City, MD, for food, nightlife, amusements, a boardwalk, and beach-going. If you prefer grassy dunes and wildlife, Assateague National Seashore, with its wild ponies, inviting waters (surf side or bayside), and white sands will be your speed.
Season by Season
Being in Berlin, and on the Maryland coast, Zen on Main offers magic year round. In the winter, life withdraws and slows a bit but does not stop. This is a great time for quiet getaways. And the beaches can be yours for contemplative walks without the crowds.
In the spring, naturally the world wakes up, and our town is great for getaways of long weekends or weekday escapes. People come for the flowers, ocean walks, cycling or fishing adventures.
Summertime, Zen on Main is a **great** way to do the weeklong beach vacation. Are you looking for something less chaotic than a resort? Consider a retreat to Berlin — perfect for classic small town summer evenings after days in the sand and sun. This is experiencing the beach the way the locals do, returning to the house, hosing off the sand, and getting into evenings of crickets, cookouts, cicadas and ice cream.
Autumn — well at first it’s Indian Summer, when the water’s still warm, but the crowds have thinned and the air cools just a bit. Still beach season, but better. Then the colors turn the air cools more, and again it’s great for long bike rides, fishing trips and outdoor adventures — all with a warm and cozy place to return after the day’s adventures.
Add to all this the town’s festivals and events — from April through October, Berlin hosts festivals every two to three weekends: Jazz & Blues, to Cruisers, Independence Day, the Peach Festival, the Fiddlers Convention and Oktoberfest. Not to mention the Christmas events from tree lighting to Merry Marketplace weekends, to New Years Eve in front of the Atlantic Hotel.
Welcome to Our Home…
This hermitage is our second home, where we stay when we’re back on the shore for business and to see old friends. We used to live next door in the historic home you’ll see hidden in the trees. But life changed, we moved away and now we invite you to share in our little Mid-Atlantic retreat.
… And to Our Neighborhood.
Berlin is a fun town of locals who have a great approach to life. We ask that you come to join us and join OUR speed. While party vacations can be lots of fun, those are better suited for Ocean City (or any big city, or a weekend in Vegas). Here — please have fun, but in a more down tempo and restorative way. While there is no smoking at our property, certainly feel welcome to enjoy cocktails, beer and wine with your those in your reservation group, but we don’t allow parties. You’ll find Berlin’s after-hours tends to wind down about 9:30-10:00 pm, when we roll up the sidewalks. The neighborhoods quiet down, and loud parties are not well received. Again: there’s nothing wrong with that kind of vacation, but there are better places.
We look forward to hosting you. Come join us and our neighbors in the rhythms of life in our seaside town. Come to retreat and restore, to enjoy the natural beauty of the and the pleasures of local commerce. You’ll leave Zen on Main, and Berlin, energized and inspired. You’ll leave here welcome to return, again and again.
