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by Rachel
L. Miller
I
sampled a number of activities that the B&Bs offer -- from a massage to hiking
in a nearby Provincial Park. There's a great number of things to do if you're
an outdoorsy type. Kayaking, hiking and swimming are just a few.
As
far as the B&Bs are considered, the accommodations at both are stellar, with
crisply decorated rooms and large bathrooms. In fact, the room in which I stayed
at Chantry Breezes (the Amy-Weyland room) has one of the most spacious bathrooms
I've ever seen at a B&B, complete with an extra-wide sink (perfect place to
temporarily place a beauty product bottle or contact lens case).  The
bed was so comfortable and the room so quiet, that I actually slept 10 hours straight.
I woke up to participate in owner Jenny Amy's 8 a.m. gentle yoga class and was
then treated to a delicious breakfast of fresh fruit, rhubarb muffins and fried
eggs topped with feta cheese served in the gorgeous mint-green Queen Anne Sunroom.
Owners
Jenny and Don Amy are gracious, friendly and are extremely knowledgeable about
the area and its many attractions. Jenny grew up vacationing in Southampton and
shared many stories about her childhood summers spent in a cottage on the coast,
including extensive treasure hunts along the town beach. "There's
just only so much time kids can spend playing board games," she remembered,
laughing. "So our parents would give us a list of things to collect along
the beach -- like a colorful rock and a feather -- and we'd be out there for hours."  Her
love of the area kept bringing her back -- and in 1999, she and her husband discovered
a sprawling 1907 Queen Anne house was for sale, one that she'd often admired as
a child. They purchased it and lovingly converted it into a charming B&B.
And the rest, as they so often say, is history.
A
major historic focal point in Southampton is Chantry Island with its famous lighthouse,
a beacon to the sailors attempting to navigate the rock-filled waters of Lake
Huron. Construction on the Chantry Island Lighthouse was started in 1855 and the
light was turned on in 1859. In 1954 the service was discontinued when an automatic
light was installed. Four years later, the island was declared a bird sanctuary
and thousands of birds have made the island their home. (CONTINUE...)
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