Main-floor king
1 king bed, sleeps 2
This room has its own bath, closets and a ceiling fan. A sliding door opens to the three-season porch, where the life jackets and swim tubes are kept.
Lake Wickaboag · West Brookfield, MA
Highland Perch
A house above the lake, facing the sunset.
A 1932 lake house for family weekends, wedding guests and Brimfield trips.
- Sleeps 10
- 4 bedrooms
- 7 beds
- 3 full baths
Live availability, full pricing and guest reviews on Airbnb.
Lake access is down a long outdoor stairway. The house is for overnight stays; no parties or events.
Mornings start on the glassed-in porch, with the lake through a long wall of windows. Afternoons go down the wooden stairway to the dock and the kayaks. The day ends at the fire pit, when the sun goes down across the water.
From the perch to the water
The house stands at the top of a wooded slope and the lake lies at the bottom of it. This is the way down, with the lake side facing west.
Swipe the drawing to follow the stairs down to the water.
- Carport and driveway. Parking is free. The carport is across the street.
- Front door. Two steps up, and a keypad code that lets you in from 3 PM.
- Main floor. One open room for living and dining, the kitchen, the glassed-in porch, a king room with its own bath and a queen room.
- Second floor. A king room with a private balcony, a twin room that sleeps four, and a bath with a soaking tub.
- Patio. The fire pit, four Adirondack chairs and an outdoor dining table.
- The stairway. Long, wooden, with a handrail on each side, down to a lower deck. There is no step-free route to the water.
- The dock. A short flight below the lower deck, with four kayaks and their paddles at the shore.
The drawing is a guide and is not to scale.
Inside
The main floor is one open living and dining room with two sofas, a wall-mounted TV and a dining table that seats eight. A glass slider leads to the glassed-in porch, where a long wall of windows faces the lake. Three stools line a breakfast bar that looks through the porch to the water.
The kitchen has a gas range and oven, a French-door refrigerator, a dishwasher, a microwave, a coffee maker, a kettle, a toaster and a blender, with pots and pans, baking sheets, dishes and wine glasses. There is room to cook a meal together before heading out for the day.
There is air conditioning and heat, a ceiling fan in every bedroom, Wi-Fi and a shelf of board games. The house and patio are yours for the stay. Waterfront access depends on seasonal conditions; check with the host before booking. Guest laundry is not available.
Seven beds for ten people
Two king rooms, a queen room and a twin room that sleeps four, on two floors, with three full baths.
| Room | Floor | Beds | Sleeps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main-floor king | Main | 1 king | 2 |
| Queen room | Main | 1 queen | 2 |
| Upstairs king | Second | 1 king | 2 |
| Twin room | Second | 2 twins, 2 trundles | 4 |
| Whole house | Two floors | 7 beds | 10 |
Queen room
1 queen bed, sleeps 2
A ceiling fan, and built-in shelves that hold the board games and the extra blankets.
Upstairs king
1 king bed, sleeps 2
A glass slider opens to a private balcony with two cushioned chairs and a view of the lake through the trees.
Twin room
2 twin beds and 2 trundles, sleeps 4
Each twin bed has a trundle that pulls out from under it. The room has a ceiling fan and closets.
Three full baths
One is attached to the main-floor king room. The second is on the main floor, off the living area. The third is upstairs, shared by the king and twin rooms, with a double vanity, a freestanding soaking tub and a separate shower.
The upstairs rooms and their bath are one flight up.
Lake Wickaboag, from the house's dock
Swim and launch from the dock, or fish from the dock or a kayak.
The lake covers 320 acres and runs shallow, about 8 feet deep on average and 13 at the deepest. Its water is naturally light brown. Four kayaks with paddles wait at the shore, and the life jackets and swim tubes are kept on the three-season porch.
State surveys of the lake found largemouth and smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow and white perch, black crappie and bluegill. Anglers 15 and older need a Massachusetts fishing license.
Wickaboag is a Nipmuc name. A 1932 Massachusetts Geographic Board record, from the year the house was built, gives its meaning as “at the good pond”. Other local sources translate it differently.
| Size | 320 acres |
|---|---|
| Depth | About 8 ft on average, 13 ft at the deepest |
| Water | Naturally light brown, with limited visibility |
| Kayaks | 4, with paddles and life jackets |
| The patio faces | West, toward the sunset |
Before you go in
- There is no lifeguard, and no diving from the dock or the shore.
- The water is light brown and you can't see far in it. Water shoes help.
- Everyone in a kayak wears a life jacket, every time.
- Town rules keep swimmers within 50 feet of shore unless a boat goes along, and nobody swims or boats when red flags fly. Boats slow to 5 mph within 150 feet of shore.
- The town beach is for West Brookfield residents, so swim and launch from the house's dock.
- Coming in late fall, winter or early spring? Message us on Airbnb to check whether the kayaks and the dock are in the water for your dates.
When to come
The patio faces west. The line is the time the sun sets in West Brookfield over the next twelve months, and the bars are what is on nearby.
Swipe the chart to see the whole year.
November to April
Salem Cross Inn serves open-hearth Fireplace Feasts, 7 minutes away. Old Sturbridge Village holds Christmas by Candlelight on select days from November 27 to December 27, 2026, from 2 to 8 PM. Wachusett Mountain's ski area is 56 minutes away. The winter guide
May
Brimfield's first antique show week runs May 11 to 16, 2027. UMass Amherst holds commencement on May 21 and Holy Cross on May 28, and one house keeps the family together. College stays
Summer
Kayak from the dock, swim near shore and fish for bass and perch. Then light a small fire for s'mores while the sun sets across the lake, a little before 8:30 in late June. Brimfield returns July 13 to 18. Brimfield show weeks
September and October
Brookfield Orchards, family-owned since 1918, is 15 minutes away with pick-your-own apples in season. Brimfield's last show week is September 7 to 12, and The Big E runs from September 17 to October 3. The area guide
Minutes from the house
Minutes by car without traffic, routed from the house. You'll want a car, and parking is free.
- West Brookfield town common1886 fountain, bandstand, library and Hitchcock Tavern5min
- Salem Cross InnRestaurant, tavern and wedding venue, open Thursday to Sunday7min
- Rock House ReservationTrails to a rock shelter above Carter Pond. Check the Trustees' page for current parking9min
- Farmer MattFarm store with heat-and-eat meals, New Braintree11min
- Brookfield OrchardsCountry store and bakery, with pick-your-own apples in season15min
- Timberyard BrewingBrewery with barbecue, East Brookfield17min
- Rose 32 BreadBakery café, Thursday to Saturday, Gilbertville17min
- Price Chopper, SpencerNearest full supermarket, open 6 AM to 11 PM22min
- Brimfield Antique Flea MarketShow weeks in May, July and September23min
- Brimfield WineryWine, beer and cider with music and food trucks23min
- Old Sturbridge Village1830s living history museum26min
- Publick House Historic Tap RoomDining room built around an open hearth, Sturbridge26min
- Hardwick Vineyard & WineryTastings and live music28min
- Tree House BrewingTaproom and pizza, Charlton29min
- Wells State Park12 miles of trails and Walker Pond, Sturbridge29min
- Quabbin Park and Winsor DamReservoir lookouts, Belchertown31min
- EcoTariumScience and nature museum, Worcester45min
- Wachusett MountainSki area, Princeton56min
Farther out. Worcester is about 40 minutes away and Springfield about 50. Bradley Airport (BDL) near Hartford is about 1 hour 20, and Boston Logan (BOS) about 1 hour 30, more at rush hour.
The area guide lists 26 places with their official pages, and our own list of where to eat and where to stock up.
Seven minutes from Salem Cross Inn
Salem Cross Inn is a restored 18th-century farmhouse on about 600 acres at 260 West Main Street (Route 9) in West Brookfield. It hosts weddings for up to 200 guests in its barn and loft, holds showers, rehearsal dinners and private dinners in its smaller rooms, and opens its restaurant and tavern from Thursday to Sunday.
Ten of your group can stay here together, in four bedrooms with three full baths. Parties and events aren't allowed at the house and quiet hours start at 11 PM, so the celebrating happens at the inn.
- By car
- 7 minutes from the house
- Weddings
- Up to 200 guests in the barn and loft
- Restaurant
- Thursday to Sunday, with the tavern
- Fireplace Feasts
- November to April
This site is run by the hosts and is not affiliated with Salem Cross Inn. Details come from salemcrossinn.com and were checked on November 11, 2026.
Guides we keep for our guests
Each one is checked against the organizers' own pages, and says when it was checked.
Questions before booking
Where is Highland Perch?
On the shore of Lake Wickaboag in West Brookfield, Massachusetts, in the Quaboag Hills of central Massachusetts. It is about 25 minutes from Brimfield and Old Sturbridge Village, 40 minutes from Worcester and 1 hour 30 minutes from Boston. The exact address is shared by Airbnb after you book.
How many people does it sleep?
Up to 10 guests in 4 bedrooms with 7 beds: a main-floor king with an ensuite bath, a main-floor queen, a second-floor king with a private lake-view balcony, and a second-floor twin room with two twins and two trundles that sleeps 4. There are 3 full baths.
Is the house right on the water?
Yes. It is lakefront. A long wooden stairway with handrails runs from the patio down to a lower deck and the dock, where 4 kayaks with paddles are provided along with life jackets and swim tubes.
Can we swim in Lake Wickaboag?
Yes, from the house's dock. There is no lifeguard and no diving. The lake averages about 8 feet deep and 13 feet at the deepest, and its water is naturally light brown. Town rules keep swimmers within 50 feet of shore unless a boat goes along.
Is there good fishing?
State surveys found largemouth and smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow and white perch, black crappie and bluegill. Anglers 15 and older need a Massachusetts freshwater fishing license.
How far is it from the Brimfield Antique Flea Market?
About 23 minutes by car. The 2027 show weeks are May 11 to 16, July 13 to 18 and September 7 to 12.
Is it close to Old Sturbridge Village?
Yes, about 26 minutes by car. Christmas by Candlelight runs on select days from November 27 to December 27, 2026, from 2 to 8 PM.
How close is Salem Cross Inn?
About 7 minutes by car. The inn hosts weddings for up to 200 guests, showers, rehearsal dinners and Fireplace Feasts, and its restaurant and tavern open Thursday to Sunday. The house sleeps 10 for guests of an event there. Parties and events aren't allowed at the house itself. More about staying near Salem Cross Inn.
What is there to do in winter?
Plenty within an hour. Wachusett Mountain's ski area is 56 minutes away and Ski Ward's snow-tubing park about 55. Old Sturbridge Village, 26 minutes away, runs Christmas by Candlelight on select days between November 27 and December 27, 2026, and Salem Cross Inn serves open-hearth Fireplace Feasts from November to April, 7 minutes away. The winter guide has the details.
Which airports can we fly into?
Bradley International Airport (BDL) near Hartford is about 1 hour 20 minutes away, and Boston Logan (BOS) about 1 hour 30 minutes, longer at rush hour. You'll want a car.
Is there air conditioning and Wi-Fi?
Yes. The house has air conditioning and heat, a ceiling fan in every bedroom, portable fans and Wi-Fi.
Is there a washer and dryer?
Guest laundry is not available, as listed on Airbnb. Please plan accordingly.
Are pets allowed?
No pets. Service animals are welcome under Airbnb's policy.
Can we have a party or event?
No. Parties and events aren't allowed, and quiet hours run from 11 PM to 7 AM.
What are check-in and checkout times?
Check-in is after 3 PM and checkout is by noon. You let yourselves in with a code on the front-door keypad.
Is there parking?
Yes, free parking in the carport and the driveway.
Can we use the fire pit?
Use the fire pit only when the hosts' instructions and current local fire restrictions permit. An adult must light, tend and fully extinguish any permitted fire.
Are there stairs?
Two steps lead up to the front door, and the upstairs king room, the twin room and their bath are one flight up. The dock is reached by a long outdoor wooden stairway with handrails on both sides. There is no step-free route to the water.
Who can book?
The person who books must be at least 25 and stay at the house.
How do we book?
Use Airbnb, at airbnb.com/rooms/1733269066693498633, where you'll find open dates, prices for your dates and guest reviews.
Check your dates
Highland Perch is booked through Airbnb from this website. That is where you'll find the calendar, the price for your dates, every photo and the guest reviews.
Check dates on Airbnb