If the bed and breakfast is service a real breakfast, they will have to have a restaurant or food preparation license. It should be located somewhere in the dining area and should be up to date and current. If the b & b is not providing a cooked breakfast but just a selection of bakery items, they may not need a license depending on local regulations.

Always ask how long the bed and breakfast has been in operation. Since they are family run businesses a bed and breakfast tends to either be a long standing business or one that is just relatively new. A b & b that has been open for a long time typically has lots of repeat customers and may need to be booked in advance.

Not all bed and breakfasts are open all the time, especially over the holidays. Since they tend to be someone's home, often the owners use the guest rooms for family as well. Consider calling ahead if you are planning to return over the busy winter holiday season.