Our Dreamy Month At Sandy Daze!

Guest: Katherine (Minnesota)
Date of Stay: 01/01/12 Review Submitted: 01/31/12

From the moment we entered "Sandy Daze" we felt at home.  The home was clean and beautifully furnished for comfort.  Everywhere we looked were artifacts and decor artistically arranged and intriguing to view.  We gleefully explored the gift basket and enjoyed the welcome note.  Chanel, my French Bulldog, figured out the fire hydrant dog treat dispenser was meant for her. She wasn't too pleased at the dog shampoos and towels, but we humans appreciated them. We enjoyed daily walks and bike rides on the beach, spending endless hours exploring what the ocean had washed up the night before. Jim kayaked in the Bay and on the Gulf, and fished in the Gulf.  He's bragging to everyone about his cooking skills on the Green Egg which produced very tasty meals. Evenings were spent anticipating the glorious sunsets, and later relaxing on the comfy sofa and chairs, reading or watching TV.   We visited the parks, forests, and towns.  The "Patsy Cline" show at the Dixie Theater in Apalachicola,  which I learned was started by the first Production Manager at our local Guthrie Theater, Rex Partington.   Nice to have that local connection.  We went to a museum in Carabelle, which had been a training area for D-Day in WWII, the famous amphibian invasion we've all seen photos of. The first black squadron  of pilots was also trained there, and the movie "Red Tails" is based on them. The highlight was the river ride in the Wakulla Springs, about a 2 hour drive away. We were 2 of 7 people on pristine river, viewing manatees, alligators, and hundreds of ducks and birds in the clear waters among ageless cypress trees.   Local dining at Indian Pass Raw Oyster Bar, Jo Mama's, Sunset Coastal Grill, Baileys Crab House were exceptionally tasty. The month went too quickly. With grateful thanks for the hospitality of your home, Katherine Cram

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+, girls getaway.

The Next Time!

Guest: BJ (Brentwood, TN)
Date of Stay: 10/08/11 Review Submitted: 10/31/11

When you think “rental” your mind doesn’t go to “a place like home”. But Todd and Hillary have opened their lovely beach home to the rest of us, and we were blessed. My son, daughter-in-law, 2 grandchildren and I spent a wonderful week here. It was the first time ever, that we were also able to bring our pups. A “whole” family vacation! We had awesome times together on the beach, playing games, cooking, and eating out. We also had plenty of space to get by ourselves for quiet times if we wanted to. I know everyone talks about the “Big Green Egg”, but I was so excited that I had a beach lounge chair w/ a wonderful thick pad and the wagon/cart to carry everything in it to the beach. We enjoyed exceptional seafood @ “Dockside” and the best oysters EVER , twice, in Apalachicola @ “Papa Joe’s! The house is everything that all the previous reviews talk about, but I think the exceptional thing is how it molds and shapes itself to fulfill each families hopes and desires. It gives rest and peace and relaxation, and that only comes from the consideration and thoughtfulness of our hosts. Thanks Todd and Hillary! (and thank you ever so much for that little added something) :) By the end of the week, we were all talking about “the next time” we get to come down.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers, sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+, girls getaway.

CC

Guest: CC (Elm Springs, AR)
Date of Stay: 09/18/11 Review Submitted: 10/24/11

My husband and I had a very relaxing stay in September. We practically had the beach to ourselves, the temperatures were perfect, and the Sandy Daze had everything we could need. Hillary has really thought of every possible need or want in supplying the house. The property is comfortable and relaxed, decorated in a delightful blend of beach and shabby chic, and is a great location. Area restaurants and shops were open and pleasantly mellow at this season. We have visited the "forgotten coast" several times over the years, and this was one of our best trips yet. Our GPS did not recognize the address to the property and Todd guided us in on a Sunday afternoon. Thanks for being gracious hosts.

Recommended for:Families with young children, pet owners, age 55+.

Fabulous vacation home. Didn't want to leave!

Guest: Stephanie (Sanford, FL)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 09/02/11

We had such a wonderful time at this awesome beach vacation home. Every detail has been thought of. Every convenience and amenity was provided at Sandy Daze Beach house. The listing description was very accurate and the house looked just as great as the pictures did. It was very clean and we found everything we needed at the house. The beach cart was so awesome to use and we loved the beach in this part of Florida. Very quiet, safe and relaxing. The state park at the end of the Cape was very beautiful too. Convenient location to Port St. Joe. Not too far down the Cape Dunes Road so getting to and from town and the grocery store was not far at all. We will hopefully be making this a yearly vacation for our family. We so enjoyed our stay and could not have asked for anything more. The owners truly have the gift of hospitality and truly have a beautiful vacation home at this beautiful vacation destination! Can't wait till next summer!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+, girls getaway.

Just Like Home.

Guest: Jewski (Saint Charles, Missouri)
Date of Stay: 08/06/11 Review Submitted: 08/15/11

The home was amazing. The pictures do it no justice. It is very spacious and big. It is also fully stocked with everything besides food and beverages. The owners are also very helpful and nice, you can tell they really care about the house and keeping their guests comfortable and happy. I would definately reccommend this house to people and would definately come back.

Owner response:We are so glad you had a good time and appreciate your kind words. We look forward to having you back again!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, families with young children, pet owners, age 55+.

Perfect Family Vacation!

Guest: DeAnna (Gadsden, AL)
Date of Stay: 07/23/11 Review Submitted: 08/02/11

This was our first time to the Cape and we definately plan to return! For such a laid back place, there are so many things to do! Our experience at Sandy Daze was absolutely wonderful! Hillary and Todd were so easy to work with. They go above and beyond to make sure you have everything you need and then some! It was truly like being at home! We enjoyed cooking our freshly harvested scallops on The Big Green Egg-simply delicious! The location was perfect- Just a short drive to Port St. Joe and only about 25 miles to Appalachicola-which is a quaint little town to spend a cloudy afternoon in! I have never seen a beach with so few people-it was so quiet and relaxing! The kids were thrilled to be able to carry our Westie on vacation with us. He loved the beach and I think even he was sad when it came time to leave! All in all, this was one of the BEST vacations our family has ever taken! We are already looking forward to our next trip to the "forgotten coast". Thank you Hillary & Todd for sharing your beautiful home!

Owner response:You're so very welcome! We are thrilled you loved the Cape as much as we do and of course we can't wait for you to visit again!

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers, pet owners, age 55+, girls getaway.

Wonderful family vacation!

Guest: Family of 5 (Alpharetta, GA)
Date of Stay: 07/16/11 Review Submitted: 08/01/11

We could not have asked for a more clean, comfortable, well stocked beach house. It was like being at our own home! There were tons of linens and towels (beach, bath and pet), little travel size bottles of anything you can imagine needing, lots of DVDs, Cds and books. The kayaks were a great addition--and used every day. We have previously vacationed in Seaside, but wanted a change of pace. We were so happy we chose the cape. So relaxing, laid back and quiet! Our kids are 17, 14 and 8 and everyone enjoyed themselves immensely including our two dogs who were free to enjoy the surf all day. I would definitely recommend Sandy Daze. The owners are so thoughtful and helpful in providing everything you could need to have a fabulous vacation.

Owner response:We are so pleased that you and your family had a great time! I really don't think any other vacation home owners could asked more wonderful guests. We feel truly blessed to be able to share our little piece of paradise with such an amazing family.

Recommended for:Families with young children, families with teenagers, pet owners, girls getaway.

Couldn't have asked for more!

Guest: The Perkins and Denslow Families (Louisville, KY)
Date of Stay: 07/09/11 Review Submitted: 07/19/11

Oh, Sandy Daze...how I wasn't ready to come home! Hillary, your attention to detail is mind boggling. We were finding new little touches up to the minute we left. The house slept our party of 4 adults and 5 kids (ages 10-16) more than comfortably. There are 2 boardwalks leading to the beach and they are right in front of the house. It is a very short walk and the beach cart provided makes hauling everything down a breeze. We left everything there for the entire week and no one touched anything. The beach is magnificent and not populated at all, there were many times we were the only ones on the beach. The water on this side of the cape is not as rough, which meant we worried very little about the kids' safety. They were out very far and it still only reached their chests. The last day we were there, tons of dolphins decided to play with us in the water for several hours, it was an amazing experience! Hillary and Todd provide everything you can imagine. There are plenty of beach chairs in all varieties, towels, etc. and we put the skim boards and boogie boards to good use! The kitchen is well stocked with every kind of pan/utensil you could possibly need. Chasing the crabs on the beach at night was great fun for the kids and was even fun for us screaming females! :) We took a horseback ride with TwoBit stables, it's something we will never forget. Make sure you check out Salinas park (both sides), it's a very beautiful park and is right next door. There's also a little park in town, right before you head to the cape that's great for seeing small creatures in the bay water. The kids loved playing with the hermit crabs and were surprised by a very large horseshoe crab and baby that went swimming by. You can't miss the park, there's a pier with a small pavilion at the end. We stayed near the pavilion, by the rocks. This is also a good place to put in the kayaks. If you take the kayaks out, regulation states you MUST have on a life vest and a whistle, we were unaware of this. For safety purposes, we didn't even consider this in 2 feet of clear water, but were issued a warning by the Sheriff. If you plan a trip to the lighthouse, I would go sometime after 3pm (the lighthouse closes at 5pm) so you can walk along the beautiful beach there. Any earlier in the day, there isn't much of a beach to walk. Dave's Grab N' Go, Scallop Cove and the Piggly Wiggly were all 3 VERY reasonably priced. Can't wait to come back next year! Best vacation ever! TY to the Timmons'!

Owner response:We are thrilled at all the fun experienced your family had! We, too, were renters at Cape San Blas growing up but always rented from rental companies and although LOVED the Cape, were always disappointed in the houses.... We are so blessed to now be able to share our own home with wondeful families like yours and it makes our hearts sing:)

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+, girls getaway.

Wonderful time at the cape

Guest: Holcombe family (Berwick, Louisiana)
Date of Stay: 06/18/11 Review Submitted: 06/25/11

My two sisters and I totally enjoyed your beautiful home during our week long stay at Sandy Daze. The house is amazing and has anything you could think of. It is exactly as you see in the pictures! The beach was beautiful and the weather wonderful until our last day when it rained all day. The only downside (for us, since we are all in our 50's and not terribly small) was the long trek to the beach through the sand and over the dune carrying chairs, coolers and such. A little harder on us than younger more fit renters! We got to see dolphins in the gulf, a first for us! We enjoyed the bay at the State Park with my grandson and daughters! We went to lots of shops in Apalachicola and Port St. Joe and sampled many of the local restaurants. Hillary responded immediately when I contacted her about a very small issue. Wonderful experience overall and would recommend to my friends!

Owner response:You and your sisters are beautiful and we are so grateful for the picture! I hope you all choose to vacation at the Cape again and of course you are always welcome at Sandy Daze:)

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, families with young children, pet owners, age 55+, girls getaway.

Seclusion, serenity and seafood

Guest: Mike, Sue Ann, Steve, Susan and Kaspar (Cookeville, TN and Charlotte, NC)
Date of Stay: 06/11/11 Review Submitted: 06/19/11

What a great week we and our long distance friends had coming together at Sandy Daze! We found out soon after arriving that we had no cell phone service (Verizon) which meant that we had a perfect excuse not to take calls (we're self employed)! We could check messages in Port St. Joe. There were no wild parties or loud neighbors so we really enjoyed sitting inside or out to relax and read a book. Someone actually entertained us with a showcase of fireworks from the beach one evening! And the takeout food at Sunset Grill in Port St. Joe was unbelievably good! Kaspar did get to drink his water with us at the Thirsty Goat and was treated as one of the family. What priceless fellowship with our friends and Kaspar (who had never been allowed to go on the beach and actually got to break the waves.! Hillary, you truly have the gift of hospitality!

Owner response:We are so happy you enjoyed yourselves and the hospitality is truly our pleasure. Please know that you and your family (and of course, Kaspar) are welcome back anytime:)

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, people with disabilities, adventure seekers, families with young children, families with teenagers, sightseeing, pet owners, age 55+.