Vacation Rentals by Owner

Great vacation!

Guest: Bev (Milwaukee, WI)
Date of Stay: 04/07/12 Review Submitted: 04/17/12

Our family loved The Southern Cross and the location in Gulf Shores. It was our first time to Alabama. My husband and the rest of the boys liked being able to fish. We had it all fishing sunbathing and a pool. The kids had a great time. Everyone wants to come back.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway.

Spring Break '12

Guest: Mindy (Huntington, IN)
Date of Stay: 03/31/12 Review Submitted: 04/17/12

We had a wonderful spring break week with my husband's side--having all 3 generations spend a whole week together for the first time! It was the perfect amount of space for 7 adults and 3 children. Everyone had a great time playing in the sand, laying out, getting knocked down by the ocean waves, walks along the beach at sunset, exploring the ocean life in the lagoon & sitting out on the pier, swimming in the pool, cook-outs, checking out restaurants close-by...and the list goes on! We loved the house...enough seating in the family room for us all to hang out in the evenings, table space inside & on the deck for dinners, and really loved having our own bathrooms for each family. It was wonderful to be such a close distance to the gulf, and equally as nice to be able to walk to the pool when the kids just wanted to swim & not deal with sand or saltwater! Had lots of fun at the local shops, loved eating at Lambert's & having rolls thrown at us, enjoyed a beautiful drive to Orange Beach, and our kids loved the zoo that had many rescued animals. We are thankful to Mark for the opportunity to stay there & really hope to be back to the Gulf next year! Hoping to make it an annual tradition!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

January at Southern Cross

Guest: Babbaw (West Tennessee)
Date of Stay: 01/02/12 Review Submitted: 04/15/12

We spent the month of January at Southern Cross. The weather was great and the house was fine. It's ready for a little updating of the carpet and beds, but very comfortable. We had guests come the first 3 weeks. They all had a great time. Our grandkids really enjoyed the beach (water was cold) and a trip to the battleship Alabama. We also went to Ft. Morgan. There are many good golf courses close by. We enjoyed the local seafood, and cooked many meals at the house. We are trying to decide when to come back next year!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

Celebrating a 1st birthday!!!

Guest: Matt and Judy (Louisville, Kentucky)
Date of Stay: 10/17/11 Review Submitted: 11/09/11

We were delighted to celebrate our youngest child's 1st birthday at this beautiful home in Gulf Shores! It was our first family vacation with our 2 children and the house did not disappoint - it was everything and more that was presented online. We could literally see the dolphins from the front deck! The owner continued to keep in touch with us and was extremely professional and prompt with his answers to our questions. The location of the home is outstanding and the views are awe-inspiring. We stayed in late October (off-season), but we found plenty to do for our 4 year old and for us. Our 4 year old adored the gulf and we loved that this section of the beach was so sparsely populated. We also met a few neighbors that were extremely kind and courteous. It was short drive to wonderful restaurants and attractions, yet located far enough away for privacy and quiet evenings. We would highly recommend this rental home and plan on using it again in the near future for our second family vacation!!!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.

Best of Times

Guest: Smitty (Starkville, MS)
Date of Stay: 10/02/11 Review Submitted: 10/10/11

Southern Cross was found to be exactly as described on vrbo, we could not have had better accommodations, amenties, neighbors, and fun any where in the world. Loved the blue heron who appeared each time a fish was landed from the pier. We fed him and he returned nightly. Crabbing was so easy just off the pier out back. Short walk to beach which we enjoyed twice a day for our entire stay. The view from the balconies was wonderfu, made so many friends who were also staying at Hero landing. Southern Cross was just the best of the best from every aspect. We look forward to returning there to once again renew our attitudes and outlooks. Thanks for a wonderful time!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great place on the beach

Guest: Leah (Sharon, MA)
Date of Stay: 08/20/11 Review Submitted: 01/10/12

We were pleased to see the house was exactly as described. We stayed there with our 16-month-old daughter, her aunt, and her grandparents, and there was plenty of room for everyone. We rented or brought baby safety items (cabinet locks, baby gate, travel crib, hi-chair) and easily childproofed the house. Location is wonderful for families, away from the busy strip down the street, but a quick drive for shopping or a bite to eat. We loved watching sunrise on the beach, and sunset from the pier on the lagoon. Plenty of wildlife to watch, everywhere. The wading pool down by the lagoon pass was perfect for our daughter to wade in, and she enjoyed watching the crabs and other ocean life pass by there. Mark was great to work with and was very accommodating when Hurricane Irene extended our stay a few days. If (when) we visit the gulf again, we will definitely stay here -- great house!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Wonderful Family Vacation

Guest: Happy Grandparents (Tyler, Texas)
Date of Stay: 07/30/11 Review Submitted: 08/25/11

Our two daughters, their husbands and the grandkids joined us for a week at this beautiful home. There was plenty room for all three families! It felt like a home away from home. We were pleased and pleasantly surprised that it was EXACTLY as described and extremely clean. It had everything we needed! And was so close to the gulf. We loved it and will be back!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Wow! What a week!

Guest: Leslie (Arkansas)
Date of Stay: 06/11/11 Review Submitted: 06/25/11

We rented the house as three generations of a family. This house was comfortable for all ages. Everything you could think of needing was at hand. The beds were comfortable and the bedrooms were spacious. Plenty of comfortable seating ws available, both inside and out. We ordered cooked seafood from the store by Waves and had a feast out on the deck, listening to the ocean and enjoying the cool ocean breeze. Entertainment is nearby, while the neighborhood is quiet and family friendly. Someone even fixed the tangled fishing line on my son's pole he left out on the fishing pier overnight. I hated to leave, but definitely plan on returning soon! Thanks, Binkleys!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Best vacation ever!!

Guest: Hannah (Dayton, Ohio)
Date of Stay: 05/07/11 Review Submitted: 05/13/11

We are leaving tomorrow, and I can't express how sad everyone in my family is! This has been the best week ANY of us have ever experienced. Granted, the presence of family has made it what it is, but this house was the PERFECT place to spend this amazing week and definitely contributed to our amazing time! From the moment we stepped foot in the house, we were pleased. The rooms are spacious and well kept, the furniture is comfortable and clean. There were eight adults, one child, and one infant in our family and there was more than enough room for everyone. Everything about the house welcomes you... and it is easy to feel at home here. We truly truly are going to miss this place... *frowns* In addition to the interior of the house, the location is beyond amazing. The very short walk to the beach made it extremely easy for our family to go to the beach and make a quick trip back the house if needed (with a baby in the mix, this happened rather frequently). The view from the deck is wonderful. The house is far enough away from the main part of town that you can enjoy the sound of the ocean at night and not be bothered with all the city lights, but close enough that if you want to do a little shopping, you don't have to drive much more than 5-10 minutes. There is a basket full of brochures in the living room that gave us ideas of great places to go if we wanted to do some new things (renting boats, jetskis, etc) and a book of restaurant reviews so that you kind of know where to go to eat some good food! Would definitely recommend this house to any and everyone!!! Can't wait to come back!!!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Spring Break

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 04/23/11 Review Submitted: 04/05/12

We had a great week in Gulf Shores. Having never been there, we were not sure what to expect. We took our 82 year old moms with us, and the four of us had plenty of space in this big home. The location is perfect! Quiet, and great views! We saw a small fox the night we arrived, as we were relaxing to a glass of wine on the wonderful deck facing the beach. We could hardly wait for morning to come so we could see where we were. We were not disappointed! We enjoyed great walks on the beach, and the tremendous scenery. We visited nearby towns and attractions... and were always comfortable in this home. Mark was easy to contact, and helpful too.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Very enjoyable family vacation

Guest: happy in gulf shores (Southwest USA)
Date of Stay: 04/16/11 Review Submitted: 05/15/11

We enjoyed the Southern Cross with all its amenities. The location to the beach and inlet to the lagoon was ideal for our small children. We had plenty of space with 5 kids and three adults. I would highly recommend this property for family vacations, and travel to the Gulf Shores in April was perfect timing. We hope to get back for fishing and crabbing sometime soon.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Lu & Mike (Wisconsin)

Guest: Luann (Wisconsin)
Date of Stay: 04/03/11 Review Submitted: 05/04/11

Great description of the house on VRBO. Everything we expected. The only thing we were concerned about was the road in the pictures and the traffic noise. NOT a concern once we got there. Barely any traffic since the condo area ended prior to the house-- so private home traffic only occurred (which was minimal) and lots of walkers. Great "ocean view" without paying ocean view prices. Easy access to the ocean. Just a walk across the rarely used road. Far enough from the bustle of "downtown" Gulf Shores for a peaceful retreat but still close enough to enjoy it when the mood struck. Mark gave great suggestions for restaurants and activities. The house also has a book of restaurant experiences from past guests. Beds and bedrooms were comfortable and our 2 families had our own space when needed. Hope to return in the future and will definitely look @ this house first.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Escape From Wisconsin

Guest: Maria (Wisconsin)
Date of Stay: 03/26/11 Review Submitted: 04/04/11

Just returned from a wonderful week in Gulf Shores. The property was perfectly located to help our family enjoy a relaxing week in the sun. The house was well equipped, in a quiet area. The access to the beach, lagoon and pool were awesome. The kids spent so much time in the water that I think they grew scales. We enjoyed body surfing in the ocean, fishing in the lagoon, walking on the beach, collecting shells and even riding our bikes. It was awesome to find that there was a bike lane for us to use on the main road. Terrific restraunts near by - our diet consisted of shrimp, shrimp and more shrimp. We can't find good seafood in Wisconsin. Hope to make it back some day. Thanks for the use of your home.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Paradise

Guest: Courtney (Fort Worth, TX)
Date of Stay: 03/12/11 Review Submitted: 03/22/11

This house was wonderful. First of all the view was wonderful. In the front of the house there is not a house in front of you to block the ocean. The group of people I was with loved sitting on the deck and hearing the calm waves crash down. The lagoon was very popular as well! It was just a 30 second walk from the door and it was breath taking. The house was very clean and it had everything one could ask for: games, cleaning supplies, towels, dish soap as well as many appliances. There are a lot of beds to sleep on as well including pull out beds. It comfortably slept 11 of us. It was such a wonderful experience and hopefully I will be able to stay here again.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

THANKSGIVING VACATION

Guest: Hillbilly (Kingston Springs, Tennessee)
Date of Stay: 11/23/10 Review Submitted: 12/01/10

This cabin was exactly what we needed for our family vacation...great location with a fantastic view of a perfect beach, great pier on the lagoon and a pool! The convenience of a washer and dryer, a completely furnished kitchen, games for the kids, and HD TV's made everyone's stay perfect. The spacious decks and large kitchen/family room fit our group like a glove. The entire house was immaculate! Once the kids discovered the "outside" toys the kites were flying, the boogie boards were launched, and the crabbing commenced. There's nothing like catching about 3 dozen crabs for your own crab boil. (That's what the really big pot in the lower cabinet is for!) Ummm.. the smell alone is enough to make your mouth water! This was the perfect place to celebrate Thanksgiving, our 32 anniversary, and the Iron Bowl. WAR EAGLE!!! Good job Mark, "I'll be back"

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Stay

Guest: Beach lover (Louisiana)
Date of Stay: 09/03/10 Review Submitted: 10/20/10

Stayed on this property with two families with 5 members each and had plenty room. Right across the road from the beach without high traffic to cross the road. The kids loved fishing off the pier in the back at the lagoon. The house had everything we needed and owners were accessible by cell phone with any questions we had. If you ever stay on Labor Day weekend, leave on Tuesday, NOT Monday. Traffic is worse than bad.

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children.

Couldn't have had a better vacation!

Guest: LOVE IT (Missouri)
Date of Stay: 06/12/10 Review Submitted: 07/17/10

This was the perfect house for us! We cooked several meals at home and the kitchen had everything we needed in it, and the grill outside was also a plus. Our five year old loved the fact that the house had toys. She didn't even touch the ones we had brought from home. We had a great time as well playing games from the shelf. The location of the house to the beach is PERFECT...next best thing from being right on it. We spent many mornings in the pool, while small, we were usually the only ones in it. The neighbors were very nice and when I emailed the owner about a few small things, he called/emailed his handyman and he was there the very next day. The owners were WONDERFUL about keeping us updated on the oil spill and we were happy with the condition of the beach...KUDOS to all the workers! We will for sure try and rent Southern Comfort again for our next Gulf Shores vacation!

Recommended for:Families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.

Great Vacation!

Guest: 1972 (Gadsden Alabama)
Date of Stay: 06/06/10 Review Submitted: 06/13/10

The Southern Cross is an excellant place to stay with a large family. We had 7 adults and 2 toodlers. The house is very clean and well stocked. The house is also sound proof. We never heard the kids staying up late playing board games or watching TV. The steps to the condo were easy to manage also. We all enjoyed the easy access to the beach, the Little Lagoon, and the pier. The kids played in the lagoon catching hermit crabs and building sand castles. We caught crabs, rays, and a very strange fish from the pier. The pool was small but for the unit it was fine. We were usually the only ones in it. All the neighbors were very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed visiting with them. We will return hopefully next year! Also, during the BP crisis Mark was constantly keeping us updated and was willing to work with us in case things changes quickly. The beach was fine while we were there until Friday June 11. It was very sad to see. Please check on using this unit it is fantastic!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.

Awesome vacation

Guest: Dixie Chx (Savannah TN)
Date of Stay: 05/29/10 Review Submitted: 06/06/10

Just returned from staying a week in the Southern Cross, We had a BLAST!! There were lots of room, and plenty to do... The Lagoon is beautiful for fishing or just sitting with a cup of coffee and watching the sun rise or set... The beach was only a walk across the road and the view from our "condo" was awesome... We will definitely rent again! It is definitely kid friendly...(ps: we left behind some toys for the next renters) Thanks Mark for a great vacation experience...

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car.

Beautiful and Private

Guest: Rob and Sheila (Starkville, MS)
Date of Stay: 05/21/10 Review Submitted: 06/02/10

We had a great time at The Southern Cross. I was worried about having to cross the street to the beach, but the highway was not busy at all and we had no trouble getting all 4 kids safely across many times. Loved the pool and rarely had anyone else using it. The water was warm and the pool was very clean. The whole complex was well kept. Having your own parking spot is fantastic. Beds were all comfortable and having a tv in every bedroom and in the living area was great when it rained. The kitchen was very well stocked with cookware and we ate in at all but 2 meals. Loved having meals on the deck overlooking the beach. The beach was much less packed with people than when we have stayed in condos before. Many more crabs than I've ever seen before. We had a great time. Thanks for the use of your beautiful retreat!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great time at The Southern Cross

Guest: 090409 (Warrior, Alabama)
Date of Stay: 04/14/10 Review Submitted: 04/19/10

We stayed at the Southern Cross 4/14/10 until 4/17/10. The house was very nice and clean. We loved the fact that we had the beach, the lagoon, and also a pool. With children its always great to have a variety. The kids especially loved flying the kites on the beach and seeing all the minnows at the lagoon in the afternoons. Its very nice and quiet but not too far away from restaurants and of course riding the go karts. We hope to go back soon!! Thanks for the wonderful home to stay in while we vacationed. The weather couldnt have been better!!! It was perfect!!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway.

Happy from Michigan

Guest: Happy from Michigan (Hesperia Michigan)
Date of Stay: 04/03/10 Review Submitted: 04/11/10

We drove down from Michigan, there were 11 women & children. The house was great lots of room for all. The three bedroom with attached baths and TV's in each room was great. The kids could watch what they wanted. The house was very clean and well maintained. The view to the gulf was great and easy to get there also. Mark was very helpful with any questions that we had. The parking area was great since we had to come in 2 vehicles lots of room for parking. We were never worried about our kids, I felt safe to let them to the beach alone. We did a lot of shopping at the outlets, it was great. We did alot of cooking at the house and also went out a few times our favorite place was LuLu's.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing.

Just As Promised

Guest: Janet K (Indianapolis IN)
Date of Stay: 03/27/10 Review Submitted: 04/30/10

We loved spending our Spring Break at your vacation home. The children enjoyed catching hermit crabs in the lagoon, playing in the pool, and having their own TV and x box. The walk to the beach is very easy with the boardwalk so close and with little traffic. The kitchen was well stocked (YES!-there is a blender there for frozen concoctions) and we enjoyed grilling out and eating most meals on the large deck with the gulf view. Good luck with your wonderful vacation home.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.

A Wonderful Home with a Great Unobstructed View of the Gulf!

Guest: Ruth & Dan (Middleton, WI)
Date of Stay: 03/20/10 Review Submitted: 04/06/10

What a great home! It's well-maintained, clean, and has lots of paved parking (no tracking in sand). The home has a very functional lay-out, lots of seating in the living room with a great unobstructed view of the Gulf. There's a huge deck in front of the house which is perfect for dining or relaxing. The eat-in kitchen is open to the living area so you can still be a part of the group while you are heating up your carry-out barbeque ( Check out Moe's!). Or try grilling up some fresh seafood on the charcoal grill. My daughter loved her bedroom with attached bath and access to the upper deck. It's perfect to have a bathroom for each bedroom especially with teens. We all thought having our own TV's with Dish HD in each bedroom was pretty cool! My husband appreciated the wireless internet, helpful for reading restaurant reviews (and keeping up with work). My son had a blast running his RC car on the beach and my daughter loved running on the bike/running trail on the road. There is easy access to the beach via a boardwalk right across the street. The beach is just spectacular, miles and miles to enjoy. My husband and I enjoyed walking the beach and checking out the colorful beach houses. We would definitely recommend this listing to friends and family! It's a great value as well, many other homes listed under a local realty company are much more expensive. We would definitely go back! Thanks Mark for letting us use your beautiful home!

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Tim Hutchison (Decatur, AL)
Date of Stay: 10/12/09 Review Submitted: 10/12/09

There are not enough words to express the comforts of this house...you litteraly have everything. You can fish from the pier, hang out at the pool, or simply walk right across the street to the beach. My kids were out of college for FALL BREAK and we went down for a 4-day week end. This house has everything you could possibly want...3 huge bedrooms - each having its own bathroom...games....plasma TV's...and yes wirelss internet (I did have to work a little). I got to meet the owners; they just so happened to be down while we were there. Supper nice folks - will work with you to accomplis your arrival/departure dates. WE WILL DEFINITELY BE BACK!!! Thanks Mark for helping us to "Make Some Memories!!!!" HUTCH

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