Reviews for St. Augustine Vacation Rental - VRBO 366305 - 4 BR Florida North East House in FL, The Ultimate Beachfront Adventure; Amenities-Value-5 Star Fun!

family getaway

Guest Robin
Date of stay 05/19/13
Review Submitted 05/28/13

Great house on a fabulous beach. House was was fully furnished with everything you need for a great stay at the beach. Plenty of beach towels and chairs. Boogie boards, and sand toys also at the house. Stayed there with 13 people including two toddlers. Had plenty of room, never felt crowded. Large, very well equipped kitchen. Great grill that had plenty of gas. Have stayed at several houses in Ponte Vedra and this is definitely my favorite. We stayed for a week and never saw more than one other family on the beach.

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

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Truly a Heaven by the Sea

Guest Taylor
Date of stay 05/04/13
Review Submitted 05/22/13

My family recently rented this beach house for a small reunion for all of our out of town guests for a graduation. We were pleasantly surprised when we walked in to see how not only well kept everything was but just how personalized the owner kept it. We found the cabinets stocked with little things that people tend to forget when they go on vacation (spices for cooking, blender, some small snacks, plenty of beach toys, laundry detergent, ect.) The owner was beyond friendly and welcoming, making you feel that much more secure about your choice to stay at this vacation rental. He made sure to address everyone, asking if any of us needed anything what-so-ever before he left. Not only that but when I emailed him after realizing I'd forgotten an entire drawer of swimwear, he was more than willing to go check and even mail it to me right away. He is 100% about making your stay there the best stay of your life. No one in our family had even the smallest negative thing to say about this rental, the only things that caught us off guard were nice surprises. The description is perfect in describing this rental, everything we expected plus more. It's only 6 miles north of the Historic St. Augustine which is a great place to tour, but even if you just stay at the house, you will never be bored; from the beach (which had more beautiful shells than I've ever seen on a Florida coast) to the closet of family board games, every moment at Heaven by the Sea is truly a moment of pure bliss. Not only would I recommend this property to friends and family, I will make it a point to come back in a couple of years for our next family reunion. No other beach house I have stayed at has been this nice, nor do I expect to find another one this great again. This is a true find and anyone is lucky to get the opportunity to rent it.

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

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Spring Break 2013!

Guest Blondie
Date of stay 03/30/13
Review Submitted 04/09/13

What a great vacation! The owner was at the rental when we arrived and was very welcoming and helpful in explaining anything we might need to know about the property. The house was very clean and well maintained and the photos don't really do it justice. There were plenty of extra towels, blankets, pillows, etc. The kitchen was well stocked with pots and pans as well. The washer and dryer came in very handy as well. We used both the up and downstairs units which gave us plenty of room for our group that ranged from 9-16 people depending on the night. The beach was close and we had lots of room to play. There were very few people other than ourselves on the beach which was nice and we saw dolphin swimming right in front of us almost everyday. The owner also provided lots of boogie boards, etc. for both adults and children to use. The town is about a 15 minute drive but very easy to get to and there are several good sized grocery stores available. We went into town for dinner and shopping and really enjoyed the quaint stores and restaurants. We had GREAT food at both The Raintree and The Columbian restaurants. This is a great place for families or large groups and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great place to vacation.

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

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Wonderful beach home on a gorgeous, quiet beach - spectacular views! Fabulous Owner!!

Guest Maryellen
Date of stay 03/09/13
Review Submitted 05/01/13

We had a wonderful experience at this home. The house was perfectly represented on line. It was in very good condition, nicely furnished and very comfortable. The color scheme and style of the furnishings gave it a very Florida feel. The home was clean and well stocked with every appliance and utensil you would ever need. Having a laundry room on the premise was a huge benefit. The open floor plan and huge glass sliders gave us beautiful views of the outside. We fell in love with the house as soon as we walked in. There was a wonderful energy present. The layout of the home makes it perfect for extended families or two couples. Having a master bedroom, guest bedroom and bath at either end of the house creates a wonderful feeling of privacy. The views of the endless beach were breathtaking from the enormous deck, the living room and each of the master bedrooms. The huge kitchen, dining area and living room make a wonderful gathering place for conversation and games The location was perfect.. The closeness to St Augustine was a bonus. There were several beaches and nature preserves close at hand. CAPS on The Water is a great restaurant down the street that offers delicious food and incredible sunsets. Be sure to check it out. Arrive early enough to get a waterfront table. We can’t say enough good things about our host, Fred. He was the perfect host, offering to meet us at the house and help us get acclimated. He was extremely attentive to our needs, very accessible by phone and always ready to answer our questions and offer helpful information about the area. He clearly takes pride in this property and is invested in the renters having a wonderful experience, which we definitely did! We would highly recommend this property and hope to return ourselves in the very near future. Maryellen, Charlie, Ginny and Joanna

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

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Family Christmas

Guest Jada
Date of stay 12/26/12
Review Submitted 02/10/13

My husband and I joined our family at this vacation house for the holidays. We stayed seven days with a total of fifteen people. This house provided ample space for all without feeling cramped. Very clean house right on the beach with absolute amazing sunrises to observe. The kitchen was large enough that two if not three of us were always in the kitchen preparing meals or snacks without being in each other's way. I could not have asked for a better, more relaxing house to spend with my family during the holidays that holds everyone comfortably. Absolute beautiful!!!!

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

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Excellent Value and Vacation Experience

Guest Phillip G.
Date of stay 12/26/12
Review Submitted 01/08/13

I rented both floors of this beach house over the Christmas holiday for a large family gathering and wouldn't hesitate to return. The owner was very helpful both before and after our rental with excellent communication regarding arrival and departure procedures, a quick tour of property upon arrival, and 24-hour contact information in case we had a problem. The home was perfectly clean, and it is obvious that the owner is continuously upgrading it with new bathroom fixtures, flooring in some rooms, new bedding, etc. The Weber grill was clean and ready to use. The house is well stocked with fun beach stuff although the December weather wasn't too inviting most days! All in all, this is a very nice and clean property and a great value. Fred was very easy to deal with and went out of his way to make sure I was happy with the property.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, sightseeing.

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20 year wedding anniversary, Jacksonville Fl.

Guest frame1
Date of stay 09/14/12
Review Submitted 10/14/12

My wife and I spent our 20 year anniversary at the Heaven by the sea beach house and it was a long needed break from the hustle and bustle of life.This house has everything to offer for the perfect get away (for two or the whole family) . This house can easily occomodate a dozen or more people. The house was spacious and clean.The owner Fred has tried to think of every possible answser for the needs of your vacation.From the stocked kitchen (dishes ,silverware,pans ,etc) to the big Bbq grill out on the deck.From the kayaks (life jackets ,paddles,body boards) to the hot tub tucked away in a secluded garage down stairs.Oh ya and what we all came for the beach that is literally 5 steps off the lower deck and 10 steps to the water at high tide. We took some morning strolls on the beach and some evening strolls and I have to say there were not a lot of other people in the area.You pretty much have the beach to yourselves allowing us to find dozens of sharks teeth. There is a publix grocery store about 15 minutes south to allow you to pick up some food to fill the refrigerator, or if you are a little on the lazy side like we were you will find Aunt Kates restaurant about 5 minutes south on the right. We enjoyed some great food out on the deck (and they did'nt break the bank) The pictures are great on the web site, but you really need to come see this place for yourself. If you want to surprise your spouse or children with the perfect week, this place will make you the hero.

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

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Excellent vacation home

Guest jbmfc
Date of stay 08/14/12
Review Submitted 08/29/12

This is an excellent home and location. We have rented more than a few beach homes in the St. Augustine area as far South as Crescent, and this one rates near the top. It was in great condition, and clean. We had eleven family members, from teenagers up to senior citizens and all had a great time. The kitchen was well stocked with utensils and things, and the very large counter area kept our gang fueled for the week. The kayaks were particularly popular, and were probably out on the water whenever we were on the beach. The supply room holding the boogie boards, hammock, life vests, etc. was well organized and convenient on the lower level and facing the beach. The wraparound deck is great, it let us run around to observe some of the afternoon storms that came in from the West side and headed out to sea. The beach is right there at the bottom of the stairs, no hiking or separate trips just to haul stuff out. The beach was very quiet in mid-August, partly due to the public access being a good distance away. We all appreciated the many small, thought out details that made our stay easy and pleasant. Among them: beach toys; hammock; plenty of chairs; the extra beach towels; open and usable shelf space in the living room; iPod docking stereo; hose and foot rinse basin at the top of the stairs. The grates in the large grill were the cleanest I've ever seen in a rental. And these days, wi-fi is as much a necessity as running water and electricity, and this place had plenty of capacity for our various phones and computers. Fred is pleasant to deal with, and we are glad he was able to accommodate some of our requests.

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

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Visitor from San Diego

Guest Visitor from San Diego
Date of stay 08/04/12
Review Submitted 09/07/12

A wonderful house in which to spend your precious vacation time! The house is right on the beach and has many beach toys for the kids. House was clean, well maintained with all the appliances in good working order. Description and photo's accurately reflect the house. The owner was very attentive to any needs/question when we had them. He made us feel very welcome. I will recommend this rental to all my friends. We had a great time and look forward to staying at this house again.

Recommended for: Families with young children

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2 families from Quebec

Guest 2 Families from Quebec!
Date of stay 07/28/12
Review Submitted 09/11/12

We had a great vacation at this beautiful house directly on the beach. The house had everything we needed, only the dining room should have a bigger table and more chairs for groups of 8 like us. The photos reflect well the property that is clean and well-maintained. The owner was at the house to welcome our group and showed us the property. The 2 Kayaks and many bodyboards provided great fun! Good size rooms and confortable beds for everyone. New diswasher needed. we made good use of the big new BBQ!

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

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wonderful and relaxing

Guest lisa
Date of stay 06/30/12
Review Submitted 07/25/12

my main objective was to have a place with easy and close access to the beach for my parents who have trouble walking could easliy go to the ocean. this was so much better than i could have hoped! my father sat in the upstairs area and could view the beach and all of the grandchildren activites while watching the news and reading the paper. if he had something to tell us, he would open the sliding door and "hollar" it was that close. i rented the upstairs and downstairs for sleeping purposes but it really was nice that when the cousins had enough of each other they could separate for awhile. another super plus concerning the closeness to the water is when a little one had to go to the bathroom or was thirsty everyone didnt have to pack up and go back to the house. we could just watch her go the few steps up to the house and be greeted by one of her grandparents on the porch. i cannot begin to tell you what a relaxing time it was. we had 12 persons aging from 8 to 74 and everyone enjoyed themselves. wonderful kitchen area that was large enough for many "cooks". dining area able to fit all of us eating (table and bar) so we could enjoy a family meal. sleeping areas very nice and believe it or not, everyone of us was pleased with their bed! fred was extremely wonderful and helpful and so friendly. i would recommend this relaxing retreat to anyone wanting to slow down and enjoy each other.

Recommended for: People with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway.

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Family vacation

Guest Jennifer
Date of stay 06/23/12
Review Submitted 07/04/12

Wonderful location with great view of the beach. Loved the two master bedrooms with direct oceanfront views. Easily accommodated group of 9 on the main level. Loved the "little things" that the house had like the boogie boards, beach umbrella, and beach towels. We all had a great time.

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

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Perfect beach location--5 stars!

Guest Big Georgia Family
Date of stay 06/16/12
Review Submitted 07/06/12

Our large extended family (11 adults; 2 babies) rented the entire Heaven by the Sea house the week before TS Debby hit. We have stayed at multiple houses in St. Augustine/Crescent Beach/Fernandina Beach through the years, and a few on the Gulf Coast, including some "mansions" with indoor elevators, etc. We are all on tight budgets and our beach week is our one big splurge each year. Fred's house was by far our favorite of all the places we've stayed! Probably the best feature is the proximity to the beach. The pictures on the web just do not do this house justice. When you stand in the upstairs living area and look out through the glass doors, it feels as if you are standing on the top deck of a boat. All you can see is ocean! You can litererally step off the bottom porch and in five steps or less, you are on the beach. It was perfect for our group which included a 6 month old and an 18 month old. As always, sunrises over the Atlantic were breathtaking, as were the sunsets from the back decks overlooking the intracoastal. The fishing from the beach was great this year, too. The house itself was perfect for our group--comfortable but not worn out; beautifully decorated but not stuffy, and extremely clean. I'm a "bug" freak, and I didn't see the first one all week long. Also, we didn't need to bring any linens or towels...even beach towels are provided! Fred was the perfect host. He is so friendly, eager to please his guests, and just an all around nice guy. I accidentally left my jewelry when we checked out, and didn't discover it missing until we'd returned home to Georgia. I contacted Fred and he went back to the house, located my jewelry, and made arrangements to meet up with my husband and me at OUR convenience to return it. In this day, it's rare to find such an honest, trustworthy person, and Fred definitely fits the bill. We rarely stay in the same house twice when we vacation, but we are all already discussing our next trip and that we hope to come back to Heaven by the Sea again. This is definitely a place to spend a relaxing vacation, for travelers of all ages (our group ranged in age from 86 down to 6 months). It's private, yet close enough to St. Augustine and Jacksonville that we didn't feel isolated. Ad if you've never been to downtown St. Augustine, make it a priority while you're in the area. Love, love, love it!

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

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Spectacular views

Guest Anonymous
Date of stay 06/09/12
Review Submitted 07/16/12

St. Augustine has become our only vacation destination for several years now. Therefore we have had the opportunity to stay at different properties and beaches. This property has become my absolute favorite!! The online pictures do not do justice to the spectacular views offered at this house. All of our desires were met. The inside of the house was spacious enough to allow privacy and yet with a common area that allowed all of us to be together when desired. The home was clean and very well maintained. This is something that I truly value. We loved the fact that the beach was spacious and yet literally at our door. No shoes required! We did not have to lug our beach items across a long boardwalk or dunes. It was simply divine to be that close. The owner, Fred, was very respectul, kind and courteous. His ready smile and desire to meet our comforts speaks volumes of how he values his renters. I would definitely love to stay here again. As I would recommend anyone I know to do the same. Thank you so very much for a simply wonderful vacation!! P.S. Some of our favorite spots to dine are, The Reef, Raintree Cafe( desserts are a must!!) and Caps.

Recommended for: Adventure seekers, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

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Family Easter Break

Guest Mother of Three Teenagers
Date of stay 04/06/12
Review Submitted 05/03/12

Our stay at Heaven by the Sea was lovely. We visited the St. Augustine area for a week over Easter and, despite windy weather a few days, our stay was truly enjoyable. Our intent was to see the sights of the area during our visit, but we became beach bumbs for the entire week. My husband and I loved the endless walks on the beach picking up shells, our teenage son loved fishing from shore every day, our teenage daughters loved sunbathing on the beach, and we all loved kayaking, boogy boarding, and swimming right out the back door. And, the morning sunrises were gorgeous. There is nothing like staying in a house for a vacation, filling the fridge with the foods you love to eat and beverages you love to drink, and just relaxing. The location of Heaven by the Sea is perfect, only a short drive to St. Augustine's lovely restaurants and shops, but far enough away from the craziness of other vacationers. It was a peaceful, relaxing, beautiful week at the beach!

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

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Lora Brown and Family from Lexington, Kentucky

Guest Lora
Date of stay 03/31/12
Review Submitted 04/03/12

What a perfect setting for a beautiful and spacious beachfront home, perfect beach, wonderfully historic area, classic Atlantic Ocean surf! We hoped it would be just this to ring in the NCAA Kentucky Wildcats win, and it is more than we could have hoped. Each room offers TV, and the living room features a new HD large screen which is easily viewed from even the kitchen. The home is perfectly equipped for enjoyment of the setting, all windows and doors offer screens to enjoy the CLOSE ocean breezes throughout each day, and of course central air when needed. The enormous kitchen makes meals easy for everyone, and both bathrooms are clean/nice for ease of use! All beds are good and the provided linens meet all expectations. This home is large, and the well designed floor plan makes it easy for larger groups than ours. I will try to enjoy this home again, but will certainly come back to its perfect setting between Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine. The location offers quiet private beaching yet ease to town for some fun. Best wishes, Lora Brown

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

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"Most Wonderful Vacation Ever"...

Guest Joe
Date of stay 03/18/12
Review Submitted 04/27/12

That's how our daughters described our week at Heaven By The Sea (366305). Our entire family agreed with that evaluation. So much space, a well-maintained property, right on the oceanfront, no crowds from public beaches or large condo-type or hotel developments, the only noise we heard was from the waves hitting the shoreline. We took daily long walks along the beach, found lots of beautiful shells, boogie-boarded, read books, relaxed out on the beautiful huge porch that faces the ocean. This was just the type of vacation that we were all hoping for. Fred, the owner, could not have been nicer. From my first contact with him via e-mail, I could tell things were going to be great. He was so accommodating, and answered all of our questions in quick fashion. He sent us information about the area--restaurants, sightseeing, tourist highlights, etc.,....although we ended up being very content to just stay at his property the whole time because it is so beautiful. He is also constantly updating and improving his property. The day before we arrived, he had just purchased a brand new Weber Genesis gas grill. He met us when we arrived and gave us a quick orientation to the property and all the amenities. That was so helpful. I think the best thing you could ever say about a rental property is that you enjoyed it so much that you would love to come back someday. We would love to rent Heaven By The Sea again some day.

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

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The Perfect Beach House!

Guest SCOTT O.
Date of stay 03/15/12
Review Submitted 04/02/12

We decided to take a trip to Saint Augustine and wish my trip was just to this house. I am a vacation rental owner myself so my expectations are high. There is no reason to ever leave the house! The location is a 10! The house was exactly what we expected and more. We had two families with little kids and the location made the trip. It was nice to be able to sit on the porch while the kids collected shells from the beach. The house was perfect. Listening to the ocean while being in the house was music to our ears. Great views from the 2 master bedrooms made the morning sunrise an event. The kids loved the bunkbed room! THe house was clean and well taken care of. Great grill on the deck also for cooking. Fred the owner even gave the kids some toys to play on the beach and in the ocean. We can't wait to come back! Already counting the days!!!!!

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

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Exceptional View

Guest Making Memories
Date of stay 12/27/11
Review Submitted 01/21/12

We had a marvelous time in December staying at this beautiful beach house. The house was clean and spacious with plenty of room for our family of 8 plus a dog. The house is beachside, right on the water (no long walkway over dunes), and it has a spectacular unobstructed view. The back porch is covered for shade and the side porch is open to the sun with plenty of furniture for relaxing. The porch also has gates with latches at the top of the two staircases for children and pet safety. The photos are accurate with the addition of a sleeper sofa in the living room. It was too cold for us to swim, but the beach was flat and easy to play and walk on. We enjoyed some area attractions (historic St. Augustine, Castillo San Marcos, lighthouse etc) and we had great fun climbing the obstacle course/zip lines in the trees above the alligator farm. There was a Publix grocery store, a gas station and some restaurants nearby (we liked Aunt Kate's). Fred, the owner, was very patient and helpful answering all our very detailed questions, he was friendly, organized and attentive to our special requests. He provided kitchen extras like a crock pot & a mixer, and he also had a DVD player that (if desired and activated) was capable of filtering out undesirable scenes/language from many popular movies. We are happy to recommend this beach house and we hope to return again for another stay.

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

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Heavenly Location

Guest comment entered by owner

Heavenly Location

Guest Jim & Jennifer
Date of stay 07/25/11
Review Submitted 08/22/11

What an appropriate name! Your heavenly location was an oasis for our family and made our time here so special. We will always remember it. Hopefully, we will meet again in the future.

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Great Escape

Guest none
Date of stay 06/04/10
Review Submitted 07/20/11

My family and I had planned on this vacation all year and, with two kids 8 and 10, we didn't want to disappoint them and take them somewhere where they would get bored nor did we want to spend a week at an amusement park and overspending on everything. This vacation was the best idea for both the kids and ourselves. There was a ton of things to do for the boys right on the beach. We'de open the door and the sand and water were our backyard. They played all day. For Joy and I, we relaxed on the second floor deck, got our tans on, broke out the margarita mixes and enjoyed the cool breezes. It's was like our honeymoon in Hawaii. This is a great place. A great property and my family and I had a great time. We all look forward to coming back again.

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

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Vacation Rentals by Owner

The Ultimate Beachfront Adventure; Amenities-Value-5 Star Fun! [#366305] | View Property

Traveler Reviews (21)

family getaway

family getaway

Truly a Heaven by the Sea

Truly a Heaven by the Sea

Spring Break 2013!

Spring Break 2013!

Wonderful beach home on a gorgeous, quiet beach - spectacular views! Fabulous Owner!!

Wonderful beach home on a gorgeous, quiet beach - spectacular views! Fabulous Owner!!

Family Christmas

Family Christmas

Excellent Value and Vacation Experience

Excellent Value and Vacation Experience

20 year wedding anniversary, Jacksonville Fl.

20 year wedding anniversary, Jacksonville Fl.

Excellent vacation home

Excellent vacation home

Visitor from San Diego

Visitor from San Diego

2 families from Quebec

2 families from Quebec

wonderful and relaxing

wonderful and relaxing

Family vacation

Family vacation

Perfect beach location--5 stars!

Perfect beach location--5 stars!

Spectacular views

Spectacular views

Family Easter Break

Family Easter Break

Lora Brown and Family from Lexington, Kentucky

Lora Brown and Family from Lexington, Kentucky

"Most Wonderful Vacation Ever"...

"Most Wonderful Vacation Ever"...

The Perfect Beach House!

The Perfect Beach House!

Exceptional View

Exceptional View

Heavenly Location

Heavenly Location

Great Escape

Great Escape