With the end of 2020, my family was looking for a spot to get away from the chaos where we could enjoy the beach, keep our distance and have just enough activities and food around us to not have to go any further than we could get on foot. I won't review the town itself, but I'd love to share the great experience we found at See by the Sea.
First, the lead up to the stay was leaps ahead of any other rental I've done. Great communication, information on the arrival process and a check list of the most common things you'll want to remember. This helped make sure we had everything we needed and could get right to our vacation.
Next, the property was very clean, especially for a beach house so close to the salt water (sand, water, etc.) It was well equipped with games and although we didn't use the Wii...there were a TON of games if you get stuck inside. The rooms were very good size and didn't feel overcrowded with beds like we've seen in some houses. The house temp was great to keep things comfortable (we had low 50s at night and and mid-70s in the day so a couple open doors and windows made it perfect).
We had zero complaints and was one of the best properties we've ever stayed in. And when you add in the service of the owner and property mgmt, it was definitely worth the rental.
Because everyone has their own likes and dislikes on vacations, here are a couple things to keep in mind that may make your stay as great as ours...
-We anticipated the cold evenings (Dec 25-29) and brought extra blankets and warm clothes. The house is well prepared, but don't come with the expectation that they know what size long johns you wear and have them sitting at the end of the bed for you.
-If you have super awesome pillows at home and love them, it's always a good idea to bring them with you. Again the house was well stocked and most folks would love what's there, but I'm a sucker for a 10lb memory foam one so I came prepared.
-Pay attention to their emails about things to bring. It will save the hassle of having to find something when you're in a small town. It would also be good to look up things like golf cart rentals, fishing license requirements (and gear/bait/etc), beach equipment rentals and the local restaurants.
I'm not sure when our next trip down to Surfside will be, but See by the Sea will definitely be the place we look to stay.