Entire home

Family-Friendly Getaway w/ a Large Balcony & Patio - Steps from the Sand

Photo gallery for Family-Friendly Getaway w/ a Large Balcony & Patio - Steps from the Sand

Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Pool
Beach nearby
TV, books
Property grounds

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

4 bedrooms5 bathroomsSleeps 14324 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Barbecue grill
  • Washer
  • Outdoor space
  • Air conditioning
  • Kitchen

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Family-Friendly Getaway w/ a Large Balcony & Patio - Steps from the Sand

Windmark - The Bird's Nest

Our calendar is updated in real-time & our nightly rates are accurately displayed. Simply enter your desired dates and click 'Book Now!'

Relax in bliss at this perfect home away from home, offering a screened porch, a balcony, and everything you need to slip right into vacation mode. With summery tones and beachy decor throughout, this retreat boasts an inviting ambiance that the whole family can enjoy. In your downtime between beach sessions, you can kick back in the hammock on the balcony to escape the heat while the chef of the group fires up the gas grill and cooks some burgers. If barbecuing isn't your preferred method of cooking, you'll be glad to know that there's a fully equipped kitchen inside, featuring a gas range, beautiful granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances, so any recipe can be tackled with ease. The bar seating and the open living area make entertaining large groups a blast!

What's nearby:
Ideally positioned mere steps from the sand, this home will spoil the beach-goers of the group! As soon as the sun comes up, head out to the shore and collect seashells with a warm cup of coffee in hand. When you want to venture out a bit, historic Port St. Joe is just four miles down the coast, offering a wide variety of restaurants and shops to explore. The coastline is full of beautiful beaches and bike paths, including the three-mile Windmark paved waterfront trail, that will make for a day well-spent. The nature lovers in your family can take a drive to the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve Nature Center, the St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve Visitor Center, St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, or Salinas Park for a memorable nature walk. Hit the links at the St. Joe Bay Golf Club or the St. James Bay Country Club, or book a fishing charter, a horseback ride on the beach, or a pontoon boat rental. Be sure to check out the Cape San Blas Lighthouse while in town, or take a fun-filled day trip to historic Apalachicola.

Things to know:
Free WiFi
Full kitchen
Private gas grill
Shared pool
Snowbird-friendly

Parking notes: There is free parking available for 2 vehicles.



Damage waiver: The total cost of your reservation for this Property includes a nightly damage waiver fee, plus tax if applicable (the “Damage Waiver”). (A discount may be applied for stays of 28 nights or longer, if permitted.) The Damage Waiver covers you for up to $3,000 of accidental damage to the Property or its contents (such as furniture, fixtures, and appliances) as long as you report the incident to the host prior to checking out. The Damage Waiver fee eliminates the need for a traditional security deposit.
More information can be downloaded from the "Rental Agreement" on the checkout page.

Due to local laws or HOA requirements, guests must be at least 25 years of age to book. Guests under 25 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian for the duration of the reservation.

Property manager

Vacasa of Florida

Languages

English, French, German, Italian, Spanish

Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach nearby

Pool/Spa

  • Communal pool

Internet

  • Available in the house: WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Car required
  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Hob
  • Ice maker
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Toaster

Bedrooms

  • 4 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Sofa bed

Bathroom

  • 4.5 bathrooms
  • Hair dryer
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Living room
  • Separate dining area

Entertainment

  • Books
  • TV with cable/satellite channels

Outdoor areas

  • Balcony
  • Firepit
  • Garden
  • Gas grill

Laundry

  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property
  • Note from host: Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the premises.

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • Near a hospital
  • Near the marina
  • Near the sea

Things to do

  • Water park
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Cycling nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Hunting nearby
  • Jet skiing nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Motor boating nearby
  • Parasailing nearby
  • Rafting nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Scuba diving nearby
  • Snorkelling nearby
  • Surfing/bodyboarding nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Water skiing nearby
  • Water tubing nearby
  • Wildlife walks nearby
  • Windsurfing nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • First aid kit
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Garden
  • Unit size: 3,488 square feet

Similar properties

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Minimum check-in age - 25

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

Property is also known as

38457
Vrbo Property

About the area

Map
Port St. Joe, FL

What's nearby

  • Windmark Beach - 3 min walk
  • Saint Joe Beach - 5 min drive
  • Gulf County Welcome Center - 8 min drive
  • Mexico Beach - 10 min drive
  • St. Joseph Peninsula State Park - 39 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Pauls Barbque - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Shipwreck Raw Bar - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Joe Mama's Wood Fired Pizza - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪The Brick Wall Sports Bar & Grille - ‬8 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Family-Friendly Getaway w/ a Large Balcony & Patio - Steps from the Sand pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Family-Friendly Getaway w/ a Large Balcony & Patio - Steps from the Sand?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Family-Friendly Getaway w/ a Large Balcony & Patio - Steps from the Sand?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Family-Friendly Getaway w/ a Large Balcony & Patio - Steps from the Sand located?

Situated by the sea, this holiday home is 0.1 mi (0.2 km) from Windmark Beach and 2.8 mi (4.5 km) from Saint Joe Beach. Port Theatre Art and Culture Center and Port St. Joe Marina are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Family-Friendly Getaway w/ a Large Balcony & Patio - Steps from the Sand Reviews

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 47 out of 62 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 11 out of 62 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 62 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 62 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 62 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Courtney S.

Great stay in Port St. Joe
Great house for large families! Close to beach and town center… easy to walk to most places. We really enjoyed our stay, would recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Keith M.

Great property
This is our second year renting this property. We will be back next year for sure.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Teresa G.

Great house for family fun!
This house was incredibly spacious and easily accommodated my husband and me, as well as our grown children and families.
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Joy J.

Beautiful, spacious home
The home is beautiful and a short walk to both the beach and the Windmark towncenter. The layout is perfect for extended family with enough private spaces, and a huge living area bigg enough to accommodate everyone.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Sharon W.

Great home and location.
This is our 2nd stay at this home because it works very well for our group of 7 adults and 5 children. Home is spacious and comfortable. The kitchen is well equipped. There is plenty of seating for dining and in the living room. Short walk to beach on the boardwalk. There is an outdoor shower for rinsing off after the beach. The only complaints we have are that the flooring, rugs, and upholstery really need to be cleaned, and the water pressure in the showers is very low. We had a crawling baby and the tops of her feet were visibly dirty from the floors. The couch and rugs are dirty and stained. The rain can shower heads have very low water pressure making it hard to rinse. The home would be just about perfect if these issue were addressed.

10/10 Excellent

Robin B.

Fantastic!
The house was beautiful, clean, well appointed and perfect for a large family group. Wish it came with a golf cart as it was a bit of a walk to the pool for the oldest in our group.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Rebekah J.

Awesome!
We really enjoyed everything about this house. We can’t wait to stay again someday, it’s absolutely perfect for kids except for the stairs. They can be a hazard for little kids for sure but we just had to make sure to be watched at all times. Hopefully a gate can be included at some point but that really was our only issue. Great location.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Christy B.

FANTASTIC!!!!!
It was so easy, VASCO/VRBO really have it done there job well; everything was exactly as written & pictured. The communication, emails, and texts were clear, specific, and problem free. Windmark is safe, beautiful, family friendly, and everyone was very kind. The home was exceptional, stocked with everything we needed, and any questions we had were answered immediately. We tell people it’s a one stop shop and the only way to plan for a great vacation experience. Thank you for all you do!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2023

4/10 Poor

Chris E.

Liked: Location
Disliked: Communication
Locked downstairs thermostat
Cold outside, hot inside. Owner would not give out pin to adjust heat on the google nest thermostat downstairs (to turn it down). They at least appeared to have changed where the system automatically went from heat set on 70* to ac set to 64* in the evenings, where you would go from being uncomfortably hot, to now cold. You can tell people have beat on this place pretty good, so in a way I cant blame them. But a thermostat can simply be set with reasonable limits to prevent abuse of the HVAC system while providing the guest with opportunity to adjust for comfort.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Mary G.

Great house, needs TLC
Our extended family enjoyed our stay at Bird’s Nest. It is a beautiful home with a fantastic layout for multiple families with young children. The Windmark community is so pleasant. Loved the boardwalk to the beach and how close the house is to the water. I would have given five stars, but the house is in need of lots of maintenance, inside and out. Also, our family arrived at 4 pm checkin time the first day of our stay but had to wait TWO HOURS for the cleaning staff to finish before we could enter the home. Difficult and frustrating for our elderly mother and young children after spending all day on the road. While Vacasa customer support replies quickly to resolve problems, i did not feel comfortable knowing there was no local staff to help with multiple issues we encountered during our stay.

6/10 Okay

Joyce E.

Liked: Cleanliness
Needs some TLC
This is the second time we have stayed at this property. It's location and the home are beautiful, but the outdoor furniture on both porches is completely stained along with the fabric bar stools inside. So much so, that we wouldn't sit on them without towels. They need preplacing are a deep through cleaning. We reported that the bathrooms needed lightbulbs replaced, the toilet paper holder was broken off the wall and the guest bathroom door lock kept locking by itself. This was not the case with our first stay. We told the property manager we didn't feel the need for them to be addressed while we were there, but they definitely should have been addressed before anyone's stay.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Great location
Very spacious house located in neighborhood with an easy walk to the beach. We chose to drive to the pool but you could walk (10ish minutes.) Cute center of town with a couple of shops and 2 restaurants, very busy though! House is as described but could use some TLC - ice maker (separate from fridge ice maker) doesn’t work, there is no TV in primary bedroom upstairs, which didn’t bother us but brackets are still on wall making it look very unfinished. Many light bulbs need to be replaced and minor plumbing issues at nearly every toilet (i.e. didn’t flush consistently, runs constantly, etc.) I understand it is a rental but it doesn’t appear much thought is going into even relatively simple upkeep. No major complaints but would be even better with some attention! Overall, the house met our needs and we would recommend!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

6/10 Okay

Amanda K.

Great House Layout but lacking stuff
We truly enjoyed this house and the space it gave us but the house was not cleaned throughly before we arrive. Floors were dirty throughout and toothpaste on the bathroom cabinets and floors. There was no TV in the master bedroom and the living room TV was tiny. Seemed as if they took the master tv and put it in the living room. I reached out to costumer support but was giving no answers.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

Linda B.

Except....
The house was perfect size and separation for 3 families. The refrigerator had issues from day one. However, we didn't realize it wasn't working til day 3. We just thought we were overusing it. Maintenance came out very quickly. They didn't actually fix it until the evening before we left. Living out of a wine frig and constantly buying ice for the cooler wasn't easy with 3 children under 5. We were somewhat compensated but ended up having to dine out more than we planned. Other than that, we would return.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2023
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

6/10 Okay

Terri S.

Great Location - House Needs Updates
This was our second time staying at The Bird's Nest. Obviously we loved it and wanted to come back but this year's stay was a little different. Although the house and the location are really nice, the house needs a little tlc. We were told last year that the tv in the family room had been moved from the primary bedroom because it had just broken and would be replaced. We got back 1 year later and the small tv in the family room was still there and no tv in the primary bedroom. It was the same with the ice maker that we were told last year had just broken and would be replaced. The ice maker had been completely taken out and the ice maker in the refrigerator could only make about 12 ice cubes a day. When you are in Florida you want ice! We bought ice and we didn't need the tv, it is just annoying and you can see that some updates are needed but not being done. The worst part of the trip was that there is a lock on the thermostat. They sent the code and the first night we turned the thermostat to 70 deg. After that the temperature went up and we couldn't adjust it. We reached out to Vacasa and they said the owner didn't want the temperature to go below 72 deg. (which we were never told) so he was controlling the temperature from then on. He kept the temperature at about 75 deg. the whole time we were there. It was not comfortable sleeping at night and even after multiple calls and requests to lower the temperature, he never did. You feel like if you pay to rent a house for over a week, you should be comfortable. Although we love the house and the location, unfortunately, we will not be going back to this house. I will say Vacasa was easy to work with and responsive, but ultimately had no control over the temperature. There are other houses in the area to rent and we will give them a chance.

10/10 Excellent

Suzanne L.

Perfect House
This house is perfect for family and friends. Great living area space!! All bedrooms have a bathroom! The house is located in walking distance of much! Great patio space. Beach is perfect!!!!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2024
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Jacky S.

2024 scallops season .
Love everything!!! The house...the location...minutes walk from the beach...short drive from our spot for scallops harvesting...we all had a fantastic weekend gateway...bedrooms were amazing...definitely coming back !!!
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Patrick S.

Great House …..no customer service
House is actually better than the pictures. I was very surprised by the size of the house. Great parking also. Customer service from Vacasa is subpar especially with the amount of fees they collect. I called twice and sent text messages which were answered but nothing was done about the issues. I believe that the owner would be well served renting the home by themselves and keep the fees.

10/10 Excellent

Candace H.

Stayed 4 nights in May 2024
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Kimberlee W.

Birds Nest
Beautiful home
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2022
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Robert A.

Eagle’s Nest
Short stroll to the sand.
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Josann M.

360 degree views!
Is lovely big house near the bay, where watching the sunset is awesome.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2022
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Sabrina L.

Perfect vacation house!
Such a beautiful home in a great location! We loved the floor plan with plenty of room for the kids to spread out. We didn’t use the kitchen as much as we should have, but it was very well stocked. Beach access was very close and the pool was a short bike ride away. We plan to rent this home again!
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Laura S.

Dreamy
Oh, we loved this home so much!!! What a perfect location and a perfect layout. It seriously makes me want to remodel my own home. The kitchen was so well equipped. I especially appreciated the samples of laundry detergent and dish soap to get us started on the week before we made it to the store. Unfortunately, we were chased out a couple days early by hurricane Ian (which ended up not affecting the area at all lol). Wish we could have stayed longer, but we don’t really know anything about hurricanes and didn’t wait around to find out. We will definitely be booking this place again. The beach was so private. We saw stingrays, dolphins, big scary crabs, cute little hermit crabs, lots of fish, pelicans, and lots of other critters. 10/10 PS: if this is your first time on the gulf coast, as was ours, you might not know about the biting flies at the beach this time of year. BRING BUG REPELLENT if you visit in fall. Those buggers are so annoying!
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2022
This review comes from a trusted partner site and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Courtney B.

Do we have to leave?
We so enjoyed our stay at the Birds Nest. The home was clean and such a short walk to the beach… exactly as described. The sunsets and dolphins were incredible each night. If you plan to use anything other than paper products, bring your own soap. They supplied us with a new sponge, but the house did not come with any dish washing soap or dishwasher pods. We had to buy our own. This home is great for multiple families. I hope to return again!