Our Beach House: St. Augustine, Florida

 

Recently, we were given the opportunity to stay at Our Beach House, an oceanside retreat that's steps from beautiful white sandy beaches. The house is a duplex with an entrance to "A" side in the front and "B" side in the back. It is easy to get to and there is plenty of parking for one or two cars. We stayed on "A" side and a wooden walkway led to the front door. Entering the beach house, I immediately noticed a large stone fireplace and a spacious living room, perfect for relaxing with my family. A television and DVD player were there to entertain us on rainy afternoons. Just in case we left our DVD's at home, there were plenty of cable stations! There was also a CD player so we would play our favorite music! A large sleeper sofa and two chairs offered plenty of of seating options.

The eat in kitchen was large enough for three or more, and it featured a toaster oven, coffee pot, microwave, range/oven, and dishwasher. I also found a hand mixer in one of the cabinets. The beach house boasts a full size washing machine and dryer too which is really convenient when you have kids! There were several beach towels on the dryer for us to use. A half bath downstairs kept us from walking up and down the spiral staircase each afternoon!

 Upstairs, I found a cozy sitting area and a desk. Wireless Internet made it easy to keep in touch with friends and family during our stay. While the spiral staircase leading to the top was beautiful, it was a little difficult to carry our luggage up to our rooms. If you have problems, consider carrying your luggage to the upper deck outside and then open the sliding doors and carry everything inside. The stairs outside are easy to manage!Sam, my three year old, didn't have a problem getting up and down the stairs and I wasn't worried about him falling. For those of you with smaller children, a baby gate really won't work, but you can easily slide something over to block the stairway opening to keep your children safe.

 

Upstairs, a room with two twin beds featured an attached bathroom with a large shower. Logan and Sam had no problems falling to sleep each night in the comfortable beds. The sheets were smooth and soft and they were welcoming after a long day spent sightseeing!

There was also a bedroom with a queen size bed and an attached full bath on the upper level. In the closet we found extra pillows, sheets, and towels. A television and DVD player lulled us to sleep one night! Each room had an alarm clock radio and a ceiling fan!

The upper deck had two lounge chairs and a table. The deck overlooks a quiet neighborhood and street. We couldn't see the ocean, but we could feel the cool salty breeze! The street is lined with beach style cottages and neighbors occasionally walk by with their surf boards and pets to enjoy the pet friendly beach! We met a few neighbors during our stay and they were friendly and welcoming.

Standing at the end of the walkway, which leads to the front door, I snapped the picture below to show how close this house is to the beach. The sign at the end of the road is where the sand begins. Walk through the dunes and there you are! The glorious blue water stretches before you! This beach may have some traffic because visitors may drive on it. I don't think it is very busy though. We only saw one truck on the beach during our stay, which was Father's Day weekend.

  A garage is shared by the two units and it contains a bathroom, beach toys, chairs, and a beach umbrella. A keypad is used to open and close the garage door. There is also an outdoor shower to the left of the front door.  We enjoyed our stay and found everything clean and well maintained. It was comfortable and it really felt like home! This beach has been one of my favorites for years. I love Anastasia Island and I love St. Augustine. They are both family friendly and quiet, compared to other places I've visited. This beach house would be great for family reunions and get-togethers. The setting is ideal and you can enjoy all the amenities offered to guests of St. Francis Inn! 

Disclosure: I was provided with lodging in order to complete this review. No monetary compensation received.