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Pelican Retreat by AvantStay | 5 MINS TO BEACH | Pet Friendly w/ Pool & BBQ!

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Welcome to Pelican Retreat!
This beautiful beach home comes with a backyard oasis featuring a pool, lounge areas, and an outdoor dining table.
Enjoy a quick walk to the beach — just down the street!
Fully-equipped kitchen with modern appliances and barstool seating at the island counter.
Living room features two couches and a TV.

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 10161 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Pet-friendly
  • Air conditioning
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Pool

Explore the area

Map
Destin, FL
  • Miramar Beach
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Destin Commons
    ‪10 min walk‬
  • Henderson Beach State Park
    ‪19 min walk‬
  • Fort Walton Beach, FL (VPS-Northwest Florida Regional)
    ‪33 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

2 Single Beds and 1 Double Bed

Living room

1 Double Sofa Bed

Primary Bedroom

1 King Bed

3 bathrooms

Ensuite Bathroom 1

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Ensuite Bathroom 2

Toilet · Shower only

Full Bathroom 3

Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Pelican Retreat by AvantStay | 5 MINS TO BEACH | Pet Friendly w/ Pool & BBQ!

Welcome to Pelican Retreat!

WHAT TO LOVE ABOUT THIS HOME:
- 5 Minute Walk to the beach!
- Private pool in the fenced backyard
- Outdoor dining area and grill
- Beautifully renovated interiors
- Pet Friendly
- Short Walk to Restaurant & Shopping

Welcome to Pelican Retreat, a quintessential beach house just one block from the beach! Located in famous Crystal Beach, this custom, completely renovated home is just a short and safe two-minute walk to the world-famous white sand beaches and emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It's perfect for your next family vacation!

The star of the show lies outside in the private fenced backyard with a gorgeous pool. Spend your days soaking up the sun, and cool off with a refreshing dip. Fire up the grill on the patio and dine alfresco under the trellis, where string lighting provides to perfect ambiance all day long.

Step inside to discover an open floor plan with vaulted ceilings, creating the perfect space to gather. The kitchen boasts granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and everything you need to prepare home-cooked meals. Three bedrooms and two and a half baths complete the home.

You will fall in love with the Crystal Beach neighborhood of Destin, known for its white picket fences and upscale cottage-style homes. The area is convenient to an outdoor shopping mall, a movie theater, countless restaurants, and shops, water park, go carts, and several world class golf courses, but still maintains a quiet and family-friendly beach atmosphere. No high-rise condos are allowed in this unique area.

SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS:

Primary BEDROOM: King Bed (Sleeps 2)
BEDROOM 2: Queen Bed (Sleeps 2)
BEDROOM 3: 2x twin beds, 1 full bed (Sleeps 4)
Living Room w/ Sofa Bed (Sleeps 2)
Kitchen
Dining Room

All AvantStay guests have access to our 24/7 guest experience line, a dedicated hospitality manager, and hotel-grade amenities.

*Home Truths:*
- Please note that active commercial and residential construction is currently underway in the city of Destin.
- Pool heat is available for an additional fee but must be requested at least 48 hours before your stay.
- Please note: Pool heat will not be available during the summer months (April 1 - October 31).
- This home allows pets for a fee. If undisclosed pets are brought into the home without AvantStay's approval there is a fine of $500 per pet.

Parking Details:
- Maximum of 3 parking spots available.
- No street parking is allowed. Please only use designated parking areas. Failure to comply could result in a warning or towing.

---

Accidental Damage Protection: A non-refundable accidental damage protection plan has been included in the price of your reservation. Under this plan, you will not be held responsible to pay for accidental damage or loss to the rental property resulting from you or others in your party up to $2000. This plan does not cover intentional acts of a guest, gross negligence, or willful and wanton conduct, and/or damages caused by pets. This plan is not available for reservations 28 days or longer or reservations that require a security deposit.

This is a smoke-free property. Violation of the no-smoking policy will result in forfeiture of the security deposit, a $300 smoking fee, and liability for any fire or property damage costs.

As part of our commitment to being good neighbors, occupancy limits and quiet hours (9pm-8am) are strictly enforced. No speakers or sound systems will be provided for use in our properties. Violation of any noise ordinances will be subject to fines that can reach up to $10,000 per violation.

Events or parties are not allowed without prior written approval and an additional fee. Any unauthorized parties or events will be shut down and a fine will be assessed. Please inquire for more information about our event policies and fees.

There is nothing more important to us at AvantStay than the health, safety, and experience of our guests & staff. We've enhanced our cleaning and sanitation protocols and are taking extra care to disinfect all surfaces between reservations with hospital-grade disinfecting solutions.

IDs will be requested for verification after booking. All bookings over 30 days require a security deposit.

We report and prosecute all Credit Card Fraud.

Property manager

AvantStay
Premier Host

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Pool
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

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

About the area

Destin

Located near the beach, this holiday home is in Crystal Beach, a neighbourhood in Destin. Big Kahuna's Water and Adventure Park is a popular attraction and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Destin Beaches and Henderson Beach State Park. Fat Daddy's Arcade and The Track Family Recreation Center are also worth visiting.
Map
Destin, FL

What's nearby

  • Miramar Beach - 5 min walk - 0.4 km
  • Destin Commons - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • James Lee Park - 14 min walk - 1.2 km
  • Henderson Beach State Park - 19 min walk - 1.6 km
  • Big Kahuna's Water and Adventure Park - 7 min drive - 6.2 km

Getting around

  • Fort Walton Beach, FL (VPS-Northwest Florida Regional) - 30 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Crab Trap Destin - ‬13 min walk
  • ‪Chipotle Mexican Grill - ‬18 min walk
  • ‪Sonic Drive-In - ‬14 min walk
  • ‪World of Beer - ‬17 min walk
  • ‪Ruby Slipper - ‬17 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Pelican Retreat by AvantStay | 5 MINS TO BEACH | Pet Friendly w/ Pool & BBQ! pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Pelican Retreat by AvantStay | 5 MINS TO BEACH | Pet Friendly w/ Pool & BBQ!?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Pelican Retreat by AvantStay | 5 MINS TO BEACH | Pet Friendly w/ Pool & BBQ!?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Pelican Retreat by AvantStay | 5 MINS TO BEACH | Pet Friendly w/ Pool & BBQ! located?

Located in Crystal Beach, this holiday home is within 1 mi (2 km) of Miramar Beach and Henderson Beach State Park. Destin Beaches is 2.8 mi (4.5 km) away.

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 27 out of 37 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 8 out of 37 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 37 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 37 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 37 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.4/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.4/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Angela P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful family trip and very nice property. Will stay again!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Melissa H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Enjoyed Pelican Retreat

We loved the house, pool, space, and location. The beach access was a quick walking distance from the house. It was clean, everything worked perfect for us, and we had zero issues. We would definitely stay at that house again and recommend it for others as well.
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Meloney T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely stay

This property was perfect for our family of 7 and two doxies:) The house was cute & tidy & well stocked with everything you need. We really enjoyed swimming in the pool, which was well maintained, on the hot days we didn't want to get sandy at the beach :)The house location is close to everything! The only negative was the mattresses could use updating as they weren't as comfy as we would have liked. But we would definitely recommend:)
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Pelican is perfect!

We truly enjoyed our stay! The home was extremely clean, super comfy beds, stocked kitchen, and just a short walk to the beach. The pool was super refreshing and the perfect way to wind down our day. Also, it was nice that there were some beach chairs there to use. Will definitely return! Thank you!
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Renee L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice home

Very nice vacation home.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dave L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Winter getaway

Great location and perfect layout for out family. The heated pool was wonderful.
Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

Maria R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Beautiful home in the middle of everything.

We really enjoyed our stay here. The house was beautiful and stocked with everything needed to be able to enjoy our stay. The pool was smaller than we expected but overall it was great to have and very inviting. The rooms were all very clean and spacious. Overall we loved our stay here and would definitely stay here again.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kristin P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Just returned from a weeklong stay at the Pelican Retreat, and we loved nearly everything about it! Things that were amazing:• The location! When they say “quick walk to beach”, they are not kidding. It’s a quick, direct shot and was perfect! Having not been to Destin before, we also found the general area the house is located in to be safe, convenient and pleasant. It’s a quiet neighborhood (perfect for evening walks) without much traffic, but within 5 minutes, you can be to some of the area’s top attractions. • The pool, and surrounding patio area, were perfect for our family of 5. The kids loved the pool light for night swimming (and adults loved the small in-pool bench seat)! • Other than the confusing (to us) bathroom situation referenced below, the house was exactly as pictured/listed. It was updated and very clean. We felt at home. Suggestions: • I would recommend clearly stating the bathroom situation in the listing. I would not call it a 3 bath home. (FYI for others - Bedrooms 2 & 3 each have a separate sink and toilet area with door. Those areas then open to one, SHARED tub/shower.) • Dressers in Bedrooms 2 & 3 would be a wonderful addition as there was nowhere to unpack folded clothes (only hanging space in closets). • Only hiccup of our stay was our emailed code didn’t work for front door, which caused a brief moment of panic after a long day of driving. Call to Customer Service resolved it. This house made our first trip to Destin so fun/enjoyable!
Stayed 7 nights in May 2025

8/10 Good

Jennifer G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Would stay again

Lovely property and great communication. Just know the yard is not completely fenced in, only the pool area. Location is great and just a few mins walk to the beach. Would definetly stay here again
Stayed 8 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

April M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Christmas in Destin

This property is a hidden gem! Very clean and great floor plan, property manager was very responsive to emails. Would definitely recommend!
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

Katherine E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great time!

Great house and location. Pool got dirty from the landscaping company, but they were able to send someone to clean it. It was the next morning when it was cleaned. Overall great property and would stay there again.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2023

8/10 Good

Cathy S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beach House Destin

House was nice and very clean. The house was not pet friendly. You could not let the dogs out safely. The fence needs to be connected to properly secure safety of animals. The dryer needs work did not dry clothes very well.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Melanie W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Trip!

We absolutely loved this place! Such a great place to be with your family and fur babies! Great Location and easy walk to the beach! The only downfall occured on our last full day there. We planned a full day out at the pool, but we unable to. The pool guy comes Friday morning (He was great didn't bother us, cleaned and left) then the yard guys came, and blew all the grass clippings in the pool and and made a big mess out back and didn't clean it. There was so much debris in the water there was no swimming our last day.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Brian S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great house & location

Couldn’t be happier with the home and all the extra stuff to pack up for the beach “beach chairs” ..easy commute to Whole Foods and 2 blocks from the beach .. heated pool was clutch for the evening and double red flag. So minor things that needed to fixed but not broken 1. Shower head in master needs to be replaced and the faucet in the kitchen needed to be replaced but worked. Ice machine in fridge did not dispense ice however made it. Again very minor things. Overall family was super happy and felt like a 2nd home .. definitely will be re-booking this for next spring break in April.
Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

John L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Mostly what we expected

Pelican retreat is a lovely home and is a very comfortable walk to the beach, even for us seniors. The pool was also perfect, since we paid extra for it to be heated. It was a great place to relax and in a nice neighborhood. Although, it was clearly “off season” as there were many rentals not being used while we were there. Communication with our Avant Stay team was required twice with prompt responses and resolutions. Two minor complaints: The Avant Stay WiFi for the property (much like a hotel) was cumbersome to use, lost connectivity regularly and was difficult for Android access. There was plenty of dish ware, however, cooking pans and utensils were minimal. (Frying pan handle was loose with no screwdriver to tighten it up.)
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Vanessa H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Getaway

We loved this house. You could not beat the location, one block to the beach. You can walk back from beach for lunch, it is that close!! There is a public beach access at that location at end of street. The bedrooms and closets were very spacious and the pool was fantastic. We spent most of our days in the pool floating around. The shared bathroom is pretty small. We had one person in each of those 2 additional bedrooms, it would be tight if you had max capacity or if you had a bunch of females trying to get ready. The neighborhood is so quant and cute. We rented bikes from the VayK Gear with our credit that we had. Would highly recommend, even if you don't like to ride bikes, you will love riding bikes in this neighborhood. We also rented beach chairs but those were not needed. There were plenty at the house, along with a few noodles, sand bucket etc. I would recommend renting or bringing a wagon or driving to beach and dropping stuff off in the morning. Public beach fills up fast, like 9 am. The only downside at all would be the internet. I was able to get the internet to work on my laptop but not my phone all week. You may need to sign-in each day to gain access. There is also a tad bit of wear and tear probably from renters. The ice maker made ice but you had to get it out by hand from freezer and there were places that need to be repainted on trim, doors and baseboards. We also rented a pontoon boat in Ft Walton Beach for the day and went to Crab Island - We loved it!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Tiffani K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay

The house was better than pictured and was the perfect size for our family. I loved the layout of the house and was perfect for our two dogs to have some fenced in spaces by the pool. The pool was great to have right off the house. The location was easy and walkable to the beach and some coffee and food. It had what we needed and we felt right at home all week. Thanks for an amazing stay!
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Daniel C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Location and Quiet Family Spot

The location was ideal for a family trip. Everything about the house was great with only one small area for improvement. The beds, particularly the master is not the most comfortable. That may be a personal preference but I wish it was just a little softer but I guess that varies by individual. Family didn’t mind.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shelley A., Plainfield IL

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful!

This place was great! Very clean, the pool was wonderful, and it was very close to the beach, a very short walk. The management company was very communicative throughout our stay and overall we were very happy. We would definitely stay here again, and hopefully will as we had a wonderful time, highly recommend!
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Reinier Alberto P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place

It is a great House for vacation literally in front the beach, comfortable, great locations, close to restaurants, market, etc....
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2022

8/10 Good

Walter W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice

Nice experience, house dog friendly but not the beach
Stayed 19 nights in Feb 2022

8/10 Good

Bonnie B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Ranch close to beach

We stayed two weeks, enjoyed our visit! Layout of the house was great! Decor was nice! Beds were ok, pillows were just ok too! Bath towels were fine, but wash cloths need replaced. Pool was nice and heated! Dishwasher was broken. The freezer ice maker work but the dispenser was broken. Kitchen was nicely furnished with all you need! All in all we would stay again! 🌴😬
Stayed 14 nights in Dec 2021

2/10 Terrible

Deby A., Tallahassee

Disliked: Cleanliness, communication, listing accuracy

Terrible stay! The worse VRBO listed property we have ever used.

Terrible terrible terrible. Arrived to find dirty dishes in the cupboard. Loaded them in the dishwasher only to find it did not work. Finally got the cycle to start but water leaked from the door. Maintenance advised to just put a towel down as they couldn’t get a service man out. Maintenance also advised the microwave door was broken but if you stood and held it shut the microwave would function. . Tried that the next morning and found it would not work regardless. They did drop off a counter top model that worked but cluttered up the kitchen counter. Also found ice dispenser in frig did work. Emailed maintenance with no response. Was awakened early next morning by a terrible screeching sound and found the sprinkler system relay was stuck. Again reported to maintenance but no one responded as the issue repeated on the 3rd day. Safe was inoperable so we had to take all our valuable with us every time we left the residence. Oven was absolutely disgustingly dirty. (See picture attached).After all these issues we reached out to the management company seeking some form of compensation and heard nothing back. Terrible experience find something managed by anyone but Florida Charms. Once Florida Charms gets your money they couldn’t care less about making sure you enjoy your stay or that they deliver the amenities that they promise on their website.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021

8/10 Good

Brandy H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Love the master suite and bath

This house and location is very nice. Did have an issue with the microwave that did not get fixed so we had to go without it our entire stay. Recommend someone doing a walk through if there is a few days break between rentals as this was the case for us. Overall this house is very nice and would definitely stay here again but had to give four stars because of the microwave issue.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Gina A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Was beautiful and relaxing.

Was very pleased with the place. They had the most comfortable beds. And the jacuzzi tub was relaxing.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021

About the host

Hosted by AvantStay

Host profile image
At AvantStay, we pride ourselves on our guest experience. We do the trip planning - so you can spend more time on vacation. With 24/7 customer support, a dedicated concierge, and tech-enabled touchpoints from the moment you book to an easy and seamless check-out, we make your experience as carefree as you could possibly want it to be. AvantStay features 500 homes in 30+ destinations and is growing quickly. For any questions about your next trip, please don't hesitate to reach out directly and we'd be more than happy to help your vacation come true.

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests