Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only
Bathroom, Second Floor
Bathtub or shower · Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only
Spaces
Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden
Dining area
About this property
Shoreside Retreat! Enjoy the Windwood House - a private vacation home.
High Speed Internet with WiFi - Netflix - Free Onsite Laundry - Use of Propane Grill
Please note - no booking is final until payment is received and you receive a confirmation. We often have multiple inquiries for overlapping dates.
Maximum Occupancy is 6 total people including infants and children.
Is the Windwood House right for you? You can expect a quiet, peaceful retreat in this private home. We are located in a small town on the outskirts of Carrabelle, Florida and the home is located right on Highway 98 for easy access to everything you may want to explore. This is a single unit home - meaning you have the entire home to yourself. No upstairs or downstairs neighbors like in a condo. The shore is literally steps away. This area doesn't have loud, touristy, commercialized attractions and is best for someone looking to get away from big city things. Though there's a grocery store just 5 minutes away, the nearest Walmart is a 45 minute drive. You can count on beautiful nature and friendly people. Our beach is small, quaint and calm with tall pines right to the shore. We are separated from the open Gulf by a small sandbar, offering sea creatures a protected area. We often see horseshoe crabs, blue crabs, tons of fish, lots of birds like egrets and ospreys and an eagle if you're lucky, dolphins, and sharks. Our kids' favorite find has been a sea urchin fossil! Thanks to our sandbar, we have calm water and a flat, narrow shoreline, though a strong storm blowing through can get the waves crashing. Our guests enjoy kayaking, fishing, and swimming right behind the house. We love hearing how amazing the fishing is - guest after guest has told us how great it is right at the house. We told a guest to go out and cast as far as he could and slowly reel it in, and he called to say he caught a 5 pound flounder! First cast! (Lucky) Though the water is clean, the nearby river gives it a "brackish" tint, so it isn't crystal clear like a swimming pool.
This home offers amazing views, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two balconies, a nicely appointed kitchen, flat screen televisions in all bedrooms and beach access just steps from the house. Also, there are large beaches with big waves and big sand dunes within a 20 minute drive (Carrabelle Beach, St. George Island). Stay home for a quaint beach - go for an adventure to explore the big waves of nearby destinations.
The living room and every bedroom has water views.
The first floor features a well-appointed kitchen with all the necessities for cooking. We just upgraded the microwave to an above-the-range one, replaced the range with a beautiful new flat top stainless steel one, plus upgraded the dishwasher. We hope you're as excited as we are to have the upgrades! :) We’ve stocked all the basics you’ll need such as pots and pans, silverware, knife block, plates, glasses and more. In addition to the microwave, range (stove/oven), dishwasher, we also have a blender (or two...), a hand mixer, and a Keurig coffee maker that uses K-cups *or* can make regular coffee.
The living room directly adjoins the kitchen and has a large sectional, flat screen smart TV and has a balcony. There is also a small dining table here that can seat 6 (spare chairs are kept in the 1st floor bedroom to avoid cluttering the living room).
There is a bedroom on the first floor that is appointed with a queen size bed, smart TV, and windows overlooking the water.
Also on the first floor is a full bathroom with a modern vanity and tub/shower.
On the second floor you’ll find the master bedroom is nicely appointed with a comfy queen bed, private balcony, smart TV, spacious closet and a workstation. Plus, if you’re traveling with a baby, this room has enough space to easily fit a pack and play.
Also on the second floor is another bedroom which has a queen size bed plus twin size bunk beds.
The second floor bathroom is nicely appointed with a modern vanity and tub/shower.
The ground level features parking under the house with room for seating, propane grill, and Adirondack chairs that are lightweight and can be carried to the shore.
There is also parking in the front yard of the house with room for a boat.
We do not have a dock. There are boat ramps available a few blocks east of the house at the small marina next to the convenience store and also a ramp in Carrabelle. Please be kind and respectful to our neighbors and do not use their docks.
The region is famous for outstanding fishing - from protected bays to the open Gulf waters, to the winding rivers of Carrabelle, Apalachicola and Panacea. Just 35 minutes away is the historic town of Apalachicola, once the largest port on the Gulf of Mexico! It is famous for the oysters and Florida's Seafood Festival held every November.
Now a bit more about the house...
Bedrooms: Master (2nd floor): Queen bed Second Bedroom (2nd floor): Queen bed plus twin size bunk beds Third bedroom (1st floor): Queen bed
Bathrooms: Two full bathrooms, both with tubs.
Please note, we have a strict 6 person maximum capacity and we do not allow pets.
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Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the property.
Important information
You need to know
Property # 3712997
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 not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock
About the area
Carrabelle
Located in Carrabelle, this holiday home is in a rural area and on the beach. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Ochlockonee River State Park and Island View Park, while Carrabelle History Museum and Camp Gordon Johnston Museum are cultural highlights. Power boating and sailing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking and ecotours nearby.
Is Shoreside Retreat! Enjoy the Windwood House - a private vacation home. pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Shoreside Retreat! Enjoy the Windwood House - a private vacation home.?
As of 13 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Shoreside Retreat! Enjoy the Windwood House - a private vacation home. on 18 August 2026 start from NZ$235, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Shoreside Retreat! Enjoy the Windwood House - a private vacation home.?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Shoreside Retreat! Enjoy the Windwood House - a private vacation home.?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Shoreside Retreat! Enjoy the Windwood House - a private vacation home.?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Shoreside Retreat! Enjoy the Windwood House - a private vacation home. located?
This Carrabelle holiday home is on the beach, 3.1 mi (4.9 km) from Island View Park, and within 6 mi (10 km) of St. James Bay Golf Club and Carrabelle History Museum. Carrabelle Beach and Alligator Harbor Aquatic Preserve are also within 9 miles (15 km).
Reviews
9.6
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Pros: beautiful view, clean, well furnished kitchen, easy access, great communication and check in/out was effortless!Cons: older furnishings and no dock is the reason for 4 stars. Even though the description states no dock...it would have been great to have one!
Overall it is a great place. We really enjoyed ourselves. There is still a little work left to do around the place but it would not deter us from returning.The only major problem was a header board down stairs that is angled wrong and you can hit your head on it.
Well kept property. It sits in a very peaceful area with the water just feet away. Great getaway location with plenty to close by. We can't wait to book our next stay.
Everything was just as stated in the listing. Views were beautiful and quiet. Plenty of space for 6 of us Owners were quick to respond to my messages. Great place to relax and beat the busy tourist spring break beaches.
We enjoyed the small private beach very much. The house was just as described. The little town of Carabelle was a gem. The people were super nice, there were several good restaurants and bars and cute shops. Other reviewers mentioned the beds being uncomfortable and they weren't wrong, the matress in the primary bedroom really needs to be replaced. The lock on the laundry room just requires you to do the code and then push the lock button 2 times, took us a few tries to figure it out too.We will definitely want to stay here again.
So happy we found this place. It was a wonderful stay. I loved seeing the water in the morning. We kayaked and fished in the water. My husband caught a huge bass. Almost about the size of me:). We made good memories and I'd come back to this place in a heartbeat. The host communicated with us when we had issues and checked in. It was really great services. You can hear the road alittle but still not too much where it would it bother you in your sleep. But loved the floaties provided and the beach umbrella in the laundry room was nice. We just had a blast. I do not have one complaint about this house. It was perfect.
We had an amazing time. The weather was perfect. The house was stocked with pretty much everything we could possibly need. We saw a dolphin our very first day there. The owners are very nice and quick to respond and take care of any issues we had. This is a great place for some R&R. Would definitely recommend.
Super Private Kid Friendly (and Relaxing) Getaway!
We were the only people on the beach the whole time, there's hardly any waves, & the kids were able to play in the sand and water without us having to worry about anything! It was perfect for our family if 6 (Kids ages 1,4,9&11). The house had plenty of sleeping options. One of the bedrooms has been updated since the property photos and has a fun bunk bed and full size bed. That was a pleasant surprise! The owner responded right away and was willing to go above and beyond to make sure we had a great stay.You simply won't find a better place on the beach for this price and we were so grateful to get to stay here!
Nice, quiet, and relaxing. Be sure to go out at low tide, we found many starfish and baby horseshoe crabs! There are also many stingrays and blue crabs. We didn't try to go fishing, but did see quite a few decent sized ones jump out of the water! Not a negative, but if you use the dryer be sure to do so in small loads. I had better success with small loads and timed dry (90min). I would say it is because of all the humidity!Adult only review: if you and your partner have relations, the house may shake and your older children may make comments about that - beware haha.
Jessica S.
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2025
About the host
Hosted by Kelly Gilbert & Linwood Gilbert
Kelly Gilbert and her father Linwood Gilbert, both of St. Petersburg, Florida, own and rent out this family vacation house. Our family has been vacationing in the Florida panhandle since the 1970s and we love the area. Linwood built this house with his mother in the late 1980s and we've recently updated the property. We love the area and are happy to share this wonderful home with such lovely guests.
Why they chose this property
Our family fell in love with Florida's Forgotten Coast in the 1970s. We started with a cool old house on Carrabelle Beach, but unfortunately the property burned down and the beach has all but disappeared. In fact it is hard to even find that property anymore since the hurricanes washed out the roadway, leaving very little behind. Next we had a cute cottage in the same area, tucked into a wooded lot off Highway 98. The family was ready to build a house and decided Lanark Village near a small marina was the perfect spot. Close to the grocery store but still feels out of the city. Plus the easy access of being right on Highway 98 and the beach right behind the house made it a perfect fit.
What makes this property unique
There's something about waking up to the sun coming up across the Gulf. Having a cup of coffee on the balcony, walking on the beach and watching the birds hunt for fish. The serenity recharges you.