Nature's Nest Cottage on the Sound - Pets Welcome! - Mary Esther

Come spend a magical vacation with us and enjoy our comfortable cottage on Santa Rosa Sound. Close enough to town, shopping, and beaches, but off the beaten track away from the heavy tourist traffic. Our nest is a private home with a shallow beach and small dock where you can relax along Santa Rosa Sound. The cottage has a complete kitchen, laundry, covered parking, fenced yard, grill, and patio. Life is easy at the ShipAhoy Nest!

Nature's Nest is a very quaint cottage situated along the unspoiled stretch of Santa Rosa Sound just between Fort Walton Beach and Navarre. The property is naturally landscaped and well maintained. Our cottage has room to cook and relax, a private setting with ample parking, overhanging oak and hickory trees, and easy access to the waterfront. This is the perfect getaway nest for a couple, group of friends, or small family that doesn't want a massive house.

The cottage provides a complete kitchen, with dishwasher, large coffee maker, full sized refrigerator, stove, microwave, toaster, and cooking utensils, etc. The dining room area has a cozy table and there's a utility space with extra sink, washer and dryer for your use. Entertainment includes a digital Roku TV and high speed internet / Wifi. Each bedroom has a queen bed, and we can provide extra mattresses for adults or children. The sofa folds out to a full size mattress. There is a full bathroom stocked with towels and supplies. We take care of departure cleaning, and are happy to provide quick housekeeping needs during your stay on request.

The cottage is one of several buildings on the property, including our other vacation home (Safe Harbor Cottage), a classic red barn, an older heritage home called Taradice, our private residence, Tara's She-Shed, and Steve's Manly-garage. You are welcome to wander about the common area and lawns to enjoy the landscaping and natural beauty. We are often around the property and happy to stop for a fun chat. The waterfront is easily accessed by walking from the cottage around the old home along a grassy path. We have a small fleet of kayaks, a paddleboard, and canoe that you are free to enjoy.

We treat our guests as family - just one stay and you will always remember the good life on Santa Rosa Sound. We cherish developing lasting friendships and hope that our guests come back time and again to enjoy our natural oasis of old-time Florida Panhandle. We are off the beaten track, but close enough to the fast-lanes and attractions that you get the best of both worlds.

This is a private residential property with several houses. There are two vacation cottages plus additional buildings (sheds, a red barn, a garage, and an older home being remodeled). We live in the main house along the waterfront and are usually available for any needs. Guests are free to wander around the property and visit the waterfront, where there is a dock and shallow beachfront gradually getting deeper into the sound. We have plenty of chairs and benches for our guests to sit along the waterfront enjoying the view. Swim at your own risk, but feel comfortable knowing these waters are very safe.

We live in the adjacent house on this spacious property. Guests have the option to keep to themselves, or may choose to interact with us about the property. We are readily available by phone and message/text as well as in person.

Come spend a magical vacation with us and enjoy our comfortable "Nest" cottage on Santa Rosa Sound. Close enough to town, shopping, and beaches, but off the beaten track away from the heavy tourist traffic. Our property is a small village where you can wander the grounds, meet the neighbors, and hang out by the waterfront on the soundfront beach and dock where you can enjoy playing with your pooch, swimming, boating, kayaking, fishing, and watching beautiful sunsets.

The outdoor patio has a fenced yard and storage hut, and guests are welcome to use the deck and patio on the waterfront as well. See the photos for more perspective. We have a range of water toys for your use, from sit-on-top kayaks to a paddleboard.

Enjoy the view of unspoiled Santa Rosa Island just across the sound from our private dock and shoreline. We are just a 20 min drive away from the nicest beaches along the Gulf Coast, located at Navarre and at Fort Walton Beach. There are many attractions to enjoy in the area and we are centrally located so reaching those places is usually a breeze. Nearby to this location are several convenience stores, fast food establishments, diners, Thai food, Hawaiian, Hibachi, Greek, breakfast, and fine Italian.

We are very convenient to Hurlburt AFB main gate. Plus, the Gator Lakes Golf course on base is now open to the general public!! Just ask us for recommendations and we'll gladly send you a list of our favorite places and things to do.

Come experience the good life at our Florosa "Nest" Cottage right on the edge of the Sound, and leave your worries behind.

The property is located alongside US Highway 98, a 4-lane thoroughfare serving east-west across the Florida Panhandle. The posted speed at our location is 45 MPH and this is a residential area, but traffic on the roadway can be heavy at times. This is not a good roadway for bike riding. There is a local bus service provided by Okaloosa County but it does not have regular service to our area. Uber, Lyft, and several other ride shares are plentiful here, and also several airport shuttles.

The highway is just outside the front driveway. Traffic can be busy during mornings and afternoons, so we advise guests to plan accordingly. Navarre is located 10 miles to the west of us (great beaches!!) and Fort Walton Beach is 5 miles to the east.

We live on the property and often have our friendly pooches outside. They like to greet our guests with excited barks. If you prefer we keep the pooches put away during your stay, please let us know so they don't bother your enjoyment of the property.

Please ask if you want to bring a pet. We probably will accommodate you but want to know what to expect. Please click the pet guest button! There is a small extra fee for hosting your furry friend.
Nature's Nest is a very quaint cottage situated along the unspoiled stretch of Santa Rosa Sound just between Fort Walton Beach and Navarre. The property is naturally landscaped and well maintained. Our cottage has room to cook and relax, a private setting with ample parking, overhanging oak and hickory trees, and easy access to the waterfront. This is the perfect getaway nest for a couple, group of friends, or small family that doesn't want a massive house.

The cottage provides a complete kitchen, with dishwasher, large coffee maker, full sized refrigerator, stove, microwave, toaster, and cooking utensils, etc. The dining room area has a cozy table and there's a utility space with extra sink, washer and dryer for your use. Entertainment includes a digital Roku TV and high speed internet / Wifi. Each bedroom has a queen bed, and we can provide extra mattresses for adults or children. The sofa folds out to a full size mattress. There is a full bathroom stocked with towels and supplies. We take care of departure cleaning, and are happy to provide quick housekeeping needs during your stay on request.

The cottage is one of several buildings on the property, including our other vacation home (Safe Harbor Cottage), a classic red barn, an older heritage home called Taradice, our private residence, Tara's She-Shed, and Steve's Manly-garage. You are welcome to wander about the common area and lawns to enjoy the landscaping and natural beauty. We are often around the property and happy to stop for a fun chat. The waterfront is easily accessed by walking from the cottage around the old home along a grassy path. We have a small fleet of kayaks, a paddleboard, and canoe that you are free to enjoy.

We treat our guests as family - just one stay and you will always remember the good life on Santa Rosa Sound. We cherish developing lasting friendships and hope that our guests come back time and again to enjoy our natural oasis of old-time Florida Panhandle. We are off the beaten track, but close enough to the fast-lanes and attractions that you get the best of both worlds.