Escape to the perfect beach getaway at SouthBay by the Gulf #81, situated in the heart of Destin. Unwind with a refreshing Gulf breeze and soothing sound of rolling waves on your private patio or enjoy 2 pools, tennis courts, and fireworks viewing at the private beach.
Reviews
9.29.2 out of 10
Wonderful
Entire home
3 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 71289 sq ft
Popular amenities
Hot tub
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free Wi-Fi
Air-conditioning
Add dates for prices
About this property
Southbay 81 • Townhome w/ Seasonal Beach Service
Top Reasons to Book this Lovely Town Home:
* Free Seasonal Beach Service: 2 Chairs and Umbrella (Available March 1 - October 31st)
* 500ft to the Private Beach 🌊
* 2 Pools, 2 Kiddie Pools, Tennis Courts, and Fireworks viewing at the private beach 🎆
* Private backyard
* 5 Acre Fishable Private Lake
* Walking distance to restaurants, Grocery Store across the street
* Destin Harborwalk, Big Kahuna's, and The Destin Commons are all within just a couple miles of this beautiful townhome
* Professionally Managed; 24/7 Service
Escape to the perfect beach getaway at SouthBay by the Gulf #81. This townhome offers relaxation and fun and is situated in the heart of Destin. Step onto your private patio and unwind with the refreshing Gulf breeze and the soothing sound of rolling waves while savoring your morning coffee. This stunning townhouse boasts 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, featuring a king bed in the master bedroom, a twin over full bunkbed in one guest bedroom, and 2 twin beds in the other guest bedroom. With ample space in the living room and a fully equipped kitchen, this home comfortably accommodates 7 guests and provides all the essentials for your culinary needs. Enjoy the convenience of private beach access, a backyard with dining options, and an in-unit washer and dryer, all available to enhance your stay. Begin creating everlasting memories at SouthBay by the Gulf #81.
*This property is not available to adults under the age of 25. No Exceptions. *
Bed Setup:
Master Bedroom: King Bed
Guest Bedroom 1: Twin over Full Bunk Bed
Guest Bedroom 2: 2 Twin beds
This Townhome has 1 designated parking spot and overflows parking directly at your door. The private backyard offers a private patio, outdoor dining, and a charcoal grill.
SouthBay by the Gulf is a gated, low-density townhome community. This complex is steps to two full-sized pools with kiddie pools, shuffleboard courts, lighted tennis courts, beachside volleyball courts, and a 5 acres freshwater lake. Every townhome features a designated parking spot right in front of your door making it easy to transfer your things in-no long walks through huge parking lots searching for your car. Come experience why guests return to Southbay by the Gulf year after year!
Area Attractions:
This great complex is just 2 miles away from Harbor Walk Village. Here you can find waterfront shopping, paddle board, and kayak rentals, pontoon and jet ski rentals, parasailing, glass bottom boats, world-class fishing, pirate ship excursions, dolphin cruises, concerts and live music, weekly fireworks, live entertainment, an array of restaurants, including Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville and Harry T’s, to satisfy all tastes. You will be sure to find something for the whole family to enjoy!
Close by is Destin Commons, an outdoor shopping and entertainment venue, family and pet friendly, where children will love to play in the interactive water fountains. Also, for the younger guests, a nautically/pirate-themed outdoor playground and a mini train for the kids. Destin Commons features over 75 shops and restaurants, including AMC Movie Theaters, Destin City Food Hall, and Top Golf
This is across the street from Big Kahuna's Waterpark, full of great splashing fun for the kids. And it is within walking distance to grocery shopping and some of Destin's best dining: the Pancakery, Crackings, Que Pasa, and Nothing Bundt Cakes!
Kelly Plantation Golf Club offers world-class golfing and dining only 2.5 miles from Southbay by the Gulf.
Property amenities
Beach
On the beach
Pool/Spa
Communal pool
Hot tub
Internet
Available in the house: Free WiFi
Parking and transport
Parking on site
Kitchen
Coffee/tea maker
Cookware, dishware, and utensils
Dishwasher
Hob
Ice maker
Microwave
Oven
Refrigerator
Toaster
Dining
Dining table
Bedrooms
3 bedrooms
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
2.5 bathrooms
Bathtub or shower
Hair dryer
Towels provided
Living spaces
Dining table
Living room
Entertainment
Smart TV with cable/satellite channels
Outdoor areas
Charcoal grill
Patio
Laundry
Laundry facilities
Washing machine
Comfort
Air conditioning
Heating
Pets
Service animals only (pets not allowed)
Suitability/Accessibility
Smoke-free property
Services and conveniences
Iron/ironing board
Location highlights
Near the sea
Things to do
Tennis
Cycling nearby
Fishing nearby
Jet skiing nearby
Kayaking nearby
Motor boating nearby
Scuba diving nearby
Safety features
Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Pets
Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Events
No events allowed
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Important information
You need to know
This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession.
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
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
If you cancel your booking, you'll be subject to the host's cancellation policy. In accordance with UK consumer law, property booking services are not subject to the right of withdrawal.
About the area
Located in Destin, this holiday home is on the beach. Shoppers can check out HarborWalk Village, while everyone can enjoy the natural beauty of Destin Beaches and Henderson Beach State Park. Big Kahuna's Water and Adventure Park and The Track Family Recreation Center are also worth visiting. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing, kayaking and scuba diving nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling. Visit our Destin travel guide
Fort Walton Beach, FL (VPS-Northwest Florida Regional)
29 min drive
Restaurants
McDonald's
9 min walk
Circle K
19 min walk
Chick-fil-A
16 min walk
Pelican Beach Resort
11 min walk
Waffle House
16 min walk
Frequently asked questions
Is Southbay 81 • Townhome w/ Seasonal Beach Service pet-friendly?
No, only service animals are welcome at the property.
How much is parking at Southbay 81 • Townhome w/ Seasonal Beach Service?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Southbay 81 • Townhome w/ Seasonal Beach Service?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Southbay 81 • Townhome w/ Seasonal Beach Service?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Southbay 81 • Townhome w/ Seasonal Beach Service located?
Situated on the beach, this holiday home is within 2 miles (3 km) of Big Kahuna's Water and Adventure Park, Destin Beaches and Destin Harbor Boardwalk. Destin Harbor and Choctawhatchee Bay are also within 1 mile (2 km).
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Southbay 81 • Townhome w/ Seasonal Beach Service Reviews
Reviews
Wonderful
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Nice and fairly quiet…sits back away from the main highway. The surrounding grounds are well maintained and just a few minutes walk to beach. Our only suggestion would be to replace the king mattress. Very clean and roomy.
Managers communicated quickly when we had questions. The condo was close to the beach and pool. Easy access to other touristy things to do. Would definitely go back!
Very Clean rental. Did have a few issues with a couple appliances, but was handled in a timely manner with management. Just a short walk to the beach, which was nice. Had a nice pool close by. The property was very well kept and had a nice area to walk my dog and they even supplied poop bags and garbage bins, which is very helpful. The teenagers in the family loved the pickleball courts!
Outstanding communications and followup. Property was comfortable and price reasonable. Walking distance to beach and in safe secured area and near many places and events.
We hadn’t been here in a good while so thought we would check it out and Southbay was a great choice. It was gated so felt very safe and had all the conveniences you need. Very quiet and the private beach had none of the usual mayhem. Be able to bring my very loved dog Dude was a tremendous plus. We will be back.
Overall our stay in the condo was very satisfying. RealJoy called to ensure that we were happy with our stay, so I took the opportunity to ask for more dishwasher tablets, kitchen towels, and trash can liners.
Our stay was scheduled for 6 days/5nights, with 2 dishwasher tablets, 3 trash bags and 1 kitchen towel provided.
When I requested more, the RealJoy rep. reminded me that "starters" are provided with an expectation that we would purchase our own supplies. Despite this policy RealJoy promptly delivered enough tablets and liners to last through our stay.
We enjoyed the close proximity to the beach and shopping. I would definitely recommend this property!
We definitely enjoyed our time at this location! Easy access to the Beach. The decor in this location was awesome. Very easy and responsive communications with the owner! The rooms were spacious enough for our family of four and then some! All the appliances worked great and were easy to use. Very clean and comfortable rooms. The only thing I would recommend changing is the mattress in the master bedroom. The mattress would slightly shrink towards the center. But this can be easily replaced. Overall, I would come again and recommend it to friends and family. Thank you Vrbo for helping have a very memorable experience!!
Very nice property! Gate codes for safety. I really felt I could let me kids run off a bit and know they would be ok. Nice area, next to all kinds of things to do! Highly recommend. We had a small issue with our AC the night before we left, but Chandler and Porter had me fixed right back up within the hour. Overall GREAT experience.
Lovely 3 bedroom 2.5 bath townhome. Within walking distance of the beach. Beach was beautiful. Had a pool within walking distance and a lot of food options with in walking/driving distance. Pet friendly place and area. Home had a kitchen and coffeemaker and all the amenities you could think of. There was great communication with realjoy ( the company that owns the homes). They reached out before we came down to make sure we had insurance if we wanted it or any activities we wanted to do sent information. Checked in multiple times during our stay to make sure we didn’t have issues. It was a great stay for 4 adults and a dog.
We had a great time and had everything we needed (except we would have loved a couple extra blankets except the one light one on each bed). We had plenty of towels and toilet paper for our 3 day stay, and the first day supply of soap, shampoo, dishwasher detergent, and laundry detergent.The pool and beach were close and very nice. We wished we had been aware that we couldn't use our on beach tent. They do have chairs and umbrellas available to rent though.
The townhouse was clean and reasonably priced for the week stay. Location to the beach was ideal. Equally close to shopping stores and grocery needs. Concerns were reported to the property manager about light bulbs out, bedroom doors and one bathroom not shutting, even if locked. Yeah sliding receptacle was broken. As family, we chose to live with situation but wanted manager to know so problems could be addressed for future renters.
Wonderful, short walk to the ocean. The townhouse was as described online. A few personal issues that might not bother anyone else...the coffee mugs are too small, and several items are outdated. For instance, the hooks at the entry door pull right out of the wall. The master bathroom ceiling exhaust fan looks ready to fall out.
Overall we had a lovely visit. However, the townhouse seemed much more of a corporate property than one loved by an owner and rented out. It was missing the little touches. The location was good and the beach was lovely. We spent time between both the beach and the pool and enjoyed them greatly. The kitchen was one of the best appointed we ever encountered. The bed in the primary was not at all comfortable with no box springs and a tendency to sag toward the middle. One of the twin beds was so noisy simply turning over woke the person in the other bed. The communication of the rental company was outstanding.
Susan G.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2025
Verified
4/10 Poor
Juanita H.
12 Jul 2024
Liked: Check-in, location
Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy
Disappointed
We paid a significant amount of money expecting to relax on our vacation, but we experienced the opposite. We encountered a broken dryer in the laundry, an extremely noisy AC, a leaking/malfunctioning garbage disposal, and wall decor (mirrors and hooks) falling to the floor that all required maintenance people to visit on different days. Only the dryer was fixed. We were also unsatisfied with the cleanliness as the furniture had stains, downstairs bathroom toilet was dirty, AC vent full of dust, etc. When we sent an email regarding these issues, RealJoy just said “sorry” and did not even decrease/ take away the absurd amount of cleaning fees that customers pay. It was disappointing to having to call RealJoy everyday to “fix” these problems because vacation is supposed to be enjoyed.