Truly an 'Island Secret'! Very 'BEACHY' & fun 950sf traditional coastal cottage! Nothing fancy....but updated, sparkling clean, and extremely well-maintained!
Only 4 rows of homes between you and the beach! A short walk to the beach boardwalk located only a football field and a half away, (150 yards), at the end of 8th Street! Enjoy the lush & knarled coastal oaks on our 2nd floor covered porch or screened porch! When we have 10-15 knot winds from the south you'll enjoy listening to the ocean waves. Complete privacy from neighbors!
Our fully stocked kitchen offers stylish quartz solid-surface counters, under mount sink and white bead board cabinets!
The kitchen, dining, and comfortable living areas are all open to each other and overlook the deck & island vegetation.
Each room in the house is a fun coastal color! You're at the beach on an island and on vacation! Bead board ceilings too for that cottage feel! Two bedrooms and one bath are upstairs along with one bedroom and one bath conveniently located downstairs on the ground floor with a separate entrance. Perfect for two couples wanting a bit of privacy or adult children! There is a laundry room with a washer and dryer located downstairs too!
You have a extra large private hot/cold outdoor shower, park style charcoal grill and a large swivel charcoal grill, along with a fish cleaning sink & table located downstairs. The property entry at the street offers a 16' wide gate and a fully fenced yard! Yes, we love your 4-legged children and are pet friendly! You'll love the securely fenced & gated property for your dogs!
A short walk away is Regatta Park! This is a bay front park that offers parking, covered picnic tables, park style grills, a white sandy beach nestled on a cove, and a kayak launch site!
For a 3 minute drone video of our house, go to YouTube and type in: Island Secret, St. George Island
Follow our island and area on our FACEBOOK page! Type in "Our Little Secret on St. George Island".
Glenn & Lawson Smith would be honored to have you as guests at our 'Island Secret'! Please email Glenn through VRBO for further questions or to arrange your wonderful vacation on an island paradise!
Sorry no group gatherings allowed, even for day use, beyond the maximum occupancy of 5 people. Absolutely no occupancy beyond 5 people total, which includes children and infants.
Our other VRBO listing located near St. George Island is 60 minutes N.E. at beautiful Lake Talquin, VRBO 765447 and 1 hour north on a deep-water tributary of the Apalachicola River with your own boat ramp and dock. VRBO 5034655
NOTE: 3 night minimum stay requirement except during the peak summer season when we have a 7 NIGHT MINIMUM STAY REQUIREMENT. Summer season: 7 night minimum stay with Saturday to Saturday rentals.
Sorry, we do not offer a monthly rate.
If you bring your dog, unlike most vacation rental homes, we DO NOT charge you extra for your 4-legged children, and we DO NOT charge you a pet security deposit. IN EXCHANGE, we simply ask that they'd be well behaved & trained, supervised at all times, current on flea/tick meds, non-scratchers on doors/windows/furniture, to keep them off the new Lovesac couch, (or bring blankets for the couch), & off beds, keep off the fence, avoid digging in the yard and that you'd pick up after them in the yard & tidy up. Due to the fact that your pet is not familiar with his/her surroundings at the house, PLEASE bring a kennel in case you plan to leave him/her alone so that your dog does not scratch our doors, door frame and sliding glass doors.
*We cater to family groups and cannot accept reservations for vacationing students or house parties. We do not rent to students or to groups under 25, even if one or more parents or legally responsible adults accompany them.
Cleaning/linens/bath towels fee is $150.00
In the event that you need to cancel, we provide a full refund 60 days or more prior to arrival. Within 60 days there is no refund. Trip cancellation/interruption insurance is strongly recommended because you never know what unexpected life event or weather event can occur.
Up to a $300 damage option will be automatically charged to your credit card within 14 days of check out if any damage occurs.
Property amenities
Beach
Beach nearby
Internet
Available in the cottage: Free WiFi
Parking and transportation
Parking on site
Kitchen
Coffee/tea maker
Cookware, dishware, and utensils
Dishwasher
Ice maker
Microwave
Oven
Refrigerator
Stovetop
Toaster
Dining
Dining table
Bedrooms
3 bedrooms
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
2 bathrooms
Shower
Towels provided
Living spaces
Dining table
Living room
Entertainment
Games
TV with cable/satellite channels
Outdoor areas
Balcony
Charcoal grill
Fenced yard
Garden
Laundry
Laundry facilities
Washing machine
Comfort
Air conditioning
Heating
Pets
Pet friendly
Welcoming dogs only
2 pets total
Suitability/Accessibility
Smoking not allowed
Note from host: No smoking inside or outside near open door/window
Location highlights
Near a hospital
Things to do
Basketball nearby
Birdwatching nearby
Cycling nearby
Ecotours nearby
Fishing nearby
Golfing nearby
Hiking/biking trails nearby
Jet skiing nearby
Kayaking nearby
Motor boating nearby
Snorkeling nearby
Surfing/bodyboarding nearby
Swimming nearby
Wildlife walks 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)
Fire extinguisher
Deadbolt lock
General
Garden
Unit size: 950 square feet
Policies
Check-in
Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 25
Check-out
Check-out before 10:00 AM
Special check-in instructions
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 allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only
2 total pets
Note from host: Well trained and behaved pets welcome. See policy
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Note from host: We welcome well behaved children
Events
No events allowed
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
No smoking inside or outside near open door/window
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
Onsite 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 there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadbolt lock
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
About the neighborhood
Located in St. George Island, this cottage is near the beach. Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve and Orman House Historic State Park reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Downtown Books & Purl and Apalachicola Chocalate Company. Jet skiing and kayaking offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking and ecotours nearby. Visit our St. George Island travel guide
Is Adorable Cottage! Fun, colorful, gated/fenced, meticulously maintained! Privacy! pet-friendly?
Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total).
How much is parking?
Onsite parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Adorable Cottage! Fun, colorful, gated/fenced, meticulously maintained! Privacy!?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Adorable Cottage! Fun, colorful, gated/fenced, meticulously maintained! Privacy!?
Check-out is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Adorable Cottage! Fun, colorful, gated/fenced, meticulously maintained! Privacy! located?
Situated near the beach, this cottage is within a 15-minute walk of St. George Island Beach and St George Lighthouse. St. George Lighthouse and St. George Island Visitor Center are also within 2 mi (3 km).
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All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers 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.
All was as described. The natural setting was a plus as was the fenced area for dogs. Easy walk to the beach. Host offered us early arrival which was appreciated!
The cottage is everything you could hope for and then some. It’s the perfect retreat for anyone looking to getaway. From the patios, to the grills, outdoor shower, all of it is secluded behind an array of vegetation and wildlife. We were so pleased to see they had left a Christmas tree out during our stay over the holiday break. It was very endearing and meant a lot to my fiancé and I. Stay if you can because they don’t make VRBOs like this anymore.
Perfect for my family. Pet friendly and safe. The privacy and outdoor shower were my favorite part. Close to beach and good seafood restaurants. Wish I could stay longer.
We loved our stay in this home! The kitchen is fully stocked for cooking full meals, the deck and closed in porch are amazing for hanging out and enjoying the weather, and the proximity to the beach is perfectly walkable. I am looking forward to my next visit to this cottage.
Beverly B.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025
Verified
6/10 Okay
Lance B.
Feb 28, 2026
Liked: Check-in, communication, location
Disliked: Cleanliness, listing accuracy
Hosts were available for questions. Cottage was in a great location-a few blocks to downtown area and beach. Fenced in area for pets was a plus. Basement bedroom area-very small, smelled mildewy, door cannot be fully opened. Basement bathroom lacks adequate storage, no shelves for toiletries. Needs a good, thorough cleaning in basement and throughout cottage.Dishwasher does not clean dishes well-food residue left on plates, glasses, silverware. Clothes dryer seems very hot on various settings.
Another fantastic stay....I almost hate writing reviews because I want Island Secret to remain out secret! The house an property were exactly what we like - a secluded cottage tucked away near an amazing beach!
We had a lovely time here! The location was great, we enjoyed the walk to the beach each day. The property was very comfortable for the two of us and our dogs. We look forward to our next stay!
Second stay at island secret…we’ve already booked the third and now we’re talking about the fourth. Super clean and extremely private. Owners are very responsive and easy to work with. We’ll be back.
Great stay. Everything was as described. Well stocked kitchen, comfortable beds, great yard for our dogs.Communication with owners was prompt and helpful.Will stay again!
Another amazing stay at Island Secret! The cottage is perfect for our annual beach trip. Cozy, clean and just what we needed for our stay at the beach. We look forward to be back next year!
If your looking for a secluded little beachy home in the trees this for you. It was a easy walk to the beach . The kitchen was very well stocked. Just big enough for the 2 of us and a dog! Quiet, except for the sounds of the waves at the beach!
We really enjoyed our stay in the cottage. It was great to be secluded in the woods, yet just down the road from the beach. The cottage was very clean and equipped with everything we needed. We look forward to visiting again!
Everything was absolutely perfect. The outdoor area is very secluded and enjoyable. We loved everything about the property and would highly recommend staying here.
The hosts were so easy to work with and this spot is a true gem on SGI. My doggies and I enjoyed the privacy, but also being so close to the beach. Gorgeous stay and will be back hopefully in the future!!