We get a lot of compliments for the lifestyle of Seaside. Here are some of the favorite things we hear from visitors to this magical little town with the gorgeous beach.
Did we say magical? Shelley wrote about the "storybook" feel of Seaside. And Southern Living magazine said "It feels like being in a Norman Rockwell painting." Victoria, who was just here and wrote about her family's stay, called Seaside a "unique vacation bubble." People agree, Seaside is just a magical place.
The Lifestyle
It's true that once you get here you can forget about the outside world until it's time to leave. Lots of guests here mention how they never started their car once they parked it. They love the sand alleyways that run behind the houses, that add to the "no car, no shoes, no keys" living here.
No keys, because of the keyless entry locks on the cottages, which lets each member of your group come and go on a whim. A whim like strolling down to explore a gourmet food truck on Airstream Row, going for ice cream or wine, or just exploring the town through its streets and pathways designed to lead you to the special places without any fuss or bustle.
The living is peaceful in Seaside, and you can sit and read a book or just watch people. Shelley noted the friendliness of people here, and how "children are playing, couples are walking hand in hand, and families are enjoying their time in Seaside." It's a perfect place for a multi-generational vacation stay, with everything close to hand and the pace of living up to you.
There's so much to do here you need our super guide to all of it, but you could just step out of the cottage to watch the sunset. Many people remark on the sunsets here, even people used to glorious skies. The view from the beach of the sunsets over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico is where memories are captured best of Seaside's amazing sunsets.
We get lots of compliments on the beach, with its uncrowded feel and how the pavilions overlook and lead down to the sand - each one designed by a different architect precisely for the feel and the view. Victoria's family had a dinner picnic on the beach one evening, all arranged by our phenomenal concierge team.
How can such a small town hold so much fresh, gourmet food and eclectic shopping, with parks, landmarks - like the most photographed Post Office in America - and amenities that take a full-time adventure to explore. People note how they strike out on different pathways to get somewhere, or even try to spot all the Truman Show locations that appeared in Jim Carrey's movie.
The Service
With so much to discover in Seaside, it really is useful to have the concierge service help you make the most of it all. Many of our reviews from guests here talk about the service and friendliness they experienced in their visit to Seaside.
People speak of the "personal experience" they had here, and how they "felt at home." They mention how nice the people were that they dealt with. And beyond the elegant furnishings of each cottage, the special touches always receive appreciative mentions: the organic and upscale items provided for each guest, the welcome package, the complimentary bikes, the baskets of goodies.
All this is great to hear, and it's a natural thing that flows from pride of ownership: Homeowners Collection is made up of owners of the rental cottages. It's a collective of real people who are very proud of their properties and very pleased to share them with visitors to Seaside. This is why we also get compliments from people who book directly with us, which also saves them agency fees.
Well, we are happy to please.