A Senior Trip to Seaside Florida

Disclosure: Homeowner’s Collection invited our family to enjoy a family vacation in Seaside, Florida. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s hard to believe that 18 years have flown by, and our oldest daughter, Morgan, will be headed off to college in a few short months. It seems like yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital. She has a jam-packed summer before starting college in the fall (a senior trip with our church and her first mission trip to Africa), so it was vital to slow down and set aside time for a family vacation to celebrate Morgan before she graduates.collage of images of a family celebrating graduation

We had the opportunity to visit the Gulf Coast of Florida, our favorite place to vacation. Our cottage, Pitter Patter, became home away from home for our time at the beach.

pitter patter cottage

We visit the Gulf Coast of Florida every summer, but this was our first time staying in Seaside, Florida. Can I say this place was amazing?! We were hosted by Homeowner’s Collection Vacation Rentals, owned by Seaside homeowners, offering vacation rentals and other upscale services. Since Seaside homeowners own Homeowner’s Collection, the company takes great pride in providing over 150 Seaside properties, a great welcome basket, and luxurious Peacock Alley bed linens.

The evening we arrived, we were treated to this beautiful welcome package (except the hat I brought).

welcome basket

We loved our beach cottage. It was the perfect location, only eight houses away from the beach and just two streets over from downtown Seaside. Ideal for families, Pitter Patter, had plenty of room for us and a serene enclosed outside porch for relaxing.

pittar patter collage in seaside Florida

First Floor of the Pitter Patter Collage

Downstairs, there are two spaces to sit back and enjoy family or time alone. Enter through the double french doors to a living area with comfy chairs, a TV, and a fireplace. Our son brought his Xbox so that he could play games during downtime. A cozy and inviting sectional sofa and coffee table are to the right. We loved sitting around the coffee table playing family games together.

The newly updated kitchen is well-appointed with stainless steel appliances and a quartz countertop. It is stocked with all the tools, dishes, pots, pans, etc.; you’ll need to prepare meals and a coffee pot (thank goodness)! Whether sitting around the bar eating a snack or a meal at the large family table, there is plenty of space to gather together.

When you come in from the beach, there is an enclosed outside shower then you walk directly into a half bathroom. I often bathed our little girls in the enclosed outdoor shower when we returned from the beach. Sand can go everywhere at the beach. The outside shower was essential to keeping sand to a minimum inside the cottage.

You’ll find the master suite with a comfy king-size bed and a large master bath with a walk-in tiled shower at the end of the hallway.

collage of picture of the cottage in seaside

There are two bedrooms, one with a queen-size bed, a cozy window seat for relaxing upstairs, and a bunk room with dual bunk beds. All of our girls stayed in the bunk room. Both bedrooms have bathrooms for convenience. Upstairs there is a washer-dryer combo for washing clothes. I always like to do all our laundry while on vacation, so we don’t come home with dirty clothes.

upstairs collage of Pitter Patter cottage in seaside Florida

Due to Seaside’s relaxed and laid-back pace, we took more time to enjoy each other rather than running to and fro. We were able to eat breakfast in the cottage each morning before heading to the beach and pool.

breakfast around the bar at the beach cottage in seaside

There are nine residential private beach access pavilions for Seaside visitors and residents. Each of the pavilions was designed by a select architect with its unique story and design elements. Each access pavilion has a coded gate that keeps beachgoers to Seaside owners and vacationers.

outside Pavillion at the private beach

picture of husband and wife on a bench

The access pavilions are about 20 feet above the beach. Our access pavilion had benches covered from the sun, so it was a perfect place for pictures before starting our fun day on the beach. Florida’s Gulf Coast beaches are white quartz sand, and the water is crystal clear and breathtaking, which is why we enjoy vacationing at the Gulf Coast each year.

beach at seaside Florida

gorgeous clear water in the gulf

We hit the beach almost every day and the pool every day. Seaside has three pools. There is an adult pool for ages 16+, a family pool, and a large pool with a small kids pool. Each had plenty of reclining chairs and tables with chairs for folks wanting to grab a quick snack while at the pool.

man and woman in a pool

family in the pool

After amazing days at the beach and pool, dinner and evening shopping was a breeze at Seaside. The town center, also known as the Seaside amphitheater, has more than 40 shops and restaurants. Anywhere from sit-down restaurants to numerous airstream trailers converted to food trucks. We enjoyed the food trucks because we could all get something we wanted. Gourmet hot dogs, grilled cheese, ice cream, Mexican, pizza, gyros, BBQ, burgers, seafood, and crepes were options at various food trucks and restaurants…just about anything you would want.

man and woman outside ice cream store

great southern restaurant in downtown seaside Florida

black bear bread company outside

food trucks in seaside Florida

airstream food trucks

wild bills beach dogs food truck

the meltdown grilled cheese food truck

The evening shopping was so much fun. Seaside offers boutiques, a toy store, a children’s store, a maternity store, an incredible general store, several stores with lots of Seaside merch, and a fantastic record store.

outside photo of Modica market with two people playing instruments

shelves of food inside Modica Market

sweet treats at Modica Market

record store in downtown seaside Florida

husband and wife picture with a large plastic duck

Seaside was a fantastic trip. The weather was perfect. The cottage Pitter Patter offered by Homeowner’s Collection was incredible, and the excellent staff. The most important part of this trip was the opportunity to make new family memories. Time goes by so fast. You blink your eyes and have a daughter who is leaving for college in a couple of months. We never want to waste the chances we get to enjoy each other and make every moment we have together count. We had lots of those moments on this trip.

Whether it was our time at the beach or pool…

family at the beach

teenagers playing ping pong at the pool

Our family pizza and game night…..

family game night on a white sectional couch

family eating dinner around the table

Our time to relax and forget the stress of life…

children playing a game together with teenage sister

bike riding around seaside

Our big kids loved the complimentary bikes. It gave them time to explore Seaside when the little girls went to bed, or we were getting ready for the beach. They rode the bikes all over Seaside to play basketball, work out, and enjoy the downtown shops.

mom and daughters together

Or our time to just be us…The Trenums.

big sister and younger sister at target

mom and teenage son

dad and daughter on steps of the cottage

mom making a silly face with daughter

Daddy and daughter making faces

husband and wife outside beach cottage

Thank you, Homeowner’s Collection, for an incredible time in Seaside, Florida. If you are looking for a vacation destination, Seaside has everything you can imagine. Great weather, fabulous beaches, amazing pools, great shops and restaurants, and beautiful cottages. Going directly through Homeowner’s Collection, you can avoid up to 12% in VRBO, Airbnb, or HomeAway fees. Check out the more than 150 homes part of the Homeowner’s Collection Vacation Rentals. Make some new memories. You can never have enough!

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