Old Bay

Old Bay was one of our favorite houses we have rented on SGI. We are new lot owners in the plantation and this was our first trip since buying our property in October 2023. Old Bay had it all! Great plantation location, beautiful dock, great updates to the kitchen and bathrooms. We played lots of card games, split our time between the bay and the beach, and used all the Plantation amenities. This house has a great set up for my husband and I, our 3 little kids (who loved the loft area) and my in-laws. It was a great place to recharge for the week. This was also our first time staying at a forgotten shores property and everything was easy and the house was very clean! We will be back!

Wonderful stress free relaxing experience. Many catch and release fish were caught and some were photo worthy. The only downside (if there is one) is the lack of a railing on the dock. Would highly recommend Old Bay. We will definitely be returning to our new favorite place.

We enjoyed our stay at Old Bay! Everything was as expected and explained. The house was comfortable, the views were stunning, and the location was exactly the kind of privacy we had hoped for, yet with wonderful amenities close by. We caught a wide variety of fish off of the dock and enjoyed the use of the cleaning station. The fully stocked kitchen made cooking at home an easy task, especially considering the limited restaurant options on the island.

What a wonderful home! We loved the location all the way at the end of the Plantation near Bob Sikes Cut. The walk to the beach was approx 2 blocks, about 5 minutes, and very easy. I pulled our beach wagon over every morning and it was a breeze. Our 9 and 12 yr olds loved the house! The walk to the Cut was well worth it for the beautiful sunsets. But the convenience of having a dock to walk out on every morning for coffee, and every evening for cocktails made it hard to even leave the house! We caught a ton of redfish right from the dock in the mornings. We will book this house again next year!

Old Bay is a comfortable home in a great location in the Plantation and directly on the edge of the bay with private dock. Walk to beach and proximity to Sikes Cut were excellent. The pictures of the home are accurate with a new kitchen and spacious and comfortable living room where we could all gather in the evening. Beds were comfortable.

Minor issues: 1. The A/C struggled to keep the upstairs cool during the afternoon. It was fine at night. The main floor was cool at all times. 2. The view from the main living space was largely obstructed by palm trees. 3. We were disappointed that the second, larger, Plantation swimming pool was closed for maintenance during our stay.

The house was clean and very nice for our family. No complaints about the actual house other than the squealing/screaming pipe in the master closet wall at night, and the door being very sticky and hard to open/close from the master room to the living space. Apart from that it was fantastic!
The dock was awesome for watching wild life and fishing, but I highly suggest the owners put a railing on at least one side of the walk way. It was very hard for some to make it up and down. However, It was nice for getting the kayak and paddle board in and out. It was also incredible to watch dolphins and rays pass by. There are fish that jump OUT of the water all afternoon and evening if you pay attention! You can even see it from the big windows in the living room. If you are a fisher, after sun down it is a cat fish bananza so bring gloves and pliers to avoid getting barbed.
The bay beach was very fun and full of wild life! Shore line covered in hermit crabs big and small, snails and clams galore at low tide, and so much more.
I do also want to note to anyone unfamiliar to the island, it is about 20 minutes drive from the house into the store front area of the island, and is very far back into the plantation itself which is large, about a quarter of the island, so I recommend this for a group or family looking to really get into the nature of the island. If so, it is GREAT!

We loved our stay at Old Bay! The kids really enjoyed the little beach and watching all the hermit crabs and sea snails (we even caught a few crabs!). The dock was perfect for fishing and watching the sunset. The new kitchen was beautiful and had all that we needed for cooking (but bring all your own spices/staples/food/etc). Beds were very comfy and the loft was perfect for our kiddos. We enjoyed the privacy of the property as well as the easy beach access. Would love to return!

I spent several days here at the end of April, and it was some of the most relaxing vacation time I’ve ever had. This home is beautiful. The beds are comfortable and gorgeous views from every bedroom and living space are amazing. I spent a lot of time on the deck and the dock and it felt so private and even saw dolphins just a few feet away. I highly recommend it and I cannot wait to return.

I waited to respond to this until I booked my 2nd stay at Old Bay; afraid when the word gets out all dates will be taken. We are happy for now that our family are the only ones to know what a beautiful home Old Bay is. The pier and dock complete this home. The fishing is endless or should I say catching from the dock is amazing. Water to table eating is the absolute best. Lots of reds, mullet, trout, black drum, sting ray, catfish, glass minnows, sheepshead, pinfish, porpoise, fiddler crab, horseshoe crabs, and blue crabs. Nothing better than fresh fish off the dock steps from the house. Two refrigerators so nice. This home was super clean, really clean. Fully equipped kitchen was very nice. Under the home was super clean with great grill area and outdoor shower. Loved the sandy beach area this home offers. There is never dull moment at Old Bay from watching all the boats and yachts coming and going from the cut. This home is very, very close to the cut. Fishing and paddle boarding and kayaking was very cool. Nature abounds at this home. Literally two and a half minutes from Old Bay is the gulf for a day at the beach or walk down to Bob Sike's Cut for wonderful fishing and meeting folks from all over the U.S. and beyond. Just a really beautiful home with a super warm feel. Two beautiful decks for reading, eating or mesmerizing view of the bay as far as the eye can see. All of us showed up for the unforgettable sunsets every evening. So, if that wasn't enough, there is the Plantation amenities: pool, gym, tennis and bike paths. Surprising to us, you can sit on the front porch or under home and listen to the waves from the gulf side. Five stars for property managers, Jamie for taking great care of us and the wonderful folks who work so hard to make sure this beautiful home was super clean and comfortable.

Nice home. Great views. Home needs updates in kitchen and bath. Both recliners were also broken in the living room. Property managers were great and responsive.

Manager's Response

Our family of 4 spent Thanksgiving week at Old Bay and had the best time! The views are unbelievable! Very private. The house is stocked with everything you would need for cooking. Grill is charcoal so bring charcoal and lighter fluid. Beds are super comfy. Easy 5 minute walk to the beach. We loved the Plantation area of St. George Island. Great place to ride bikes. We definitely want to return to the area and would love to stay at this home again. Highly recommend!

We had a wonderful family stay at Old Bay and highly recommend this well appointed home. The home’s location on the bay has amazing water views from almost all of the spaces, and the back deck and dock are the perfect place for enjoying expansive sunset views. The homeowners have provided very comfortable beds, sofas and everything you need in the kitchen to prepare your own lovely meals. The showers have excellent water pressure! This location is also the best hermit crab habitat I think I’ve ever experienced and provided constant natural entertainment for the entire family. Being within the plantation was delightful as the private, not crowded beach was a short walk away, and even shorter drive. This is the perfect place for you if you love to run, bike or walk and take into view all kinds of natural flora and fauna. We had the pleasure of viewing a large barn owl and the undisturbed sand where a sea turtle had created her nest the night before. In addition, St George’s and Apalachacola has charming family friendly locales, great boutique shopping, fresh fish docks and a local brewery. This is a wonderful place to enjoy the beautiful Emerald Coast in a relaxed and natural setting. We highly recommend this home, and look forward to our return! Thank you so much for sharing this lovely retreat!

Beautiful house.
Beyond stocked great location

Our Only complaint would be that the house does sway. I’ve stayed and several on the island on stilts and it was the first that noticeably swayd.
However it would not deter us from staying in the house again.