ENJOY THE BAY VIEWS AND BREEZES FROM A CHARMING, OLD-FLORIDA-STYLE COTTAGE. CATCH FISH AND SEAFOOD FROM A PRIVATE WHITE-SAND BEACH.  

Pearl Cottage on the Bay has it all!
Avoid all the tourists and revel in nature on the Forgotten Coast! Pearl Cottage on the Bay is located on Mashes Sands Island, Panacea, Florida, part of The Forgotten Coast in the heart of oyster country. Positioned on the border of Franklin and Wakulla counties, this classic Old Florida-style, mid-century modern home is nestled in a private grove of mature live oak and longleaf pine trees. The house sits right on Ochlockonoee Bay, and has its own white-sand shoreline where you can fish, crab or launch a kayak or paddle board--or simply relax in the Florida sunshine. 

For couples or families!
Pearl Cottage on the Bay has an open floor plan with 3 bedrooms (each with its own view of the bay) and 2 full baths. Each bedroom has its own memory foam, queen-size bed with all-cotton linens. The house is ideal for 2 to 6 people. There's also an outdoor shower to wash off sandy feet or paws.

Bring your dog(s)
We are pet friendly, so bring your furry family members. Check with us about multiple pets.

Eat in!
The kitchen is stocked with dishes and cookware so you can prepare the region’s famous seafood. The four-season back porch measures 26 x 10 feet and offers a large couch and dining table with an expansive view of the sparkling bay.

Or dine out
There are a number of excellent restaurants in Panacea, most of which specialize in local seafood, but offer tasty options for the non-seafood lover in your party. Check with us upon arrival for suggestions.

Parking for cars and toys
There’s plenty of off-street parking, including a space for a boat or RV with electrical hook-up.

Great weather
The weather in Panacea during the summer is generally between 70 and 90 degrees F (21 to 32 C).  During the winter, temperatures range from 45 to 65 F. (07 to 18 C). Panacea averages 231 sunny days per year.

EXPLORE THE FORGOTTEN COAST OF FLORIDA: YOUR WAY

Explore the Best "Undiscovered" Park
Located right on the clear blue Gulf of Mexico, Mashes Sands Park is just a mile away from Pearl Cottage on the Bay. The park includes a boat launch, fishing pier, hiking trail, and white sandy swimming beach. 

Go Birdwatching: Add to your Life List
Mashes Sands Park offers miles of tidal marshes that provide prime habitat for a wide array of bird species, particularly during the spring and fall migration. The nearby St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is considered one of the best birding spots in the country. 

Take Photos: Capture Memories
If you're a nature/outdoor photographer, there's a wealth of wild places rich with flora, fauna, sea, and sky. Leave with the remarkable images of our area: shore birds, colorful butterflies, gnarled trees clad in Spanish moss, bog wildflowers, sunrises, sunsets. 

Catch Fish: Lots and lots of fish
The Panacea area is one of the top spots to catch fish on Florida's Forgotten Coast. You can fish year-round with the possibility of landing flounder, grouper, snapper, sea trout, drum, tarpon, sea bass, tripletail, mullet, mahi mahi, Spanish mackerel, pompano, and sheepshead. Nearby freshwater streams and lakes contain species such as bass, catfish, crappie, bluegill, and perch. You can cast a line from Pearl Cottage on the Bay's backyard, off the beach or pier at Mashes Sands Park, from your own boat, or hire one of the many local charter boat captains to take you where the fish are biting. If you bring your own craft, there's a handy boat ramp nearby at Mashes Sands Park.

Go Crabbing: Catch Your Own in the Bay 
Delicious blue claw crabs are a specialty of the region (there's even a Blue Crab Festival in Panacea each year). You can catch these tasty crustaceans yourself in the bay behind Pearl Cottage on the Bay or in the extensive tidal marshes nearby. Or, you can buy just-caught crabs at one of our local seafood markets. 

Eat Fresh: Indulge Your Love of Local Seafood
Fresh oysters and shrimp are two other important specialties of the Forgotten Coast. Be sure to savor the flavor of our region by ordering them at restaurants, raw bars, or seafood markets.

Hop on a Bike: Ride to the Beach, Springs, or Forest
Be sure to bring along your bikes, too! The 13-mile Ochlockonee Bay bike trail goes right by Pearl Cottage, connecting Mashes Sands beach to the quaint town of Sopchoppy. This trail takes you through a variety of habitats along the Ochlockonee River including springs (where Manatees frequently winter), fresh and saltwater marshes, and forests of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. If you can’t bring your bikes, let us know and we can let you use ours.

Bring Your Clubs
Just 20 minutes from Pearl Cottage on the Bay, you'll find the St. James Bay Golf Club. This Audubon Signature Sanctuary and Championship 18-hole golf course is open to the public for year-round play. This stunning course is meticulously groomed and designed with consideration for natural wetland preserves and native plants and wildlife.

Get on the Water: Water Sports for All 
If you love to kayak, paddle board, or canoe, Pearl Cottage on the Bay is the perfect spot. In addition to the bay behind the house, there's a wide variety of springs, creeks, lakes, and marshes nearby with easy access. 

Go Where the Crowds Aren't
Delta Airlines Sky magazine listed Mashes Sands Park as one of the best “undiscovered” beaches in Florida. Pearl Cottage on the Bay is just 1.5 miles down a bike/walking path from this off-the-beaten-path strand. See the issue.