Why book direct instead of through Airbnb, Vrbo, or Booking.com?

Same house, same calendar, same hosts. Direct skips the guest-side fee every platform tacks on. Airbnb charges guests ~14% in service fees. Vrbo charges 6 to 12%. Booking.com varies by listing, typically 0 to 15%. On a typical $2,500 week with us, direct saves you roughly $200 to $400. The booking engine on this site is wired straight to Hostaway, the same backend that powers our Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com listings. We're routing it through our own domain so we don't have to pay the platform tax.

Is the calendar real-time?

Yes. Availability and pricing on this site pull live from Hostaway. If a date shows available here, it's actually available everywhere.

How many people does it sleep?

Eleven, across five real bedrooms. King primary suite on the main floor. Two queen bedrooms with private baths on the third floor. A queen-twin bunk room on the third floor. A fifth bedroom on the ground floor with its own full bath. Six beds total.

What do guests have access to?

The full home, driveway parking, outdoor living areas, balconies, heated dip pool, dock, game room, bar kitchen, tiki bar, fire pit, putting green, dog turf area, and waterfront spaces. You also have full use of the washer and dryer, both kitchens, the elevator, and the entertainment level (ping pong, arcade games, darts, board games, the four-TV wall). Three small areas are locked for owner storage: one closet in the master bedroom and two downstairs storage closets. Everything else is yours.

How do check-in and check-out work?

Self check-in via a Yale smart lock. You'll get a door code 24 hours before arrival that works for your entire stay. Check-in 3 PM, check-out 10 AM. We almost always say yes to a late check-out if the calendar allows. Just ask.

Are you available during our stay?

We want guests to have a smooth, private, relaxing stay. You won't see us, but we are available by message before and during your stay. If something comes up at the house, message us right away and we'll handle it quickly.

Yes. Maximum two small dogs, 25 lbs each. $150 pet fee per stay. No cats or other animals without prior written approval. We have a dog-friendly artificial turf area with bags, an outdoor trash can, and a hose for cleanup. Please supervise pets, keep them off furniture and beds, and clean up after them. Guests are responsible for pet-related damage or extra cleaning.

When can I see manatees?

Manatee season runs roughly November 15 through March 31, peak January and February. They gather in Crystal River specifically because the springs hold 72° while the Gulf drops into the 50s. From May through October you'll occasionally see a year-round resident, but for the postcard experience, book in winter.

Are kayaks, paddleboards, or a boat included?

No. We do not keep kayaks, paddleboards, or a boat at the house. You're welcome to bring your own and use our boat lift and jet ski lift. To rent: Hunter Springs Kayak Rentals, River Ventures, and Crystal River Watersports rent kayaks and paddleboards. Plantation Marina, Crystal River Watersports, and Pete's Pier rent pontoons, center consoles, and jet skis. All five to fifteen minutes from the house.

Can I launch a kayak from your dock?

We don't recommend it. The canal bottom near the dock is rocky and oyster-edged. Use Hunter Springs Park's free public launch or any of the rental shops downtown. Better water entry, no risk to feet or boards.

Can I use the boat lift and jet ski lift?

Yes, with care. The lifts must be operated correctly to avoid misalignment or damage. We'll provide written instructions before arrival, and we ask that guests follow them exactly. Press both buttons simultaneously when raising or lowering. The canal is tidal and gets shallow around low tide, especially in winter. We recommend boats 27 feet or smaller for the canal; guests are responsible for checking tide charts, confirming their boat's draft, and planning both departure and return windows.

How does the elevator work?

Three stories, fully operational, available for guests who need help with stairs or for moving luggage and groceries between floors. Three rules: maximum two people at a time, every elevator door on every floor must be fully closed before it will move, and children may not use the elevator without adult supervision. If the elevator won't move, walk each floor and confirm every door is shut.

Yes, but the heater takes time to warm up. If you want the pool heated for arrival, message us a day or two ahead so we can run it in time.

Anything I should know before arriving?

A few practical notes. (1) On the ground floor, only the middle sliding doors open; the side sliders are decorative. (2) The ground-floor mini-split remote must be pointed directly at the unit to change settings, it looks like a thermostat but it's a remote. (3) As with any Florida waterfront home, mosquitoes and no-see-ums are around at dawn, dusk, and after rain. We provide bug spray; bring your preferred repellent if you have one. (4) Please do not flush wipes, feminine products, paper towels, or anything other than toilet paper.

Are there security cameras?

Exterior cameras only, located outside the property for guest safety and property protection. There are no cameras inside the home or in any private guest areas.

What's the cancellation policy?

Flexible. Full refund up to 14 days before check-in, partial refund within 14 days. Specifics confirmed at booking.

Minimum stay varies by date and season. The booking calendar pulls the live Hostaway minimum-stay rule for the arrival date you choose, including PriceLabs seasonality and orphan-night settings, before it shows a quote.

Driveway parking is included. The converted ground-floor game room is open for guest use but is not available for vehicle parking. If you have extra vehicles, ask us before arrival and we'll point you to overflow.

The vacation rental

The Crystal River vacation rental built for groups

Built for groups where everyone wants a thing to do. Grandparents take the elevator. Kids take the bunk room. Cousins take the boat lift. You take the wraparound porch with a coffee and watch the canal wake up. Five real bedrooms across three floors, two kitchens, a king primary suite, two queens with private baths, a queen-twin bunk room, and a ground-floor fifth bedroom. Sleeps eleven.

When you search for a Crystal River vacation rental, you'll find dozens of condos and smaller homes along the river. Bayshore Getaway is different. It's the largest waterfront vacation rental on West Bayshore Drive: a three-story, five-bedroom compound with a private dock and working boat lift right on the canal, a heated dip pool, a full game floor with twelve TVs, and an elevator that runs all three floors. It sleeps eleven comfortably, and it's only five minutes from Three Sisters Springs where you can swim with manatees in the winter.

Whether you're planning a multi-generational reunion, a guys' fishing trip, or a family vacation where everyone gets their own space, this house is built for it. The ground floor has a fifth bedroom and full bath for grandparents. The third floor has two queen bedrooms with private baths. The main floor has the king primary suite. And the game floor in the middle is where everyone ends up anyway.

The destination

Why Crystal River

Crystal River is the only place in the United States where you can legally swim with wild manatees. From November through March, hundreds of West Indian manatees gather in the 72°F spring water of Three Sisters Springs, just five minutes from the house. The Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge offers guided boat tours, and the manatee viewing center on Main Street is free to visit year-round.

The Gulf Coast is world-class for scalloping (October through March), snook, redfish, and tarpon. The house's private dock sits in a no-wake zone on the Navarre Canal, which connects directly to the Withlacoochee River and the Gulf. Plantation Marina is five minutes away for boat rentals, and the King's Bay launch is ten minutes for kayak and paddleboard rentals.

Downtown Crystal River has a surprisingly vibrant food scene: The Salty Donut, The Crab Trap, Captain Tony's, and a growing number of craft breweries along Main Street. It's a small town that hasn't been overrun by tourism yet, which is exactly why we love it.

Manatee season guide →Things to do →

The house

Why this house

The game floor

Pac-Man, NBA Jam, Big Buck Hunter, Golden Tee, Fast & Furious. Pool table, ping pong, air hockey, darts, board games. A four-TV jumbotron wall plus a bar kitchen with ice maker, microwave, air fryer, and dishwasher. Twelve TVs in the house total.

Five bedrooms, three floors, one elevator

King primary suite on the main floor with double vanity, two-head walk-in shower, soaking tub, and balcony. Two queen bedrooms with their own bathrooms on the third floor. A queen-twin bunk room for the kids. A ground-floor fifth bedroom with full bath.

Working dock in a no-wake zone

Private dock on the canal with a boat lift and a jet ski lift you are welcome to use. Boats 27 ft and smaller are recommended for the canal. Bring your own boat or rent one from Plantation Marina five minutes away. Manatees gather in the canal from mid-November through March.

The outdoor side

Heated dip pool, tiki bar, gas fire pit, putting green, cornhole, swings, lounge seating. Artificial-turf dog area with bags, trash can, and a hose for cleanup. Wraparound porch with rocking chairs.

See every room →

Direct booking

How direct booking works

When you book Bayshore Getaway direct through our site, you're booking the exact same calendar you see on Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com. We use Hostaway to sync everything in real time, so availability is always accurate.

Request a date, get an instant confirmation, and pay the same rate you'd see on any platform, but without the 14–15% service fee. No middleman. No hidden charges. Just a direct line to the host via text or phone.

Check-in is self-service with a Yale smart lock. You'll get your code within minutes of confirmation. The house is fully stocked: linens, towels, kitchen essentials, and even a pack 'n play if you're traveling with little ones.

Book direct →FAQ

Ready to plan the trip?

Real-time availability and ~15% off Airbnb pricing.

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