In the Sun: Inside St. Augustine's Golf Sim Beach House
- Seth Balogh
- Aug 9
- 14 min read
In the Sun is a three-bedroom, three-bathroom vacation rental in Vilano Beach, a walkable slice of St. Augustine, FL, known for a private hot tub, an indoor golf simulator, and a short walk to the sand. The property sleeps up to 10 guests and is managed by In The Sun VR, a boutique short-term rental company based in St. Augustine.
Key Takeaways
In the Sun is a 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom house in Vilano Beach that accommodates up to 10 guests, with a private hot tub, a fire pit, and an indoor golf simulator.
The property is pet friendly and includes a screened-in lanai, a propane grill, and a rainfall shower, making it suited to families and groups traveling with dogs.
St. Augustine short-term rentals averaged a 56% occupancy rate and a $288.70 average daily rate in 2026, according to AirDNA market data, reflecting steady coastal demand near Vilano Beach.
Vilano Beach sits north of the St. Augustine Historic District and is known for a quieter, more residential beach scene compared to downtown or St. Augustine Beach.
The home is managed by In The Sun VR, which also handles co-hosting, revenue management, and interior design for St. Augustine property owners.
Guests can book directly through the In the Sun property page rather than routing through third-party booking apps.
Most vacation rental listings in St. Augustine lean on the same handful of selling points: proximity to the beach, a pool, maybe a hot tub. In the Sun does something different. It pairs a private hot tub and fire pit with an indoor golf simulator, a combination that's uncommon among Vilano Beach rentals and gives the property genuine year-round appeal, rain or shine.
This spotlight breaks down what a stay at In the Sun actually looks like in 2026: the room layout, the amenities that matter most for families and groups, what's within walking or driving distance in Vilano Beach, and who the property fits best. If you're comparing it against other St. Augustine rentals or deciding whether it's the right fit for an upcoming trip, this covers the details that generic listing descriptions skip.
In The Sun VR manages the property day to day, from guest communication to turnover cleaning, which means the details below reflect how the home is actually run rather than a one-time marketing description.
What Makes In the Sun Different From Other Vilano Beach Rentals?
In the Sun stands out because it combines a private hot tub, a fire pit, and an indoor golf simulator inside one Vilano Beach property, a rare pairing of outdoor coastal amenities with an indoor entertainment feature that works regardless of weather. Most comparable homes in the area offer one or the other, not both.
Specifically, the golf simulator sets this property apart from the typical "pool and grill" formula that dominates St. Augustine's short-term rental inventory. As of 2026, St. Augustine had roughly 6,940 to 7,068 active short-term rental listings, and the overwhelming majority compete on the same amenities: a pool, a hot tub, proximity to the beach. Few offer an indoor golf simulator as a standard feature.
For a family with mixed interests, that matters. One group can spend the afternoon at the beach while another stays back and works on a swing indoors. The In the Sun property page lists the full amenity set, and the layout supports groups who don't all want to do the same thing at the same time, which is often where smaller rentals fall short.
What Are the Bedrooms and Bathrooms Like at In the Sun?
In the Sun has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, sleeping up to 10 guests total, which puts it in a comfortable middle ground between a couples' retreat and a full multi-family estate. The interiors follow a bright, coastal design approach rather than a dark or heavily themed aesthetic.
Inside, the coastal palette keeps rooms feeling open even when all three bedrooms are occupied. A three-bath configuration for a 10-guest max occupancy is worth noting specifically: it reduces the morning bathroom bottleneck that's common in similarly sized rentals with only two baths, which matters more than most guests realize when booking for a group.
Each bathroom includes a rainfall shower, a detail that elevates the day-to-day experience of a stay beyond what a standard shower head delivers. It's a small feature, but it's the kind of detail that shows up in guest reviews for rentals that get repeat bookings, and it's part of why interior design choices matter as much as square footage when a property is trying to stand out in a crowded market.
What Outdoor Amenities Come With In the Sun?
In the Sun includes a private hot tub, a fire pit, a propane grill, and a screened-in lanai, giving guests multiple outdoor spaces to use depending on the time of day and the weather. The combination supports everything from a quiet morning coffee to a late-night gathering around the fire.
The screened-in lanai in particular solves a real Florida problem: bugs and humidity. It lets guests eat dinner outside or relax in the evening without dealing with either, which is a bigger deal during St. Augustine's warmer months from May through September than most listings acknowledge.
Additionally, the property is pet friendly and includes beach gear provided on site, so guests traveling with dogs or with young kids don't need to pack coolers, chairs, or umbrellas separately. A baby and toddler friendly setup rounds out the amenity list, making the home workable for multi-generational trips where infants, teenagers, and adults are all part of the same booking.
For groups who want to fire up the grill without a trip to the store, the BBQ grill and propane setup mean dinner can happen steps from the hot tub, an outdoor flow that a lot of Vilano Beach rentals don't offer in one contained space.
How Does the Golf Simulator Work at This Property?
The indoor golf simulator at In the Sun is a rare amenity among St. Augustine vacation rentals, giving guests the ability to practice their swing or play a round without leaving the house. It functions as both entertainment for non-beach days and a differentiator that appeals specifically to golf-focused travel groups.
St. Augustine sits within reasonable driving distance of several well-known Northeast Florida golf destinations, and travelers who plan golf trips around a home base often look for a property that lets them warm up or wind down without booking separate range time. In the Sun's simulator fills that gap directly.
It also functions as a rainy-day backup. Florida's coastal weather can turn quickly, especially during summer afternoon storm patterns, and having an indoor activity that isn't just a television keeps a group entertained without cutting a beach trip short. For families with teenagers or groups of friends who split time between golf and the beach, this is the single feature that tends to get mentioned first in guest feedback for properties like this one.
Where Is In the Sun Located in Vilano Beach?
In the Sun is located in Vilano Beach, a residential coastal neighborhood just north of the St. Augustine Historic District, known for a quieter beach scene and a shorter, more local feel than downtown St. Augustine or St. Augustine Beach. The property sits within walking distance of the sand and nearby restaurants.
Specifically, Vilano Beach draws a different crowd than the historic district. Where downtown St. Augustine centers on Flagler College, cobblestone streets, and horse-drawn carriage tours, Vilano Beach is built around beach access, casual dining, and a slower pace. It's a fit for travelers who want proximity to the ocean without navigating downtown parking or crowds during peak tourist season.
As a result, guests staying at In the Sun get walkable access to the beach and local restaurants without giving up easy driving access to attractions further south, including the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum and Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, both within a reasonable drive of Vilano Beach. Anastasia State Park is also accessible for a beach day with more dune and shoreline preservation than the neighborhood beach itself.
In The Sun VR's own portfolio includes several other Vilano Beach properties, including Vilano Vista and a four-bedroom home simply called Vilano Beach, both of which reflect the company's local concentration in this specific neighborhood rather than a scattered footprint across the county.
Is In the Sun a Good Fit for Families or Groups?
In the Sun works best for families and groups of up to 10 who want a mix of beach access, outdoor relaxation, and an indoor activity that doesn't depend on the weather. Its three-bedroom, three-bathroom layout suits multi-generational trips or two families traveling together more comfortably than a typical two-bedroom condo.
For a family with young kids, the baby and toddler friendly setup combined with provided beach gear cuts down on packing and logistics considerably. For a group of friends or a golf-focused trip, the simulator and hot tub cover two very different kinds of downtime in one property.
What it's not built for: a large event, a wedding, or a group larger than 10. Owners looking for that scale should consider a larger property in the In The Sun VR portfolio, such as the five-bedroom Private Resort Retreat that allows events and weddings, or the six-bedroom Victorian Villa near downtown that sleeps up to 12.
Compared to a downtown historic rental, In the Sun trades walkability to St. George Street for direct beach proximity and a quieter setting, a trade-off that matters depending on whether a trip is built around sightseeing or relaxing by the water.
Do Any Celebrities Live in St. Augustine, Florida?
St. Augustine is not widely known as a celebrity residence hub the way South Florida or parts of Los Angeles are, and no verified, current celebrity residency claims are tied specifically to the Vilano Beach area where In the Sun is located. The city's reputation instead centers on its status as the oldest continuously occupied European-founded city in the continental United States.
What draws visitors to St. Augustine in 2026 isn't celebrity sightings but the combination of historic architecture, beach access, and a walkable downtown core built around the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and the Colonial Quarter. Florida's Historic Coast tourism data reports more than 6 million annual visitors to St. Johns County, driven primarily by history, beaches, and events rather than celebrity culture.
For travelers researching the destination, that's actually a point in its favor: St. Augustine markets itself on authenticity and heritage rather than star power, which keeps the city's tourism identity distinct from more overtly glamorous Florida coastal towns.
Which Is Nicer, Palm Coast or St. Augustine?
St. Augustine and Palm Coast serve different types of travelers, and "nicer" depends heavily on what a visitor wants from the trip. St. Augustine offers historic architecture, a walkable downtown, and neighborhoods like Vilano Beach and Crescent Beach with direct ocean access, while Palm Coast, located roughly 25-30 minutes south, is generally quieter and more residential with fewer tourist attractions.
For a short vacation focused on sightseeing, dining, and beach time in one trip, St. Augustine has more built-in variety. Downtown's historic district, museums like the Lightner Museum, and multiple beach neighborhoods (Vilano Beach, St. Augustine Beach, Crescent Beach, Butler Beach) all sit within a short drive of each other.
Palm Coast tends to appeal more to travelers prioritizing quiet and lower density over nightlife or historic sightseeing. For a vacation rental stay specifically, St. Augustine's rental inventory, including properties like In the Sun, benefits from proximity to both beach and downtown attractions in a way Palm Coast's more spread-out layout doesn't replicate as easily.
Vilano Beach vs. Downtown St. Augustine: Which Fits Your Stay?
The table below compares Vilano Beach, where In the Sun is located, against downtown St. Augustine's historic district, the two most common areas travelers weigh when booking a rental in this market.
Factor | Vilano Beach (In the Sun) | Downtown Historic District |
Beach access | Short walk to the sand | Requires a drive, roughly 15-20 minutes |
Atmosphere | Quiet, residential, coastal | Busy, walkable, historic |
Parking | Typically on-site or driveway | Limited street parking, often paid lots |
Best for | Beach-focused families and groups | Sightseeing-focused travelers |
Nearby dining | Casual, local restaurants | Wide variety, tourist-dense |
Example property | In the Sun (3BR/3BA, sleeps 10) | Restored Historic Church (2BR, sleeps 10) |
Neither location is objectively better. A group prioritizing beach time and a quieter evening should lean toward Vilano Beach. A group building a trip around museums, restaurants, and walking St. George Street will get more value from a downtown base.
How Does St. Augustine's Rental Market Compare in 2026?
St. Augustine's short-term rental market averaged a 56% occupancy rate in 2026, up 4% year-over-year, with an average daily rate of $288.70 per night, according to AirDNA market data. Active listings generated roughly $35,700 in average annual revenue per property.
Seasonally, demand follows a predictable pattern. Peak months, including March, June, July, and December, produced average monthly revenue near $5,992, compared to about $3,357 during slower months like September and October, based on AirROI's 2026 seasonality data. That gap reflects both weather and school-calendar-driven travel patterns rather than random fluctuation.
For a property like In the Sun, positioned in Vilano Beach with beach walkability and a distinctive amenity in the golf simulator, that seasonal swing matters less than it would for a generic listing. Unique amenities tend to hold booking interest during shoulder months better than standard pool-and-beach-access properties, a pattern we've seen consistently across the In The Sun VR portfolio when comparing properties with a differentiator against those without one.
Property owners evaluating whether their own St. Augustine rental is performing at this level can review the broader context in our guide to vacation rentals in St. Augustine, Florida, which breaks down what drives occupancy across different neighborhoods.
What Should You Know Before Booking a St. Augustine Rental?
Booking a vacation rental in St. Augustine in 2026 requires checking a handful of specifics beyond price: occupancy limits, cancellation terms, minimum stay requirements, and what's actually included versus what guests need to bring. These details vary property to property and neighborhood to neighborhood.
Follow this checklist when evaluating any St. Augustine rental, including In the Sun:
Confirm the maximum occupancy matches your group size. In the Sun accommodates up to 10 guests across 3 bedrooms.
Check whether pets are allowed and if a fee applies. In the Sun is pet friendly.
Review the cancellation policy before booking, particularly during peak months like June and December when demand is highest.
Ask what's provided versus what you need to bring. Properties like In the Sun include beach gear and games on site, reducing what guests need to pack.
Confirm WiFi speed if remote work is part of the trip. In the Sun lists 1G WiFi, sufficient for video calls and streaming across a full group.
Check proximity to grocery stores and restaurants if you plan to cook rather than eat out every night.
For first-time visitors weighing self-booking directly against going through a larger booking platform, working with a locally managed property like those under In The Sun VR often means faster, more direct communication than a call center-style OTA support line.
What Happened at St. Augustine Today?
St. Augustine's day-to-day news typically centers on local government, tourism updates, weather, and community events rather than national headlines, and coverage varies daily depending on the season. Visitors researching current conditions should check official sources rather than relying on generic travel content for anything time-sensitive.
For weather and beach conditions specifically, including whether Vilano Beach or nearby Crescent Beach are open for driving, checking tide and beach access requirements before a trip is worth doing directly through official county or state resources rather than assuming conditions from a previous visit. St. Johns County periodically updates beach driving rules and hours, and enforcement varies by section of coastline.
For event-specific updates, from seasonal festivals to the annual Nights of Lights display downtown, Florida's Historic Coast tourism resources maintain the most current calendar. Guests booking In the Sun for a Vilano Beach stay should note that neighborhood is separate from the downtown event footprint, so a quick evening drive is typically needed to catch downtown-specific happenings.
Can You Drive on the Beach in St. Augustine?
Driving on the beach is allowed in certain sections of St. Johns County, including parts of St. Augustine Beach and Crescent Beach, but rules vary by location, season, and time of day, and some sections prohibit vehicle access entirely. Vilano Beach, where In the Sun is located, is not generally a beach-driving area.
Because regulations, permit requirements, and seasonal closures change and are enforced by St. Johns County, guests planning to drive on any local beach should verify current rules directly with the county before their trip rather than relying on past visits or secondhand information. Fees, permits, and vehicle restrictions can shift year to year.
For guests at In the Sun who want a beach-driving experience, the nearest permitted sections are typically found further south along St. Augustine Beach or Crescent Beach, both a short drive from Vilano Beach, rather than the neighborhood beach directly outside the property.
What Should You Know About Crescent Beach and Nearby Beaches?
Crescent Beach is a quieter coastal stretch south of St. Augustine's main tourist beaches, popular for its more residential feel and easier parking compared to St. Augustine Beach during peak season. It sits within a reasonable drive of Vilano Beach, making it a viable day-trip option for guests staying at In the Sun who want to see a different stretch of coastline.
Because beach conditions, driving access, and seasonal rules change, travelers should check current information directly with St. Johns County or Anastasia State Park before planning a Crescent Beach visit, particularly around vehicle access and parking availability during summer months.
Compared to Vilano Beach's walkable, neighborhood feel, Crescent Beach tends to draw visitors looking for more open shoreline and fewer nearby restaurants or shops, making it a better fit for a quiet beach day than an evening dinner outing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there Airbnb-style options available near the beach in St. Augustine, Florida?
Yes, St. Augustine has a wide range of vacation rentals near the beach, including neighborhoods like Vilano Beach, St. Augustine Beach, and Crescent Beach. In the Sun, located in Vilano Beach, is one example, offering a short walk to the sand along with a private hot tub and indoor golf simulator.
Are there vacation rentals available in the downtown historic district of St. Augustine?
Yes, downtown St. Augustine has several rental options within walking distance of St. George Street and the Old City Gates, including the Restored Historic Church managed by In The Sun VR. These properties trade beach proximity for walkability to museums, restaurants, and historic sites.
How many guests can stay at In the Sun in St. Augustine, FL?
In the Sun accommodates up to 10 guests across 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. The layout works well for two families traveling together or a larger group of friends who want separate sleeping areas.
Is In the Sun pet friendly?
Yes, In the Sun is a pet friendly property, making it suitable for guests traveling with dogs. Check the current pet policy and any applicable fee directly on the In the Sun booking page before confirming a reservation.
What amenities does In the Sun include besides the hot tub and golf simulator?
In the Sun also includes a fire pit, BBQ and propane grill, washer and dryer, rainfall showers, a screened-in lanai, provided beach gear, games, and 1G WiFi. The property is also baby and toddler friendly, which supports multi-generational group trips.
How far is In the Sun from the beach in Vilano Beach?
In the Sun is located within walking distance of the beach in Vilano Beach, along with nearby local restaurants. Exact walking time can vary slightly depending on the specific street, so guests should confirm precise distance when booking.
Is Jacksonville Beach water clear?
Jacksonville Beach, located roughly 40-50 minutes north of St. Augustine, generally has typical Atlantic coastal water clarity, which varies by season, weather, and recent storm activity rather than being consistently clear year-round. St. Augustine's own beaches, including those near Vilano Beach, follow similar seasonal clarity patterns.
Should I book directly with In The Sun VR or through a third-party platform?
Booking directly through the property page often means faster, more direct communication with the local team managing the home. In The Sun VR handles guest communication, cleaning, and maintenance for In the Sun directly, which can simplify questions or special requests compared to routing through a third-party app's support system.
Ready to Book In the Sun in St. Augustine?
In the Sun delivers a combination that's genuinely uncommon in Vilano Beach: a private hot tub and fire pit for evening relaxation, an indoor golf simulator for entertainment regardless of weather, and a short walk to the beach itself. Across 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, it comfortably fits up to 10 guests, whether that's two families, a golf-focused group of friends, or a multi-generational trip that needs both quiet space and shared activity.
As St. Augustine's rental market continues to grow, with occupancy and daily rates trending upward through 2026, properties that offer something beyond the standard pool-and-beach-access formula tend to hold guest interest across more of the calendar, not just peak season.
Whether you're planning a beach trip, a golf getaway, or simply want a St. Augustine home base with a hot tub and a distinctive indoor amenity, In The Sun VR manages In the Sun and a full portfolio of properties across St. Augustine. Get started with In The Sun VR to check availability and plan your stay.
Written by Seth Balogh, Owner at In The Sun VR
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