Run by Lauren and Aric, not a property manager.
We own the building at 634 6th Street in downtown Cedar Key, six units total: five short-term rentals plus one long-term tenant. Lauren and Aric handle every booking and every guest message personally. Lee, Lauren's uncle in Chiefland, handles building and emergency maintenance. Our cleaner Jasmine has been with us since we opened in 2022. We are owner-operated everywhere we list, not just direct.
Why this building, why Cedar Key
Lauren has been coming to Cedar Key since she was a kid. Her grandma Joan and her uncle Lee lived in Chiefland, half an hour up the road, and the family would drive over to Cedar Key for the day. Manatee Springs in summer, sunsets on Dock Street, the kind of slow Old Florida that does not really exist anywhere else. Joan passed recently. Lee is still there, and he is the one we call for building and emergency maintenance the same afternoon something needs hands on it.
Buying this building was a way to root the family in a place that already felt like home, and to share it with the kind of guests who actually want what Cedar Key offers, which is mostly quiet, walking distance, sunset, and good seafood.
How we run it
The building is a historic green apartment building at 634 6th Street, about a 10-minute walk from Dock Street and the boat ramp. Each unit has its own front door, its own full kitchen, and its own washer/dryer. Jasmine turns over rooms within hours of checkout. Lee handles building and emergency maintenance. Lauren and Aric reply to every guest message personally, weekdays same-day, whether the booking came through this site, Airbnb, or Vrbo. Direct is for the savings, not the messaging.
The same units cost less booked here than on Airbnb, because the platform fee we would otherwise pay comes off your rate. See Why Book Direct for the math. The reviews are the same too: 897 verified reviews across the 5 units, 4.92 average, all from Airbnb and Vrbo where they are already verified. We pull them onto this site so you see the same evidence whichever way you book.
The building
According to local memory, the downstairs of this building was once a general store. We're still chasing the deed records and the Cedar Key Historical Society's photo archive to confirm. If you've stayed here and your grandparents told you a story about this corner, we'd love to hear it.
Get in touch
Same-day response on weekdays. vacationnaturecoast@gmail.com
Lauren & Aric
Have a photo from your stay? Email it to us. We feature guest photos on the site and our socials, with credit, and only with your OK.
Lauren and Aric, in guests' words
A handful of recent ones. The rest are on Airbnb and Vrbo.
Communication was excellent! We were alerted to a potential problem and a solution was implemented before our arrival. Lauren was easy to get in touch with and a great, caring host.
Lauren was very attentive Host. We have no complaints about the accommodations or the Hosts. It was a very quiet and relaxing area. We were there during the off season, so several of the local establishments were not open for business. It would have saved us some time and frustration if those businesses had reflected their closed status on their websites.
Very nice unit that is walking distance to everything you need. Very quiet and laid-back. Short walk to downtown shops, restaurants, and beautiful Gulf sunsets! Lauren and Aric were very responsive at check-in to solve an inoperable AC issue and quickly upgraded us to another unit with a water view and porch swing where we spent a lot of time relaxing and enjoying the view and cooling breeze. Definitely recommend this accommodation.
We enjoyed our stay at Lauren’s place! It was neat and clean and met our expectations. We wanted a comfortable and peaceful Airbnb and we got exactly just that! Lauren is a wonderful host and very responsive. I would give more than 5 stars if we could! Trust me, you will not be disappointed!!! 😊
Great place. Has all the necessities. Cedar Key is very walkable. Lauren is a responsive and accommodating host. Just note that there will be a security deposit (mentioned in house rules). which made me hesitant at first, since it wasn’t through AirBnb.
We enjoyed our stay in the blue heron nest! The apartment was clean, the beds were super comfy, and the kitchen was full of everything you need. The decor is lovely and really matches the atmosphere. I would highly recommend staying in this apartment. Our host Lauren was great and responsive.
We really enjoyed staying here, the quaintness of the building and the town. Love the swing on the porch! Lauren is a great host, very friendly and accommodating.
What a beautiful Island. Cedar Key was a wonderful stay. So happy we made the choice to stay here. The property was great. The Gull Wing was all we had hoped for. Such a quaint town and everywhere we visited while there the folks we encountered were friendly and so helpful. Lauren was way to work with and very responsive and helpful.
Reviews are from verified stays on Airbnb and Vrbo, shown here as written.