Sebastian, Florida Oyster Pointe Review

Overall Rating

Having spent 3 holidays in Orlando (Kissimmee) we decided to go further down the coast (2 hours driving from Orland).

Identical 'log cabins', very comfy inside. There is a swimming pool, which we didn't use (it was January), also mini store. You get a small motor boat which goes with your accommodation which you can take on the Indian River (you are not allowed to go out to sea, and who would want to...). The Indian River is very wide, calm and has lots of little islands, so you can have one to yourself, or land on a bigger one, where the occupants are only too helpful in pulling the boat in for you. The Indian river is not very deep, and tranquil, you don't catch much fish, and the ones you do are so pretty everybody shouts "Throw it back!!". I did think I'd got a big catch off one of the islands, but I'd got hooked on to a branch, and there was a rather large and angry crab attached to the other end. He won. A tip - if you do stop in the middle of the river, it's a good idea to take up the anchor before you set off again!

I'd never fished before, and thought I would find it quite boring. It was fascinating to see the fish, much cleverer than me, gently take the bait off the hook and swim off. I did not want to catch anything anyway. There are several bridges across the river, and they have walkways under them, where you can fish from. You see dolpins, teasing the pelicans by tossing fish in the air and then catching them before the pelicans can, and it was just so relaxing. We had two children, aged 8 and 10 with us, and they enjoyed every minute - as much as Disney. When the serious fishermen caught anything (like a puffer fish) they were really patient in explaining to children what it was and why it behaved the way it did. It's a quiet place, no real worries about traffic, and not very commercialised. Most of the staff at the local Burger King were over 55, and really nice to us, could not do enough to make us comfortable. Also went to buy a fishing rod for eldest child, as we thought the prices rather reasonable (and he had wrapped the hired one around a lampost the previous day), and when we took one off the shelf, a member of staff came up and said "Don't buy that today, it's on sale tomorrow", and so it was, 25% cheaper. We ate out quite a bit, our favourtie being a restaurant that had a wharf out over the river. Three course meal for 4, with two bottles of wine, £25, althought the guy in charge of the boats thought this quite ridiculous and directed us to some 'local' restaurants which were ridiculously cheap but good. Loads of shells which youngest son collected - we made him leave them all on the river side apart from one which he was convinced was 'alive' so, as you do, took it home and put it in a large basin with water, and a plate over (so the lights would not frighten it). Cabins very comfy, clean and kitchen well equipped. Also a lovely cat and three kittens took to sitting outside our door each day (yes, it was duly fed). Also, Sebastian has a really modern bowling alley, not v busy but very clean and we spent hours there.

All cabins look alike - I ended up in the wrong one having gone out to buy newspaper - saw book on table and thought "He didn't tell me he'd bought that", then heard someone singing in shower (he doesn't do that), saw a handbag (that's not mine), went hot and cold and rushed out and back to my cabin (next door). Still felt awful and worked out their telephone number from ours, and she was great "Honey, we stayed in New York and I did exactly the same thing!!" Oh, thank you!!.

The shell that my youngest insisted was alive was - his brother poo-pooing this, went and took the plate off the basin when we came home one night and the poor creature was trying to get out - had long, don't know what you call them, things coming over the basin. Eldest son screamed, so did creature, and immediately retreated to shell. Then of course, youngest insisted we trapse back to the river (only across the road) and put the creature back.

Lovely cat with three kittens decided to bring along the (I assume) father - he was as big as a sheepdog - slammed door immediately.

It was 2 hours drive away from Airport and as we had an early morning flight, we thought for the last 2 days we'd hire a villa in Orlando (they call them all villas, although if you throw a ball against the wall, it all wobbles, shades of Cell Block H). Didn't tell the children (big suprise!). Anyway after the journey back to Orlando, still not having told them, got the key and left them in the car while we opened the door. Villa v nice - but years later found out that youngest had said "What are mum and dad doing?" and his brother had replied "I don't know, I think they are breaking into that house".

Having spent 3 holidays in Orlando (Kissimmee) we decided to go further down the coast (2 hours driving from Orland).

Identical 'log cabins', very comfy inside. There is a swimming pool, which we didn't use (it was January), also mini store. You get a small motor boat which goes with your accommodation which you can take on the Indian River (you are not allowed to go out to sea, and who would want to...). The Indian River is very wide, calm and has lots of little islands, so you can have one to yourself, or land on a bigger one, where the occupants are only too helpful in pulling the boat in for you. The Indian river is not very deep, and tranquil, you don't catch much fish, and the ones you do are so pretty everybody shouts "Throw it back!!". I did think I'd got a big catch off one of the islands, but I'd got hooked on to a branch, and there was a rather large and angry crab attached to the other end. He won. A tip - if you do stop in the middle of the river, it's a good idea to take up the anchor before you set off again!

I'd never fished before, and thought I would find it quite boring. It was fascinating to see the fish, much cleverer than me, gently take the bait off the hook and swim off. I did not want to catch anything anyway. There are several bridges across the river, and they have walkways under them, where you can fish from. You see dolpins, teasing the pelicans by tossing fish in the air and then catching them before the pelicans can, and it was just so relaxing. We had two children, aged 8 and 10 with us, and they enjoyed every minute - as much as Disney. When the serious fishermen caught anything (like a puffer fish) they were really patient in explaining to children what it was and why it behaved the way it did. It's a quiet place, no real worries about traffic, and not very commercialised. Most of the staff at the local Burger King were over 55, and really nice to us, could not do enough to make us comfortable. Also went to buy a fishing rod for eldest child, as we thought the prices rather reasonable (and he had wrapped the hired one around a lampost the previous day), and when we took one off the shelf, a member of staff came up and said "Don't buy that today, it's on sale tomorrow", and so it was, 25% cheaper. We ate out quite a bit, our favourite being a restaurant that had a wharf out over the river. Three course meal for 4, with two bottles of wine, £25, althought the guy in charge of the boats thought this quite ridiculous and directed us to some 'local' restaurants which were ridiculously cheap but good. Loads of shells which youngest son collected - we made him leave them all on the river side apart from one which he was convinced was 'alive' so, as you do, took it home and put it in a large basin with water, and a plate over (so the lights would not frighten it). Cabins very comfy, clean and kitchen well equipped. Also a lovely cat and three kittens took to sitting outside our door each day (yes, it was duly fed). Also, Sebastian has a really modern bowling alley, not v busy but very clean and we spent hours there.

All cabins look alike - I ended up in the wrong one having gone out to buy newspaper - saw book on table and thought "He didn't tell me he'd bought that", then heard someone singing in shower (he doesn't do that), saw a handbag (that's not mine), went hot and cold and rushed out and back to my cabin (next door). Still felt awful and worked out their telephone number from ours, and she was great "Honey, we stayed in New York and I did exactly the same thing!!" Oh, thank you!!.

The shell that my youngest insisted was alive was - his brother poo-pooing this, went and took the plate off the basin when we came home one night and the poor creature was trying to get out - had long, don't know what you call them, things coming over the basin. Eldest son screamed, so did creature, and immediately retreated to shell. Then of course, youngest insisted we trapse back to the river (only across the road) and put the creature back.

Lovely cat with three kittens decided to bring along the (I assume) father - he was as big as a sheepdog - slammed door immediately.

It was 2 hours drive away from Airport and as we had an early morning flight, we thought for the last 2 days we'd hire a villa in Orlando (they call them all villas, although if you throw a ball against the wall, it all wobbles, shades of Cell Block H). Didn't tell the children (big suprise!). Anyway after the journey back to Orlando, still not having told them, got the key and left them in the car while we opened the door. Villa v nice - but years later found out that youngest had said "What are mum and dad doing?" and his brother had replied "I don't know, I think they are breaking into that house".