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Get smarter, faster about what’s happening in your backyard with local reporter Ben Montgomery.

Axios Tampa Bay

Whether you're a Disney fanatic or prefer time off the grid, here are three unique Airbnb escapes, all under four hours driving distance from Tampa Bay. 

If you're going to Disney, might as well go all in on the theme. This house, which sleeps 15, was made for family vacations. 

Features: Themed rooms, pool, convenient location

Space: 15 guests, 7 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms

If you're looking for a unique, reasonably priced stay, this outfitted Airstream might do the trick.

Features: Fire pit, 10-minute drive to downtown, stocked with movies and board games

Sometimes the Airbnb is the vacation. This one is a treehouse on a farm with goats, pigs, emus, roosters, parrots, tortoises, cats, eggs, honey and veggies.

Features: Outdoor shower, adults only; sailing, kayaking and bicycle rental available for an extra fee

3 cool Airbnbs within driving distance from Tampa Bay

Whether you're a Disney fanatic or prefer time off the grid, here are three unique Airbnb escapes.

A treehouse on a farm in Miami. Photo courtesy of Airbnb

Whether you&#x27;re a Disney fanatic or prefer time off the grid, here are three unique Airbnb escapes, all under four hours driving distance from Tampa Bay. <h5>1. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Disney-themed house near Disney" data-vars-click-url="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/4427383?irgwc=1&amp;irclid=3TiwKLU48xyIUOUSN0xCXVHhUkGRQFzpx21oU40&amp;ircid=4273&amp;sharedid=coolest-airbnb-vacation-rentals-in-florida&amp;af=&amp;iratid=9627&amp;c=.pi73.pk4273_1812864&amp;irparam1=&amp;source_impression_id=p3_1645023289_IddfNoXQMuAz4gDT" data-vars-content-id="6ab67e22-d3de-4747-a063-d27ccc7fb458" data-vars-headline="3 cool Airbnbs within driving distance from Tampa Bay" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/4427383?irgwc=1&amp;irclid=3TiwKLU48xyIUOUSN0xCXVHhUkGRQFzpx21oU40&amp;ircid=4273&amp;sharedid=coolest-airbnb-vacation-rentals-in-florida&amp;af=&amp;iratid=9627&amp;c=.pi73.pk4273_1812864&amp;irparam1=&amp;source_impression_id=p3_1645023289_IddfNoXQMuAz4gDT" target="_blank">Disney-themed house near Disney</a></h5>If you&#x27;re going to Disney, might as well go all in on the theme. This house, which sleeps 15, was made for family vacations.

Things to Do

Axios Tampa Bay, anchored by Ben Montgomery and Selene San Felice, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.

Summer is almost here, which means it's time to escape Tampa's humidity and loads of tourists.

These three Airbnbs are near Pine Mountain, a town in Georgia about 6.5 hours from Tampa that has tons of hiking and small-town charm.

Hike your way through FDR state park or head to the resort area of Callaway Gardens, which has walking and bike trails, a lakefront beach, golf and other outdoor activities.

If you're entertaining your whole family, this spacious updated villa that sleeps eight should do the trick.

Features: Screened-in porch, close to activities, fire table

Luxury villa in Calloway Gardens exterior

Luxury villa in Calloway Gardens screened-in porch

Should you prefer adventure over luxury, you can stay in an up-fitted school bus.

For people looking for lodging somewhere between a villa and a vehicle, consider glamping. 

Features: Queen-sized bed, bunk beds, covered deck

Editor's note: The headline and story have been corrected to show the Airbnbs are near Pine Mountain (not Pine Lake), which is 6.5 hours (not 6 hours) from Tampa and is not really considered a mountain town.

3 summer vacation Airbnbs within driving distance of Tampa

Summer is almost here, which means it&#x27;s time to escape Tampa&#x27;s humidity and loads of tourists.These three Airbnbs are near Pine Mountain, a town in Georgia about 6.5 hours from Tampa that has tons of hiking and small-town charm.<ul><li>Hike your way through <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="FDR state park" data-vars-click-url="https://pinemountain.org/" data-vars-content-id="aa7a5aa3-50aa-43d3-9b79-f81ad2e441db" data-vars-headline="3 summer vacation Airbnbs within driving distance of Tampa" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://pinemountain.org/" target="_blank">FDR state park</a> or head to the resort area of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Callaway Gardens" data-vars-click-url="https://www.callawaygardens.com/" data-vars-content-id="aa7a5aa3-50aa-43d3-9b79-f81ad2e441db" data-vars-headline="3 summer vacation Airbnbs within driving distance of Tampa" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.callawaygardens.com/" target="_blank">Callaway Gardens</a>, which has walking and bike trails, a lakefront beach, golf and other outdoor activities.</li></ul>

With pending home sales down year-over-year and asking price drops on the rise, Tampa's real estate market is showing early signs of slowing down. But home prices are still up 27.6% from June 2021.

Why it matters: We keep hearing about a market crash, but so far, local data doesn't support that claim. 

Yes, but: Monthly data show early signs of a cooler market, if even the slightest. 

What's happening: From June 2021 to June 2022, new listings were up 4.2% and pending sales were down 1.4%. 

In June 2022, 42.1% of listings dropped their asking price — an increase of 12.4 percentage points from June 2021.

More buyers are holding off as home ownership becomes too expensive.

This comes after mortgage rates surpassed 5% for the first time in 10 years. 

Zoom out: Nationally, mortgage applications were down 24%, and, on average, 6.5% of sellers dropped their asking price each week in June, per Redfin's latest market update.

In June, national pending home sales were down 13% from this time last year,  the largest decline since May 2020, Redfin's report stated. 

Be smart: Inventory is still critically low overall which continues to push home prices up. 

What we're watching: New listings and pending sales. If more listings flood the market this summer and buyers don't bite, that's when we would start to see more power shift into buyers' hands.

The bottom line: We're not seeing major changes in Tampa just yet, but we're starting to see early signs of a cooling market. 

Tampa's real estate market is cooling, slightly

Illustration of a downward trend line over a house

Housing

With pending home sales down year-over-year and asking price drops on the rise, Tampa&#x27;s real estate market is showing early signs of slowing down. But home prices are still up 27.6% from June 2021.Why it matters: We keep hearing about a market crash, but so far, local data doesn&#x27;t support that claim.

Real Estate

If you haven't already, now's the time to plan something special for your Valentine. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

This romantic spot still has seatings available Valentine's Day weekend.

Affordable option: Do a sunset cruise for $18 a person

3. Play tourist for a day with ResortPass

Spend the day lounging by a resort pool. Options range from $10-$75 for one day pass.

4. Do the themed scavenger hunt at the Fairgrounds in St. Pete

If you want to celebrate early, explore the Fairgrounds, which features the work of 60+ artists. Tickets are $27 each.

Best for: those looking for something out-of-the-box

5. Visit The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and Bayfront Gardens

The museum is free on Mondays, so grab lunch and stroll around for an affordable, romantic date.

Purchase additional tours and see other happenings here

5 cool Valentine's Day dates in Tampa Bay

Now's the time to plan something special for your Valentine.

Illustration of a heart with an arrow through it. The tip of the arrow is the Axios A logo.

If you haven&#x27;t already, now&#x27;s the time to plan something special for your Valentine. Here are a few ideas to get you started.1. Have a romantic meal at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Rose Bar" data-vars-click-url="https://www.rosebartampa.com/" data-vars-content-id="c345c420-30c2-42e0-9589-e187b7eec5dd" data-vars-headline="5 cool Valentine&#x27;s Day dates in Tampa Bay" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.rosebartampa.com/" target="_blank">Rose Bar</a>This romantic spot still has seatings available Valentine&#x27;s Day weekend.

Stepping into this St. Petersburg cottage by local interior designer Kimmy Levell is like stepping into a high-end Florida time capsule. 

The vacation home is a 1,600-square-foot bungalow built in 1925 and recently restored. It has three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

"Everyone told me to tear it down," Levell says. But the home's connection to the land it was built on was too strong for Levell to demolish it, she says.

The materials used to build it were all sourced within a few hours of downtown St. Pete. The floors are real pine and the walls are made from cyprus.

There's a connection between what grows in a place and the spaces anchored there. That connection, between home and environment, creates healing energy, Levell says.

Inspiration: When designing this house, Levell let Florida guide her. There are elements from every decade that take you through Florida's history. 

There's a painting of Seminole Chief Osceola, whose tribe was forced south from Alabama to Florida as a result of armed conflicts in the early 1800s. 

There's a trio of elaborate swim caps framed in one bedroom that were typical beachwear for women in the 1950s.

Levell used a tobacco leaf print as a nod to Tampa's cigar industry.

She intentionally used citrus patterns and bright colors to help guests feel the sunshine that people come to Florida for. 

"It allows you to feel Florida and you understand the joy of it," she says. "The typical neutral would be a letdown in this house."

Here's a look around a the sunshine state's most sunshine-y house.

Photo: Jorge Alvarez, courtesy of Kimmy Levell

Home tour: Peek inside this chic and sunny St. Pete cottage

Stepping into this St. Petersburg cottage is like stepping into a Florida time capsule.

Design

Stepping into this St. Petersburg cottage by local <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="interior designer Kimmy Levell" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/kimlevelldesign/" data-vars-content-id="fa36b9f0-4f5a-4527-a859-876410dce5fa" data-vars-headline="Home tour: Peek inside this chic and sunny St. Pete cottage" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/kimlevelldesign/" target="_blank">interior designer Kimmy Levell</a> is like stepping into a high-end Florida time capsule. The vacation home is a 1,600-square-foot bungalow built in 1925 and recently restored. It has three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Brianna Crane

Featured stories

Tampa's real estate market is cooling, slightly

Home tour: Peek inside this chic and sunny St. Pete cottage

3 summer vacation Airbnbs within driving distance of Tampa

3 cool Airbnbs within driving distance from Tampa Bay

5 cool Valentine's Day dates in Tampa Bay