It’s the season when the guest list keeps growing and the dining table somehow gets smaller. If you’ve ever handed someone an air mattress and said, “It’s actually pretty comfortable,” …this one’s for you.
This week we went looking for homes with room to host: formal dining rooms, guest suites with their own bathrooms, big kitchens and covered porches where everyone can spread out. They’re in Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, Freeport, Niceville and Destin.
And while you might not be moving in before the holidays, it never hurts to plan ahead for next year’s gathering.
4531 Annabelle Lane, Crestview, FL 32539
Price: $399,000
What’s to Love: The standout is a private guest suite with its own bathroom and its own exterior entrance, so overnight guests can come and go on their own schedule. Inside, a large formal dining room opens into the living room and kitchen, which has a center island and a separate breakfast nook. A dedicated office and a three-car garage leave room to spare.
Notable Features: 4 bedrooms, 4 full bathrooms, 2,687 square feet, 0.23-acre lot in Kaitlyn’s Preserve, single-story split-bedroom layout, private guest suite with exterior entrance, formal dining room, breakfast nook, kitchen island with granite countertops, pantry, dedicated home office, raised ceilings, primary suite with soaking tub, separate shower, double vanity and oversized walk-in closet, open patio and porch, brick exterior, 3-car attached garage, built in 2012.
502 Winthrop Street, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547
Price: $579,000
What’s to Love: This kitchen has a second bar sink with a beverage fridge, so the drinks station stays out of the cook’s way. The living room opens to a covered, screened porch, and past that is a heated, screened-in gunite pool shaded by mature oaks. Recent updates include new HVAC, new quartz countertops and fresh interior paint.
Notable Features: 4 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, 2,344 square feet, 0.21-acre lot with sidewalks, single-story split floor plan, dining room off the entry, 10-foot ceilings with crown molding, custom maple cabinetry, quartz countertops, kitchen island, two pantries, bar sink with beverage fridge, screened porch, heated screened gunite pool, privacy-fenced backyard, hurricane shutters, sprinkler system, primary suite with two walk-in closets, whirlpool tub and tiled walk-in shower, new HVAC and gutters since 2024, brick exterior, 2-car garage, built in 2016.
36 Brighton Cove, Freeport, FL 32439
Price: $609,999
What’s to Love: This single-story Hammock Bay home has a guest bedroom with its own en-suite bathroom plus a flex room that can serve as an extra gathering space. The kitchen has a 36-inch gas cooktop and a double oven, which helps when a big meal needs both at once. Out back, an expanded screened lanai overlooks a preserve, and a whole-house generator keeps the power on.
Notable Features: 4 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, 2,931 square feet, single-story layout backing up to a preserve, Hammock Bay community with pools, fitness center, trails, sports courts, community centers and a dock on the bay, guest bedroom with en-suite bath, flex room, 12-foot ceilings, 36-inch gas cooktop, kitchen island, pantry, new interior paint and bedroom flooring, expanded screened lanai, whole-house Generac generator, hurricane shutters, extended 2-car garage, brick exterior, built in 2018.
4440 Windward Lane, Niceville, FL 32578
Price: $720,000
What’s to Love: This home has a classic floor plan with formal living and dining rooms, plus a separate den with a fireplace, wainscoting and columns, so there’s room for several gatherings at once. The kitchen was just renovated with white shaker cabinets, new granite and a large island. A first-floor bedroom and full bath give guests their own space downstairs, and a new deck overlooks the backyard.
Notable Features: 4 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, 3,020 square feet, 0.28-acre tree-shaded lot, gated Windward community in Bluewater Bay with a community beach park and bay access. Bluewater bay amenities include pool, tennis, pickleball, and golf. Formal living and dining rooms, den with fireplace, wainscoting and architectural columns, renovated kitchen with shaker cabinetry, granite and island, first-floor guest bedroom and full bath, primary suite with walk-in shower, soaking tub and walk-in closet, smooth ceilings replacing popcorn, fresh paint and new carpet throughout, new deck, fenced backyard, sprinkler system, 2-car attached garage, built in 1989, recently renovated.
722 Elise Lane, Destin, FL 32541
Price: $799,000
What’s to Love: Three separate living areas mean the game can be on in one room while dessert happens in another, with room leftover for the guests to spread out. Outside, a privacy-fenced backyard has an in-ground pool, an open deck and room to park a boat or RV.
Notable Features: 4 bedrooms, 3 full and 1 half bathrooms, 2,666 square feet, 0.25-acre lot within half a mile of the water, three living areas, recreation room, sunroom, dining room, separate living quarters with lock-out access, fireplace, built-in bookcases, crown molding and wainscoting, in-ground pool, open deck, privacy-fenced backyard, boat and RV parking, whole-home water filtration system, brick exterior, 2-car garage, built in 1978, recently remodeled.
320 Symphony Way, Freeport, FL 32439
Price: $799,900
What’s to Love: This kitchen has both a walk-in pantry and a butler’s pantry, plus double ovens and a gas cooktop, which is serious holiday cooking capacity. The dining room and great room share 12-foot coffered ceilings and a gas fireplace is located in the great room. Out back, an extra-large enclosed lanai with a gas hookup overlooks a lake, on a double lot with a small citrus grove.
Notable Features: 4 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, 3,447 square feet, lakefront double lot of about 0.6 acre with 150 feet of waterfront and a citrus grove, Symphony at Hammock Bay with pools, fitness center, tennis, pickleball and community room, media room or office, 12-foot coffered ceilings, gas fireplace, hardwood floors, plantation shutters, quartz countertops, gas cooktop, double ovens, walk-in pantry, butler’s pantry, breakfast bar, enclosed lanai with gas connection, fully fenced yard, custom hurricane shutters, tankless gas water heater, primary suite with sitting area and walk-in shower, 2-car garage, built in 2015.
4342 Sunset Beach Circle, Niceville, FL 32578
Price: $819,000
What’s to Love: Every one of the four bedrooms has its own full bathroom, which takes care of the morning bathroom line. The front door opens into an entertaining room with 24-foot ceilings, a stone fireplace and a built-in bar with a wine fridge. The kitchen has a five-burner gas cooktop and a double oven, and a glass sunroom looks out over a lake and the golf course.
Notable Features: 4 bedrooms, 4 full and 1 half bathrooms, 2,916 square feet, cul-de-sac lot with lake and golf course views, gated Sunset Beach community in Bluewater Bay with guard, clubhouse, bayfront pool, sandy beach and dock, entertaining room with 24-foot ceilings, stone gas fireplace, built-in bar with wine fridge, kitchen with 5-burner gas cooktop, double oven and center island, glass sunroom, covered pergola seating area, renovated bathrooms, LVP flooring, Hebel block construction, metal roof, two HVAC units, oversized 2-car garage, built in 1996.
The information in this article comes from public listings and may change without notice. Confirm details with the listing agent.
