A full wall of glass in the primary bedroom frames the Atlantic, and from the fourth floor of this gated oceanfront building on St. Augustine Beach, the water is the view from nearly every room.

The condo sleeps eight across three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. The primary suite pairs a king bed with its own bathroom and that ocean-facing glass wall. A second king bedroom looks out over the water as well, and the third holds two twin beds for kids or extra guests. A sofa bed in the living room covers the rest of the group when the count runs high.

At about 1,300 square feet, the floor plan stays open and easy. Wide sliding doors off both the living room and the primary bedroom lead to a private balcony that hangs over the water, the spot for a quiet coffee or the last of the evening light. The kitchen comes fully stocked, with a breakfast bar for casual mornings and a dining table that seats six. Each room has a flat-screen TV, and Wi-Fi reaches throughout.

The building keeps its shared spaces close at hand. Guests have a heated pool (a seasonal pool heating fee applies), two tennis courts, and three elevators, plus a shaded lounge beside the pool, lit parking, and an outdoor station for rinsing off sand on the way in. A private boardwalk runs straight to the beach.

This part of St. Augustine Beach moves at an unhurried pace, with restaurants, shops, and a grocery run all close by and the St. Johns County Ocean Pier just down the shore. Anastasia State Park, a few minutes away, opens onto miles of undeveloped coast plus trails and calm water for kayaking. Downtown St. Augustine, the country's oldest city, is a short drive inland for St. George Street, the Castillo de San Marcos, the lighthouse, and the alligator farm.