Staycation, hosted by Emmy Award–winning journalist Evan Michael, filmed an episode at Seaside Boca, Travel DRD's pool home in Placida (Cape Haze), Florida, near Boca Grande. The segment runs 4 minutes 41 seconds. It shows the pool and hot tub, the private mini golf course, the sauna and the game room, and it ends at the Gasparilla Island Lighthouse. You can watch the full episode on the In the Media page at traveldrd.com/in-the-media/ and book the same home directly at traveldrd.com/seaside-boca/.
Most of the time, people find our homes through photos and reviews. For one of them, you can now watch the house on TV first. The travel series Staycation, hosted by Emmy Award–winning journalist Evan Michael, filmed an episode at Seaside Boca, our pool home in Placida, the Cape Haze area just across the water from Boca Grande.
We've hosted guests for 18 years, and this was the first time a film crew showed up at one of our homes. This post covers what made it into the episode, where to watch it, what's around the house, and how to book it if your family wants to see it in person.
What is the Staycation episode about?
It isn't a standard property tour. The producer wanted it to feel like a sitcom, so the title card is a nod to Seinfeld: a yellow oval with red script, shown over the front of the house. The episode opens cold on a phone call. Evan threatens to move in and take over the pool, the putt-putt and the volleyball court. The reply on the other end is completely deadpan: we're excited to have you.
From there he arrives by golf cart. There's a running joke about how to say "golf cart," a cup of tea handed over just so someone can say they'll "tee it up" on the mini golf course later, and the line the whole setup builds toward: Seaside Boca "feels like I'm at Boca Vista." If you watched Seinfeld, you'll get it. The full segment runs 4 minutes 41 seconds.
What parts of the home are in the episode?
The camera spends most of its time outdoors and in the shared spaces, because that's where the house was designed to keep people together. Here's what you'll see:
- The pool and hot tub — the main gathering spot, and it looks very different lit up at night.
- The private mini golf course — the punchline of the tea joke and the setting for the golden-hour shots.
- The sauna — rare in a Gulf Coast rental, and very welcome on a breezy winter evening.
- The volleyball court and soccer field — visible in the aerial shot behind the pool.
- The downstairs game room — skee-ball, foosball, air hockey and ping-pong. Evan suggests holding "the Olympics of Seaside Boca."
- The great room and open kitchen — high ceilings, coastal colors and original art, built to feel like Key West.
Guests often ask about the fire pit. It shows up again and again in our reviews as the place families end the night, but it isn't one of the features the episode focuses on. You'll find it in the property photos instead.
Why are there no TVs in the bedrooms?
Viewers often catch this detail. The bedrooms have no televisions, and that was on purpose. In the episode, Nicolas explains that the point is for families to spend time together instead of going off to separate screens. The kitchen is open for the same reason, so whoever is cooking isn't stuck alone in another room.
A house can't make a family spend time together, but it can stop giving them reasons to go to separate rooms.
From years of hosting, we can tell you how it plays out. The first evening, a teenager or two may grumble. By the second day there's usually a mini golf rivalry going and a skee-ball leaderboard nobody planned. That's the stay we built the house for.
Where is Seaside Boca, and what is nearby?
Seaside Boca is in Placida, part of the Cape Haze area on Florida's Gulf Coast, a short drive from Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island. This is a quieter, older side of Florida, without high-rises. The island is known for its village streets, its banyan trees and its tarpon fishing. Our Gasparilla Island State Park family guide covers the beaches, parking and what to bring.
The episode ends where many of our guests end their day: at the historic Gasparilla Island Lighthouse at sunset, with a toast "to the best of Florida, the best of friends, and to sun, sand, family and fun." The lighthouse dates to 1890, and the beach next to it is one of the calmest sunset spots in the area.
If you're deciding which beach to use as your home base, we compared the two closest options in Englewood Beach or Boca Grande Beach. In short, Englewood is easier and more casual, and Boca Grande is quieter and more scenic. Families staying at Seaside Boca often visit both.
How do you watch the episode on traveldrd.com?
The full episode is posted on our In the Media page. There's no sign-up and no paywall. Just press play. The same page has stills from the shoot, short bios of the people on camera, and a photo gallery of the rooms and outdoor spaces shown in the segment.
- Go to traveldrd.com and open the In the Media page (the address ends in /in-the-media/).
- Press play on the video player near the top of the page.
- Scroll down for the cast, the backstory of the shoot, and photos of the home.
- Use the "See the property" button to go straight to Seaside Boca's booking page.
How do you book the same home from the episode?
You can book Seaside Boca directly with us on the Seaside Boca property page, which has current photos, the amenity list, guest reviews and live availability. Booking direct means you deal with the family that actually runs the house, with no booking fees added on top.
If you're comparing that with the big platforms, we wrote an honest side-by-side from the host's point of view: Booking Direct vs Airbnb and VRBO. It covers where direct booking clearly helps, and where a platform might still make sense for you.
Is Seaside Boca the right fit for your family?
The episode shows the fun parts, so here's the honest version. Seaside Boca works best for groups who want to spend most of their time at the house together: extended families, reunions, and friends traveling with kids. If your ideal trip is nightlife and walking to restaurants, Cape Haze will feel quiet. That quiet is the reason we chose it.
- Good fit: multi-generational trips, kids from preschool through teens, groups who like games and cooking in.
- Good fit: anglers and families who want to visit Boca Grande without paying island prices for lodging.
- Think it over if: you want to walk to restaurants and shops from the front door.
Questions Families Ask About the Staycation Episode
Where was the Staycation episode filmed?
It was filmed at Seaside Boca, Travel DRD's pool home in Placida, in the Cape Haze area of Florida's Gulf Coast near Boca Grande. The episode ends at the Gasparilla Island Lighthouse. It is a Florida episode, not one filmed at our Pigeon Forge cabins.
How long is the episode, and where can I watch it?
The segment runs 4 minutes 41 seconds. You can watch the full episode for free on the In the Media page at traveldrd.com/in-the-media/, along with stills from the shoot and photos of the home.
Who hosts Staycation?
The host is Evan Michael, an Emmy Award–winning journalist and TV presenter. Our In the Media page includes a short bio and a link to the show's own website.
Can I stay in the exact house from the episode?
Yes. Seaside Boca is a working vacation rental, and you can book it directly on traveldrd.com/seaside-boca/. The pool, hot tub, mini golf course, sauna and game room in the episode are all part of a normal stay.
Does Seaside Boca have TVs?
The bedrooms have no televisions, on purpose. The house is designed so families spend time together in the shared spaces, like the game room, the pool deck and the open kitchen, instead of going off to separate rooms.
Travel DRD - Free Land Vacations — IATA certified, IATAN and ASTA members, hosting families since 2007. We manage every home in this collection ourselves.
Last updated: November 10, 2026