Destin, Florida
April 12, 2011 1:24 PM Subscribe
I am planning to go to Destin,Florida this week. I am having hard time finding a good resort or a hotel. Anyone had good experience recently with any place? also please suggest any good places to visit and saving tips. Thank you so much for your help in advance.
Kirang, I'm not sure what your budget is, but check out the communities along 30A: Seaside, Rosemary Beach and such. They're not inexpensive but they're lovely.
posted by cyndigo at 2:05 PM on April 12, 2011
posted by cyndigo at 2:05 PM on April 12, 2011
I've been to Destin yearly for vacation since the 80s, maybe 90s up until around 2001 and we always stayed at The Islander Condos, which I still would if I went again for one simple reason: Location on the beach. Starting somewhere in the 90s, highway 98 became nothing but high rises meaning your beach experience will be completely jammed pack with no real personal space. The beauty of The Islander is it's the last condo/resort along Gulf Shore Road. That means you have from the hotel to a reef line about 1/2 mile to the west relatively open and spacious. There are some smaller houses along the way, so there will still be some traffic along the way, but it is considerably less than if you stay on 98 proper.
And the rooms themselves were always clean, nice, and fully equipped. 2 full sized pools and hot tubs so neither side was ever too insanely populated.
As far as food goes, bring as much as you can. The grocery stores are not cheap. While I rather enjoy eating out to good seafood, going during prime dinner times will mean a long wait. Hours if you go to famous places. Go around 5pm and virtually eliminate that wait. Or go pick up some fresh shrimp from a roadside vendor and eat in that night- eating out was not a cheap proposition, either. Oh, and Hog's Breath, though famous, overrated and not worth the wait.
Travel during off-peak if you can. When I was in school, private schools always started a week after public schools so fares went to off-season rates that week.
A couple things to note: My information is circa 2005, and that was the first time I'd been since 2002. So my information may be a bit outdated.
Also watch out for hurricane season. A few years back, a hurricane hit the gulf and took of part of the facade and eliminated the beach. We ended up going to Panama City that year which just isn't the same. I have no idea of current beach conditions now, but it was gorgeous back in the day.
posted by jmd82 at 2:14 PM on April 12, 2011
And the rooms themselves were always clean, nice, and fully equipped. 2 full sized pools and hot tubs so neither side was ever too insanely populated.
As far as food goes, bring as much as you can. The grocery stores are not cheap. While I rather enjoy eating out to good seafood, going during prime dinner times will mean a long wait. Hours if you go to famous places. Go around 5pm and virtually eliminate that wait. Or go pick up some fresh shrimp from a roadside vendor and eat in that night- eating out was not a cheap proposition, either. Oh, and Hog's Breath, though famous, overrated and not worth the wait.
Travel during off-peak if you can. When I was in school, private schools always started a week after public schools so fares went to off-season rates that week.
A couple things to note: My information is circa 2005, and that was the first time I'd been since 2002. So my information may be a bit outdated.
Also watch out for hurricane season. A few years back, a hurricane hit the gulf and took of part of the facade and eliminated the beach. We ended up going to Panama City that year which just isn't the same. I have no idea of current beach conditions now, but it was gorgeous back in the day.
posted by jmd82 at 2:14 PM on April 12, 2011
Check out HarborWalk Village. There are free concerts there each Saturday night this month, shopping (if you are into that sort of thing), and if you plan to do any fishing charters there are several that leave from there. It's also got several restaurants, although none that are particularly budget friendly. One of my favorite places to eat/drink in Destin is right across the street- the world (or maybe just locally) famous McGuire's Irish Pub. It's slightly touristy, and the parking is lousy, but the house made rootbeer is delicious, and the Irish boxtys are so, so yummy.
And caveatz has it right- for the most beautiful, peaceful, blue-water-white-sand beaches, please head west to Gulf National Seashore. The views of the water there are the single best thing about living on the Panhandle.
posted by pupperduck at 5:08 PM on April 12, 2011
And caveatz has it right- for the most beautiful, peaceful, blue-water-white-sand beaches, please head west to Gulf National Seashore. The views of the water there are the single best thing about living on the Panhandle.
posted by pupperduck at 5:08 PM on April 12, 2011
Try out Old Bay Steamer. It's in Fort Walton Beach, about a thirty minute drive from Destin, depending on traffic. Some of the best and freshest seafood in the area and I say that as a former local.
posted by citizngkar at 7:28 PM on April 12, 2011
posted by citizngkar at 7:28 PM on April 12, 2011
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posted by caveatz at 1:32 PM on April 12, 2011