Why Destin, FL is MY Margaritaville!

Some of Destin's highlights include: The Gulf Of Mexico's beautiful emerald green water, snow white sand, driving over Destin Pass for the first time during early to mid afternoon, renting a jet-ski and taking it to Crab Island, dining beachfront at Pompano Joe's, shopping at Destin Commons and Sandestin's village, taking in a movie at Rave Cinema, driving down scenic 98 past Henderson Beach, dining waterfront at AJ's as Jimmy Buffett played on the radio, hanging out under the bridge at Destin Pass, walking Henderson Beach at night and star gazing, seeing the moon shine on the water while driving over mid-bay bridge, shopping at the numerous beach shops close to midnight, smelling the salty air, listening to live acoustic music at Poppy's (Sandestin Village), BBQ at Jim-N-Nicks (Sandestin Village), the friendly waitstaff at Hard Rock Cafe (Destin Commons), The shepherd’s pie at McGuire’s Pub, the sound of water sprinklers and crickets at night, and my favorite--waking up each day and experiencing the immense beauty over and over again!

Quick Tips:

Some quick tips include:

* If this will be your fist time to Destin, please be aware that if it is cloudy out or early morning, the emerald water will NOT be as abundant in color as a sunny day or early/mid afternoon. The sunlight does affect the color. It seems to me, the more sunny it is out--the greener the water appears. The color is at its most intense during early/mid-afternoon.

* Be sure to pick up free coupon booklets such as SEE, Emerald Coast Restaurant & Activities Guide, and Beaches of South Walton and Scenic 30-A Guide. They are usually available at most hotels, beach shops and welcome centers. You can find discount coupons on boat rentals, jet-skis, restaurants, shopping and helpful maps!

* Please pay attention to the area's colored flag system! A green flag means calm conditions, a yellow flag means light surf and/or currents, a purple flag means jellyfish, stingrays and dangerous fish are present, a red flag means rough conditions, such as strong surf and/or currents, and TWO red flags mean water is closed to the public.

Best Way To Get Around:

Car rental! Car rental! Car rental! You WILL want a car to explore this beautiful area. Be sure to drive down scenic 30-A past the beaches of South Walton including: Dune Allen Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, Grayton Beach, WaterColor, Seaside, Seagrove Beach, Seacrest, Rosemary Beach and Inlet Beach. Also be sure to check out Navarre Beach and if time allows--Pensacola Beach.

Sandestin Beach Resort is located on 2,400 acres of beautiful beach and bay front. Sandestin features 1,300 accommodations situated within 30 neighborhoods providing a wide range of options for the traveler. The resort features a fantastic village filled with fun restaurants, shops, entertainment and more! The resort is also home to four championship golf courses, tennis courts, a full-service marina, water sports, charter sailing and fishing, fitness center, salon, spa and children's programs. This is a great resort for families, couples and singles.

I stayed at their BEACHTOWER II location and it was FANTASTIC! The studio had a full kitchen, washer/dryer, TV/VCR, patio and a beachfront location. It was so amazing waking up and falling asleep to the sound of the waves. There is nothing like seeing the sun rise outside your window or gazing at the emerald glow from your patio. I found this property to be an excellent value for what you get. It was very comfortable and convenient. Also, the resort offers free transportation to their village (The Village of Baystown Wharf). The village is chock full of fun things to do and is a great place to spend an evening. I recommend Jim-N-Nicks BBQ and Poppy's for a BEAUTIFUL SUNSET and live acoustic music!

Wow! What can I say about Pompano Joe's? I love this place so much I wrote a song about it! This is the quintessential beach shack/bar/restaurant. It is very casual and located DIRECTLY on beach. The views are spectacular and food is not only good but reasonably priced (for example: a chicken sandwich with ham & cheese, pineapples and fries = $6.99). The staff is laid back and friendly, and music and the smell of saltwater fill the air. Their menu has something for everyone--seafood, hamburgers, chicken, desserts, etc. To avoid long waits, go during off-season or when they first open at 11:00am. You will love it!

Stepping into AJ's is like stepping into a Jimmy Buffett song. This restaurant is PURE FUN! Great music, inexpensive/good food, beautiful views and a great nightclub called CLUB BIMINI. They are also home to the Sea Blaster! A 73-foot passenger boat that carries up to 119 people and offers an array of fun for the entire family! The Sea Blaster offers a snorkeling/dolphin cruise, dolphin/beach cruise, and a relaxing sunset/dolphin cruise. Check out their web site at: http://www.ajs-destin.com/

Fupucker's Beachside Bar & Grill is a must-do when in Destin. It is colorful and loads of fun. There is live entertainment, a gift shop (with self proclaimed "world famous" t-shirts), Gator Beach (pet live gators) and special teen nights. If you have children they will love it! If you are "young at heart" YOU WILL LOVE IT! They are quite popular so arrive early or be prepared to wait. This is also a popular place with locals and for good reason! Fudpucker's is a great time for all and a one-of-a-kind experience!

McGuire's Irish Pub is a MUST do when in Destin. The food is absolutely delicious (try the shepherd's pie) and the decor is worth the trip alone! McGuire's is one of Florida's top restaurants. It has won Florida Trend Magazine's GOLDEN SPOON Award for the past eight years and is a recipient of the Wine Spectator Magazine Award of Excellence for the past five years. It is also home to some of the best live Irish entertainment around!

One of the most unique features of McGuire’s is the $300,000 + one-dollar bills hanging from the ceiling, walls, posts and pretty much everywhere else. These dollar bills have been signed from people all over the world since opening in 1977!! This place has such a great atmosphere and the steaks are, from what I have heard, OUT OF THIS WORLD! It can be a bit pricey, but I would budget it in to your trip cost and make a special night of it. They are open seven days a week at 11am! Mmm...mmm...goooood!

The beaches of South Walton, including Destin and Navarre, are absolutely breathtaking. With so many beaches--what's a person to do? Take your time and visit them all! Maybe not in one trip--you don't want to rush the experience, but over time--try and visit them all. Each is more beautiful than the last! You all know how I feel about Destin (perfection), but I also can't say enough about Navarre Beach and Seaside. I was lucky to spend time at both. What I remember about Navarre is that the sand was the whitest I had ever seen and the water the greenest I had ever seen. It was SO clear and the beach was SO large and wide. Even if there were large crowds you would be able to find your own special spot. When we were there in April 2004, it felt like the beach was all ours--it was SO quiet and secluded. I am sure that is NOT the case in the summer! It is a short drive (15-20 minutes) from Destin and well worth it.

Seaside is like a DREAM! Seaside is the town "The Truman Show" with Jim Carrey was filmed. It is a small, quaint seaside (pun intended) village with a small town square, a handful of shops and restaurants, beautiful beach houses and one spectacular, dreamlike beach! It is worth the drive on SCENIC 30-A! It makes a great day trip and if you are a beach lover like me, you can daydream about living in a place like this. The smell of coconut oil and BBQ grills filled the air. People get around on bikes and flip-flops seem to be a requirement! Check this town out (and the surrounding beach towns of Santa Rosa Beach, Seagrove, Grayton Beach and Rosemary Beach--among others)! You'll love it!

Destin is a water-sport lover's dream come true! You can rent a fishing boat, catamaran, pontoon boat, jet skis and more! You can parasail, scuba, go on a dolphin cruise, glass-bottom boat or AJ's Sea Blaster! No matter what your passion for water is -- you'll find it on the EMERALD COAST! Be sure to pick up those local coupon/travel guides. You will find some great rental/tour discounts.