[Visiting] Destin, FL

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OneWorld111
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[Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by OneWorld111 »

Hello,

Any tips for visiting destin, fl and surrounding areas. Like places to go, visit, etc. we have already decided to stay in a condo. We are not fishing fans.

Are 4 days a lot of time to spend in Destin?

Thanks,
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Mr. Gatti
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Re: Destin, FL

Post by Mr. Gatti »

Eat at The Red Bar in Grayton Beach a short drive down 30-A.
texasdiver
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by texasdiver »

Kids or no kids?

We visit Destin from time to time and have stayed at condos and have also brought our camper and stayed in campgrounds. It probably has the nicest white sand beaches of any place on the Gulf coast....at least any place between Texas and Florida. So it is a fabulous place to spend beach time with kids. As for what to do without kids? There are plenty of restaurants. Use UrbanSpoon or Yelp to find the best bets. Like most tourist towns, service and quality can be hit or miss.

I'm not aware of any must-see tourist attractions. But for us the point of a beach destination is to do nothing not come up with a busy itinerary.
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Toons
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by Toons »

Sandwiched in between all the condos in Destin is Henderson Beach State Park,it is a "must see" when visiting Destin,Pristine Beach,quiet,one of the most popular in that area of Florida. :happy

http://www.floridastateparks.org/hender ... 14056511ac
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retiredjg
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by retiredjg »

If you are interested in history and/or a National Seashore, check out Gulf Islands National Seashore which is 30 to 40 miles west of Destin. Lots of good natural, historical, and recreational opportunities. You could easily spend a full day just in the Fort Pickens area of the park.
Rupert
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by Rupert »

Are you staying in Destin proper or in the Sandestin Resort? If the latter, no need to leave the resort. If the former, I recommend driving east out of town to Hwy 30A: Seaside, Grayton Beach, Alys Beach, etc. are all worth a visit. Destin itself is a very crowded beach town. There's not much to say for it other than the gorgeous beaches. So I would either stay on the beach or drive a little ways out of town.
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Toons
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by Toons »

Rupert wrote:Are you staying in Destin proper or in the Sandestin Resort? If the latter, no need to leave the resort. If the former, I recommend driving east out of town to Hwy 30A: Seaside, Grayton Beach, Alys Beach, etc. are all worth a visit. Destin itself is a very crowded beach town. There's not much to say for it other than the gorgeous beaches. So I would either stay on the beach or drive a little ways out of town.
+1 :happy crowded
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Groundhog
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by Groundhog »

Approx 50 west is Pensacola FL, home of the National Naval Aviation Museum. It's free and a lot to see. The Blue Angels practice there from March to November, check the website for more details. The Pensacola Lighthouse is right across the parking lot. If your timing is good and you have reservations you can watch the Blue Angels from atop the lighthouse! We were there a few years ago and didn't get to see the Blue Angels flying but it was still a fun time. We were staying in Panama City Beach so we had a longer drive to get to Pensacola.
Polymorphic
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by Polymorphic »

When are you going? Destin can indeed be crowded, which is why my family likes to go in the off-season (typically September). It's still very warm, there aren't any crowds, and rates are quite a bit lower.

I agree with other posters that the main attraction in Destin is the beaches (and maybe golf). Highway 30A (just east of Destin, along the ocean) is our favorite area. A bike trail runs the full length of it, and there are plenty of places to rent bikes if you can't bring your own. There are some excellent restaurants in Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach. Also, Dewey Destin's (with two locations in Destin proper) is a popular seafood joint.

The dolphin cruises that board on Destin Harbor are very neat (as is the harbor itself). I recommend taking the sunset cruise. On our last cruise, besides lots of dolphins, we saw some massive jellyfish and even a spinner shark (which cleared the water by a few feet).

I've heard that the snorkeling at Shell Island is amazing. We're waiting on our kids to get a little older before we try it.

But mostly, the idea in Destin is to take it easy. Last year was the first time we paid a beach service to set up chairs and umbrellas for us (rather than hauling our own down to the beach every day), and it was worth it. If you call around, you can negotiate a pretty good deal.
bluemarlin08
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by bluemarlin08 »

We visit the area at least once a year, usually in May or September. Must do breakfast at The Donut Hole. We love The Back Porch and Louisiana Lagniappe. If you like raw oysters go to the fishing dock and there is a funky shack there, forgot the name.
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Toons
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by Toons »

bluemarlin08 wrote:We visit the area at least once a year, usually in May or September. Must do breakfast at The Donut Hole. We love The Back Porch and Louisiana Lagniappe. If you like raw oysters go to the fishing dock and there is a funky shack there, forgot the name.
Im thinking its the Boathouse oyster bar,,,dollar bills plastered on the wall,funky place great oysters :happy

http://www.boathouseoysterbar.com/
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forkhorn
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by forkhorn »

If you are at all outdoorsy, a very fun, and seldom done, thing to do is rent a small Hobie catamaran and sail around the west side of the bay. You can rent them in FWB and maybe in Destin (not sure). We paid $75 for half a day and then sailed out had a picnic on okaloosa island. You don't need previous sailing experience as long as you are comfortable on water. Also, the stand-up paddleboards are all the rage now. Again, these are obviously outdoor, "active", activities, but that is what I like to do. Also, +1 on the 30A stuff, the Red Bar in Grayton Beach, and Henderson Beach.
bac573
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by bac573 »

We try to go to Destin once a year (we were married there on the beach in 2003). We spend most of the time relaxing on the beach (we are not fishing or boating people). Our favorite places to eat are The Back Porch (best coleslaw ever, and ice cold Yuengling beer on tap--beer you cannot get here in Texas), AJ's Seafood (a bit pricey, but nice atmosphere) and McGuire's Irish Pub (people sign and staple $1 bills to the walls/ceiling--there are literally thousands of $1 bills hanging from the ceiling like sleeping bats). It can get very tourist-y, especially in the summer months, and traffic has gotten worse over the past several years. For a quieter time, I agree with the other posters and head a bit east of Destin. IMHO, 4 days is not enough to spend in Destin, as we would like to eventually retire there. Have fun!
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Nestegg_User
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by Nestegg_User »

We were in Destin area last year....stayed on Okaloosa Island, Fort Walton Beach on Santa Rosa (plenty of condo's there on the water, and cheaper) rather than Destin proper....It is a short ride across the open island to Destin harbor and is easier to get around. At the harbor,we did go to AJ's Seafood (coupons are in the local tourist rags :wink: ) and McGuire's Irish Pub (McGuires can be very difficult/long wait to get in...and some patrons can be, shall we say, difficult) but AJ's had decent seafood with good wait staff and try the ale at McGuires.
gouldnm
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by gouldnm »

Not very far from Destin is the town of Seaside. It is where the movie "The Truman Show" was filmed. It's worth visiting. It's a cute little town, and you can walk around and visit shops and restaurants, etc.

Another interesting place is the plantation where the movie "Frogs" was filmed. I think it's in Panama City, but not completely sure. The plantation is worth seeing because it looks like the kind of spooky plantation you'd see in a bad horror flick. Lots of Spanish moss draped everywhere. But if I remember, it was very beautiful and had an interesting history.

Another thing I enjoyed was seeing a Dolphin Show that was at the original location/precursor to Sea World. When I went there about 10 years ago, it seemed more like a 1950s era roadside attraction than the glitzy "Seaworlds" that you'll find today. I'm sure that's how it started.

We stayed at a Holiday Inn next door that was right on the beach. Our room had a huge balcony and it was really pleasant to sit out there and listen to the waves. They were so loud that when someone was taking a shower, you couldn't even tell the water was running!
KyleAAA
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by KyleAAA »

Go to the Henderson state park. There's a small fee to park your car, but the beach is usually pretty deserted, unlike most of the other beaches in the area. I second renting a sailboat and dolphin cruise ideas, too.
NOLA
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by NOLA »

It's a really nice little place, and it keeps growing. We just bought a condo there earlier in the year and the summer can get really busy. Can easily get stuck in traffic. The beaches are amazing and it's a great place to just relax on the beach/pool. If you want to leave Destin for the day, you should definitely go down 30 A. Very cute little towns and the beaches are not as crowded.

Have fun
OatmealAddict
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by OatmealAddict »

Have dinner on the beach here and thank me later. One of the best meals and dining experiences my wife and I have ever had.

http://beachwalkhendersonpark.com/
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abuss368
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by abuss368 »

Never been there but curious as well. We have visited Siesta Key Sarasota for many years. The Gulf of Mexico is awesome.
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OatmealAddict
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by OatmealAddict »

abuss368 wrote:Never been there but curious as well. We have visited Siesta Key Sarasota for many years. The Gulf of Mexico is awesome.
My wife and I got married on Longboat Key, just north of Siesta Key, last year. We were awe-struck by the beauty of the beach there and are seriously considering the area for retirement.
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retiredjg
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by retiredjg »

jimday1982 wrote:My wife and I got married on Longboat Key, just north of Siesta Key, last year. We were awe-struck by the beauty of the beach there and are seriously considering the area for retirement.
A word of caution. Everybody I know who has bought retirement property for some distant time in the future has sold it or is trying to sell it. One couple just changed their minds, another couple divorced, and the third property was being threatened by power lines. It seems smart to buy now when prices are low(er) but for the people I know, it has not worked out very well.
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abuss368
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Re: [Visiting] Destin, FL

Post by abuss368 »

jimday1982 wrote:
abuss368 wrote:Never been there but curious as well. We have visited Siesta Key Sarasota for many years. The Gulf of Mexico is awesome.
My wife and I got married on Longboat Key, just north of Siesta Key, last year. We were awe-struck by the beauty of the beach there and are seriously considering the area for retirement.
You and me both! My wife and I have talked about the west coast of Florida, and the greater Tampa/Sarasota area for years!
John C. Bogle: “Simplicity is the master key to financial success."
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