A Budget Board Vacation Challange!--not Disney

[luvsJack]

Ok, Budget Folks, I have a challange for you. We would like to take a long weekend and go to one of the Florida beaches along the panhandle. Pensacola, Ft. Walton Beach, somewhere in that area. But we need extreme budget.

We live fairly close to these places (its about 2 1/2 hours to Pensacola) and we would like to spend 2-3 nights. A hotel, a cabin, a condo--doesn't matter(anything but a tent!). I was thinking that someplace with a kitchen or kitchenette would help with the budget.

It doesn't have to even be a big touristy area. If anyone knows of an area that has a place to stay and a beach that is out of the way and not popular (if there is any such place left) PLEASE tell me all about it!

I just am not sure the cheapest way to go. I haven't even really decided HOW cheap I want to go. Just would like to get it down as low as possible.

We don't mind eating in our room every meal. Eating out only need be fast food maybe once or twice--and we don't have to do that. Oh, and it will be me, dh, dd and maybe dd's friend.

Basically all I am looking for is a couple of days laying on the beach relaxing and letting dd and a friend have a good time in the water.


Thanks in advance for any help at all.

 

[rcraw45425]

When do you want to go? Rates are pretty high right now but if you can wait till mid August or later they drop. I have used a site called bookit.com for Panama City Beach, they have other area as well. They seem to have places that will forego the minimum stay requirements that some have for this time of year. Draw back is they require payment in full if it's within like 30 days and their refund policy isn't that nice .

http://bookit.com/

If you're military there is an MWR place at Destin that's pretty nice .
http://destin.benningmwr.com/

 

[TiffanyK]

I don't know of any specific places, but I'd try for a place with a kitchen. Being able to eat at "home" will save a lot. Here's a post on my blog where I share how we have packed up vacation food and made it "assembly only" at the vacation home. we've done it twice - once in WDW and once at Gulf Shores.