Anyone Been to Alabama/Florida Panhandle Beaches?

[pens4821]

We usually go to the Outer Banks as a beach trip, but have some family moving to Alabama. The coast will be 4-5 hours from where they'll be. Was just wondering if anyone here has been, and what they thought. Been glancing at AirBnb and VRBO (which we also have never used, any experience with them?), and found a few places. Looking at Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Perdido Key, and Panama City Beach.

The white sand beaches, clearer water, and being able to see sunrise and sunset from the balcony of the deck if they're south facing looks intriguing. We like houses with pools, but condos seem to be a bigger thing down there, which'll be ok.

 

[firecracker725]

We go almost every year and have since I was a child. Great beaches. Great restaurants. It's touristy, but that's to be expected. We particularly love Sandestin Resort, but we've also stayed in rental homes in quiet communities.

 

[sonnyjane]

I’m from Destin. The beaches are gorgeous AS LONG as it’s not a seaweed bloom! Even then at least the sand is nice haha.

 

[kdonnel]

I have been unlucky enough to go three times during the seaweed bloom. The water is just plain nasty during that time. The seaweed is very small, 1/4 to 1/2 inch, and you come out of the water coated. It is all in your hair.

I have always gone to Destin or beaches close to Destin.

 

[RangerPooh]

We leave for Destin tomorrow for a week at the beach. We only stopped there once before for an afternoon and found the beaches to be nice. We've heard lots of great things about the beaches in the area from friends. They often recommend Orange Beach, Destin, and Gulf Shores.

 

[dreamchaser67]

I live in Alabama and have been to these beaches all my life. IMO they are all beautiful white sand beaches, but I think they get more beautiful as you travel east from Gulf Shores to Orange Beach to Pensacola to Destin to Beaches of South Walton. I love Rosemary Beach/30A area in Florida as the most peaceful and beautiful beaches. Now, when it comes to expense, I have found Orange Beach/Gulf Shores to be a little less expensive by comparison to the Destin/South Walton/30A area.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Another vote for the Destin - Sandestin - over towards PCB area!!!

Weather and water conditions can vary, a LOT...
But, when it is what they call 'chamber of commerce'. (get out the camera to take the PR shots...) it is incredible.
Looks 'caribbean'!

From late May, on... There can be water quality issues with Junegrass and Sargassum seaweed.
We were there the third week of May, and the Junegrass was moving in. It can come and go. It was pretty bad the first day... a couple days later water was more clear.

Crowds are an issue in high/summer season. Go shoulder season if possible.
We have stayed at various places. Our last visit was actually at Sandestin. Even though we thought we would beat any crowds, it was a busy May weekend!!! Sandestin is a very large resort community with a limited beachfront - so their beach can be crowded.

 

[pens4821]

Thank you all for your thoughts. Sounds like everyone loves it. I’m going to keep looking at rentals in the areas. As of right now the place I like the most (well for the price) is in Perdido Key, but I still am searching around. Lookin first week of June.

Another thing can you take your own beach chairs most places? I see a lot of the condos have rental chains out on the beach, can you bring your own if they have them or do you have to pay to use theirs?

 

[Wishing on a star]

Yes, you can bring your own chairs!
We have a nice set of chairs and umbrella, and importantly, a great sand-grabber for the beach umbrella.
These rental people think they own the beach... But, obviously, they do not.
Even at Sandestin, we found a spot to set ours up.

June will be very busy!
You will need to get out there early if you want to find a good/decent spot... Because, a lot of other beachgoers will have the same idea!

Look for beach-cams at different resorts and locations in these areas.
That will really let you see how each place is.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

Yes! Been to PCB, Destin, Pensacola, and Gulf Shores. Beautiful beaches. We have done hotels, condos, and house rental.

 

[OneOftheB's]

My family has gone to the Port St. Joe/ Cape San Blas/ Mexico Beach area for years. Mexico Beach is busier, I prefer CSB personally for a less crowded beach. Port St Joe and Apalachicola both have some great restaurants. My brother and his family prefer Destin. The gulf coast has some gorgeous beaches. Have fun!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I’ve been to Orange Beach & PCB (5 times) and it’s really nice. Outside of one camping trip, I’ve always stayed in a hotel on the beach. Always take our own chairs - I’m just mindful not to set up “exactly” where the kid is putting up the resort chairs (he leaves a wide gap & that’s my spot).

 

[J'aime Paris]

We own gulf front condos in OB, so I'm entirely biased.
We love it!!

 

[tink1970]

We live in Pensacola, so Pensacola Beach is my favorite! That said, I don't normally head to the beach from Mar-Sept to avoid the traffic. It's nice to look outside and see the bay though! I did get married on the beach and the Blue Angels were practicing overhead and did a flyover during my ceremony...magical

 

[arminnie]

I am not a beach person at all, but many of the people that I know love to go to Destin or Orange Beach. We love going to Point Clear, AL which is not too far from Orange Beach. We sometimes drive thru the area and there are great places to eat. I've been to Sandestin. The beaches are lovely - I just don't enjoy sitting out in the sun.

 

[cvjw]

We are 30-A people. We don’t enjoy going to destin or Panama City, as they are all high rises and hordes of people in the summer. The traffic just to go to dinner can be an hour or more.

We discovered watercolor a few years back. That is where we vacation every year now. No traffic. You ride your bike everywhere. You rent houses, not condos or hotel rooms. It is pricey, but is a magnificent and relaxing vacation.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Ohhhh, about the sunsets...
At Destin, in June, when the sun is at it's furthest North, the sun will not set over the water, but behind the coastline to the right, due to the curve of the coastline.
We have also visited in October, as this is schools Fall Break... and the sun did set over the water... still over to the right, of course... But saw some decent sunsets!

I have seen Condo units listed that are corner units, on the west side of their building, which will have some wrap-around deck, or a second small deck, that can enable both Gulf views, and Sunset views.

 

[Sydney2977]

We've visited DS when he was in school in Gulfport, MS and found it to be beautiful. We loved even driving along the coast of Alabama and Mississippi. Less crowds than other of places but still lots to do. He's stationed near Destin and Fort Walton Beach now. While Destin is beautiful it is crazy busy in the summer and if you plan to eat out be prepared to wait. We found it much quieter and more relaxing the farther west you go from Destin but then it gets busier as you get closer to Pensacola. All of that area makes for a great vacation destination though.

 

[pens4821]

We are 30-A people. We don’t enjoy going to destin or Panama City, as they are all high rises and hordes of people in the summer. The traffic just to go to dinner can be an hour or more.

We discovered watercolor a few years back. That is where we vacation every year now. No traffic. You ride your bike everywhere. You rent houses, not condos or hotel rooms. It is pricey, but is a magnificent and relaxing vacation.

I know it’ll be summer and crowded, but we are trying to avoid that. The outer banks can be crowded in the summer, but nothing like that. Crowded at the outer banks is nothing as compared to other crowded beaches, which is why we love it.

 

[luvsJack]

We like Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and PCB. All for different reasons. PCB has the prettiest water. All of them have beautiful white sand beaches.

Hated Destin, especially San Destin. Way too crowded. We like the beach in the summer but I like to see the water and feel the breeze, couldn’t do that there due to the number of people. OTOH, my niece loves it there and does a week there every June.

PCB is crowded during the summer but not shoulder to shoulder crowded.

We have our own set of beach chairs and an umbrella. We use them on day trips to Gulf Shores or Pensacola (only live 2 hours from GS) but for week long trips we like to just rent the ones on the beach. No lugging back and forth and always ready for us!