fort walton/destin trip report

[goofyme]

i thought it might be fun to do a quick trip report on our typical one week trip to the panhandle...nothing like hanging out with the beautiful people of the world-georgia, tenn., ky,missouri, ohio......and then there are the people from alabama--just kidding!! condo was at pelican aisle on fort walton...not to crowded, good pool, room on third floor...i like rooms that aren't too high so you don't have to look down to see the ocean....condo is free since it is my wife's parents..it was a little smalller than the other two they have, but hey, it's free...

little disappointed about coming this trip since there would be no golf involved..not that i am any good (too much work and would have to sacrifice kid time) but we always play 4 or 5 days...my favorite so far is regatta bay but i have enjoyed the Moors in Milton. since my days were empty, i did plan to go to Pensacola to the Naval Museum but never made it...is it worth it?? mostly i enjoyed the eating this trip..trip is 10 hours for us...this trip we actually rented the books on CD and boy, does the time fly!! listened to the King of Torts and The Painted House, both by Grisham...excellent....sometimes i slowed down before a gas stop just to get through a chapter... so here's my brief rundown, mainly on eating and recreation...please give me advice on any other places you enjoy eating...i wish i could find a less touristy place on the ocean with a nice breeze...kinda of like The Back Porch without the tourist...

Destin by the way is an interesting place...it's got classy resorts, restaurants, and golf courses, then it is like part of Pigeon Forge landed on the other side of highway 98 (i think)..ya know, miniature golf, go karts, and wings/palace stores(kinda like rebel corner of the beach-you gatlinburg people will get that)...i heard it said once that if destin was gatlinburg of the beach, panama city was pigeon forge....nothing against that area, my mom grew up there and my grandfather used to be the postmaster when there was only ONE "orginal pancake house"

fri: left home, ate at cracker barrel ..excellent burger. love the sweet pickles and do ask for the sourdough bread-seared of course..stayed outside of birmingham
sat: woke up and got to condo about 11am..on beach by 11:30...i don't burn, wife don't burn, kids get burned in 1 1/2 hours using a higher SPF....figure out later i think we have a bad batch when my nose burns using the stuff...kids wear shirts next two days..i also realize why i usually don't like the beach....SAND!! it's amazing the amount of sand that comes from your body when you shower....ate the Prime Rib at McGuire's which is always good...went to the Racetrack to ride gokarts and bumper boats....the Woodie is the best...

biggest disapppointment of the trip...we usually go to the Donut Hole everynight for donuts to eat for dessert/breakfast....we had poor service and the donuts were stale....we will not be coming back

sun:beach, lunch, nap, beach, pool, snack, nap, dinner
breakfast at Waffle House-me luv Waffle house...double order hashbrowns: scattered, diced, chunked, diced, and peppered with two eggs over medium....regretted the peppered later....excellent as always but why do you bring me grits?
dinner that nite at HarbourDocks--excellent blackened amberjack
HOT sign on at KrispyKreme(KK from now on)...loved watching the donuts being made....forgot about the Donut Hole for rest of trip.


mon: went to seaside..ate grouper sandwich at Shades..always a good place for lunch...beach in pm....ate at Anglers on the boardwalk..this was kid's nite with face painting and an excellent clown/ballon animal guy...crazy with all the kids but my shrimp pasta thingy dish was surprisingly good

tues: rain and more rain....nap/lunch/nap/ beach/ dinner at the lighthouse...very good boiled seafood platter...they serve most entrees 1/2 price from 5 to 8pm...that's wierd, it's not like an early bird menu..in fact, i saw just two or three tables seated after 8 pm....i had low expectations, but good results...mini golf and KK...i also had my first Kaffe Kreme (espresso with donut glaze flavoring-too die for)

wed: miserable in am.....went out to beach in misty rain...30 minutes later, sunny for rest of day...and i got a little burned on my chest and back-yuck.....wife wouldn't let me use vinegar...i swear buy it.....once i used it on a spring break trip in college and they made me sleep outside....dinner at the Back Porch....i got this awful shrimp casserole dish. my wife said she was going to tell me not to order it but didn't...her fish was excellent...mini golf and KK afterward

thu: great beach day...Waffle House for breakfast...pompano joes for dinner...can't remember what i got but it was very good...my 5 year old who had eaten shrimp for every meal this week decided AFTER he got his meal that he wanted a cheeseburger...WAITER!!!! KK again...have i told you how much i like the custard filled?? mini golf and pitch and putt that nite

fri: another good beach day..wierd atmosphere...most people rent sat. to sat. so everyone is pretty bummed out on friday...i have noticed that you can strike up a conversation with anyone from the south about SEC sports...and everyone hates the Florida Gators (i still will not wear a visor b/c of spurrier)...dinner at the Old Bay Steamer at Fort Walton...my best meal this week....snow crab and big ole royal red shrimp.....my wife had a bad steak and made me cut the heads off the shrimp..she never knew this is what they looked like.....5 year old has expensive taste, ate more of my crab than i did..KK that nite, of course...mini golf again.....we think Big Khauna golf was the best

sat: headed back home............i hope i win the lottery tonite?!?! going thru Krispy Kreme withdrawl as we speak

 

[snoopy]

What a great report! Thanks so much for writing it.

You may also want to put this on the Orlando Hotel & Attractions board, people are always asking about Florida beaches.

 

[stevenpensacola]

By all means go to the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola! It's one of the top aviation museum's in the world.

My parents have had a time share condo in Destin for years. I've seen Destin transform from a little fishing village to what you accurately describe as Gatlinburg on the Beach.

If you want a real laid back beach vacation, you need to stay on Pensacola Beach. You can rent beach houses from all price ranges/styles. East and west of Pensacola Beach is the Gulf Islands National Seashore. NOT A CONDO IN SITE .

Also located on the west of the national seashore is historic Fort Pickens 1834. The drive to Ft Pickens is fabulous. On your left, the Gulf is right outside your car window...on the right, Pensacola Bay.

Camping is available at Ft Pickens. If you're lucky, you might even get to see the Blue Angels practicing overhead.

Psssttt. don't tell anyone. We don't want this place to end up like Destin .

Also a lot of History in downtown Pensacola if you're into that sort of thing. Pensacola was settled BEFORE St Augustine but was wiped out by a hurricane, and was abandoned.

 

[tater bug]

Great trip report! Also agree with the Naval Aviation Museum. Totally awesome place. There is also some survival thingy at Eglin that was pretty cool. Had to chuckle though that they put it right next to huge JP-4 tanks.

 

[Pete's Mom]

Thanks for the great trip report! I am going to Destin the last week of July. BTW, did you hang a dollar at McGuires?

 

[goofyme]

i still haven't done that....i tried guessing how much money was hung up in the room way off to the right where we ate and i thought it had to be at least 5,000 bucks..any guess?

by the way, they said to us one nite in the drive thru, do you have three kids (which we do)? and i said, no four (including me)..she laughed and gave us 4 doughnut maker hats...i wore mine for the rest of the evening...long live krispy kreme...my withdrawl continues and i want a fix

 

[Cindabella's Mom]

Loved reading your report. The gulf is our favorite beach area to visit. I doubt we'll be going to Panama City any time soon, haven't been in 6? years and have no desire to go back. Loved Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, loved St. George Island (better love the beach - not much else to do), and next on our list is Sea Grove.

Love those Royal Red's. Have to agree with your wife about the way they look though. I bribed my husband to do the dirty work for me with those.

 

[Pete's Mom]

Originally posted by goofyme
i still haven't done that....i tried guessing how much money was hung up in the room way off to the right where we ate and i thought it had to be at least 5,000 bucks..any guess?

Boy, are you in for a surprise !

McGuire's Irish Pub first opened in 1977 as a small neighborhood pub in a shopping center. McGuire cooked and tended bar and Molly waited tables and greeted customers. When Molly made her first tip -one dollar- she tacked it to the back bar for good luck. Friends of the pub added to the collection and it soon became tradition. Today you will see over $250,000 one dollar bills hanging from the ceiling throughout the Pub, all of which have been signed by Irishmen of all nationalities.