Suggestions for Destin, Florida...

[Carrie772]

M 'n C: Thanks for the info! I would really appreciate any more info you could give me. Down behind Fisherman's Wharf are tons of boats that appear to be for rent, but I don't want to go fishing. I suppose I could look in the yellow pages. It will be for us 5 with Mom and Dad and my sis and her husband.

We are going for Memorial Weekend starting Thursday thru Tuesday.

 

[Ochio]

Just reading all the posts excites me. We rent a home on the beach just east of Seaside every summer. (July this year!!) I love the area and dream of retiring there. We've meant to eat at the Red Door, but have never made it there. Any more opinions on this place? Bayou Bill's is a place we always seen to go to.

 

[perdidochas]

Just reading all the posts excites me. We rent a home on the beach just east of Seaside every summer. (July this year!!) I love the area and dream of retiring there. We've meant to eat at the Red Door, but have never made it there. Any more opinions on this place? Bayou Bill's is a place we always seen to go to.

Try Goat Feathers in Santa Rosa Beach.

 

[M 'n C]

M 'n C: Thanks for the info! I would really appreciate any more info you could give me. Down behind Fisherman's Wharf are tons of boats that appear to be for rent, but I don't want to go fishing. I suppose I could look in the yellow pages. It will be for us 5 with Mom and Dad and my sis and her husband.

We are going for Memorial Weekend starting Thursday thru Tuesday.

Darn! I won't be back in time to let you know what I found. The speed boat/sailboat are down at the fisherman's wharf area. Ooh the sailboat just came to mind - its the Silent Lady (name of the boat). http://www.destin-fwb.com/Activities/Water/Boating/

I think the speedboat is the seablaster further down the page. Hope this helps.

 

[tlriv5]

Wow thanks for all the good information! We've been to Destin twice and are always looking for new good places to eat. We love seafood! The only place we've eaten at twice was Angler's. I think it was at the Boardwalk close to Ft. Walton. I still think about the grilled shrimp I've had. They have a family night with a clown who does face painting and balloons. Our three girls still remember it. We've never done the dolphin cruises or gulfarium. We have seen dolphins swimming out by the pier when we ate at Anglers. Do you usually see dolphins on the Dolphin cruises? I mean is it really worth the money?? And has anyone ever been to the Gulfarium. Our twins always asked to go there and we never have?

 

[Carrie772]

M 'n C, that website is great. Thanks so much for showing it to me. My dad is very excited about going now!

 

[M 'n C]

Wow thanks for all the good information! We've been to Destin twice and are always looking for new good places to eat. We love seafood! The only place we've eaten at twice was Angler's. I think it was at the Boardwalk close to Ft. Walton. I still think about the grilled shrimp I've had. They have a family night with a clown who does face painting and balloons. Our three girls still remember it. We've never done the dolphin cruises or gulfarium. We have seen dolphins swimming out by the pier when we ate at Anglers. Do you usually see dolphins on the Dolphin cruises? I mean is it really worth the money?? And has anyone ever been to the Gulfarium. Our twins always asked to go there and we never have?

All i can say is one year when I was young we went on a glass bottom boat cruise and talk about a major disappointment. i would skip that. As far as dolphin cruises go its hit or miss. Your chances aren't any greater seeing one on a boat than walking on the beach in the morning and seeing them from afar. Its more of the going on a boat in the water experience that we go for.

 

[prncess674]

We loved Poppy's restaurant in San Destin. This place is very popular. Call well in advance and make a reservation.

http://www.sandestin.com/baytowne_merchants.asp?MerchantId=1017

 

[trulygoofy]

I was excited when I saw this thread. We are going this summer. It will be our second trip there, and I am ready to go now!

 

[Tigger1]

We stopped overnight a few years back and now make Destin a two day or three day stop each trip. We camp out at Henderson state park on the ocean. It is wondrful. This year we will try Grayton Beach which is about 20 miles from Destin. Last year we ate at Moe's. It was not very good at all. The Moe's at my Daughters college is so much better. We usually grill our meals to spend more time on the beach.

 

[Kies99]

And has anyone ever been to the Gulfarium. Our twins always asked to go there and we never have?

If you've got smaller kids, the Gulfarium is great. Has some decent shows (Dolphins and Seals). Has a touch tank as well that's sort of neat. Older kids might like as well, but it's definitely not a Sea World.

Okay everyone, I'm sorry but I have to make the pitch. Here is a link to a FANTASTIC beach house for rent: http://www.vrbo.com/51106

If you're heading towards Seaside on 30A, turn Right on at Goatfeathers and it's in the gated community (maybe 30 houses max) of Old Florida Beach which is at the end on the left before the public beach access. Sorry, had to put it out there as I know the owners (My family! ).

 

[rie'smom]

We've been to Destin and Ft Walton Beach a bunch. You'll want to go to Fudpuckers for sure, also Captain Daves on the Gulf. Two different dining experiences but both great and varied atmospheres. Also look into Pompano Joe's and the Back Porch. There is also a restaurant called The Lighthouse in Destin that isn't much on decor, but food is good and get there before 6 and one half the menu is 1/2 price. We also hit "The Track" a couple of times while in Miramar Beach for go karts, mini-golf, arcade, and bumper boats. There is also a water park called Big Kahuna - a tad on the expensive side. Oh, don't miss a stop at "The Donut Hole", open 24 hours. Enjoy!

I've wondered if Captain Daves was still opened. My great great(great?) grandfather Captain Leonard Destin was the town's founder. We used to spend summers there when I was a younger(I grew up in Louisiana). One summer, my mom and I used to order Captain Daves crabfingers about 3 x a week We were hooked on these.
For all of you who love Destin,I wish that you could have seen it in the early even the late 60's. It was pristine and so gorgeous. There was 1 store -Jitney Jungle- and 1 hotel-The Hospitality Inn. I haven't been back in almost 20 years because it's become so commercial.

 

[Carrie772]

Captain Dave's was our favorite place to go. Loved the crab claws! Unfortunatley the hurricane in the '90's got it and it has moved and has more unfortunatley become an upscale fancy-fancy place. I miss the old one. My favorite story to tell is how the fishermen would toss the larger fish off the boat with their fingers in the eye-sockets. Never seen that before!

 

[tlriv5]

I think someone mentioned Pompano Joe's earlier. Our condo is right beside it, we are staying at the Pavillion Palms. Is Pompano's really good? We've stayed close to it twice and have never tried it. I think there is another restaurant a little ways down right on the beach (can't remember it's name but I remember it's a white building), I was wondering if anyone had eaten at either of these. We usually eat breakfast and lunch in the condo, so it doesn't hurt as much to eat a nice meal out.

 

[M 'n C]

Captain Dave's was our favorite place to go. Loved the crab claws! Unfortunatley the hurricane in the '90's got it and it has moved and has more unfortunatley become an upscale fancy-fancy place. I miss the old one. My favorite story to tell is how the fishermen would toss the larger fish off the boat with their fingers in the eye-sockets. Never seen that before!

Yeah we looked at it once a few years ago and it was outrageous. I think it was a buffet at the time (not sure if it still is) but it was $25/pp!!! So we found the crab trap and have been happy since. I'd love to try Captain Dave's though one of these times.

 

[jenjersnap]

My mom lived in Destin until about 6 months ago.

We always hit the Donut Hole and Back Porch!

My boys love the dolphin excursions. We love Seaside.

I think everyone else covered it.

 

[perdidochas]

We stopped overnight a few years back and now make Destin a two day or three day stop each trip. We camp out at Henderson state park on the ocean. It is wondrful. This year we will try Grayton Beach which is about 20 miles from Destin. Last year we ate at Moe's. It was not very good at all. The Moe's at my Daughters college is so much better. We usually grill our meals to spend more time on the beach.

Grayton Beach is a great campground. Bring your bikes, and you can take your bikes to Seaside and Watercolor (which are about a mile fromthe campground). The beach is a little far to walk from the campground, but it's a perfect bike riding distance.

 

[perdidochas]

I've wondered if Captain Daves was still opened. My great great(great?) grandfather Captain Leonard Destin was the town's founder. We used to spend summers there when I was a younger(I grew up in Louisiana). One summer, my mom and I used to order Captain Daves crabfingers about 3 x a week We were hooked on these.
For all of you who love Destin,I wish that you could have seen it in the early even the late 60's. It was pristine and so gorgeous. There was 1 store -Jitney Jungle- and 1 hotel-The Hospitality Inn. I haven't been back in almost 20 years because it's become so commercial.

I've been going to Destin since the late 1970s. it has changed a lot since then. It's still gorgeous, though.

 

[tlriv5]

Where is the Crab Trap? I definitely won't be going to Pompano Joe's for those prices!! Yikes!

 

[flick]

Pompano Joe's is fantastic!!!! The prices are not bad and it has the best calamari that I had since I left Italy. We live in Navarre and this is one of the places that we hit on our weekly trips to Destin. We tried the Crab Trap and did not care for it.
Another good place to eat is Dewey Destin Seafood. It is kind of hard to explain how to get there so bare with me. If you are comming from FWB and you cross over the bridge Crab Island is on you left, as soon as you get off the bridge you will see a little shop selling garden statues and fountains turn left at the end of the shop. After that I think it is the second street on the left ,it will have a sign and it looks like an alley, turn there. This will lead you towards a gravel parking lot and what looks like a shack (and also the water). The "shack" is where you place your order, you sit out on the pier and they will bring the food out to you. The food was really good and the water is beautiful.
For dessert stop at Destin Commons and hit the kisok called Cupcake Beach. The cupcakes are $3.50 each but they are to die for.