Enjoy Sugary White Beaches and a Laid Back Vibe on the Florida Panhandle - Emerald Coast!

The Florida Panhandle stretches from Orange Beach to Panama City - quite the drive along Highway 98 that will take you about two hours and a half by car, just to give you an idea of the size and range of the place..  

Across this gorgeous coastline, there are multiple places to vacation - main stops being Orange Beach, Destin, Miramar / Sandestin, 30-A with Seaside, Rosemary, and Alys Beach.  The area varies in terms of development, attractions, restaurants, and ‘vibe’ so it’s important to do your research on each area before you select your spot. Regardless of where you ultimately land, your family is sure to enjoy fun in the sun playing in the much photographed and heralded “sugary white sand” of the area.

Airports: The main airports that service the area are Pensacola (PNS), Fort Walton (VPS), and Panama City (ECP) so that might determine where you stay, depending on whether you are traveling by air and if you want to drive very far once you land.

The other determining factor for your vacation spot is type of lodging - you are most likely to find more options (condos, houses, hotels) and lower prices in DESTIN, but the traffic can be brutal and the beaches crowded during peak times.  Perks of the area include tons of kid friendly restaurants, lots of activities (minigolf, carnival rides), and shopping galore.  If you enjoy deep sea fishing, staying in Destin might be a good idea as it is relatively close to all the charters that leave from the old fishing town.  People who steer clear of the area site “fleeing the masses” and “heading to calmer and more picturesque villages of 30-A.”

SANDESTIN is another good spot that has both seaside and bayside properties.  There’s a golf course onsite and the “Baytown Wharf” is a fun area with loads of restaurants and kid-friendly activities (trampoline, zipline) to explore late in the evening before having dinner onsite.

30-A came to national attention once “The Truman Show” was filmed in SEASIDE.  In person, it’s as pretty and colorful as the movie shows - and there are families who return summer after summer, citing the ability to bike / walk everywhere, the grassy square full of family-friendly activities at night, and the relatively calmness compared to the more populous Destin.

ROSEMARY BEACH and ALYS BEACH are the newest major developments at the eastern end of the Emerald Coast.  They are more expensive to rent in and definitely have a more upscale vibe. They are both so beautiful, it might be worth a drive out to the area just for a peek.

Breakfast:

• Donut Hole (multiple in the area)

• BBB - Big Bad Breakfast (30-A)

• Cowgirl Kitchen (30-A)

• Donut truck (Alys Beach)

Lunch and Dinner options for kids:

• Crab Trap (Old 98 in Destin)

• Seaside has lots of options: Pickles, Great Southern and Bud & Alley's (seaside view) come to mind

• Cowgirl Kitchen

• George's (Alys Beach)

• Rosemary Beach also has some great places like Wild Olives, Havana at the Pearl (seaside view)

• The Hub (which is right next to Watersound) has a big stage / screen where they play movies or have bands at night, restaurants around it and astroturf for the kids to run around

Dinner for adults:

• Café 30A

• George's (Alys Beach)

• Pescado is a new rooftop restaurant (Rosemary Beach)

• Vintij (Sandestin area)