Trip Report

Wow. I won't pretend to possess the wordsmithing abilities to follow up the epic TR's of kathydwells and biff, but here goes.....

First a little background info. The second week of July has become our traditional vacation since our 3 year old spends this week with Grandma. Typically we head to Vegas where I do everything possible to shorten my life span by several months, if not years.....too much food, excess alcohol, little sleep, sizzling sun, and having the dealer draw a 5 card 21 when I've doubled down with 20. :bang:

This year it was mandated by Mrs. ATJ that we begin searching for more family friendly vacation destinations in anticipation of having Jr. with us next year. I was tasked with selection of a suitable locale so naturally I gravitated to the Destin/SoWal area where I could enjoy all the Vegas vices 😀 minus the gambling :( . With the general area agreed upon, we butted heads over specifics.....I liked the quieter, more laid back feel of the communities along 30A while she reveled in the thought of staying in the middle of it all in Destin proper. We ultimately compromised by staying beach front in Sandestin where she got the large resort type atmosphere and access to Destin while I got closer to 30A.

Arriving via the mid-bay bridge and 98 about 2:30 Saturday, 7/7, traffic and the crowds at Publix weren't nearly as bad as I feared!! While Mrs. ATJ unpacked at our place in Beachside II, I opened a beer on the balcony and marveled at the white sand and water. Even more amazing than the view was how quickly alcohol seemed to disappear in SoWal!! :shock: It was as if my beer was contained not in a can but in one of those funnel and tube contraptions sold in the souvenir stores. 😀 Unpacking accomplished, we hit the beach and soon found ourselves at Edgewater where we turned around and headed back. Hungry by this point, we changed and made our way to Cantina Laredo on Grand Blvd for delicious Mexican fare and strong margaritas (perhaps not the best choice of libations given the earlier beer :doh: ). I'm not a quacamole fan, but my wife swears by their version prepared tableside. From there we headed to Baytowne Wharf and wandered the cobblestone paths filled with revelers on a Saturday night. Headed back to the condo and ended a great first day.

After this, with the exception of two days, we fell into a routine along the lines of.....out of bed with breakfast in the condo followed by walks along the beach. We alternated between venturing west to Whale's Tail or east to the first Topsail Hill Preserve public access point. These walks provided the opposite ends of the Emerald Coast experience with the westerly destination being filled with beach goers and all manner of accomodations while the easterly walk quickly faded into lightly populated private beaches then into more desolate, natual surroundings with nothing except virtually untouched dunes and beaches (it was here that we saw 3 marked sea turtle nests.....cool). After our strolls, it was back to the room for lunch then to Sandestin's beaches for a few hours of reading or napping under my umbrella.

After our sun soaked afternoons, we got ready and ventured out for some really good food that ranged from expensive to relatively cheap. Besides Cantina Laredo, we hit Bud & Alley's Tarpon Club in Seaside for bar fare and drinks (above average food and below average service, but a killer view), Harbor Grill in Destin where we enjoyed superb food and a private table outside along the harbor, Pizza by the Sea, D&K Cafe (without doubt, the best overall meal we had given food quality, price, and location), and the 3-Thirty-1.
We also managed to find the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola early Tuesday morning to watch the Blue Angels practice then spent the better part of a day viewing the planes and exhibits in the museum. Easily worth the 1.5 hour drive if you have the slightest interest in aircraft. From there, we crossed Santa Rosa Sound and took a look at Pensacola Beach where we saw the lone green flag of our trip.
After the church youth group invasion of Sandestin's beaches on Wednesday, we spent a glorious Thursday morning all by ourselves at the beach in Topsail Hill. I never thought it possible, but we sat along this stunning stretch of sand for more than two hours and never saw another single person. Highly recommeded for those of you who enjoy solitude. One evening we took the Southern Star dolphin/sunset cruise and not only saw a handful of dolphins but also were handed a stunning sunset as an encore. On at least two occasions, we took leisurely drives down 30A, stopping at various beach access points and meandering through the towns and shops.

All in all, a great trip. Great weather, beautiful beaches, clear water, and scrumptious food. We'll definitely be back.....with Jr.