Help us plan a vacation

OK....couples trip coming up in the fall.

Florida is the approved destination.

Now we need to narrow it down a bit....

Looking for reccomendations based on the following criteria:

1. At, or in walking distance to the beach
2. Looking for white sand, clear blue water
3. Hotel/resort should have large pool with outside bar area
4. Hotel/resort should be geared towards couples, not families
5. Outdated, old hotels need not apply
6. Several very good restaurants should be close by
7. Nightlife should be available
8. We are not gay....nothing wrong with that, but don't want to be in a gay couples preferred destination
9. We are late 30s/early 40s couples....like to drink, relax, laugh, etc.
10. We are not cheap...no motor inns, best westerns or comfort inns please.

Any tips on where to begin our search?

thanks a bunch!!

Have you been to the South Walton area before?

Things you won't find here:

• motor inns, best westerns, comfort inns
• a gay couples destination, although there's nothing wrong with them ;-)
• outdated old hotels

It's a family oriented area but if you are traveling during the school year you might see more couples rather than families.

I'll let the locals chime in since they know more about this than me.

Ocean Lover

Thanks for the quick reply. I have not been to this area before. SOmeone suggested coming to this forum and posting my request.

We would be traveling during the school year.

I notice many homes for rent, which could be an option as well.

Here are some links to get you started:

www.watersoundvacations.com

www.watercolorinn.com

www.beachesofsouthwalton.com

http://www.sowal.com/rentals.html

http://www.beachrentalsofsouthwalton.com/

Go to Sandestin. Everything is available there for you. Nightlife - Baytowne Wharf - also good food. If you want the best accommodations - Southwinds - very upscale. Destin seafood festival is the first weekend of October. Not many families there at that time because of school. Have a great time!

I agree with scooter, Sounds like a Sandestin trip for you. Everyting you seek is there. go and enjoy.

Go to Sandestin. Everything is available there for you. Nightlife - Baytowne Wharf - also good food. If you want the best accommodations - Southwinds - very upscale. Destin seafood festival is the first weekend of October. Not many families there at that time because of school. Have a great time!

Thanks Scooter....any links to accomodations, restaurants, etc?

Thanks Scooter....any links to accomodations, restaurants, etc?

Here's one http://www.sandestin.com/default.aspx

Oh where oh where is 30gAy???

Oh where oh where is 30gAy???

I was wondering the same thing.

Go to vrbo.com. Beachside I and II are also nice. Westwinds is nice too, but the condos are smaller and pricier. Good luck and have a great time.

Oh where oh where is 30gAy???

I was wondering the same thing.

Me three.

Here's a good web site for Destin info. Emeraldcoast.com. If you do stay at Sandestin - DO NOT EAT AT FINZ! Unless something has changed since summer of 2006 - the food and service was horrible. I ordered a sea bass dish and the spinach was actually canned. I couldn't believe it. The waitress just shrugged her shoulders when I inquired about it. Guess we should have been suspicious - it was 4th of July week and the restaurant wasn't crowded. If you decide to venture east about 15 minutes to 30A there are lots of excellent restaurants. Criolla's and D&K's being my favorites. There's also a Tommy Bahama restaurant that just opened near Sandestin - fun for lunch. Also, everyone is raving about the new mexican restaurant there called Cantina Laredo. I'm from New Orleans, so I love to go have raw and chargrilled oysters at Acme in Baytowne Wharf. They bring their oysters in from Louisiana. Be careful of the horseradish - it's the hottest anywhere! If you love lobster, you can actually get a 9lb. at Poppy's. My girlfriend had it last year for her birthday. $270 smackers for a lobster. It was delicious! Let me know if you'd like any more info. Have a grayt time!!!!!!

See the posting under the general SoWal threads about what if SoWal was an 18 mile spa. It will give you an idea of things to do, much of which would be great (grayt) fun as a couple. There are many different kinds of places to stay in, from very fancy on the beach (pricy but most would be amazing) to less expensive, not directly on the beach, and very nice. It depends where you want to spend your money. Some of our posters have places at High Pointe which has views, Rosemary Beach, Seaside, Watersound. All have bars and pools within the community, probably heated pools which is nice when the weather is a bit cooler. Try RiverOtter's posts for High Pointe with a view. There are some private places with heated pools as well -- see if you can find posts by RatherBPaddlin because he has two homes and they may have heated pools (but the bar would be in the house since they are private homes).

No shortage of great restaurants, fancy and simple, along 30A. People love Red Bar in Grayton, D&K in Grayton, and others -- these two seem to be sure "hits" but there are others.

October begins the Monarch butterfly migration.

No specific gay/straight places -- everyone hangs out with everyone anywhere as far as I know.