East Coast to Gulf Coast
See the sunrise and the sunset in the same day in the Panhandle!
Feeling wanderlust but can’t travel too far? Get in your car and create your own road trip!
If you’re lucky enough to live in a state where you can visit multiple states in a few hours, the options are endless. If you live in South Florida (like me) you have to get slightly more creative.
For my first post on road trips, I am going to focus on my most recent travel to the Panhandle in November 2020. Yes, we GOT A PUPPY (so this can be a dog friendly trip) and were able to balance work while still getting some vacation time in during the holiday week AKA #WorkLifeBalance.
FORT LAUDERDALE —> DESTIN
Estimated travel time: 8H 40MIN
Road trip travel time: ~11H
The best part of a road trip is picking out stops along the way to break up the drive. Bonus points if you have old friends that you can catch up and grab dinner with.
GO NOLES
When we made plans to visit the Panhandle, I knew I had to make a pit stop in my old stomping grounds in Tallahassee.
I got to see a Phi Mu sorority sister, Bethany who recently got engaged. We had dinner overlooking Doak Campbell Stadium, reminiscing on our college game days at Florida State University.
Even if it’s only a few short hours, dedicate your time to visit a place that means a lot to you. You’ll start off your vacation in the right mindset!
By the time we left Tallahassee (~6 hours from Fort Lauderdale), we were in the home stretch to Destin. We hadn’t even gotten to our destination yet and I already was in a relaxed mindset. Nostalgic conversations tend to do that to people :).
YA’LL, THE PANHANDLE BEACHES ARE STUNNING.
Yes, the more north in Florida you get, the more common you hear the word “ya’ll”. Funny how that works.
Anyways, now I get why it’s called the Emerald coast of Florida.
The sea-green water with its sugary sand is stretched for miles and miles, with an endless amount of cute beach towns and vacation rentals along its path. It’s very family friendly, dog friendly, remote work friendly and overall just a very welcoming place.
If your vibe is: Family & Dog Friendly
Where to stay: Rent a vacation home as close to the beach as possible. IMO, there is no point in visiting a beach town and not staying on or close to the beach. We rented a condo and stayed in Miramar Beach, which was a perfect location to get to Destin for dinner or go north to 30A to explore the quaint shops and ritzy beachfront hotels.
BONUS: They also had the resort perk with beach rentals included so you didn’t even have to worry about lugging your beach chairs across the street. Check out the rental we stayed out here.
Where to eat: Since we rented a condo with a kitchen, we actually went to the Whole Foods more than eating out (also, COVID). My favorite place we ate at was Boshamp’s in Destin. Great views of the harbor at sunset, and delicious seafood. Can’t go wrong with good views + good food.
What to do: There is a pedestrian friendly beach walk that we took advantage of every morning. If you have some work calls, do it from your patio or on a walk (that’s what I did). Grab your coffee, kids, dogs, you name it and get outside and soak in the salt air! We were within walking distance to Pompano Joe’s, a great outdoor spot with breathtaking views of the gulf coast!
If your vibe is: Couples/Friends Trip
Where to stay: I’m an advocate for vacation rentals in the Panhandle area. There are soooo many, you can’t go wrong. If you book far enough in advance, you can also get a spacious house with a wraparound deck to enjoy some late-night porch talks. If you are going for a romantic getaway, check out the Pearl in Rosemary Beach. It’s DREAMY.
BONUS: Some of the rentals even come with a golf cart to take to the beach!
Where to eat/drink: The Red Bar in Grayton Beach. My friend, Alesha (who is a local and in the pic with me) swears by it! It’s a staple in the area and actually had a terrible fire a few years ago but was able to rebuild and keep serving its beach community.
Having lunch at Chanticleer Eatery is also a must. It has a cute outside patio with the best homemade cookies to wrap up your meal. You can also walk around after your meal and explore the artsy village.
What to do: Ride bikes along 30A and visit Seaside. The town is literally the most picturesque beach town I have ever seen. And I have been to a lot of beach towns.
Cheers to getting out of town and exploring a new city. We can all use an escape, what better way than to get in your own car and be the driver of your next adventure?