ChicagoDallasGirl

Hey, y'all! Looking for advice/tips on the Panhandle. We visited Orlando last year while my husband attended a conference there. Once we day tripped to Tampa/St. Pete. Spent our time on the public beach in Pass-A-Grille and ate dinner at Sea Critters. We all LOVED our time in PAG.

Now, we are looking for a similar experience for our week-long beach vacation in May/June. This time we will be driving from Dallas. Before beginning research I had every intention of targeting the 30a/Santa Rosa area. However, seems like there's lots of other possibilities, Pensacola, Destin, Carillon in PCB...

We are a family of four, which includes two boys ages 3 & 4. My 17 year old sister may join us, too. We are looking for a beachfront/walk to the beach vacation rental, preferably a single family home or town home (no high rise condos). Would like to spend our days at the beach, exploring the area on foot/by bike (rental), and need family friendly activities (museums, water parks, casual dining).

Based on this, which area of the Panhandle do you think would be a good fit? Thanks in advance!

cdg

kymomto3

Our family stayed at Seacrest Beach off the 30a just outside of Rosemary Beach last year and LOVED it. It's a community with lots of very cool rentals (found ours on VRBO), a huge pool, walking distance to the beach, downtown Rosemary and Alys Beach. You can ride your bike all over the place. I can't comment on museums and water parks as we just enjoyed visiting the beach towns including Seaside. I'd totally go back there again.

starrs

You've just described the villages of 30a.
http://30a.com/

The sugar sand beaches of the panhandle are gorgeous and you can't go wrong with any choice. Pensacola Beach is great. I really don't like Destin/ Sandestin or Panama City Beach because of the high rises and traffic.

If you stay at Seaside or Rosemary Beach or any of the 30a villages, you can sit on the sand, look out at the water and see the high rises of Destin to your right and PCB to your left in the distance. But in between is the gorgeous beach, with public access and lovely (albeit planned) village steps away from the beach and shops/restaurants. We stayed at beautiful 4br rental house at Seacrest and could walk to the shops at Rosemary Beach and you can ride bikes all the way down to Seaside if you want. You really can't go wrong - from Blue Mountain to Grayton Beach (a bit funkier) to Seaside (very nice but expensive), Watercolor, the striking Alys Beach, to Rosemary. Any of them would be perfect.

We really liked the rental house at Seacrest. Steps away from the beach and the shops/restaurants at Rosemary with a gorgeous, giant pool hidden in the middle of the community.
http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals...st-beach-north

starrs

GMTA

ChicagoDallasGirl

Thanks, Kymomto3 and Starrs! Sounds like I was on the right track after all. �� I will search the Emerald Coast, then. �� Starrs, you had me at "sugar sand" lol lol

Would both of tho mind sharing a link to the vacation property where you lodged?

starrs

I provided a link above. The rental we used was called "Fish Haus" but it's not listed anymore. It probably has a new owner and a new name. BUT any house in the Seacrest Beach development will be great. Access to the HUGE community pool and a short walk to the beach. Most are narrow, beautiful houses (a lot of 4br ones) but there are some apartments and condos too.

Pictures of the 12,000 sf lagoon style pool -
https://www.google.com/search?q=seac...2F%3B700%3B465

http://www.visitsouthwalton.com/seacrest

ChicagoDallasGirl

Thanks starrs. Clicked link earlier but it took me to a listings page with several properties. Will peruse shortly. That pool is amazing! Our last rental property had a small children's water for toddlers to 8/9 year olds in the community. The boys loved it. I'm sure they can "make do" at the beach, tho. Thank you, again!

starrs

Yes, that's a listing page for about 40 properties I think.

The last South Walton link has a search engine to search for the size unit/ house you want.

I can't find a link to Fish Haus.

You are very welcome.

BigRuss

Visit the Naval Air Station (home of the Blue Angels) in Pensacola for the National Naval Aviation Museum.

williamscb13

I'd skip Destin. My mom rented a friends house their last May and we found destin crowded and busy and there was no way we were riding bikes anywhere.

Cranachin

The Naval Aviation Museum (http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/) is most convenient if you stay on Perdido Key, west of Pensacola. You can get there from Pensacola Beach as well, but it is more of a haul.

If you do visit the museum, the boys might enjoy running around in Fort Barrancas, the Water Battery, and Advanced Redoubt, also at NAS Pensacola and not far from the Museum. http://www.nps.gov/guis/planyourvisi...-barrancas.htm

If you stay on Pensacola Beach, then you could go to Fort Pickens on the end of the island. http://www.nps.gov/guis/planyourvisit/fort-pickens.htm

There's a children's museum in downtown Pensacola as well. http://www.historicpensacola.org/events.cfm

There's a small zoo in Gulf Breeze (Pensacola/Pensacola Beach area) if you are interested in things like that. http://www.gulfbreezezoo.org/

ChicagoDallasGirl

Good suggestion, BigRuss. Adding to our list!

williamscb13, thanks for weighing in. Duly noted!

Cranachin, we are interested in the children's museum and zoo! Sounds like stronger consideration can be given to areas closer to/in Pensacola. What wou ld you say are the major differences between Pensacola and beaches nearer Santa Rosa/Seacrest?

starrs

I'll pop in with beach pictures -
Pensacola -
http://frankabbott.com/wp-content/up...-Beach-III.jpg
South Walton beaches -
http://www.visitsouthwalton.com/about

If you're looking for "sugar sand", you can't go wrong either.

ChicagoDallasGirl

Yep, starrs. Those views def fit the bill. Summer can't get her soon enough.

starrs

Enjoy the trip! You can't go wrong. I'm not a fan of Destin/Sandestin and especially do not like Panama City Beach. But I love Pensacola Beach, the villages along 30a, and really love the Indian Pass/Cape San Blas area. The last area is probably my favorite but the most undeveloped. They call it the "Forgotten Coast" and I hope it stays that way.
http://www.southernliving.com/travel...ncoast-florida

ChicagoDallasGirl

Thanks, starrs! Seems like the villages keep coming up out of the blue in conversations. Have had two or three folks bring up the area since posting this thread. Rave reviews about the area.

gracie

If you want a water park, there is one in Panama City Beach. I agree with Starrs about not staying right in PCB, as it is mostly high rise condos and pretty crowded. However, the drive over to the water park from the beaches of South Walton is not bad. The name of the water park is Shipwreck Island Water Park.