Two issues--
1) Will it be warm enough in the panhandle to enjoy the ocean the week of 3/29 - 4/2
2) Will the area be overtaken by spring breakers?

We are looking at Pensacola, Navarre, and Destin as areas to try....

Also had the thought of trying something east of Panama City in the "armpit" of Florida as this area seems not as developed. Still want dining and good accomodations though.

Your thoughts in general are appreciated

1. Probably not, unless you're used to very cold water (i.e., you're from the northeast or California).

2. College spring break is functionally over by 3/29, so I wouldn't worry about spring breakers.

How about Seaside? www.seasidefl.com

Enjoy!

Whether you regret it will depend on what your other alternatives are. Yes, the number of spring breakers will be down a bit, but they'll still be there in smaller numbers. Beaches won't be totally crowded. But your idea of going east of Panama City is a good one, I think. You could almost just drive along the coastal road and pick a spot that looks good. The nicer hotels in particular probably won't be full. And you can find good food anywhere along the Gulf; one excellent source is the folks at the hotel where you will stay.

As for the Gulf temperature (not literally "the ocean") I agree it will be a bit cool for most people. If you can go swimming in Long Island Sound or Lake Champlain in the middle or August, you won't be put off by the Gulf temperatures. But if you live somewhere south of the latitude at the Tennessee-Alabama border, it'll likely be too cold.

Assuming you don't have too far to drive, and if you want to do something a bit different, you might try Wakulla Springs and Wakulla beach (west and south of Tallahassee). Wakulla Springs is where they filmed the famous "Creature from the Black Lagoon" movie, and it's great for swimming, although cool because of the springs. And the Wakulla Springs Hotel, right next to the springs, is one of those old-time places right out of the 1800's, with great food to boot. Good luck and have fun.

Any other thoughts?

You will still have some spring breakers, but they might not be college variety. They will be families with children in public schools in the midwest who have spring break around the Easter holiday instead of a certain week in March every year. I am a public school teacher and I travel every year for spring break, and usually do not mind the families that are in the resorts or on the cruise ships I've done. I think I might be a little concerned if I had the college kids around though. Sorry I can't offer advice on the panhandle area as I've never been there. I have gone to St Pete Beach a number of times for spring break and had a lovely time.

Panhandle weather can be iffy that time of year. Unlike many other parts of FL, the Panhandle's high season is the summertime. If you want guaranteed swimming weather you may want to go further south.

I'm not sure there are many beaches east of Panama City, if that's what you're looking for.

If you end up in Panama City, you might try Marriot's Bay Point Resort. Very nice and not at all Panama City-ish. We have stayed there several times and it's lovely.

I just spent Jan.24th thru Feb. 21st on St. George Island--near Apalachicola. It's great! The owner of the home I rented said that St. George isn't a big spring break destination. There's no big party/night club scene. The beaches are clean and uncrowded and have been listed among the top ten in the country. Especially wonderful is the state park that takes up the east end of the island. It has miles of beach in pristine condition. There are lots of restaurants in nearby Apalachicola and Eastpoint. Try the Owl and Tamara's in Apalachicola. In Eastpoint don't miss the chowder at That Place On Ninety-Eight.

Have you considered a beach house rental? Many are comparable to the cost of a nice hotel room. Instead of one room you get a house...many are right on the beach. We've done this four times. You can see the houses online. Try St. George Island Prudential Realty or Suncoast Realty. We've rented from both and would do so again.

By the way, the area is dog friendly. Mine was even invited into several stores in Apalachicola! On the beach owners are required to clean up after their pets. (Beaches west of Apalachicola are NOT dog friendly.)

As to water temps in late March I agree with what earlier posts said.

We're heading to Destin. Any good and recent recommendations?

There are several recent (like, as of this afternoon) posts on this area, so if you haven't you should do a search and read those comments. Though I can't speak to swimming temps, in one of those posts, I mentioned wading in the surf last week...with no temperature jolt. Another excellent source to find lodging is vrbo.com - a listing of vacation rentals by owner. We were just in the Seagrove Beach area and loved it...not wall to wall high-rises, right next to the town of Seaside which has been featured in numerous national magazines, and with plenty of restaurant choices.