Mexico Beach
 

Has anyone stayed at Buena Vista Motel, Mexico Beach ?
Is breakfast incl. and do they have a outdoor pool? Rate ?
Hows the water and sand at Mexico Beach ?
Will be visiting late sep. and is planning a stop there for a few days.
Driving from Dallas TX - Ft. Lauderdale FL.

The water and sand at Mexico Beach are nice. The sand is not quite as white as the beaches from Panama City to Pensacola and the water is not as clear and blue-green as those beaches but it is still very nice.

Regarding your questions about the motel, call them.

Thanks Sunshinesue ! Id sent a mail to them but they havent replied yet.

Sue, do you know where i find the clearest and most blue-greeny water between PC Beach and Pcola ?

Destin is known for their white sand and beautiful water but in my experience Panama CIty beach (especially the west end) Ft. Walton beach, and all the way to Pensacola are just as pretty. Where you stay might best be determined by your budget. Generally speaking Ft. Walton is a little less expensive than Destin and Panama City offers a wider price range of accomodations than Destin. I am not as familiar with Pensacola accomodations so can't help you there.

A beautiful stretch of beach (my favorite) is between Panama City and Destin on Highway 30A. It is known as the Beaches of South Walton. Seaside (where the movie The Truman Show was filmed) is located on that stretch. Accomodations are not cheap on 30A but even if you don't stay there at least drive through.

A couple of other things. Most of the accomodations in Destin are condos, though there are some hotels. Also rates go down in the panhandle the middle of August so you will be able to take advantage of fall rates. Quite often you can rent a condo for the same as a hotel room and you have the advantage of having a kitchen.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Sunshinesue gives excellent advice on this area.

Late Sept. will allow you to get off season rates (rates change generally on Sept. 4).

As sunshinesue indicated, most of the lodging in Destin and the Beaches of South Walton are condos. We stayed at a condo that we booked thru garrettrealty.com. Excellent experience (e.g., local office, afterhours key pickup, no upfront security deposit just a $100 hold on your credit card for damage). It really was the best of both worlds; the ease and convenience of a hotel with the privacy and affordability that a condo provides.

My DH and stayed for three months at the motel. Unless they have changed, there are only six rooms. We had the upstairs facing the gulf. Best view. A kitchen so we could do our own cooking. No stove, frig and microwave though. Pat Kent is the owner. No breakfast. There are two rooms facing the street, low level. Two rooms up the stairs, and then around the back facing the gulf two rooms. We stayed by the week and it was $150 a week. The beach is beautiful. Store right across the street with everything you need. Toucan restaurant walking distance. A couple small eating places. Just a basic mom/pop place. We did our own housekeeping, when we needed anything we just went to the office and got it. Nice sandy white beaches.

Forgot to say no pool. If you want all of that the ElGovernor is afew blocks away. They have laundry facilities, outdoor pool I know, not sure on the inside. Four story building. They do not have breakfast but believe there is a small restaurant in the building. It has been two years since we were at Mexico Beach, we loved the friendly people, and small quiet town. We are retired and did not care for the tourist areas of Panama City or Pensacola area.

My family has vacationed in Mexico Beach for the past 10+ years, and I still had a hard time remembering the Buena Vista hotel at first. Then I remembered that it's just as Marleneawe described it. A small mom & pop motel (rather than hotel) - nothing fancy. No pool. The only hotel with a pool in M.B. is El Govenor. And probably the nicest hotel in M.B. is The Driftwood Inn (but no pool). There are also lots and lots of condos, but they usually (but not always) rent by the week, so a hotel may be your best bet.

I've been up and down the panhandle coastline from Mobile to Apalachicola. IMO the sand is the same - gorgeous and white. The water down by Destin is clearer, though - if you are willing to pay the price to stay there.

The biggest difference between Mexico Beach and Panama City or Destin is the level of tourism. Other than the sand, Panama City Beach is a lot like Ft. Lauderdale - high rise hotel and tourist central. Destin, while prettier, is also more expensive. Mexico Beach was, and still is for the most part, a sleepy little town. A few restaurants, a few shops, but otherwise your main entertainment is the beach and the ocean. Nice and quiet!

By the way, on your drive from Dallas to Ft. Lauderdale, I highly recommend a stop in Apalachicola - a historic fishing port. Lots of cool shops, restaurants, and a very pretty town.

Breaux Bridge, Ponchatoula and Covington La are all good places to stop for a meal. Just recently found a cheap place in Covington called Rags Too for loaded po-boys--google it for menu and address.
Of course the ultimate is the Cafe des Amis in BB for Cajun food and if you can be there on a Sat morning for Zydeco music and dancing at 8AM you will be amazed--google it too for menu and address