Recommended beach resort on Fl. Panhandle?
 

I am still undecided on our family's vacation. We have 2 young children (ages 3 & 1), I was thinking a more adventurous vacation, such as to Yellowstone, but am now thinking perhaps that should wait for a few years, at the advice of others. I'm not thinking of a beach vacation in the panhandle of Florida. Any suggestions for resorts / hotels in this area? I'm thinking either Destin or Pensacola area?

I apologize for the typo in the above post. Rather than saying "I'm not thinking of....", it should read "I'm now thinking of...."

Thanks again for your responses and input!

I agree that a beach vacation is great for young kids. We enjoyed Pensacola Beach very much. Beautiful area with great beach! All kids that age really need is sand, water, and a pool, and they'll be happy!

www.sandestin.com

www.seasidefl.com

I agree with Seaside. It's absolutely beautiful and has great beaches. It's right in between Destin and Panama City, but without all the development, crowds, and drunk college kids. Unfortunately, this comes with a pretty big price tag. If that's not an issue, check out Watercolor, which is another little "community" right next to Seaside.

If you're on more of a budget, look into Seagrove. It's next to Seaside, much cheaper, and you can easily bike to all the shops and there. Grayton Beach is another part of town that's about a 5 minute drive from Seaside. It has a funkier feel to it and is also less expensive.

If you still want to have an adventurous feel to your trip, consider Grayton Beach State Park. They have great camping, some of it on a large lake, and all about 3 mins. from the beach. If that's roughing it too much, they have GREAT cabins. Really they're much more like beach cottages/bungalows. Full kitchen, 2 bedroom, screened in porch, living room... and SO cheap. The best part about the park is that it has its own mile+ stretch of beach that's gorgeous and never has more than a few people on it (part of it is reserved for those staying in cabins only).