When winter winds blow their cold breath on much of the country,
many folks head to Florida's sunny shores. Some "snowbirds" think they
have to travel all the way to south Florida to find relief, but we've
visited the northwest panhande several times in the winter and have
found it to be quite pleasant, especially the Destin area, with average
highs in the 70s and lows around 48.
One of our most memorable
trips was in December. We went with our three kids and another family
while the children were out of school for Christmas vacation. The kids
had a blast! We were surprised at how warm the gulf waters were at that
time of year. All the kids enjoyed swimming, but I'll admit, it was a
little too cool for me to take the plunge. I did, however, enjoy wading
in the surf, fishing from the pier, and walking on the beautiful beach,
which we practically had all to ourselves.
Destin offers
fantastic shopping, so a December getaway is a great time to purchase
some unique Christmas gifts. And if you go in January, you'll find some
amazing after-Christmas sales. So winter shopping in the area is a
win-win situation! The stores won't be as crowded in the winter months,
either.
Another great winter excursion in Destin is a relaxing
tour of the area by boat. Blue Lagoon Water Sports will enable you to
see the natural beauty of the harbor and bay, including friendly
dolphins. They'll even provide sailing lessons! The Glass Bottom Boat,
found right on U.S. 98, gives visitors the unique opportunity of
viewing colorful marine life and feeding water birds from comfortable
seating. A sunset cruise with Destin Nature Sunset Cruise is especially
enjoyable in the winter months. Because the atmosphere holds less
humidity, the winter sunsets over the gulf are spectacular. You can
experience the best of both worlds - a sunset tour and glass-bottom
boat cruise aboard the Southern Star, located at Harbor Walk Marina on
98.
If you're a golfer, Destin has some professionally-designed
courses perfect for any level player. Most are open year 'round, and a
lot of them have spectacular gulf views. A quick search on the internet
will provide you with a guide to area links, and again, the crowds of
vacationing summer golfers will be gone, and off-season discounts will
apply at most courses.
Another fun winter activity in Destin is
horseback riding. In winter, you can ride along miles of beautiful
wooded trails without having to worry about flies, mosquitoes, or your
horse becoming all sweaty. Not your idea of fun? How about some
offshore fishing in one of Destin's legendary fishing fleet vessels?
Winter catches include amberjack, wahoo, grouper, and blackfin and
yellowfin tuna. And on a nice day, the boat trip itself is enjoyable.
Destin
has a huge array of restaurants, but the best food, especially in the
winter, is the seafood - especially the oysters. I don't know why, but
the gulf bi-valves, while always tasty, are even better in the colder
months. Try Acme Oyster House or AJ's Seafood and Oyster Bar for some
raw or steamed fresh oysters. For all kinds of great seafood, visit
Captain Dave's on the Gulf, Destin's oldest seafood restaurant. After
satisfying your seafood binge, get a terrific steak at Seagar's,
northwest Florida's only AAA four-diamond restaurant. Destin eateries
also offer Mexican, Italian, French, Tex-Mex, Cajun, Chinese, and
Japanese fare. Choose one of the waterfront restaurants and watch the
sun sink into the gulf for a memorable dining experience.
If
you can do some traveling this winter, visit Destin. With its mild
temperatures, gorgeous scenery, great activities, and mouth-watering
seafood, the area will provide the perfect winter respite. You'll find
some great rates for lodging, too!
This winter guide to sunny living was brought to you by Holle Abee.
Can
we off-set our carbon footprint by flying to Destin and eating local
oysters? Is that green enough? Because we will make that sacrifice
for the earth. And then we will offset our expenses by staying in a
gorgeous vacation condo or villa while we recover from our massive feast.