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REASON FOR GOING: We really enjoy Florida (coming from a desert state, anything with water appeals to us). With refund airline tickets on Continental Airlines we needed to use before they ran out and a timeshare week we needed to use, we started looking in Florida. Ended up getting a condo exchange in the SanDestin area which is an area we haven't explored. Love timesharing--great fun, wonderful memories and super exepriences!
THE AIRPORT: The flight on February 10th was a good one (flew from Phoenix to Houston and then into an airport that seemed to chance names while we were there)! On our tickets, the airport was named Fort Walton Beach Airport but that airport wasn't anywhere near where we landed. I called Continental Airlines and told them our tickets said FWB but we had landed at Oscaloosa Airport--even they were confused. :O) I was put on eternal hold while they tried to figure out where their plane was flying to and from so hung up and figured we'd take our chances and go back to the one we landed at.
THE CONDO: the San Destin Golf and Beach Resort was truly lovely--located in a gated community, our condo had two bedrooms, huge wall of windows looking out over lush landscaping, walk in showers and a spa bathtub, which was wonderful, in the bedroom. In the immediate area was "The Baytowne Wharf" which had a wonderful choice of restaurants, shops and entertainment. There were 4 golf courses for hubby and a pool for me.
THE BEST RESTAURANTS: Probably our favorite was a BBQ restaurant at the Baytowne Wharf--Jim and Nicks BBQ! The BBQ was wonderful, the corn muffins were incredible and the fish was excellent. Those corn muffins were so good we order a half dozen to take back to the condo for breakfast the next day! After about a week away from Arizona we have a salsa attack. However, finding good Mexican food out of the Southwest can be a problem. We finally found a place named La Rumba and decided to give it a try as the parking lot was quite full--usually a good sign (at that point we weren't choosy!) We were very pleased with the salsa and food selections here, not a fancy place but definitely put on our "places to eat at if we ever return to San Destin" list.
THE GOOD: The area of San Destin is very nice with lots of restaurants, entertainment and nice shops. (I'm not really a shopper but enjoy looking in the windows of stores I can't afford to shop in <g>).
THE SCENIC: We drove down Highway 30A--took a full day and loved the area! The architecture of the homes was fun, colorful and fit perfectly with Florida's Gulf Coast. The beaches which were draped with sugar sand were delightful--it reminded me of drifts of snow. We stopped at a couple of beaches (I am an ocean addict!) and walked, collected some shells and fell in love with the tropical blue water and white white sugar sand.
THE BAD AND UGLY: The weather gods did not smile on us in Florida and we hit a week of wind, cold (remember we're from Arizona and are truly weather wimps) and rain! Several days, we just stayed in the condo, played dominoes (which we always take when we travel), read and did crossword puzzles. For us, it was bitter cold (for those of you from the north, you would probably laugh at us!). We had taken sweatshirts but they really didn't do much in the way of wind resistance!
THE REALLY UGLY: After being in the cold and wet for several days, the TV was showing tornado warnings for our immediate area. (Not my favorite weather feature!). I asked the desk if there was a certain place we should go to if they came closer (which they did--hit several homes about 5 miles away). The guys said nope, BUT, he thought we were to stand in a doorway! Ahhhh, psssst--that's for earthquakes! With an entire wall of windows in the front, we finally selected where we would go and luckily, didn't need it.
THE FLIGHT HOME: Once again the area we were flying out of was under severe weather and torndo alert--something like 9 tornados spotted fairly close to the airport--GREAT! The takeoff was buffeted by strong winds and the flight into Houston was very very bumpy. We have to give the pilot credit for doing the best he could, I"m sure! And, I could do a TV commerical about the effectiveness of Dramamaine!
OUR TRAVEL THOUGHTS: We've taken a long look at our 2007/early 2008 travel record: HUMMMMM, let's see: Kauai in July--hurricane alert, stocked up on water, batteries, snacks, medical supplies. Luckly, for Kauai and us, Hurricane Flossie didn't make an appearance. (STRIKE ONE!). Atlantic City, New Jersey--evacuated from the 31st floor which translates to 847 steps to go down--couldn't walk for 3 days. Then got food poisoining--ARGH! STRIKE TWO. Then comes Florida and tornado dodging. Can't wait to get back to Kauai to see what new adventure awaits us there! :O)
THE AIRPORT: The flight on February 10th was a good one (flew from Phoenix to Houston and then into an airport that seemed to chance names while we were there)! On our tickets, the airport was named Fort Walton Beach Airport but that airport wasn't anywhere near where we landed. I called Continental Airlines and told them our tickets said FWB but we had landed at Oscaloosa Airport--even they were confused. :O) I was put on eternal hold while they tried to figure out where their plane was flying to and from so hung up and figured we'd take our chances and go back to the one we landed at.
THE CONDO: the San Destin Golf and Beach Resort was truly lovely--located in a gated community, our condo had two bedrooms, huge wall of windows looking out over lush landscaping, walk in showers and a spa bathtub, which was wonderful, in the bedroom. In the immediate area was "The Baytowne Wharf" which had a wonderful choice of restaurants, shops and entertainment. There were 4 golf courses for hubby and a pool for me.
THE BEST RESTAURANTS: Probably our favorite was a BBQ restaurant at the Baytowne Wharf--Jim and Nicks BBQ! The BBQ was wonderful, the corn muffins were incredible and the fish was excellent. Those corn muffins were so good we order a half dozen to take back to the condo for breakfast the next day! After about a week away from Arizona we have a salsa attack. However, finding good Mexican food out of the Southwest can be a problem. We finally found a place named La Rumba and decided to give it a try as the parking lot was quite full--usually a good sign (at that point we weren't choosy!) We were very pleased with the salsa and food selections here, not a fancy place but definitely put on our "places to eat at if we ever return to San Destin" list.
THE GOOD: The area of San Destin is very nice with lots of restaurants, entertainment and nice shops. (I'm not really a shopper but enjoy looking in the windows of stores I can't afford to shop in <g>).
THE SCENIC: We drove down Highway 30A--took a full day and loved the area! The architecture of the homes was fun, colorful and fit perfectly with Florida's Gulf Coast. The beaches which were draped with sugar sand were delightful--it reminded me of drifts of snow. We stopped at a couple of beaches (I am an ocean addict!) and walked, collected some shells and fell in love with the tropical blue water and white white sugar sand.
THE BAD AND UGLY: The weather gods did not smile on us in Florida and we hit a week of wind, cold (remember we're from Arizona and are truly weather wimps) and rain! Several days, we just stayed in the condo, played dominoes (which we always take when we travel), read and did crossword puzzles. For us, it was bitter cold (for those of you from the north, you would probably laugh at us!). We had taken sweatshirts but they really didn't do much in the way of wind resistance!
THE REALLY UGLY: After being in the cold and wet for several days, the TV was showing tornado warnings for our immediate area. (Not my favorite weather feature!). I asked the desk if there was a certain place we should go to if they came closer (which they did--hit several homes about 5 miles away). The guys said nope, BUT, he thought we were to stand in a doorway! Ahhhh, psssst--that's for earthquakes! With an entire wall of windows in the front, we finally selected where we would go and luckily, didn't need it.
THE FLIGHT HOME: Once again the area we were flying out of was under severe weather and torndo alert--something like 9 tornados spotted fairly close to the airport--GREAT! The takeoff was buffeted by strong winds and the flight into Houston was very very bumpy. We have to give the pilot credit for doing the best he could, I"m sure! And, I could do a TV commerical about the effectiveness of Dramamaine!
OUR TRAVEL THOUGHTS: We've taken a long look at our 2007/early 2008 travel record: HUMMMMM, let's see: Kauai in July--hurricane alert, stocked up on water, batteries, snacks, medical supplies. Luckly, for Kauai and us, Hurricane Flossie didn't make an appearance. (STRIKE ONE!). Atlantic City, New Jersey--evacuated from the 31st floor which translates to 847 steps to go down--couldn't walk for 3 days. Then got food poisoining--ARGH! STRIKE TWO. Then comes Florida and tornado dodging. Can't wait to get back to Kauai to see what new adventure awaits us there! :O)