Road Trip to Destin, Florida
Every year in October we head to Destin, Florida for a week of relaxation! October is our favorite time of year to visit Destin. The weather is perfect, the water is still warm and the crowds have cooled off. It’s also much more affordable in fall. We like to break up our road trip so that we can experience the best of both worlds, the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Smokey Mountains!
It’s about a 4.5 hour drive away from our home in Cincinnati. The perfect amount of time to get us ready for our road trip. The Great Smokey Mountains fall colors are breathtaking! We spend a day hiking through Cades Cove and take a trip down the Pigeon River on a white water rafting adventure! To get a real feel for the Smokey Mountains we stay in a log cabin. One of our favorites is Cabin Fever Vacations. The cabins here are privately nestled in the Smokey Mountains with incredible views. It’s also in close proximity to the lively downtown of Gatlinburg with all the great restaurants, shopping and attractions!
After a refreshing few days in the mountains we are ready to tackle a 9 hour drive to the beautiful white sand beaches of Destin, Florida! There are no other beaches like this in the US. The sand feels like powder under your feet and the ocean is emerald green. Known as “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village”, we always try our luck on a deep sea fishing trip! A few of our favorite places to stay are Destin’s Beachside Inn, right across the street from Crystal Beach and very close to Destin Commons where you’ll find shopping, restaurants and a movie theater. Edgewater Beach and Shoreline Towers are right on the beach so you can have your feet in the sand in no time! Edgewater Beach is within walking distance to ocean front restaurants as well as in close vicinity to Silver Sands Outlet Mall. Shoreline Towers is close to the Harbor where restaurants and live entertainment are plentiful.
We’ve also stayed on the beaches of South Walton to have a taste of the “30A Lifestyle”. These individually unique beach towns are definitely worth checking out. We used Garrett Realty Services, Inc. and they placed us in a beautiful, roomy beach home in Seagrove Beach. Lush oak trees, magnolias and pines along the powder white sand sets this little beach town apart from the rest. We loved the casual cafes and the laid-back feel of Seagrove.
Fall break is right around the corner and we can’t wait for another road trip to the Emerald Coast via The Great Smokey Mountains. This year we will be taking a short detour and spending a day in Perdido Key to check out the famous precision jet aircraft flying team, Blue Angels. Then off to the beautiful white sand beaches of Destin, Florida!
Published on Friday, August 11, 2017