This past Wednesday we drove to Destin, just for the day. Its a 2.5 hour drive each way, this is about the most we would probably try to drive in one day. The trick for us is to drive as much as possible while the children are asleep. So we headed after lunch during their nap, and came home at bedtime.
Our main focus for the trip was to shop at the outlet stores, have some seafood, and take the children to the beach to see if they like it. (I had a suspicious feeling they wouldn't hit it off with the beach right away b/c last time we put them in a sandbox they both screamed at the top of their lungs)
I enjoyed Destin. There was a lot to like about the place. There was plenty to do, plenty to see, and lots of things I wish we had time for. And the beach there is absolutely gorgeous. I automatically saw the appeal for a family vacation. And to make things better, our friends daughter KC was able to come with us. She was a huge help with Petra and Jasper and made the trip easier for both of us.
I would have loved for Thomas to have spent a day fishing, and we both thought the water park looked like fun. But we didn't have time for all of that.
Instead, we spent the day mainly at the outlets and it rained and rained. I was disappointed with prices and had hoped for better deals. The shopping was not worth the trip.
We headed to a place called Dewey Destin for dinner. I had read some good reviews online. And was quite surprised by its humble buildings. It was literally down a side road, right past abandoned buildings, and was entirely outdoor ... much like eating on a dock. Despite this, I found the atmosphere quaint and you could just tell that this was a local joint. The seafood was good, I really liked the breading. But the fries were bad and the meal was way overpriced. What I really enjoyed about it was that it was a perfect place for the children to actually run around some before dinner, and the fact that it was not crowded (due to the storm). Here are some pictures from dinner.
After dinner we headed to the beach for a quick view and made it just in time for the sunset. The storm had cleared and it was beautiful. I don't think there is anything more beautiful in Florida than the Emerald Coast. The sand is a delicate fine grain white sand and the water is perfect blue/turquoise. As expected, the children both screamed when we set them down. We need to spend some time getting them aquainted with it - next time we will plan to spend more time actually on the beach. Here are some photos from our short beach stop.
All in all we had a great time and want to head back soon, hopefully for more than just a day trip.
2 comments:
What a gorgeous sunset and such sweet babies! Try consignment sales for great prices on clothes for the kids. There is one here in Raleigh twice a year that Erin shops for the girls clothes and toys. She gets great deals. She takes David with her to pull the wagon.
I loved the video of Jasper learning to walk!
Take care,
Jan
Jan - thanks for the post! You are right, consignment shopping is the best. I love our local store. If I want a yellow dress for Petra - there are more than 20 choices usually - as opposed to trying several regular stores and maybe finding one or two. Plus the prices are so much better. I think this is why I was so disappointed! We are hitting a twice a year consignment soon - I'll have to find a wagon to take. What a great idea!
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