My wife and I have been to Charleston and Savannah and we like that area. We would like some ideas of where else to go in the Gulf Coast states to visit for maybe 7 days or so. Using my best Sgt. Shultz accent, "we know nothing" concerning the gulf states before July or August as I know how hot it can get. We love sea food and sight seeing. We'd probably rent a car to get around.

What do you guys suggest we could go that would make a good family vacation. I hardly drink so don't say Nawlins. We'll fly to the area and drive most of the time.

Walt Disney World. Or Bradenton for the Gulf Coast, the Pirates have spring training there and the beach is beautiful (Well, it was in 2003, I haven't been back since.)

I have always wanted to visit Savannah. What would you suggest? (My apologizes, if this hijacks your thread)

(03-25-2015 10:09 PM)HarmonOliphantOberlanderDevine Wrote:  Walt Disney World.

Ugh.

Navarre, FL beach just east of Pensacola, FL.




And you can check out the AA baseball Blue Wahoos in their new downtown Pensacola Maritime Ballpark

Downtown Pensacola has some nice smaller nightlife and restaurants and stores/shops in the last several years (I'd personally stay away from Pensacola Beach itself as too touristy/trashy--that's why I suggested Navarre which is just a short drive down the coast)
Area history goes pretty far back (the first ships came to Pensacola bay in 1559!:



and the Blue Angels are based out in Pensacola (I've seen the Thunderbirds at Nellis AFB in LV, but I'm sure the BAs are just as good):




Gallery Nights:

why not try the texas gulf coast???

http://www.texasgulfcoastonline.com/Port...ineMap.gif

Destin.

(03-25-2015 10:09 PM)HarmonOliphantOberlanderDevine Wrote:  Walt Disney World. Or Bradenton for the Gulf Coast, the Pirates have spring training there and the beach is beautiful (Well, it was in 2003, I haven't been back since.)

I have always wanted to visit Savannah. What would you suggest? (My apologizes, if this hijacks your thread)

Hilton Head Island. Best beach spot in the US outside of Cali and Hawaii, which I have never visited. 30 minute excursion to Savannah. Savannah is a cool town, but stay in HHI and do the excursion. Too small to do just Savannah.

(03-25-2015 10:19 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 10:09 PM)HarmonOliphantOberlanderDevine Wrote:  Walt Disney World.

Ugh.

As President and Founder of the Disney Club on campus, I am trying my best to keep my cool.

I'm partial to the 30A stretch of the Florida Gulf Coast if you want a beach getaway. Rosemary Beach, Seaside, Watercolor, Seagrove, Alys Beach... you really can't go wrong in any of those communities. Blue Mountain Beach is crappy construction & full of rude Northerners... it's only redeeming quality is its ice cream shop.

All I ask is that you stay away from Grayton Beach. It's old and rundown & you wouldn't like it. And don't go to Red Bar. You won't like it either... I have to confess that I'm lying. But really, it's not for everyone. It's more for people like me who grew up going to Destin before the highrise condos were built. It's the old Gulf Coast the way I remember it as a kid.

So, stay in Seaside because you can walk or bike to everything there. Incredibly family-friendly. Drive over & visit Grayton Beach & go to Red Bar. Drive through Alys Beach and wonder why incredibly wealthy people only wear white down here. Go to Destin & eat at the Back Porch or hit the (now sadly) more touristy marina & find a good deep sea fishing charter. Big Kahuna's water park in Destin & Shipwreck Island in Panama City are both fun if you have kids... lots of mini-golf & go-cart places in Destin. The Gulfarium in Ft. Walton is neat for kids. The Buccaneer Pirate Cruise is fun for kids & adults.

2nd Destin, especially if you have kids

(03-25-2015 11:01 PM)HarmonOliphantOberlanderDevine Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 10:19 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 10:09 PM)HarmonOliphantOberlanderDevine Wrote:  Walt Disney World.

Ugh.

As President and Founder of the Disney Club on campus, I am trying my best to keep my cool.

I just ran away from home
Now I'm going to dizz knee land
I just crashed my car again
Now I'm going to dizz knee land
I just robbed a grocery store
I'm going to dizz knee land
I just flipped off President George
I'm going to dizz knee land
I just tossed a fifth of gin
Now I'm going to dizz knee land
I just got cuffed again
Now I'm going to dizz knee land
Shot my gun into the night
I'm going to dizz knee land
I just saw a good man die
I'm going to dizz knee land
Kicked my ass out of school
Rolled me out into the street
Hitched a ride on a monkey's back
Headed west into the black
I'm going to dizz knee land

We usually go to the Gulf Coast 7 to 8 times a year (live in Ky) when Western was in the SBC and we had Troy and USA in the conference. Five or six times during the fall and winter and a couple during summer

If you like to fish I say go to the beaches at Gulf Shores Alabama and get the ocean part of your vacation and there's some of the best salt water shore fishing of any place in the USA with in a 40 minute drive.. around Mobile. There's also the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park that you can easily spend half a day exploring. It's with in a 3 hour drive of PC Beach, 2 from Destin. As someone else said SeaSide Fl between Destin and PC Beach is a great low key place to stay...expensive but very clean and you get the feel of the small villages on the north east coast 50 years ago. Really small and not much to do but some shopping and outstanding views. Most of our gulf coast trips are split between SeaSide and PC Beach.

If you want to go swimming in the ocean it will be cold very cold till July. I love to fish..from the shore, from the pier and deep sea, you can do all of those in the PC Beach and SeaSide area. A lot of sharks are caught from the shore this time of year around PC Beach. Room rates are crazy high (for what you get) in the area from PC Beach to Destin from mid March till late July

Since Western joined CUSA and back with the Fla schools ...we enjoy S.Fla. with temps ranging from mid 70s to mid 80s during the winter months that's where we head every chance we get. Ft Lauderdale this time of year is more of a middle age crowd with 75% being in their late 30s and up. We love it so much we made 4 trips there since Jan...it's a 13 hour drive (I dont fly) for me but it's worth it and it beats the cold and snow we had this winter. Making our 5th trip late April for my wife's B'Day

PC Beach has a nice water park and also a smaller (much smaller) version of sea world (called Gulf World) but it's well worth the money especially if you have kids. There's also a few live shows at night at Gulf World entertainment shows. We are not drinkers...maybe a beer while sitting on the deck eating and watching the sunset. But there are tons of bars for the young and old in PC Beach. Also a lot of actives like mini golf and regular golf, pool/game room with bowling and a skating ring if you want to relive younger days (my wife and I are mid 50s so skating was huge when we grew up so we still do it every now and then). Food ranges across the board with very expensive to buffets and nice steak house to sea food. I believe it's called Dirty Dicks that will insult the hell out of you while you eat..all in fun. There's also a really nice state park if you like to camp...a ton of mini golf, go carts, thrill rides, and a whole area to shop in at Pier Park

If you want to stay away from the younger crowds SeaSide is a good choice to stay, you are only 20 minutes away from PC Beach and Destin...but like I said it's expensive and other than swimming, watching great sunsets, and some good food there's not a lot to do there. From now till July rooms are at their most expensive in this area.

Below are a few picture I had on this PC you can see why we like PB Beach as a get away from Nov till March if you want to be alone. It's about like having your own private beach. The pictures with the beach full is from Jan and it's Ft Lauderdale about the same time frame as the empty beaches on the gulf.

A few hours later I caught a 4 ft shark right across from the the fishing rods in this picture (JAN Ft Lauderdale Fl)



Sent my son to get some bait (birds grabbed ours) at the end of the pier and it was taking him forever, so I went looking for him. Found him standing on the pier a few yards from the bait house fishing for something else




Dec PC Beach sunset from room balcony . Here's the difference in room rates..this hotel is like a really nice Days Inn with heated pool and great views, very clean, right on the beach and great people runs it. You can get it for $945 for the MONTH during Dec/Jan and for the last 2 weeks and for the next 6 it will cost $185 a night






This will give you a ideal of seaside Fl

as someone that has spent a lot of time on the flarda beaches i say you can't go wrong with any that were suggested on here.

but one of my favorites hasn't been mentioned.

siesta key which is an island right across from sarasota. i was born and grew up early years in orlando and have visited a lot of the east coast beaches. i've been to the destin/ft. walton area because everyone from bowling green goes there.

but i love siesta the best. tampa is close for day trips. sarasota has some kitschy attractions. the water is warmer because you're further down the coast. fairly clear water (not caribbean clean by any means) and very pretty sugar white sand. siesta is always rated highly from the travel sites.

and it's more of a family beach. i wish i was there right now. instead of redoing a bathroom. but spring has finally hit here in the commonwealth and we've had some nice days lately.

It's not gulf coast, but my kids and family had a really fun time in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge two summers ago. Lots of touristy things to do but you also have the Great Smoky Mountains if you want to do some outdoorsy stuff.

I'm from the area and partial...but St. George Island is fantastic.

http://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/cities...sland.html

(03-26-2015 12:33 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 11:01 PM)HarmonOliphantOberlanderDevine Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 10:19 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  

(03-25-2015 10:09 PM)HarmonOliphantOberlanderDevine Wrote:  Walt Disney World.

Ugh.

As President and Founder of the Disney Club on campus, I am trying my best to keep my cool.

I just ran away from home
Now I'm going to dizz knee land
I just crashed my car again
Now I'm going to dizz knee land
I just robbed a grocery store
I'm going to dizz knee land
I just flipped off President George
I'm going to dizz knee land
I just tossed a fifth of gin
Now I'm going to dizz knee land
I just got cuffed again
Now I'm going to dizz knee land
Shot my gun into the night
I'm going to dizz knee land
I just saw a good man die
I'm going to dizz knee land
Kicked my ass out of school
Rolled me out into the street
Hitched a ride on a monkey's back
Headed west into the black
I'm going to dizz knee land

Love me some DADA. I know a girl who knows a girl who thinks she used to be a dog. Great tune!!

no clue regarding the 'flying' part (mobile would be my best guess) and don't know about sight-seeing as the 'coastal' theme is all the same to me, but my fave over all the florida panhandle spots would be Orange beach in alabama....it's a tiny slice of heaven that has provided many peaceful moments over my lifetime....good food, good people, and many good times have been had....and I've played the panhandle tour too many times to count....Orange beach has always been my fave....

I'm originally from Galveston, TX. Beaches aren't the greatest, but the area is a good place to visit. Houston is an hour away. Lots of stuff to see and do. Will be going to Orange Beach, AL for the first time next week. Looks to be a nice spot as well. To second Beeds Siesta Key, I have a co-worker who goes there occasionally and she says it is her favorite place in the whole wide world!! I think I saw it on a list of USA's top 10 beaches as well a couple years ago.

Going on a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas 2nd week of May, never been on a cruise but will let you know how it is, if cruises are you type of thing...

(03-26-2015 07:24 AM)stinkfist Wrote:  no clue regarding the 'flying' part (mobile would be my best guess) and don't know about sight-seeing as the 'coastal' theme is all the same to me, but my fave over all the florida panhandle spots would be Orange beach in alabama....it's a tiny slice of heaven that has provided many peaceful moments over my lifetime....good food, good people, and many good times have been had....and I've played the panhandle tour too many times to count....Orange beach has always been my fave....

Got to 2nd Orange Beach. My mother-in-law is a part owner of a condo (since 1983) so the wife and I took the kids there a lot while they were growing up, still make it there at least twice a year. Beautiful beaches, not trashed out with tons of tourist stuff, great golf courses within a 30 minute drive in every direction (except south!) and plenty of nice dining options. My wife will usually hit the outlet mall in Foley (20 minutes away) every trip, there's the Naval Air Base in Pensacola just to the east and the water temps are fine from May thru October. Highly recommended!