Destin Florida

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is a 2,400-acre destination resort located in Northwest Florida, between Pensacola and Panama City. A member of Beaches of South Walton - a 26-mile stretch of world-famous sugar-white sands and diverse landscape in which 40 percent of the area is protected under state parks - Sandestin invites guests to enter its world of 30 charming village neighborhoods featuring 1,800 Destin vacation rentals including condominiums, villas, town homes and a wide variety of hotel accommodations. The Florida beach resort boasts more than seven miles of beaches and pristine bayfront, four championship golf courses, 15 world-class tennis courts, 19 swimming pools, a 98-slip marina, certified children’s programs, a fitness center and spa, 65,000 square feet of meeting space and a pedestrian village featuring a host of boutique shops, casual and fine dining restaurants and nightlife venues. Sandestin is part of Intrawest Hospitality Management, a world leader in operating and managing destination resorts.

The Destin Florida blog was started by me and my family. We have been going to Destin for many years and Destin is a place that our whole family enjoys. Destin Florida and the Emeral Coast area has been growing so fast that the hustle bustle has made it hard these days to find the right Hotels, Restaurants, Sites and Activities. My family has been to Destin so many times that we consider ourselves experts.




So, read the blog, check out the Destin Florida Forum that we started. Between out Destin Florida Blog and the Destin Florida Forum, you can ask anything you want and get answers from people who know. What are you looking for? What would you like to do in Destin? Or, maybe that’s why you are here, to see what we would recommend, no matter, this is the right place for unvarnished straight talk.

Sun Burn on Destin Florida Beaches, precaution, treatment

Please, Don’t ruin a great vacation with a bad sunburn. Take my word. having spent so many vacations in Destin I can show you some pictures of really bad severe sun burns that were really not something you want to have. As soon as you get to the Destin Florida area, just look around you. You will notice people everywhere, mostly visitors, with SEVERE, PAINFUL SUNBURNS. When you are going to be outside here for any extended period of time spend time outside, be sure to wear sunscreen.  It is advisable to wear at least SPF 15, or even higher if you have fair skin.  Also, sunscreens will require reapplication after a few hours, especially if you are sweating or have been in the water.
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Please, Don’t think you understand your limitations, there are many things here in Destin that make sunburn risk much worse than anywhere else. Here’s things you need to know about the hot sun in Destin Florida:
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Bright White Sand: The sand here is white as pure sugar. The sand will reflect sun and UV upon you even as you sit in the shade…
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Clear Blue/Green Water: The beautiful clear water here in Destin Florida is exceptionally reflective. Even under an umbrella or hat in the shade, the sun and particularly UV rays will reflect up and give you a severe burn, in the shade…
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Hot Bright Sun: The sunshine along the Florida Panhandle Emerald Coast area is exceptionally strong and bright. It can and will burn you much faster than most anywhere you can go.
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• Limit outdoor activities between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the summer months. Therefore, play golf, tennis, swim, etc., in the early morning or late afternoon.
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• Wear a good pair of sun glasses to ward off the sun from your eyes and some kind of protection — the looser the better — on your head.
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• Take some time to go to WalMart or another store and stock up on sunscreen SPF 15 or higher, hats, sunglasses, and umbrellas. Go ahead and get some after sun treatment with aloe vera. Yes, that’s right, trust me if you get burned bad, you don’t want to have to go out to get the stuff to help a burn. Someone in your group is just bound to get burned…
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• Clouds and particulate matter in the air scatter sunlight. Therefore, you may receive a “surprise sunburn” even on a cloudy day.
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• Some drugs & cosmetics — Tetacycline, diuretics, major tranquilizers — may increase susceptibility to sunburn because they contain substances that cause the skin to absorb more of the sun’s radiation. These “photosensitivity reactions” may also be caused by birth control pills. Your physician can advise you about medications that can cause problems in the sun.

Blackened Grouper, Favorite Fish of Emerald Coast at Destin Florida

The Grouper is my favorite fish to eat when I go to the Florida Gulf Coast and especially in Destin Florida, which is like downtown grouperville. Over 70 species of Grouper live in the waters of the U.S. Most commercially caught Groupers are red grouper, and black grouper. Interestingly, Groupers are born females, but experience a gender change later in life. Before they die, most will have been both a mother and a father. Shrimp are like this too in terms of their gender. Groupers are heavy-bodied fish with large mouths. The Grouper is a meaty fish, giving up very thick filets and the taste is really good, not real fishy tasting. Each year in the United States, our fishermen catch 10-12 million pounds of Grouper. The Gulf and southern Atlantic states are where most are caught.

When I go to Destin, the thing I look forward to eating is the blackened grouper. Let me tell you, in Destin Florida they know just how to cook the boneless, skinless fillets perfectly. Each portion is seasoned with salt and white, ground pepper. Fillets are dredged in seasoned flour and passed through an eggwash seasoned with white wine and fresh lemon juice. After that the fillets are rolled in seasoned cornmeal with red, black, and white ground pepper, and salt. Then fillets are seared in a smoking hot iron skillet. Put some bacon fat on both sides, skin-side down first. You deglaze the grouper filets with white wine and lemon juice and a dab of whole butter. Then it’s cooked in an over at almost 400 degrees till done, all the way it’s cooked real hot and real fast creating lots of smoke. The spices are really charred into the fish, delicious.

I usually eat that with some hush puppies, french fries, and I put a squeeze of lemon on the fish before eating. I chase it down with some iced tea. If you ever get to go to Destin Florida, you must try the blackened grouper. I believe it’s the best thing you can eat on the Emerald Coast of Florida. If you are so lucky to go to Destin Florida and try some blackened grouper I recommend The Crab Trap or Pompano Joes, both on Crystal beach. Or, closer in toward town try The Back Porch across from the Track and on the beach. All three of these restaurants are on the beach and well known for perfect food and atmosphere overlooking Destin’s beautiful white sand beaches.

Nursing School at Okaloosa Walton College Okaloosa Walton College at Destin Florida is a Nursing School approved by the State of Florida Board of Education. Okaloosa Walton College at Destin Florida is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. OWC offers a bachelor’s degree. Two of the degrees that are available are in Project and Acquisitions Management and Nursing.

If you are looking for a great place to go to study for a degree, The Destin Florida Emeral Coast area is the most beautiful coastal area in the United States. For Project and Acquisitions Management or Nursing, Okaloosa-Walton College is worth looking into. Okaloosa-Walton College offers upper division coursework for a bachelor’s degree in Nursing. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is performed jointly the University of West Florida.

There are two Bachelors in Education Degrees available at OWC. The Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and the Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Math and Science Education are both degrees that you can get at Okaloosa Walton College. These OWC degrees will also offer the opportunity for endorsements in reading and English as a Second Language instruction. If you are looking to get a degree in education then OWC is a great place to come to school. No matter where you are from, there’s nowhere that compares to the Emerald Coast in terms of quality of life, recreation, and natural coastal beauty.

The Crab Trap at 3500 Old Hwy. 98, Destin, Florida 32541

It’s one of my favorite 3 or four MUST VISIT restaurants in Destin Florida. You can Leave your chairs on the beach and come enjoy a cold drink, lunch, or dinner at The Crab Trap on Crystal Beach. Although there are several of these Crab Trap Restaurants in the area, this is the best location of them. Here’s a couple of my favorite pictures of evening dinner at the Crab Trap on Crystal Beach. These pictures are right from the table, our unforgettable open air family outing.

You can enjoy the open air beach front view over Crystal Beach. A beautiful sea breeze environment with most tables overlooking the beach with an open window. The best in waterfront and outdoor dining that the Emerald Coast has to offer.

The Crab Trap Serves fresh gulf seafood, steaks, pasta, chicken, daily chef specials. All three great location are directly on the Gulf of Mexico with great beachfront dining.

(1) James Lee Park, Crystal Beach, Destin, 850-654-2722

(2) the Boardwalk, Okaloosa Island, 850-301-0959

(3) Perdido Key, 16495 Perdido Key, Fl 32507, 850-492-8888.

This World Record catch was filed with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission after catching the fish in the waters off Destin Florida. In October of 1994 a fisherman named Russell George Perry caught the beautiful Speckled Hind. You can read more about Destin Florida Fishing at the Destin Florida Forum/Fishing Forum.
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Speckled Hind has a nickname, Kitty Mitchell, and is often referred to as a Calico Grouper. The nick name (Kitty Mittchell) reportedly associates the fish’s coloration with a red-haired, freckle-faced lady of the evening who was an acquaintance of Gulf Coast commercial snapper fishermen during the last century. Juvenile Speckled Hind sometimes go through a xanthic phase, where white spots cover a light yellow background. The mature Speckled Hind is a Dark gray or reddish brown with small creamy or white spots on the sides, gill covers and fins. The Speckled Hind is scientifically named Epinephelus drummondhayi.
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The usual best places to catch a Speckled Hind is out in the Gulf of Mexico. Speckled Hind are usually caught on ledges and outcroppings in at least 300 feet down or deeper. Speckled Hind is easy to fillet. It’s a delicious, meaty fish usually prepared by broiling, baking, or frying. In the Destin Florida area, the favorite way is to prepare the fish blackened cajun style. It’s that blackened grouper that is a favorite of seafood restaurants in the Emerald Coast area of Florida from Panama City west to Pensacola. Because the scales are so small and deeply embedded, the fish are usually skinned.
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The Speckled Hind is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning it is born as a female and after some years become a male. Aftes its sexual transition, the grouper matures to its full size. As a result of fishing that targets large fish, the numbers of male Speckled Hind available to spawn are severely depleted.
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Size: Often range from 5 to 20 pounds. Have been caught up to 40 pounds.
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Season: Included within 5 per person per day Grouper aggregate bag limit.
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Bag Limit: 1 per vessel per day of each species.
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Comments: Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore (heads and tails intact)

Silver Shells Beach Resort offers the amenities of a top drawer luxury resort on the Emerald Coast. At Silver Shells Beach Resort & Spa you can bask in perfect luxury and pamper yourself with an ideal facility. Your vacation can begin with a visit to relax at The Spa at Silver Shells. Melt away any tensionswith European-style spa services. Silver Shells has an on-site restaurant, Ruth’s Chris Steak House to cop a beachside beverage and lunch at The Sandbar. Guests can work out in the complete fitness center. If you like tennis, Silver Shells has several tennis courts. If you like golf, ask about our golf packages at exceptional courses nearby. Silver Shells has last but not least, divine stretches of the sugar-white beaches Destin is…

This 436lb Warsaw Grouper, caught in Destin Florida has been the record holder for 22 years now. In Destin Florida the Grouper fishing is excellent. The restaurants there feature fresh Grouper caught daily and it’s the best there is. In December of 1985 a fisherman named Steve Haeusler filed the record with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission after catching the fish in the waters off Destin Florida. You can read more about Destin Florida Fishing at the Destin Florida Blog/Fishing.

About 99% of Warsaw Grouper are caught in the Gulf of Mexico (Texas Louisiana, Alabama and Florida west coast). In terms of location, Florida west coast, the Emeral Coast from Panama City Beach west to Pensacola Florida is the largest landing port in the US, responsible for about 68% of the total US landings from 1950 to 1985. The landings on the Texas and Louisiana coast have increased during the same period. The Warsaw Grouper is known abundant in the following countries, Belize, Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.
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AKA: Jewfish (misnomer), Black Jewfish, Warsaw
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Physical description:
Warsaw grouper is the only member of the genus Epinephelous that has 10 dorsal spines, the second spine is much longer than the third. Warsaw Groupers are grayish brown to dark reddish-brown background with many small, irregular white blotchy spots on the sides of the fish. The groupers color is lighter around the nape and along the posterior margin of its operculum. All fins are dark brown, except a white-splotchy spiny portion on the grouper’s dorsal fin.
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Biological description:
Warsaw groupers are heavy throughout the southern United States than the other large grouper, the goliath grouper ( E. itajara). Warsaw Groupers roam from North Carolina to the Florida Keys and throughout much of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico to the northern coast of South America. Warsaw Groupers like to live on irregular bottom, notches, valleys, and drop-offs, preferring the continental shelf break in waters 350 to 650 feet deep. Other species inhabiting this productive deep-water zone are snowy grouper and yellowedge groupers, tilefish, and silk snappers. Warsaw Groupers lived a long life, grow up to 6 feet in length and over 300 pounds. Warsaw Groupers have a huge mouth they use to engulf prey whole.
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South Atlantic Federal Regulations:
(For areas three-200 miles off the coasts of NC, SC, GA, and East Florida)
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Commercial:
Limited access permit required.
1 per vessel per trip.
May not be sold or traded; no transfer at sea.
Gear restrictions apply.
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Recreational:
One warsaw per vessel per trip (included in 5 grouper per person). See recreational retention limits.
May not be sold or traded; no transfer at sea.
Gear restrictions apply.

In Destin Florida the Grouper fishing is excellent. The restaurants there feature fresh Grouper caught daily and it’s the best there is. This 80lb 6oz Gag Grouper caught in Destin Florida has been the record holder for 14 years now. In October of 1993 a fisherman named Bill Smith filed the record with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission after catching the fish in the waters off Destin Florida. You can read more about Destin Florida Fishing at the Destin Florida Blog/Fishing
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Gag Groupers will school up in groups of 5-50 or may be found swiming alone. Audio Recordings have been made where a mature Gag Grouper will produce thumping sounds through the fish’s swim bladder. The Gag Grouper makes vibrations by contracting muscles around its swim bladder. These sounds are produced during times when the fish is under duress. The Gag Grouper is found in the western Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina south to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Gag Groupers are scarce in waters surrounding Bermuda. Juveniles have been recorded as far north as Massachusetts. There have also been records of gag grouper occurring off the coasts of Bermuda, Cuba, and eastern Brazil. Residing in brackish to marine waters, the Gag Grouper is found offshore on rocky bottom as well as inshore on rocky or grassy bottoms to depths of 500 feet (152 m). It is common on rocky ledges along the eastern Gulf of Mexico. These Gag Groupers do not grow as large as the great big Warsaw Groupers and some other kinds of Grouper. For a Gag grouper this 80lb catch is a big one for sure and that’s why folks come to Destin Florida for saltwater fishing. For Destin Florida Fishing info check out the Destin Florida Forum/Fishing.