Twice a year, thousands of bikers wheel into Panama City Beach, Florida, for the Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally. Held in spring (late April or early May) and fall (mid-October), the five-day event is huge, regularly featuring more than 200 vendors and exhibitors. With no gate fees, no admission charges, and no charge for parking, Thunder […]
Fort Morgan Public Boat Launch Fort Morgan’s Public Boat Launch provides courtesy access to the beautiful waters of the Gulf of Mexico. With multiple slips allowing four boats to be launched or retrieved simultaneously, boating enthusiasts can come and go with ease. Ten parking spots allow for individuals or groups to meet for a day […]
Things To Do in Gulf Shores
With more than 32 miles of sugar-white beaches and rolling sand dunes, it’s no wonder Gulf Shores is one of the South’s best vacation spots. The main attraction is the beach, but many more family-friendly options await. Spend the day at Gulf State Park, where you can visit the largest pier on the Gulf of […]
You don’t have to be a history buff to enjoy a trip to Fort Morgan. Located on Mobile Point, a little more than 20 miles from Gulf Shores, it’s off the beaten path but definitely worth the trip. Completed in 1834, the fort was designed to control the main ship channel into Mobile Bay, so […]
There are literally hundreds of decisions to be made when planning a wedding. The first one is deciding where you want to get married. For those of us in love with the sugar-white sands of the Gulf Coast, a beach wedding is an ideal way to personalize the celebration. And the icing on the wedding […]
Beach Wedding Checklist
Both romantic and practical, beach weddings are popular with busy couples who want their big day to stand out from the crowd. And the white sands and emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico form a dramatic backdrop that’s guaranteed to make your wedding memorable. Other attractive Gulf Coast venues include lush tropical gardens, elegant […]
(Reef photos courtesy of Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary and Navarre Beach Marine Science Station.) Take a look from the balcony of your Navarre beachfront condo or from a beach chair on the sugar-white sands, and there’s no denying that Navarre Beach boasts a natural beauty that stands above most other Northwest Florida vacation destinations. But there […]
PEPSI GULF COAST JAM has rescheduled its Labor Day Weekend concerts until March 26 – 28, 2021. Tickets already purchased will be honored for the spring event, and the lineup – including headliners Lynyrd Skynyrd, Brad Paisley, and Luke Bryan, will remain the same. There will also be a fall concert event in 2021. Some […]
On your next trip to Destin, why restrict all your fun to the beach? The Gulf of Mexico is home to thousands of marine creatures, and they offer plenty to explore beyond the water’s edge. But few inhabitants of the Gulf capture the imagination as well as dolphins. With their mouths curved into permanent smiles, […]
Safely exhibited behind the glass of an aquarium, jellyfish, with their fluorescent colors, spots, stripes, and other markings, can be real crowd pleasers. However, a close encounter with a jellyfish in the ocean or on the beach can have painful consequences for vacationers. The good news is that these stinging nuisances, which are found abundantly […]
The excitement is building already for the 2020 Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic at Sandestin. One of the top big-game fishing tournaments in the world, this year’s competition is scheduled for June 17-21 in Destin, Florida. The fabulous Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is the host facility for this five-day sporting event with a $2 million-plus […]
Where you stay on vacation truly can make or break your experience. Booking a hotel room has been the traditional vacation practice for decades, and it’s an economical choice for a short stay. But vacation rentals – private homes and condominiums, typically located in residential areas – offer a different experience. Rentals not only feel […]
Crab Island. It’s where the locals go when they want to spend a day on the water. Not really an island at all, this popular Destin gathering spot is actually a submerged sandbar. Located on the bay side of Marler Bridge, the sand bar is covered in shallow water that ranges in depth from 2 […]
Did you know that seashells belong to the kingdom known as Mollusca? Most Mollusca are soft, slug-like creatures with a hard external shell that helps protect them in their ocean environment. It’s this outer shell that is more commonly known as a seashell. The shell itself is primarily composed of calcium carbonate, which is secreted over time […]
You’ve picked your dream beach destination, found a vacation rental, and you’re booking your stay, but inevitably you’ve got one more decision to make: Should you or shouldn’t you buy travel insurance. What would happen to your beach vacation investment in the event of a tropical storm or an unforeseen illness? What if you have […]
If you think a mullet is just a bad haircut, you probably haven’t heard about the Flora-Bama Lounge’s Annual Interstate Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party. Centerpiece of this tongue-in-cheek Perdido Key event is a strange but satisfying three-day competition. It involves tossing a mullet – a small fish that’s found in abundance in […]
Saxophonist Boney James is among the headliners for the 2020 Seabreeze Jazz Festival. The white sands and emerald waters of Panama City Beach are the backdrop for the 22nd annual Seabreeze Jazz Festival. The five-day festival, scheduled for April 22-26, 2020, at Aaron Bessant Park Amphitheater, has been named one of the Top 10 […]
It’s almost time again to “Uncork Some Fun in the Sun” at the Sandestin Wine Festival, which celebrates its 34th anniversary in 2020. Named the “Best Annual Event” by Destin magazine, the popular festival offers wine lovers the opportunity to sample more than 500 wines from around the world. Guests also have opportunities to interact […]
Continuing what has become a New Year’s tradition on the coast, the Flora-Bama Lounge invites everyone to take a quick dip in the Gulf of Mexico on January 1, 2020. Scores of partiers, some in costume and others wearing nothing but their swimsuits, will gather on the beach outside the iconic roadhouse at high noon for […]
While Destin, Florida might be well known for the spectacular Gulf views from its sugar-white beaches, there’s another vantage point that provides even better views – and way more thrills as well. That’s the one from above via parasailing. A Unique Perspective Seeing this popular beach destination from 400 feet in the air provides the […]
More than three million lights will illuminate the skies over Bellingrath Gardens and Home as the Theodore, Alabama, estate celebrates its 24th annual Magic Christmas in Lights. The show, which starts November 29 and runs through December 31, includes more than 1,100 set pieces and 15 scenes located throughout the 65-acre property. Indeed, so dazzling […]
On November 8 and 9, Naval Air Station Pensacola will welcome the Blue Angels back to the base for their homecoming air shows. The Friday and Saturday shows will mark the Angels’ 73rd anniversary. Since 1946, they have been traveling the country, wowing audiences with their precision flight formations (sometimes bringing them as close to each […]
The Gulf of Mexico and its white-sand beaches are the backdrop every fall for the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival. Rated one of the top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society, the Frank Brown festival showcases the talents of songwriters from around the world. This year, the festival opens November 7, […]
He or she may be your family’s best friend, but when it comes to including Fido or Fifi on your next jaunt to the beach, knowing where your pooch will be welcome takes a little extra planning. While it’s true that many Florida and Alabama beaches don’t allow dogs, there are still plenty of dog-friendly […]
Described as “the ultimate fishing tournament for saltwater anglers of all ages,” the Destin Fishing Rodeo takes place every day during the month of October, features more than $100,000 in cash and prizes, and attracts some 30,000 fishermen annually. Just about every kind of game fish is recognized with awards during the rodeo, so no […]
One of the most popular events on the Alabama coast returns to Gulf Shores this fall. Scheduled for October 10-13, the 48th annual National Shrimp Festival is expected to attract more than 250,000 visitors to the city. Founded in 1971 to lure tourists to Alabama beaches during the off-season, the Gulf Shores event has since […]
Whoever said life is all about the journey rather than the destination clearly did not have a Boardwalk Beach Resort wedding in Panama City. Close your eyes and picture you and your partner, the bridal party, and the groomsmen having fun taking photos while the sun sets over the Gulf of Mexico. Think of how […]
It’s not too early to start thinking about raising a glass or two at the Baytowne Wharf Beer Fest. Held every fall at The Village of Baytowne Wharf, Sandestin’s popular shopping and entertainment venue, the festival has earned a reputation as the “Best Beer Fest on the Emerald Coast.” Scheduled this year for October 11 […]
You don’t have to own a boat to find plenty of fun during the Emerald Coast Poker Run. This is the 27th anniversary of the annual boating event, presented by the Emerald Coast Foundation as part of Boat Week, August 7-10. And it’s the largest summer poker run in the U.S., annually earning around $150,000 […]
