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Old 02-12-2010, 04:34 PM
 
4,885 posts, read 7,286,610 times
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We like Gulf Shores/Orange Beach for fall break. Temps are much better than summer but stiil warm enough to really enjoy the beach and water. We usually stay at one of the Phoenix condo complexes.
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Old 02-12-2010, 07:53 PM
 
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I'm actually moving to Huntsville tomorrow from Destin. I highly recommend the beaches around here. As a previous poster said, Seaside is a great choice and pretty much my favorite place on the gulf coast. I recommend looking at VRBO.com for a beach house/condo in the area. Let me know if you need any other info on the area.
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Old 02-12-2010, 08:24 PM
 
Location: Alabama!
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Florida side is great, but you pay extra for that FL following your favorite beach town. Gulf Shores/Orange Beach/Fort Morgan have beautiful beaches. Not as crowded as the Florida side. Prices are better...but not as much to do.
Personally, I like it that way...it's all your own choice.
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Old 02-12-2010, 11:32 PM
 
Location: Hampton Cove, AL
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I have never been but a neighbor goes to Mobile/Dauphin Island during October break every year. I guess it is cheaper with better weather.
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Old 02-13-2010, 07:02 AM
 
Location: Madison, Alabama
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We've been going to the Panhandle for years, on the Florida side. Destin is crowded during school breaks. I mean crowded! Loads of things to do with kids though. We stay in Sandestin, just down from Destin. Nice gated community with plenty to do. I believe there is a Hilton there. We always go in the summer when it's a scorcher We stay on the beach side.
We have also been spreading our wings and staying on 30A. LOVE it. Seaside, Seagrove, Grayton Beach and Rosemary Beach. We rented bikes last year and road and road and road. It was our best trip down. Much less congested on that end. Our kids are teens and above, so that does make a difference. Destin offers Big Kahuna water park, Silver Sands outlet mall, etc. If you have little ones, take them to feed the 'gators at Fuddpuckers. It's a hamburger joint. The food is 'eh, just okay. But my daughter always loved feeding those gators.
We've done the Dolphin cruises, etc. Kids loved that as well. Now, we rent jet skis and go find our own with a "dolphin guide". That's always fun!
We are thinking of trying the beaches in Alabama this year!
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Old 04-18-2010, 03:47 AM
 
Location: Madison, AL
296 posts, read 693,881 times
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I also recommend Destin or Fort Walton Beach. Marriotts near beach are in Sandestin (on resort) or Pensacola Beach (on beach); both would be good choices. It is really an easy drive.

Last edited by Marc45002; 04-18-2010 at 04:04 AM..
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Old 04-19-2010, 01:42 AM
 
Location: Huntsville, AL
1,618 posts, read 4,788,834 times
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Ok, I am typing this from Fort Walton Beach right now. We're here at the perfect time, IMO. I can only imagine at the height of summer it would be a nightmare in terms of heat & crowds.

The beaches here are GORGEOUS, but the area in general (Ft. Walton/Destin) feels like an overbuilt tourist trap to me. Again, I can only imagine it during spring break or summer. The parking lots of the ENDLESS condos/hotels are not even 25% full and it still feels like plenty of people to me. Also in terms of "plenty of things to do", while beach activities are great, the family/tourist activities.. I'm not so sure. The "Gulfarium" is not AZA accredited and looks so skanky that I won't even pay my money to take my kids there for fear of supporting something I'd rather not, and we took our kids to one of the most uninspired mini golf courses I've ever seen. We'll be visiting the science museum since our Sci-Quest membership makes it free, but it looks like it will be dinky even compared to Sci-Quest.

Not to sound all negative. The beaches are gorgeous and we're enjoying perfect weather and having a nice time. We did go on a great dolphin cruise for a great off-season price.

But... if I had to travel during typical school break time or summer, I think I'd opt for Orange Beach or something to try next time, if I have the choice.

And, btw, the water is warm enough for swimming right now (still mid April as I write this). It's a little cold but... no big? Maybe I am biased having grown up going to California beaches.. the Pacific is always cold.
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Old 04-19-2010, 04:02 AM
 
8,742 posts, read 12,958,286 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Reactionary View Post
I really enjoy Orange Beach, but the whole Redneck Riviera is pretty nice. There are choices ranging from Spring Break (i.e., Panama City Beach and Fort Walton) to family-friendly (i.e., Pensacola and Gulf Shores) to primitive camping (i.e., Perdido Key - hiking miles of beach to get to beach campsites).
Redneck Riviera, love it !!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by zenjenn View Post
Ok, I am typing this from Fort Walton Beach right now. We're here at the perfect time, IMO. I can only imagine at the height of summer it would be a nightmare in terms of heat & crowds.

The beaches here are GORGEOUS, but the area in general (Ft. Walton/Destin) feels like an overbuilt tourist trap to me. to Sci-Quest.

But... if I had to travel during typical school break time or summer, I think I'd opt for Orange Beach or something to try next time, if I have the choice.

And, btw, the water is warm enough for swimming right now (still mid April as I write this). It's a little cold but... no big? Maybe I am biased having grown up going to California beaches.. the Pacific is always cold.
Thanks for the feedback, Jenn! We too, miss the beaches in California (we lived 5 minutes from the beach ! ), so for sure we'll visit the beaches here this year! Not sure which beach we will hit first but sounds like Ft. Walton/ Destin can wait !! A friend from work has a condo in Orange Beach, so she gave me a list of what to do/ where to go in OB, sounds like that's where we'll visit first based on hers and your recommendations here.
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Old 04-19-2010, 06:50 AM
 
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The 30A beaches are our favorite so far. We love that stretch of coast. Very laid back, not overdeveloped. Completely different than Ft Walton/Destin. However, if you want to hit the outlets or do some of the touristy stuff, it is close by. Particularly, Grayton Beach and Seagrove have been our favorites. Seaside and Watercolor are nice, but a little too "stuffy" IMO. We spent a week there, rented bikes, cruised on the bike paths from town to town. It was an awesome, relaxing vacation. Our favorite time has been fall, late Sept/early Oct. The temps are moderate but still warm and the ocean is still very warm. I avoid July/August, the heat and humidity is just too much for me.
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Old 04-19-2010, 06:57 AM
 
268 posts, read 634,282 times
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Fort Walton Beach and Destin are two different places.

Fort Walton Beach limits resorts to 7 stories or less, so it is not nearly as crowded and hectic as Destin.

Destin used to be a fabulous place to vacation, but over the past 15 years or so, massive development there and huge high-rises have turned it into an overcrowded nightmare.

As for non-beach activities on the panhandle, there are a few worth recommending: Grayton Beach State Park, the Naval Aviation Museum, the Air Force Armament Museum, Gulf Islands National Seashore, and the little Indian Mound museum in Fort Walton. If you stumble around randomly without doing your homework, you will definitely encounter some second-rate "attractions".
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