Redneck Riviera: Best resort/beaches knowlege aboutees

[XingTheRubicon]

Going to a wedding in ATL, wanting to take the wife/kids to the Gulf after the f-ing wedding.


Calling Blue, etc any advice appreciated

[SicEmBaylor]

We used to have a beach house in Pensacola, but we sold it when I was a senior in HS. But, we went there every year so I'm fairly familiar with that area.

Biloxi used to be a beautiful little secret until the casinos took all the beach real estate. I don't mind casinos, but they really ruined that city. I think Katrina wiped a lot of it out.

Honestly, for a honeymoon, I'd go to Panama City.

[rock on sooner]

We used to have a beach house in Pensacola, but we sold it when I was a senior in HS. But, we went there every year so I'm fairly familiar with that area.

Biloxi used to be a beautiful little secret until the casinos took all the beach real estate. I don't mind casinos, but they really ruined that city. I think Katrina wiped a lot of it out.

Honestly, for a honeymoon, I'd go to Panama City.

This was a long time ago and I know a lot has changed but part
of my early military training was at Keesler AFB in Biloxi and the
beaches sucked, so if the casinos made the beaches nicer then
might be worth a try. 'Sides all that, any one that thinks Eva
Longoria is a toad, I'd probably question as an authority about
honeymooning....jus sayin:biggrin:

[SicEmBaylor]

This was a long time ago and I know a lot has changed but part
of my early military training was at Keesler AFB in Biloxi and the
beaches sucked, so if the casinos made the beaches nicer then
might be worth a try. 'Sides all that, any one that thinks Eva
Longoria is a toad, I'd probably question as an authority about
honeymooning....jus sayin:biggrin:

I'm not sure what you mean by the beaches sucked. What are you looking for in a beach? They were pristine white beaches with very few people around and the water was beautiful. Not sure what else you want.

I guess my criteria for whether a beach is good or not is the number of people and how developed they are. The more of either of those and the more I think the beach sucks.

[rock on sooner]

Welp, lessee, ungroomed, lots of flotsam, no attendants, no
lifeguards, no tents/sun coverage, very little in the way of
easy access...izzat enuf? As I said, it was a long time ago
and I'm certain that things have really improved, especially
when casino money got there!

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Panama City FL I went to long ago. The beach was nice and the water sparkling clear.. if you go further West along the coast the water gets more sandy and muddy etc.Having been used to the Gulf water in LA and TX, and even MS, I was surprised how clear the water was in the FL panhandle. FWIW. So, if you want to be able to see the big sharks as they hunt you down while swimming, FL panhandle is the place to be.

[rock on sooner]

Heh...

[SicEmBaylor]

Pensacola is west of Panama City and the beaches there are pristine. The water is a beautiful blue with that nice strip of green just off the coast. Gorgeous. No muddy water there.

At any rate, what rock considers a "bad" beach is what I consider an excellent beach.

I detest lifeguards...mostly because I was one and a competitive swimmer. I didn't want them bugging the **** out of me. We tried to time our vacations around the USS swim season so that I could train in the ocean which is a whole different beast than a pool.

One thing I always enjoyed was going out into the water on "red flag" days when the big waves would come in and the riptide would suck you under the water like someone was grabbing your feet and pulling you down...it would then hold you there until the wave passed. I absolutely LOVED swimming and waiting to randomly get sucked down into the water. Some bozo lifeguard would have been paddling out there to "rescue" me. That would have annoyed the **** out of me. #notbeingsarcastic

[SicEmBaylor]

Also, the Gulf coast of Texas is a total **** hole. I wouldn't walk on a Texas beach if you paid me to.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Well, excuuuuuse me about how far west one has to go for the water to become muddy. Actually, I'm not sure where the water begins to be muddy. maybe the Alabama state line. Prolly that's how you know you're not in FL any more, if you're on the beach.

[FirstandGoal]

I've always wanted to take a week long getaway to a beach on the Florida panhandle, but my kid's ideas of the perfect beach is more like rock on's definition and mine is more like Sicems.

Now I wanna go to the beach! :(

[Spray]

Steer clear of Pensacola- boring.
The best strip of pristine beaches and clearest water are between Destin and Sandestin.
Panama City is a madhouse, but plenty to do for the kids beyond the beach- I'd still steer clear. Probably more affordable if budget is a consideration.
The Bama beaches are beautiful and big. Orange Beach area is recommended.

The water muddies up and the beaches get smaller west of Mobile Bay to the Mississippi River- so Biloxi is out, unless you want to gamble.

[Taxman71]

Check out waterscape in Ft. Walton Beach. 5 minutes of deserted beach from Destin. Biloxi/Gulfport has nicer beach access post-Katrina as they let casinos move on land.

[SoonerAtKU]

My mom goes to Orange Beach for a week every year, so if your tastes mirror that of a 70-year old who likes reading and seafood, then you're good to go.

[CobraKai]

Over the last several years I've been to Destin, Mirimar, Ft. Morgan, Dauphin Island, and Gulf Shores/Orange Beach.

Of those I would recommend Destin. Dauphin was also great if you want to do nothing but hang out on the beach. There is quite literally nothing else to do on the island except a small grocery store.

[SicEmBaylor]

I was actually born in Largo, FL but I hate it down there. Too many damned yankees.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Over the last several years I've been to Destin, Mirimar, Ft. Morgan, Dauphin Island, and Gulf Shores/Orange Beach.

Of those I would recommend Destin. Dauphin was also great if you want to do nothing but hang out on the beach. There is quite literally nothing else to do on the island except a small grocery store.Do you fish? If so, a report please.

[rock on sooner]

Over the last several years I've been to Destin, Mirimar, Ft. Morgan, Dauphin Island, and Gulf Shores/Orange Beach.

Of those I would recommend Destin. Dauphin was also great if you want to do nothing but hang out on the beach. There is quite literally nothing else to do on the island except a small grocery store.

Vacationed a few years ago at Top Sail in Destin...it had both kind of beaches
so SicEm would be happy. No lifeguards but groomed sand and attentive
DNR types to watch for "dangerous" marine life...happened one day while I
was there. Place called Shrimpers had daily catches of, wait for it, shrimp.
They would cook it up for you if you didn't want to do it yourself...extremely
cold malt beverages and fresh shrimp, pretty tough to beat!