Trip Review: Destin

I can't believe it has already been 2 months since we took our trip to Destin! I want to share a day-by-day account of what we did and where we ate with you!

Day 1: Road Trip Day!!!
I love a good road trip! We started off at about 7 AM and headed south. For lunch we stopped at Peach Park in Clanton, Alabama for some delicious BBQ and ice cream.

We arrived in Destin in the late afternoon and began to make ourselves comfortable. We had dinner and then all spread out for the evening.

Day 2: Beach Day!!!
We started the day off with breakfast at Donut Hole in Destin. I had THE BEST OMELET I have ever had there. It was the Gulf Coast omelet that had Gulf shrimp and lump crab, cheese and scallions. It was seriously one of the top 5 breakfasts of my life.

Then we did a grocery pick up at Wal-Mart before going back to the house to get ready for the beach!

The water was so clear...even though it was a bit rough due to a storm off the coast. We spent the day jumping waves and relaxing in the sand before heading back to the house for tacos and game night.

After dinner, we walked over to an ice cream place and got some delicious ice cream!

Day 3: Deep Sea Fishing!!!
We woke up at 5 AM to head over to catch our boat, the Destiny. We went fishing for over 6 hours! We caught a lot of fish and had a lot of fun! But by the time we got back to shore, we were starving! While we waited for our fish to be fileted, several of us ran to the Winn Dixie to pick up a few things before going back to pick up the rest of our crew...and the filets.

We gobbled down some sandwiches before dispersing to shower and nap. Then, for dinner, we ate fish and chips and salad.

Day 4: Beach Day!!!
The water was so much calmer on our second beach day. We hung out in the water all day and ate sandwiches on the beach before heading back for a dinner of leftovers and a game night.

Day 5: Adventure Day!!!
We took a drive down through 30A, and stopped at Goat Feathers for lunch. After lunch, Erin and Ben went ziplining and we cooled off at Fat Tuesdays with some daquiris.

Then we headed back to the house to get ready for Ben's Birthday Celebration! We had a shrimp boil and cake. Then we played games.

Day 6: Beach Day!!!
We took advantage of another beautiful beach day. The water was gorgeous again and we just hung out in the water and relaxed in the sand.

That evening, we went on the Seablaster Sunset Dolphin Cruise. We saw a whole pod of dolphins and it was magical.

After the cruise, we stopped at Gilligan's for dinner.

Day 7: Beach and Packing Day
Notice the lack of exclamation points. We went to the beach again and then packed up to go home.

Day 8: Road Trip Day!!!
We packed up the cars and then went to The Pancakery for breakfast before hitting the road. We got back to our house around 6 and after settling in a bit, we went to our local Mexican place for dinner.

And that is it! We are planning our next beach trip for 2020 and can't wait to relax by the water again!

Going to the Beach: Grocery Shopping Tips

For the first time beach vacationer, the biggest surprise might be that on Saturday and Sunday, the grocery stores resemble the kind of stores that are on the news on Black Friday. There are SO MANY PEOPLE in a grocery store that is foreign to them. Lines are long, aisles are crowded, it is rough.

Over the years we have tried several strategies that have varying levels of success that I want to share with you.

Strategy #1:
Shop immediately.
Unload car as soon as you can possibly check in and go to the grocery store with everyone and give each person a small list broken up by sections.

Pros: You only have to navigate one section of the store. It cuts the time in the store down.
Cons: You bring a lot of people into the store. The person who made the list is needed to answer questions. Impossible to do with children.

Strategy #2:
Wait until after dinner to shop.
Unload the car. Unpack. Settle in. Visit the beach. Have dinner. Then shop.

Pros: The store is much quieter. You get to have some fun before going to the store.
Cons: You probably won't get everything on your list.

Strategy #3:
Bring what you need for the first couple of days with you.
Shop at home in your own grocery store and bring it with you.

Pros: You won't have to go to the grocery store immediately. The stores are less crowded on Monday and Tuesday.
Cons: You will have to haul a lot of food with you which could take up valuable cargo space.

Strategy #4:
Use a grocery pick up or delivery service.
Order online and skip the hassle of going into a store.

Pros: Grocery shopping will take less than 30 minutes. You won't actually have to go into a store.
Cons: This may not be available everywhere. It takes some extra pre-planning.

How do you grocery shop when you go on a beach vacation? Do you cook a lot on a beach vacation? Share below!

Going to the Beach: What's in My Beach Bag

I love the beach, but I did not grow up going to the beach. When I started going to the beach, I struggled with knowing what to put in my bag. So, if you are like me, keep reading!

I am a beach bag minimalist. We usually rent a house within walking distance and only spend 3-4 hours at a time at the beach because I am terribly fair skinned.

So, what's in my beach bag?

1. Sunscreen, usually several varieties.
I like Neutrogena because that is what my dermatologist wants me to use. I also love Wet Skin sunscreen. It allowed me to spend 7 hours on the beach in the Bahamas last October.

2. A beach towel

3. Bottles of water
I am not usually a fan of plastic bottles, but when we go to the beach, I do pack them in my beach bag. I am also very careful to make sure they leave the beach with me and end up in a recycling bin.

4. Ziploc bags
We use these to put our cell phones in and my beach book when they are not being used.

5. Mesh bags
I am a beach comber and love to collect shells and sea glass and small pieces of driftwood, so I like the mesh bag to collect my treasures in.

6. Bug spray
Sometimes bug spray is necessary, especially if you have to cross dunes to get to the beach.

7. Beach book
The greatest luxury in my life is reading a good book on the beach.

And that is it. I don't like to carry a heavy beach bag and for our short beach stints, we don't need a lot.

What is in your beach bag? Am I missing something that will make my life easier?