Remembering the Last Time We Were in Destin, Florida

Fond Memories of Our Last Trip to Destin Florida

Destin Florida is a popular tourist destination located in the Panhandle of Florida. It rests on a peninsula separating the Gulf of Mexico from Choctawhatchee Bay. Well known for its pristine beaches and turquoise waters, Destin claims to have the largest fishing vessel fleet in the state of Florida.

The last time we stopped in Destin was in 2008, while on our second Great Loop boat trip. It was Thanksgiving Day and we roasted a turkey (below) on the back deck of our Fathom 40 while anchored in the harbor. My favorite way to share a holiday feast is with family back home. Yet, that Thanksgiving was particularly memorable for me. It was just the two of us, the weather was perfect, the small turkey just fit in the roaster, and it was a crispy golden brown by dinnertime. While dinner was cooking, we dinghied all over the harbor and visited the beautiful beach for a walk. We had mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. I remember it like it was yesterday.

Click here to see a post from our Favors Great Loop Blog.

That holiday dinner is what I was remembering as we cruised to Destin this time, six and a half years later. Last time we were here, for whatever reason, we only dinghied around the harbor and walked the beautiful beach. We didn’t venture ashore where all the activity was. So, our mission for this visit was to spend time on shore seeing what we missed before.

We are cruising the Panhandle off-season this year. The busy tourist time here is summer when people in southern Florida head north to beat the heat). So, we didn’t have to fight crowds of people while walking through town or wait long to get into a restaurant. I’d say we timed it about right. Destin is a colorful resort town with lots of water-related activities at one’s disposal. Fishing tournaments and events are a good example of what Destin has to offer and we noticed many water toys available to rent. Not hard to understand why tourists love this town.

After two amazing nights on the hook in Destin’s harbor, we headed out (below) to complete the last leg of our Panhandle cruise.