Da "Boss" wants to go someplace "Tropical".....

[Stanley Steamer]

but she doesn't want to go back to Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Savannah, Tybee, St. Simon, St. Augustine, etc.....all the places we've been before.....she mentioned Destin, Fl...... ???

I haven't been on the Florida panhandle, so maybe that'd be the ticket??.... ......I guess the only difference is that the sand is whiter down there than on the Atlantic coast.....we haven't even actually gone into the water the last few times we've been to the beach...or even walked on it much.....I hate getting sand in my car..... .......

We usually go to shopping places....and new places to eat.....we rarely get in the pool, but did at one of the places in Myrtle Beach that had a "lazy river" where you just ride a tube round and round.....that was relaxing.....

The first thing I have to do is replace the tires on the Kia and have an alignment and brake job.....I told her she'd have to help pay for this little vacation......seems fair to me since we ALWAYS take my vehicle on these trips......the Valk will have to wait for a new front tire.......

[Tropic traveler]

The Keys.
As close to "real tropical" as you can get in the 48. Lots to see & do for a few days, both the Atlantic & Gulf are there. 



I'm also partial to St. Pete Beach. Laid back & some of the best beaches around.

Rule of thumb on the coasts of Florida..
West coast, warmer cleaner water, whiter sand beaches.
East coast, cooler rougher surf, better for surfing.

[Stanley Steamer]

I've been to the Keys a couple of times.....but am not going to spend that much time in a car to get there....plane ride is out since she doesn't like planes and the $$$ for tickets.....

I looked Destin up and it's only about 7.5 hrs to there(9.5 with my bladder breaks)......closer than MickyWood...... .....

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Been to Destin a couple times with the family....I don't care for it    Ever been to the Outer Banks ? Of all the places we've been as a family I think Outer Banks is all our favorites....We'll be headin' for Myrtle Beach again this year cause that's where my 5 year old grand-daughter Presley wants to go. We'll be there the last week of June.

[X Ring]

Don't rule out Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, AL.  They're on the other side of the state line from Pensacola, FL.  Lots to do in both areas.  Naval Aviation Museum on NAS Pensacola is pretty cool.  You can eat at Lulu's in Orange Beach.  It's owned by Jimmy Buffett's sister.  There's factory outlet stores in Foley, AL just up Hwy 59 from Gulf Shores.  There's another one in either Destin or San Destin.  If you like Irish food, there's McGuire's Irish Pub in P'cola and Destin.  If you're looking for seafood, talk to the locals and find out where they go.  There's a little place under the bridge on the east end of the bridge from Fort Walton Beach on Hwy 98 that I like but I haven't been over there in a while. 

Marty

[BF]

I live here Stanley.....what do ya want to know?  Anything specific I can help you with?
 

[alph]

Cozumel Mexico.  i loved it there!!  Exspecially the huge iguana's!!  There’s a state park were you can go snorkeling, next to a "swim with a dolphin" cage.  i swam around the cage with a mask and snorkel, found myself on a part of the park that people don't usually go to, the water was beautiful!!  the fish and other creatures were amazing!!  the guy running the dolphin thing was quite mad at me, saying that it was VERY dangerous and that i needed to get out of there.  Didn’t know why?  when i was swimming past the cage a dolphin swam up to the fence and stared at me, it was way cool!!  that thing was about ten feet away, very inquisitive animals!!  very large too!!  the water was about 50' deep, crystal clear!  there was no vegetation on the bottom, something that looked like little volcano’s everywhere, some kind of sea creature living down there.....  I’d love to go back.  we took a four day cruise, left from tampa went to the grand cayman island, then to cozumel, then back to tampa. 

[..]

Navarre Beach, Port St. Joe, Appalachicola, Cedar Key.

Keep away from the overly built up areas cause they suck. Too much traffic and too many people.

[Chrisj CMA]

Destin is 45 miles from us Steamer....let me know it you be scarin the fish in our neck of the woods 

[Cattman]

Bradenton area. Anna Maria island and Long Boat Key are both great beaches.

[Popcorn]

but she doesn't want to go back to Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Savannah, Tybee, St. Simon, St. Augustine, etc.....all the places we've been before.....she mentioned Destin, Fl...... ???

I haven't been on the Florida panhandle, so maybe that'd be the ticket??.... ......I guess the only difference is that the sand is whiter down there than on the Atlantic coast.....we haven't even actually gone into the water the last few times we've been to the beach...or even walked on it much.....I hate getting sand in my car..... .......

We usually go to shopping places....and new places to eat.....we rarely get in the pool, but did at one of the places in Myrtle Beach that had a "lazy river" where you just ride a tube round and round.....that was relaxing.....

The first thing I have to do is replace the tires on the Kia and have an alignment and brake job.....I told her she'd have to help pay for this little vacation......seems fair to me since we ALWAYS take my vehicle on these trips......the Valk will have to wait for a new front tire.......

hey Stanley I just got back from myrtle beach and they were having an old ugly fat people convention. I fit right in It was my first trip since the 80's. Don't think I'll go back.

[hubcapsc]

You can't beat the waves at our Atlantic beaches, but those other places have lots of
good stuff/food too... and once you get past the beach at Myrtle, almost any place is nicer...

Went to the keys a couple of years ago, we rented a "beach front" house at Islamorada.
There is no beach, and the ocean is about 2 inches deep out to a distance of about 16 miles  ...

Supposedly there's some awesome beaches on the gulf, but still the waves are kind of calm...

-Mike

[..]

Beaufort, SC

The Vietnam jungle scenes in Forrest Gump were filmed close by. Gulf Stream comes in very close to land hence the tropical vegetation.

[BigAl]

Take her to Hooters, they have Palm Tree out front.

Kinda Tropical.


Natalie here can wait your table.

Tell her, Big AL sent you.

[eric in md]

siesta key   awesome place .. check it out on the golf coast right below sarasota fla    report back

[Brad]

Don't want sand in the car?  Rent a convertible and drive it right out onto the beach!  We have rented a car many times for a trip.  Don't have to worry about breaking down or anything cause your driving a new car.  Around here you can rent one for about 23 bucks a day.

[Tropic traveler]

Bradenton area. Anna Maria island and Long Boat Key are both great beaches.

Agreed.... good call Cattman!

[musclehead]

mobile? looks pretty cool zipping by in my truck.....

[Stanley Steamer]

Thanks Guys......lots of good recommendations here.....I've got some research ahead of me.....

[thumper]

Beaufort, SC

The Vietnam jungle scenes in Forrest Gump were filmed close by. Gulf Stream comes in very close to land hence the tropical vegetation.

The Big Chill and The Great Santini were also filmed there.  In fact they used the same house.

[X Ring]

Destin is 45 miles from us Steamer....let me know it you be scarin the fish in our neck of the woods 

It'll probably be on the national news.  Largest fish beaching in history.   

Marty

[sugerbear]

my son and his wife go here a lot

never been there myself though

http://www.sandestin.com/

[bscrive]

You should do what we are doing next March.  Take your bike with you on a Caribbean cruise.  We are sailing out of NJ but they also sail out of Florida.  The cruise line are Royal Caribbean and MSC.  A travel company out of Nashville sets these up, they have exclusive rights with the cruise lines.  They do motorcycle cruises year round.

http://www.cruise-eta.com/motorcycle-cruise/

[3fan4life]

You should do what we are doing next March.  Take your bike with you on a Caribbean cruise.  We are sailing out of NJ but they also sail out of Florida.  The cruise line are Royal Caribbean and MSC.  A travel company out of Nashville sets these up, they have exclusive rights with the cruise lines.  They do motorcycle cruises year round.

http://www.cruise-eta.com/motorcycle-cruise/

That LOOKS LIKE ALOT of FUN!!!!!

HEY SMOKIN JOE, this could be an idea for a future RIDE IN.

[Bama Red]

I'll second the Orange Beach/Gulf Shores of Alabama. Spent a lot of time there in the 90's on business. Lots of great food, beautiful beaches, outlet shops in Foley, AL (my wife is the expert there, and she says there are bargains to be had, if you look). And if you want to do nothing, find yourself a beach side bar and settle in for an afternoon of cool adult beverages and people watching.