We were scheduled to visit Hawaii last June/July for 2 weeks of paradise. Yeah, even staying in Trump Tower on July 4. But alas, the controlla virus struck and we were lucky to even get our money back.

Fast forward to 2021 and my wife has 11 vacation 'use or lose' days to burn before Aug 1. As much as I wished to visit Hawaii, we have decided to spend our money in a place less restrictive. I've not seen the US Gulf Coast and would love to visit it sometime. I have searched the states w/ the least Covid restrictions and it appears that Florida is leading the pack (at least of the gulf coast states) and Alabama is runner up.

I'd like to spend my tourism dollars somewhere that aligns with my ideologies rather than dumping money into economies that wish to further restrict my freedoms.
Ideas, suggestions, endorsements are all welcome. We plan to do beach time, charter saltwater fishing, sightseeing and anything else that sounds fun. We will be traveling with another couple. Time frame could run from mid-May to early July. Nothing is set in stone at present. Thanks for the ideas in advance.
s.

For the Alabama/Florida line "Redneck Riviera" Gulf beaches, I'm a big fan of the Dauphin Island/Fort Morgan area. Less commercialized and crowded than the more popular/touristy Gulf beaches further east. Dauphin Island specifically doesn't allow chain businesses.

But I'm not sure what the charter fishing options are there, as I've never looked into it. If there aren't any in that immediate vicinity, look a bit further east at places like Gulf Shores or Pensacola, which should have more charter fishing options.


Or, if you're up for travelling even further, I highly recommend the Florida Keys. It's the closest to a tropical island vacation that you'll get in the continental US. And I know there are great fishing options there, as well as tons of other recreation options. It'll be a bit more expensive than the Alabama/Florida panhandle area, but it's a fantastic place to visit.

Either way, check out VRBO or AirBNB. You can get a nice house for the same price as a hotel/motel. Especially in the Keys. And with another couple along to split the housing, you might even be able to get into a pretty fancy house for the same price per couple as a hotel. My last vacation to the Keys, I was with 3 other couples, and we rented a massive beachfront 5 bedroom mansion with a private beach, pool, and tons of amenities, all for less per couple than Motel 6.

And if you're going to have a rental car, don't lock yourself into just staying in Key West. If you stay somewhere more centralized in the Keys (like around Marathon), it's more affordable, while still allowing you access to Key West for the day with a reasonable drive.

Sanibel Island ~ do not hesitate! Ding Darling Nature Preserve is near there. The Bubble Room restaurant is an excellent restaurant. We are on the east coast and when we want to get out of Dodge, we go the Sanibel.

Orange Beach/Perdido Beach, AL.
Naples, Boca Grande, Sanibel, Siesta Key, FL Keys.

We have wintered in Destin Florida for the past 4 winters. Beautiful Gulf settings with white powdered sugar beaches. Great restaurants and activities.

Given your location and that you're planning to come to the Gulf Coast then I suggest that your plans need to factor in humidity. In other words, if you can take your vacation in April or May when it's a comfortable warmth not in June or July when you sweat your shirt out at 7 AM and need to hack your way through the humidity with a machete.

Lots of good places mentioned above. If you're considering Texas then you should be heading to the southern half where there are white sand beaches and clear water (e.g. Mustang Island, Port Aransas, or South Padre).

I hate to interject politics into the thread, but there is an unknown facing the southern Gulf Coast of Texas. How bad is it going to get with Biden's open borders non-sense? All levels of crime got pretty bad during the 0bama administration and lots of snowbirds found new places to winter. It got better under Trump so the question is how fast do Biden's policies affect crime in southern Gulf Coast of Texas?

As much as it pains me to say it, as a Texan by birth... I've lived on the Texas Gulf coast and been to many of the TX beaches, and the sad truth is that Texas' Gulf beaches don't hold a candle to the Alabama/Florida Gulf beaches, or especially the Keys.

They're really only an attractive option if you already live in Texas and want to run to a Texas beach a few hours away for a quick and cheap vacation. Otherwise, for someone like the OP who lives in Utah and will be having to fly either way, I wouldn't bother with Texas.

Orange beach is less crowded but Destin/30A has tons of restaurants and shops. Both have great charter fishing.

quote:

Originally posted by sorenson:
We were scheduled to visit Hawaii last June/July for 2 weeks of paradise. Yeah, even staying in Trump Tower on July 4. But alas, the controlla virus struck and we were lucky to even get our money back.

Fast forward to 2021 and my wife has 11 vacation 'use or lose' days to burn before Aug 1. As much as I wished to visit Hawaii, we have decided to spend our money in a place less restrictive. I've not seen the US Gulf Coast and would love to visit it sometime. I have searched the states w/ the least Covid restrictions and it appears that Florida is leading the pack (at least of the gulf coast states) and Alabama is runner up.

I'd like to spend my tourism dollars somewhere that aligns with my ideologies rather than dumping money into economies that wish to further restrict my freedoms.
Ideas, suggestions, endorsements are all welcome. We plan to do beach time, charter saltwater fishing, sightseeing and anything else that sounds fun. We will be traveling with another couple. Time frame could run from mid-May to early July. Nothing is set in stone at present. Thanks for the ideas in advance.
s.

Sanibel Island

Cape San Blas is where we’ve been going for the last 7 years. Quiet, beaches aren’t crowded, it’s not commercialized. Great place to relax.

https://annamariaislandchamber.org/

Anna maria Island is very nice

----------------------------

I would stick with your plan for the FL/AL Gulf Coast. There’s plenty to see & do. I think the ‘normal area’ is from Gulf Shores, AL to near Panama City. The beaches are among the best anywhere.

We were down in Apalachicola, FL the end of Dec, just a bit further East. It was a great trip, somewhat quieter area. We were mostly exploring & checking things out.

quote:

Originally posted by photohause:
Sanibel Island ~ do not hesitate! Ding Darling Nature Preserve is near there. The Bubble Room restaurant is an excellent restaurant. We are on the east coast and when we want to get out of Dodge, we go the Sanibel.

This, in spades. Captiva is the same, and you are within driving distance of the Glades and the Keys.

If you stay in Alabama ... Gulf Shores, Orange Beach area be sure to check out the Flora-Bama ... http://www.florabama.com/

My mother had a place at the beach in Orange Beach for for almost 30yrs. There wasn't a lot to do in Orange Beach. It was mostly just a get away to the beach for recharge and relax. Not much in the way of shopping. Guess what I'm saying is that the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach area isn't heavily commercialized. As said, mostly just a place to go and recharge at a slow pace with some damn fine beaches. Even a National Seashore in that area of Alabama/Florida where I've found tons of beautiful shells over the years.

I never took advantage of charter fishing but it is available in the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach area.

Been to Key West a couple of times and impression was very touristy. Lots of interesting shops, restaurants and saloons in downtown Key West and worth a few days just weirding around. Never went to the Hemingway house in Key West, but would check it out if ever there again.

What are you looking to do while on Vacation?

Destin- has beautiful beaches and lots of activities. Good sportfishing

Naples is very nice and more upscale, also good sportfishing but a very long run to get to offshore fishing grounds.

Sanibel/Captiva are a nice mix of being somewhat laid back and having beautiful beaches, plus plenty of interesting museums like Thomas Edison house within 45 mins.

Sanibel.
Destin.
The Keys.
Sarasota / Siesta Key.
Choose any of these and your experience should be pretty good. Sarasota has great Amish restaurants, too.

My parents have a place in Orange Beach, AL. I really like it, I was just there three weeks ago.

It's really becoming a very popular vacation spot. My Dad bought his first investment property there over twenty years ago and its grown a lot since then, but still doesn't feel like a Panama City Beach or Myrtle Beach. His current condo at Turquoise Place stays booked pretty much from May till September. Lots of good restaurants and it seemed all were open for business when I was there in January. There is also a good outlet mall just up the road in Gulf Shores and lots of golf and fishing if you're into that. The beaches are very nice, but I have been there at times when the jelly fish were everywhere and you really couldn't get in the water. If you're looking for really nice places to stay, Turquoise Place is top notch and is on the ocean. I prefer The Caribe though since its on the intercostal and I think its pools are better.


We vacationed at Siesta Key when I was a child and I remember the beaches there being the prettiest I've ever seen.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: KDR,

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
What are you looking to do while on Vacation?

This really is the key to getting good advice. Has anybody mentioned the Florida Keys?

However, since you mentioned spending your dollars with people who share your values, I let you in on a secret. Cedar Key and the surrounding area. It's in the Big Bend area of Florida. This area is unlike any part of Florida you have ever been to. It's different.

To illustrate:
At one point, we owned property on the Suwannee River. My dad took my mom to the bar in Old Town. My mom asked for a glass of wine and the bartender responded in her deep southern drawl, "Well, we have wine coolers." We didn't own the property much longer after that. About 20 years later, I took my own family camping at Hart Springs County Park. One night, we ate at Papa Luigi's Pizza in Old Town and I told the waitress about my mom's experience. The waitress told me with a completely straight face that a lot has changed and in fact Old Town has two bars now.

Anyway, if you like clam chowder, there's a place called Tony's in Cedar Key. Lots of state parks in the area with good hiking, biking, and kayaking. There's cave diving if that's your thing because of large springs, such as Manatee Springs, in that area. There's charter fishing as well, but I haven't done it from there.

A few others have mentioned Destin. Beautiful beaches, and accommodations from reasonable to very upscale. Some really good nicer restaurants, and also some very good local places. Very good shopping.

Accommodations run from condos literally just steps from the beach, to high rises. If you do look at Destin, pay attention to the somewhat older closer to downtown area, versus the newerish areas to the east, ie Miramar Beach/ San Destin area. Either can be very good, but perhaps a little different vibe.

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:
We have wintered in Destin Florida for the past 4 winters. Beautiful Gulf settings with white powdered sugar beaches. Great restaurants and activities.

I second the nomination of the Destin area. I refuse to go anywhere coastal but the Gulf Coast of Florida now. Have not been to an Atlantic Ocean beach since.