If you've never been to Northwest Florida, I am not afraid to say that you are completely missing out! I visited South Walton, Pensacola, and the Emerald Coast, and I cannot say enough good things about it. So, here are 15 photos from my trip to NW Florida, along with a couple reasons, that I hope that will trigger your interest in planning a trip to any one of these areas!
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Northwest Florida hugs the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico, and for that very reason, water activities are huge here - think kayaking, paddleboarding, surfing, parasailing, fishing. For me, I'm more of a sailing girl. There are sunset cruises which are very romantical and dolphin watching cruises!
But if you're a little frightened of being on the water, you can go sailing on a trimaran in Pensacola instead. There are only 21 made in the world, and only 1 open to the public. The other 20 are still used for racing around the world! There is no leaning side-to-side, so therefore no seasickness!! Also, Captain Kirk is awesome. I actually got a couple DM's on Instagram from locals in Pensacola reiterating the same thing, so you know it's got to be legit ;)
But if you're a little frightened of being on the water, you can go sailing on a trimaran in Pensacola instead. There are only 21 made in the world, and only 1 open to the public. The other 20 are still used for racing around the world! There is no leaning side-to-side, so therefore no seasickness!! Also, Captain Kirk is awesome. I actually got a couple DM's on Instagram from locals in Pensacola reiterating the same thing, so you know it's got to be legit ;)
Living my best life on board the Condor with Condor Sailing
Gorgeous sunset over the Gulf
Pure happiness from seeing dolphins jumping around the boat on board Olin Marler's Dolphin Cruise
(it's like I only have 1 pose when I'm on a boat haha)
Speaking of water activities, there is nothing like the beaches here in Northwest Florida. The sand is the purest white you'll ever see - it literally looks like a land of snow / sugar. It's the most amazing thing to walk around in, and it even squeaks as you walk on it because the sand is composed of almost 100% quartz!!! I highly recommend setting your alarm at 5:30 AM, so you can go to the beach to watch the sky turn into the pinkest cotton candy-like sky as the sun was rising. It was honestly the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!!!
The seafood here is phenomenal. Destin, in the Emerald Coast, is specifically called The World's Luckiest Fishing Village and it's for a reason. The seafood is SO fresh that I actually walked along the Destin Harbor Boardwalk and saw fishermen filet their catch for the day. It was insane! To know that they take that fresh fish and serve it in a restaurant immediately is huge.
My favourite dish at IRON, one of 50 Best Southern Restaurants in America
An amazing gulf-to-table spread from Harbor Docks in Destin, FL
Sunset Grille in Perdido Key - even quick lunch options can include fresh seafood!
Enjoying my fave oysters at Red Fish Blue Fish
Although one of the main attractions are the beautiful beaches and accommodations that back onto the beach, there are also a number of luxury options available too. Besides being absolutely stunning, they also have an oasis on site called a pool ;)
Stunning pool at The Henderson located in Destin, FL
Pool area at The Pointe located in Inlet Beach, FL
I know I keep saying everything is 'stunning', but what can I say? Everything really is! The houses in this area along the beach is also stunning. Street after street, home after home - we had such a hard time focusing on the road because we kept staring out the window at people's homes! The front porches, white picket fences, balcony, etc... There isn't anything like this in Toronto! It's a lot of fun walking through the neighborhoods and admiring the unique developments.
In South Walton, there are actually 16 little beachside towns with their own unique flair. It's a very pedestrian fueled community, and bikes are also very welcome! Biking through the towns is a 'wheelie' good afternoon activity here. If you need more reasons to convince you to visit South Walton, here is something that might just persuade you!
To be honest, it was very difficult to choose just 15 photos to show you, but I hope the above things that I listed above will help inspire you for your next vacation! I mean, other parts of Florida are awesome but there is nothing like the cities I visited in the Northwest. Pensacola, South Walton, and Emerald Coast are all gems and need to be explored!
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Related Northwest Florida Blog Posts:
• 3 Reasons Why You Should Visit South Walton on Highway 30A
• The Ultimate Guide to Pensacola, Florida
• 5 Things to do with your BFF in South Walton
• The Ultimate Guide to Pensacola, Florida
• 5 Things to do with your BFF in South Walton
**All pictures of myself are taken by my partner-in-crime on this trip, Krystle xo**
