When I was younger and growing up in New Orleans, on many occasions our family would vacation during the summer on the Florida panhandle. In the early days of my childhood, there was not much civilization along the Gulf Coast Panhandle past Pensacola. Ft. Walton and Destin were small enclaves, but nothing like the commercial vacation destinations that they have become. Interstate 10 didn't exist back then. One had to take a two-lane road to get there. Sometimes with our grandparents, sometimes with family friends, we would travel to a small group of rental houses on the beach past Destin called Dune Allen. Great memories from childhood. Far from civilization as we knew it, there was no television, no city distractions, just beach, gulf breeze, salt water, plenty of marine life, and beautiful vistas day or night. We kids would fill our days playing on the beach and swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, body surfing in the waves or diving for shells and sand dollars. It's a wonder we didn't get eaten by sharks. We didn't want the week or summer to end.
As I got older and the commercial developers started taking advantage of the real estate potential on the panhandle coastline, my parents acquired a condo in one of the high-rise complexes being built along the beach in Destin. Times had changed. Better roads and Interstate 10 had brought easier access to the area. No longer in the middle of nowhere, with the building of vacation homes and condos, came shops, restaurants, golf courses, hotels, and more people. However, the area was still a great destination. As my wife, Anne, and I had our children, we would spend a week in Destin around Labor Day in September with my brother, his wife, and kids. I remember those times fondly as well. Civilization had encroached on the street and in the city, but once in the condo, the views were spectacular from the 10th floor balcony overlooking the Gulf. The beach and outdoor fresh water swimming pool were right down the elevator. The kids enjoyed the same things I did when I was younger, except the sand dollar population was not as numerous. There were also other things to distract them like television, water parks, and a wide variety of kid-friendly restaurants - on vacation with all the comforts of the city, but OK, a lot more congestion.
Over the years, my parents decided to sell the condo and we ceased our summer outing to the Florida Panhandle. Over the last 20 years, due to the pressures of work, our kids school and extracurricular activities, and limited vacation time, Anne and I only returned sporadically. Recently, last November, we decided to take advantage of a friends condo near Ft. Walton and spend a week relaxing on the coast. After my dad's retirement, he and my mother would spend the entire fall at their condo before they sold it. They always said fall was their favorite time of year at the beach. After our week, I understand why. Deserted beach, temperate weather, and beautiful views unspoiled by thousands of people everywhere. Here was a relaxing atmosphere that would relieve anyone's stress.
The fall season on the panhandle has very little of the summer overactivity and better weather. We visited unique beach towns from Rosemary Beach to Ft. Walton, including Watercolor and Dune Allen which have grown into their own small, beautiful little beach towns. Long walks on the beach, relaxing under a beach umbrella, just sitting enjoying the views from the condo balcony were all memorable. Rain or shine, it didn't matter. Yes, the area is more commercially developed than ever and hurricanes have taken their toll on the beaches, but pockets of beauty still exist. Fall is where it's at on the Florida Panhandle.
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