Help! For all you lovely people who are familiar with Florida!

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

Dear All,

I'm looking for some advice regarding Panama City, Pensacola, Eastpoint, Apalachicola, Fort Walton, Destin and around those parts?!

Do you live there?

Could you tell me the 'good' and 'bad' areas?

Or any general viewpoints on these areas at all?

The best things to see and do?

Any help would be very much appreciated.

To forewarn you all - I may be paying you a visit soon!

ARRRGGHHH, RUN FOR THE HILLS, THE BRIT IS COMING!!!!

[Rena's got this 274]

I used to live in Pensacola. Pensacola beach is pretty nice, with white sands and lots of stuff to do. You can either go to the gulf side if you want waves, or to the sound side, with no waves. At the end of Pensacola beach island (on the right side) is an old fort called Fort Pickens. This is a great place to explore, and has a little museum that is nice to wander through. The only downside could be going to the beach when the jellyfish are there. I'm not sure of the date, but it seems that August was the month that had a lot of jellyfish in the Water, and their stings are pretty bad.

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

I used to live in Pensacola. Pensacola beach is pretty nice, with white sands and lots of stuff to do. You can either go to the gulf side if you want waves, or to the sound side, with no waves. At the end of Pensacola beach island (on the right side) is an old fort called Fort Pickens. This is a great place to explore, and has a little museum that is nice to wander through. The only downside could be going to the beach when the jellyfish are there. I'm not sure of the date, but it seems that August was the month that had a lot of jellyfish in the Water, and their stings are pretty bad.

Thank you, Rena, that's very useful.

May I ask whereabouts you lived and whether there were any good residential areas and any bad residential areas?

How did you feel about living in Pensacola?

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

Dear All,

I'm looking for some advice regarding Panama City, Pensacola, Eastpoint, Apalachicola, Fort Walton, Destin and around those parts?!

Do you live there?

Could you tell me the 'good' and 'bad' areas?

Or any general viewpoints on these areas at all?

The best things to see and do?

Any help would be very much appreciated.

To forewarn you all - I may be paying you a visit soon!

ARRRGGHHH, RUN FOR THE HILLS, THE BRIT IS COMING!!!!

Madame Rev,

OMG I so wish I lived there so I could meet you and entertain you but I am in Jacksonville (don't come here LOL, ugly brown beaches IMO) - my daughter lives in Pensacola so I am there often! She is 10 minutes from Orange Beach, AL, and is 1 hour from Destin/Ft. Walton Beach. These 3 places are the most beautiful in Florida IMHO. Miami/Ft. Laud is congested and ....don't go there. The only thing to do in the areas you mention is relax and soak up sun. Sit at places like Sunset Grille in Orange Beach on the Intracoastal and yep, watch the sunset. Eat delicious seafood. Destin is high dollar big hotels/condos beautiful, white sands, so many tourists. Orange Beach/Pensacola not so high dollar,lots of condos and hotels, more laid back and casual. Blue Angels are based in Pensacola, and spectacular to see.Hire a local fisherman to take you charter fishing. Take plenty of sunscreen Brit because those white sand beaches reflect that sun. I just spent 2 weeks in Pensacola, kayaking with my daughter on Tarkin Bay, eating wonderful Wahoo (the best saltwater fish ever!), and loving life. I would love to hear where you choose!!

[Rena's got this 274]

I loved living in Pensacola (on the mainland), but there are definitely some bad areas you will want to avoid. It has been over 15 years since I lived there, so I won't be much help. If you find a hotel on the island (Pensacola Beach) you will be ok. There is another barrier island in between Pensacola Beach and Pensacola, which is really nice. It is called Gulf Shores. Most of the hotels and restaurants in Gulf Shores are pretty good also. I don't know of any bad neighborhoods in Gulf shores, but that doesn't mean there aren't any.

On the mainland of Pensacola, there is a very quaint downtown area that you can walk through that has some wonderful little shops.

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

BTW, Appalachicola, Panama City, Mexico Beach, are all laid back beautiful beaches. You want hustle and bustle go to Disney in Orlando for long lines and tourists. The West Coast of Florida where these cities are, are most beautiful. You cannot go wrong. Sanibel Island, is a small spectacular place for shelling, with boats to take you to small islands, for shell foraging. Tampa and St. Petersburg are larger cities. You won't find much to do in Florida except R E L A X, drink Rumrunners, unlike Big Ben, Kensington Palace, Westminster Abbey, and the fabulous places to see in England.<br />

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

Dear All,

I'm looking for some advice regarding Panama City, Pensacola, Eastpoint, Apalachicola, Fort Walton, Destin and around those parts?!

Do you live there?

Could you tell me the 'good' and 'bad' areas?

Or any general viewpoints on these areas at all?

The best things to see and do?

Any help would be very much appreciated.

To forewarn you all - I may be paying you a visit soon!

ARRRGGHHH, RUN FOR THE HILLS, THE BRIT IS COMING!!!!

Madame Rev,

OMG I so wish I lived there so I could meet you and entertain you but I am in Jacksonville (don't come here LOL, ugly brown beaches IMO) - my daughter lives in Pensacola so I am there often! She is 10 minutes from Orange Beach, AL, and is 1 hour from Destin/Ft. Walton Beach. These 3 places are the most beautiful in Florida IMHO. Miami/Ft. Laud is congested and ....don't go there. The only thing to do in the areas you mention is relax and soak up sun. Sit at places like Sunset Grille in Orange Beach on the Intracoastal and yep, watch the sunset. Eat delicious seafood. Destin is high dollar big hotels/condos beautiful, white sands, so many tourists. Orange Beach/Pensacola not so high dollar,lots of condos and hotels, more laid back and casual. Blue Angels are based in Pensacola, and spectacular to see.Hire a local fisherman to take you charter fishing. Take plenty of sunscreen Brit because those white sand beaches reflect that sun. I just spent 2 weeks in Pensacola, kayaking with my daughter on Tarkin Bay, eating wonderful Wahoo (the best saltwater fish ever!), and loving life. I would love to hear where you choose!!

Aww, Linda, thanks so much!

As my man is a Floridian, originally from Pensacola, he has a lot to say about it! He's also a fisherman/redneck (think 'Duck Dynasty') So as far as getting a charter sorted out - his response was 'you don't need a guide, ya got me!' He also agreed with EVERYTHING you wrote about the other areas! Particularly Miami........

I thought as I have the opportunity to do a bit of traveling, I would take that opportunity to see a bit of his homeland.

He's very familiar with Pensacola, but not so much in the other areas. As I'm potentially looking to stay for a few months, I wondered if people were familiar with those other areas mentioned, insomuch as how it is to live there, so we could better gauge where to plonk ourselves for a little while. Don't fancy trying to get an apartment online, succeeding and then turning up to find we're in the middle of some sort of warzone!

You never know, given the way the weather is in the UK, I might relocate altogether! We could be neighbours!

We could eat seafood together. How cool would that be?!!

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

I loved living in Pensacola (on the mainland), but there are definitely some bad areas you will want to avoid. It has been over 15 years since I lived there, so I won't be much help. If you find a hotel on the island (Pensacola Beach) you will be ok. There is another barrier island in between Pensacola Beach and Pensacola, which is really nice. It is called Gulf Shores. Most of the hotels and restaurants in Gulf Shores are pretty good also. I don't know of any bad neighborhoods in Gulf shores, but that doesn't mean there aren't any.

On the mainland of Pensacola, there is a very quaint downtown area that you can walk through that has some wonderful little shops.

That's great Rena, thank you.

I have been looking at Gulf Shores. Looks amazing. If not a bit retina-burning with all the white sand, blue sea and no trees! I know it sounds odd, but if I were staying for any length of time, I'd need some trees around me! Call me British and weird!

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

BTW, Appalachicola, Panama City, Mexico Beach, are all laid back beautiful beaches. You want hustle and bustle go to Disney in Orlando for long lines and tourists. The West Coast of Florida where these cities are, are most beautiful. You cannot go wrong. Sanibel Island, is a small spectacular place for shelling, with boats to take you to small islands, for shell foraging. Tampa and St. Petersburg are larger cities. You won't find much to do in Florida except R E L A X, drink Rumrunners, unlike Big Ben, Kensington Palace, Westminster Abbey, and the fabulous places to see in England.<br />

I think beaches and relaxation sounds just fine right now!! Having spent 10 years commuting into the centre of London every day, I can go a few years without having to see it again!

I think the west coast is where we'll be heading. The man has already vetoed the east coast for many reasons...

Largely - they're not on the gulf! Well, his side of the gulf!

Do you have any specific opinions on Panama City? Seems like we can get a rental out that way.. and I was wondering how it would compare to the other locations...

-x-

[Rena's got this 274]

There are trees in Gulf Shores. There are even trees on Pensacola Beach Island, however they are scrub oaks, and rather short. Pensacola has tons of trees. You won't miss out on trees, but you won't have many hardwoods, mainly pines and scrub oaks.

[LindafromFlorida 1,542]

Panama City is def not as touristy as Ft. Walton/Destin area. Gulf Shores is right there at Pensacola/Orange Beach area, a little touristy too, but then again not much in Florida except where I live, is not touristy. Maybe you can make a short trip down to Panama City, Clearwater, and work your way back to Gulf Shores for a couple days to get a feel for it. I love every place on the Gulf, to tell you the truth. Florida is full of trees so you won't miss seeing the trees LOL.

[kll724 3,055]

Sorry, live in Florida, but central Florida. I have visited Destin/Ft Walton area twice. Nice place to visit. I really liked swimming in the Gulf. I had lived in Maryland, near the Eastern Shore of Atlantic Ocean, the Water in Atlantic Ocean is colder than the Gulf. I hope that you enjoy your vacation to Florida Gulf Coast.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

You should fly in via DC. Just sayin.

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

You should fly in via DC. Just sayin.

Ha! Getting my man to visit DC, would be like achieving world peace over lunch! He hates DC!