Emerald Coast Winter Activities, Part I - Destin Area

By Kristin Destin, ResortQuest Northwest Florida

Now that we’ve entered the winter months, splashing around in Gulf waters probably doesn’t sound too appealing – unless you need a quick pick-me-up!  Traveling to the Emerald Coast still has many advantages – the air is refreshing, prices are lower, beaches are uncrowded and perfect for a long relaxing walk, and there are plenty of activities that will keep you entertained during the cold weather.  This week in Part I of a 3-part series, you’ll discover some great things to do within the Destin area.

The Emerald Coast is a wonderful place to do your holiday shopping.  Just in Destin alone there are THREE great malls to choose from:

·  Destin Commons, 4300 Legendary Drive, (850) 337-8700 – Featuring a huge Bass Pro Shop, a children’s playground, and many restaurants, there’s something for everyone at this shopping center.  Some of the stores to choose from are Abercrombie & Fitch, Gymboree, Belk, Build-A-Bear, and many, many more!

·   Silver Sands Factory Stores, 10562 Emerald Coast Parkway, (850) 654-9771 – You’ll find amazing discounts at this outlet center, including name brands such as Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, Aeropostale, Coach and Carter’s.

·   Grand Boulevard, 215 Grand Boulevard, (850) 654-5929 – This shopping center offers a varied selection of upscale shops and fine dining, featuring stores such as J. Crew-at-the-Beach, Brooks Brothers Country Club, and Billabong, and eateries such as P. F. Chang’s, Mitchell’s Fish Market and Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant & Bar.

With great new releases coming up, such as Megamind, Gulliver’s Travels, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, grab the whole family and head over to a movie theater and enjoy a new flick (and lots of popcorn):

·   Rave Motion Pictures - 4000 Legendary Drive, (850) 337-8777
·   Lively Cinema 10 - 759 Harbor Boulevard, (850) 654-2992

The BEST part of the winter season is being able to go ice-skating!  The Village of Baytowne Wharf (9300 Emerald Coast Parkway, (850) 267-8000) has opened Baytowne on Ice, an ice skating rink open Monday through Thursday 4-9pm, 4-10pm on Friday, Saturday 11am-10pm, and Sunday 12-6pm.  The skating rink is open from now until February 14th, so there’s plenty of time for your family to plan a visit to Destin and enjoy the attraction.  For only $10, you can skate for an hour and a half.  Skate rentals are $2.  Also, the first hour of each day is dedicated to “youth skate,” so the little ones can have the opportunity for an open skate.

So don’t let the winter weather stop you from enjoying a beach vacation!  ResortQuest not only offers prices that are half off summertime rates, but also free night promotions if you stay a little longer.  Call us at 866-478-3307 or click here for more information.