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Wacky Panhandle Fun



This just in from Holiday Isle:
In Destin, Florida, the oil spill is clearly on our minds as it has already started to land on shore in our neighbors town in Alabama. We get a 3 day forecast every day - if the beaches are closed or the water is deemed unsafe for your arrival then a full refund will be issued. At this time - we have
experienced only a few pea-sized tar balls. We post the video on our
website daily. We will notify everyone immediately if oil is expected to impact their stay. We appreciate everyone's patience in this regard.

For a long time the area known as Florida's Emerald Coast was basically a backwater - or a well-kept secret, depending on whom you talk to. A regular paradise for a guy with a boat and some fishing gear, it drew a largely blue-collar clientele and enjoyed near-cult status among fishermen.

In little more than a decade, however, the area has transformed itself from a laid-back fishing village to a major tourist destination - the number-two drive destination on Florida, in fact. (Mickey's still number one.) It's been discovered by everyone from vacationing families to major magazines to experts who rate the world's beaches on a regular basis (Destin is nearly always near the top.)

People who knew Destin back in the day would barely recognize it now. It resembles the "after" portion of one of those extreme makeover shows. High-rise hotels and condos line the beaches. Spiffy new stores occupy an array of strip shopping centers, many of them decidedly upscale. All the main roads are multi-laned and traffic is ...well, the best word to describe it rhymes with "ditch," which is where you'll find yourself if you don't pay attention.

Tourism and hospitality-industry people proudly point out that more than 60 percent of the county's beaches are protected and can never be developed. Other acreage is up for grabs and growth, both residential and commercial, is heading inland. Some locals, however, believe there are enough people and buildings and tourists and congestion here already, thank you very much.

Destin, continued