Whether you are looking to celebrate an anniversary, engagement, Valentine’s Day, or simply the spirit of Love while on your Destin Beach Vacation, here are our recommendations for a special romantic date night in Destin.

Fine dining restaurant in the Henderson Park Inn, conveniently located on scenic gulf drive near our condo rentals.  This is one truly romantic date night out in Destin, whether you splurge on the VIP Toes in the Sand dining under-the-stars experience or enjoy the regular dining room… I highly recommend the Grouper Vince.

Marina Cafe: Located on the Harbor in Destin, next door to Boshamps, is a wonderful fine-dining favorite, Marina Café. Be sure to get there early to enjoy half-price cocktails and sushi in the bar area before your delicious dinner while watching the boats roll in and out.

Segar’s Prime Steak & Seafood: Well known for one of the best steaks in the area, Seagar’s is a renowned New York-style steak house located on the grounds of San Destin resort, about a five-minute drive from our Majestic Sun and Beach House condos.

Bitter Root Destin: offers premium cocktails and delicious and inventive cuisine. It is conveniently located near Home Goods and Home Depot, about a five-minute drive from the condos. It is also a fantastic choice for brunch or lunch.

Bijoux: Billed as coastal cuisine with a New Orleans flair.  Bijoux is well known for being the most romantic Restaurant as the restaurant of the year.  Food and Spirits is Destin’s premiere establishment for high-end cuisine and cocktails.

Louisiana Lagniappe I think everyone knows how much I love the Winter Special at Lagniappe. Two can dine with a bottle of wine for $69. This is just such a terrific deal. But no matter the time of year, the atmosphere is lovely, the wait is not terrible, and the food is delicious. This place is located on Holiday Isle in the Sandpiper Cove neighborhood.

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Do you think you know all there is to know about coffee? Did you know it is the 2^nd highest-traded commodity in the world? That’s a lot of coffee drinking!

Here are 10 more fun facts about coffee to test your knowledge, or you can toss these around the balcony and impress the family while on vacation. (See below for a few hot coffee spots in the Miramar Beach/ Destin, Florida area you can check out while vacationing with Beach Condo in Destin.)

1. Over 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed per day!
   It is the most popular drink in the world.
2. Coffee is a fruit!
   The coffee bean is not, in fact, a bean. Because they grow on a bush and are the “pit” from cherry-like blossoms, are classified as a fruit.
3. Coffee helped Brazil to reach the Olympics in 1932.
   Yep, it’s true. Brazil couldn’t afford to send its athletes to the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, so it got creative and shipped them on a boat with coffee they could sell along the way!
4. Espresso has one-third the caffeine of a cup of coffee due to serving size differences.
   Espresso is made by forcing boiling water under high pressure through finely ground, compacted coffee. That’s it. It’s not more potent as served.
5. The most expensive coffee is made from cat poop
   “Kopi Luwak” is the most expensive coffee in the world. It comes from Indonesia and is made from beans digested from the Asian Palm Civet. In other words, it comes from cat poop.
6. There are two types of coffee.
   Arabica was originally cultivated on the Arabian Peninsula. Robusta coffee comes from a hardier plant and has double the amount of caffeine. I’ll take a triple Robusta, please!
7. Coffee was first consumed in Africa by chewing it, not sipping it.
   An African tribe would make energy balls from coffee beans by grinding the berries, adding animal fat, rolling the mix into little balls, and then chewing them.
8. Excelso or Supremo does not mean a better quality of coffee when used to describe coffee beans; it refers to the size of the coffee bean.
9. Add cream to keep your coffee warmer and longer.
   I haven’t tested this one myself, but the food science geeks at Modernist Cuisine explain why the laws of physics prove this to be true. Curious about the details? Check them out here.
10. Hawaii and California are the only US states that grow coffee.
    Hawaii has been doing it since before it was even a state. California just started in 2002

Now that you’ve “wowed” the family with your superior coffee trivia and established yourself as the coffee connoisseur take them to check out a few of our favorite spots in the Destin/Miramar Beach area.

Now that you’ve “wowed” the family with your superior coffee trivia and established yourself as the coffee connoisseur take them to check out a few of our favorite spots in the Destin/Miramar Beach area.

EAST PASS COFFEE  – 529 Harbor Blvd, Destin, FL

THE PALMS COFFEE HOUSE – 4201 Indian Bayou Trl, Destin, FL

BAD ASS COFFEE – Coffee & Tea – 1708 Scenic Gulf Dr, Miramar Beach, FL

2 BIRDS COFFEE – 80 Seascape Dr, Miramar Beach, FL

BLACK BEAR BREAD  325 Grand Blvd, Miramar Beach, FL

Capriccio Café 810 Harbor Blvd, Destin, FL

Let us know which ones are your favorites or better yet, share some photos with us! We love to hear and see our guests enjoying themselves and making memories.

The post Do you have Coffee? Favorite coffee spots near our Destin/Miramar Beach vacation rentals first appeared on Beach Condos in Destin.

Celebrating Independence Day along the Emerald Coast means cookouts, cold drinks, live music, and the fresh aroma of fireworks. Are you ready?

July 4th fireworks show in the Destin area will occur at Baytowne Wharf, Sandestin Beach, and Destin Harbor. There are also shows in Fort Walton Beach, Navarre Beach, Seaside, and Alys Beach. No matter where you end up, plan to arrive early and be ready for some crowds unless you decide to just take a chair out to the beach by your condo and watch people set off on their own – always a good time, too!

Believe it or not, you can most likely enjoy an array of fireworks from the comfort of your balcony. People bring their fireworks and shoot them off at the beach, even though it is “illegal” to do so. Some communities along Miramar Beach also have their own “private” shows you can enjoy.

Families love this spot. A full day of activities and live music leads to the grand fireworks show, synched to music throughout the Village.

The show is about 15 minutes long and can be viewed easily from many vantage points in the Village and even the Pier.

Hilton Sandestin Beach Resort – Monday, July 4^th at 9:00 pm

You can catch this 10-minute show from anywhere along the surrounding beach areas in front of the Hilton, and it is unique in that it is launched from the beach.

If you’re not a guest at the Sandestin, consider eating dinner at one of their restaurants and walking to the beach from there.

Destin Harbor – Monday, July 4^th, 2022 at 9:00 pm

These fireworks show is different from the weekly one shot off from Harborwalk, but the viewing area is the same, and it is twice as long. It is synched to music simulcast on Z-96, 96.5FM.

If you want to be close to the launch site at a quiet beach spot, head to Norriego Point. Parking is limited to a small lot at the Point or street parking on Gulf Shore Drive, so plan to get there early, carpool, or wear good walking shoes!

If you want to catch it from the water, hop on the Destin Water Taxi from multiple spots along Destin Harbor and hop off at Norriego Point. Or stay on the water in a rental boat or book a place on one of the many Fireworks Cruises offered. Here are a few to get your search started:

Fireworks Cruises – This option literally gets you on the water for the event!
– SunVenture Cruises https://sunventurecruises.com/
– SunQuest Cruises aboard the Solaris https://sunquestcruises.com/
– Southern Star Dolphin https://southernstardolphincruise.com/
– Screaming Eagle Sports https://www.destinspeedboat.com/cruises/firework-cruise/
– Destin Snorkel https://www.destinsnorkel.com/fireworks-cruise/

– Rent your own boat
—–Destin Vacation Boat Rentals https://www.destinvacationboatrentals.com/fireworks-cruises/
—–Luther’s http://lutherspontoon.com
—–Sea Chase Watersports http://www.seachasewatersports.com/
—–Boogies Watersports https://boogieswatersports.com
—–Dockside Watersports https://boatrentalsindestin.com/

If you happen to stay in the Harbor to catch the show, stick around and catch the life-fire spinning show on the main stage!

Destin Commons/Smoke on the Coast –  Sunday, July 3^rd at 9:30 pm

This show is part of the Smoke on the Coast BBQ and Fireworks Festival, which is returning this year! Because it is at the Commons, you do not need to participate in the festival to enjoy the show. It is an impressive 12-minute show that is also synched to music playing throughout the venue. I like this option as a kickoff to the weekend’s festivities!

Other fireworks spots to consider are:

Seaside – Monday, July 4^th at 8:30 pm

Alys Beach on 30a – Monday, July 4^th at 9:00 pm

The Fort Walton Beach Landing – Monday, July 4^th at 8:45 pm

Navarre Beach Pier – Monday, July 4^th at 9:00 pm

I hope this post helps you enjoy an epic July 4^th along the Emerald Coast!

*The information included in this publication does not represent affiliate partnerships between the businesses mentioned and Beach Condos in Destin. The businesses listed are not all-inclusive, and their offers may change anytime. Please contact the individual business location directly with your questions.

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ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The 31^st Annual Sandestin Wine Festival will occur April 20-23, 2017. Destin Magazine has named it the “Best Annual Event” and it is known as the best event in the Visit South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival area.

The Sandestin Wine Festival at Baytowne Wharf is an opportunity for discovery. Four days of unique events offer a wide range of experiences, from attending wine dinners with celebrity chefs to participating in preview events throughout the year and tasting hundreds of wines.

Wine novices can learn more about wines and sample from a comprehensive selection in all varieties, styles, and price ranges. Wine aficionados enjoy meeting winemakers, asking detailed questions, and acquiring hard-to-get selections. A bonus is the opportunity to immediately purchase your favorite selections at the ABC Fine Wine and Spirits Retail Tent at a discounted rate. Everyone can enjoy live music and interactive experiences at the culinary tents, shops, and dining in the Village of Baytowne Wharf.

The 31st Annual Sandestin Wine Festival is sure to be a memorable event. Stay tuned to the website and sign up for the newsletter to learn about special events and new activities. The Village of Baytowne Wharf is always open to the public. Even during special events, guests can visit the shops and merchants. Non-drinking festival guests are welcome to attend the Grand Wine Tasting with their friends at no charge–they will not receive a wristband.

Search our Destin vacation rentals for places to stay while in town.

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Great Rates, Events, and a Chance for Family time Make Christmas and New Year in Destin a poorly Kept Secret.

The Following Links Highlight Local Holiday Activities

Christmas: http://www.thedestinlog.com/news/20161128/christmas-on-coast-2016-nov-30

New Years in Destin:http://www.thedestinlog.com/article/20151230/NEWS/151229691

Enjoy our last-minute Specials at select units this Holiday Season.

Special Rates Preview  * Prices do not include fees * Valid on new bookings only * Must Mention you found this rate on the specials page when booking to receive this price.  Offer only valid for direct bookings with beach condos in destin. Offers may not be combined 

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