Thunder Beach Rally in Panama City Beach

While the official start date is tomorrow, May 1st, pre-event festivities for the Thunder Beach Spring Motorcycle Rally are underway in Panama City Beach! One of the fastest growing motorcycle rallies in the southeast, Thunder Beach, in beautiful Panama City Beach, Florida is widely known as "The Most Biker Friendly FREE Rally in the United States.” The Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally is held twice yearly in one of the most picturesque areas of North Florida. Bikers, vendors and exhibitors from around the country descend on Panama City Beach, Florida the first weekend in May and the last weekend in September, to share stories, see great bands and live entertainment, find the hottest custom motorcycles and motorcycle accessories available, and to experience a scenic ride on “The World’s Most Beautiful Beaches!” Each of Thunder Beach’s SEVEN OFFICIAL VENUES across Panama City Beach offers riders a different environment with unique amenities.

If you have not made accommodation arrangements for this Spring, or are planning to visit the fall rally, be sure to visit Southern Resorts Vacation Rentals website for fabulous accommodations close to each venue in Panama City Beach. With just lowered rates, you can stay on the beach in beautiful condominiums and resorts for less! Check our Southern Resorts' Emerald Beach, Grandview at Long Beach, Ocean Villa, Palazzo, Seychelles, Splash , Sterling Breeze and Sterling Reef Resort & Spa.

Pilot House Grand Opening

Presented by the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce's Forward group, the Pilot House at the Destin Fishing Museum will host its Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, tomorrow, Wednesday, April 30th from 3pm-5pm. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 3:15 p.m., followed by fun activities for children, refreshments, photos and more. The event will last until 5 p.m. Please call (850) 837-6241 for more information. The Destin Fishing Museum is dedicated to preserving and honoring the History of Destin.

Deep Sea Fishing In Destin

The weather was beautiful on Sunday so we decided to take a boat out for a deep sea fishing excursion. For the first 30 minutes or so we scanned the top of the water to see if we could find any Cobia swimming by. After no luck with that we headed out for deeper water with hopes of Red Snapper, Wahoo, King Mackerel, and Grouper. We caught a Red Snapper almost immediately and then hung out with no luck for another hour before deciding to change locations. The new location was full of King Mackerel and Red Snapper but the only thing we caught was one King and a lot of Remoras. Remoras are supposed to be bad luck for fishermen and apparently the legend holds true. We didn't catch a single thing after the King Mackerel and called it a day shortly after. Fish or no fish, nothing beats a beautiful day on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico in Destin, FL.

Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides Walk

Yesterday was the perfect day for the CFF Great Strides Walk. Early in the morning there was a light fog and overcast skies, but by the time the warm ups for the walk began, the clouds cleared for a perfect sunny Destin sky. The warm ups I mention were about as hard as walking the 6 miles projected. A professional trainer by the name of Cisco had all walkers stretching and working up our heart rates at pretty good speed. He is in incredible shape, making it look so easy at Destin's Village Baptist Church.

I was so proud of our team for coming out, walking and enjoying great music and a few laughs together.

Thanks so much to Southern Resorts' walkers, Nancy, Kari, Marcella, Lisa and Marie as well as our guest walkers, Marie's mom and daughter and my two of my daughters! Our team surpassed its goal in fundraising efforts and were proud to contribute to the incredible cause.

Southern Resorts' also donated several door prizes including stays in our condos.

Thanks so much!

Elton John In Pensacola

Sir Elton John performed last night in Pensacola, FL at the Pensacola Civic Center. The concert sold out the first day the tickets were on sale for a date in March but it had to be cancelled because Elton John fell ill. After finishing the U.S. leg of his tour he returned to Pensacola to perform to the sold out arena that had been cancelled. It was definitely worth the wait! Every seat in the house was filled with people of all ages. He played for two and a half hours straight with no breaks and every song he played was a hit! It was truly an amazing show and the experience of a lifetime!

Harborwalk Fish & Farmers Market

HarborWalk Village will showcase the region’s local produce farmers, specialty products, seafood, charter fishing fleet, and other community organizations during the new Fish & Farmers Market which begins Saturday, May 3 and runs each Saturday until May 24 from 7 a.m. – 11 a.m. The Market will be set up near the charter fishing fleet docks at HarborWalk Village, within walking distance to Southern Resorts' beautiful Emerald Grande accommodations. Located on Destin's Harbor, the views and amenities are spectacular.
What better way to explore and celebrate Destin’s Harbor than stroll the docks during the HarborWalk Village Fish & Farmers Market!

Destin's Week of Blessings

This Sunday, April 27th, Destin's Week of Blessings begins at the Morgan Sports Complex. Come celebrate at the 1st Annual Barbecue & Covered Dish Picnic from 1pm - 5pm. The events continue through the week until the actual 51st Annual Blessing of the Fleet on Thursday, May 1st at a 4pm service at the Destin Fishing Fleet Marina at Fisherman's Wharf. This incredible Destin tradition is a beautiful thing to behold. The history and dedication to the fishing industry continues. For more information on this time honored Destin tradition and the events of the week, visit http://www.destinblessings.com/.

Southern Resorts Opens New Office

Southern Resorts Vacation Rentals celebrated the opening of their new office in Panama City Beach last night with a Panama City Beach Chamber Ribbon Cutting and Reception. Southern Resorts has been operating in the area since early fall and began looking for an office soon thereafter as more vacation rentals joined our program. This location on Front Beach Road just off Hwy 79 is the perfect spot. Not only will we run short term vacation rentals from here, but also long term rentals through Southern Coastal Management, real estate sales through RE/MAX Southern Realty and homeowners association management through Southern Association Management.

Southern Resorts currently represents beautiful beach front resorts on Panama City's west end at Emerald Beach, Grandview at Long Beach, Ocean Villa, Palazzo, Seychelles, Splash, Sterling Breeze and Sterling Reef Resort & Spa.

Southern Resorts Walks for CFF

Southern Resorts Vacation Rentals promotes the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and encourages other area businesses to do the same. This Saturday the Great Strides Walk will take place in Destin at the Village Baptist Church. Southern Resorts will have a team walking. It should be a wonderful day! If you are visiting, staying in Destin at a beach home or condo, this location is in the Crystal Beach area of Destin on Matthew Boulevard. Come by and support all of the walkers.

Last Saturday the Great Strides Walk was held in Panama City Beach. For more information on upcoming events and how to help CFF, visit their site http://www.cff.org/

Seabreeze Jazz Festival Opened Last Night

The 10th Annual Seabreeze Jazz Festival at Gulf Place in the Beaches of South Walton began last night. With more lined up for today, tomorrow and Sunday, it is a weekend full of wonderful entertainment and the biggest lineup to date.

Where exactly is the venue location for the jazz festival? Located east of Destin on Scenic Highway 30-A near Santa Rosa Beach, the Gulf Place Amphitheatre is a cool, upscale location directly across the street from our beautiful white sand beaches and emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Looking at a map, you’ll actually find Gulf Place located at the intersection of County Highway 30-A and Highway 393….about 2 miles south of Highway 98. This area is known at The Beaches of South Walton and it is home to coastal communities such as Sandestin, Seaside, Grayton Beach, and WaterColor. Guests at Southern Resorts' Villas at Santa Rosa Beach will be directly across the street.

Enjoy the beautiful weekend and this great site. Next year the Festival moves to a new location in Panama City Beach at Pier Park. So plan your trip now. Southern Resorts also manages beautiful properties in Panama City Beach, too!

Unexpected Chill...

This unexpected chilly weather has left everyone wondering what to do instead of sunning on the beach! There are plenty of things to do in this temporary cold weather while still enjoying our area. Yesterday when beach plans were derailed by the cool breeze we went to Gulf Coast Seafood and bought several dozen live blue crabs, invited more people, and had a good, old fashioned Sunday crab boil while still overlooking the water and all the creatures that live in and around it.

If you're visiting the Walton County area, this may be your last chance for a bonfire on the beach too! You can also enjoy our wonderful shopping malls or the Destin History Museum just to name a few!

Amazing Performance

My family and I went tonight to the Fort Walton Beach High School's musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. It was fabulous! I knew that our high school's Drama Department was good, but I did not realize how good. It was so much fun to watch young local students perform as they did. They sang, acted and danced like professionals. The production was organized and very well done and the costumes were great, too. Everyone is our group from 7 year old to 76 year old enjoyed. Well, actually the 7 year old did mention something about too much singing, yet rarely took his eyes off the stage.
I highly recommend attending one of the three performances remaining - Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00 and Sunday at 2:00. Make an evening of it and try one of our favorite restaurants along the way - Mulhollow's Bistro right there on Miracle Strip Parkway in downtown Fort Walton Beach.
It really was a great evening!

This Weekend in Port St. Joe

Oh, I am missing some wonderful events this weekend, not only in Destin, but also in Port St. Joe.
The Kid's Win Fishing Tournament in Jetty Park at the Port St. Joe Marina begins on Friday, April 11th. This tournament has become one of Port St. Joe's most anticipated events. Kids from all around come for a day of fun on the water and in the sun.
The Taste of the Coast - Art by the Bay also starts on the 11th. This two day art event in Port St. Joe includes a student art competition, restaurant tastings, silent and live auctions, and much more!
For accommodations nearby, stay at The Barefoot Cottages.
This weekend even kicks off Southern Resorts' 21% OFF special. Visit here for details.

Sandestin Wine Festival Begins

The highly anticipated Sandestin Wine Festival begins this week in Destin, Florida. More than 600 domestic and international wines, hand-selected by Chan Cox of Chan’s Wine World and some of the Southeast’s most knowledgeable judges, will be available for tasting. And, it is in one of the most beautiful settings- the Village of Baytowne.

The weekend begins on Thursday the 10th and continues to Sunday with something each day. Apparently, this is the only event in the Southeast where you can sample and purchase this many quality wines from across the globe at once. My husband and I went last year and enjoyed it immensely. Unfortunately the dates this year coincide with the Atlanta Vacation Home Expo and I'll be heading to Georgia for that. So, make your plans now staying in a Southern Resorts' property in Destin or nearby Beaches of South Walton and have a wonderful time for me.

By the way, Chan's has locations throughout our Northwest Florida coast in Destin, Miramar, Sandestin and Panama City Beach.

Kite Fest On Okaloosa Island

Yesterday was a little overcast but a perfect day for flying kites and enjoying music on the beach. Kitty Hawk Kites at The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island hosted a kite day and to my surprise and delight, when I arrived at the beach, the sky was filled with wonderfully bright and fantastic kites. There was also a live DJ and and activities for the cheer leading competition that is in town right now. It seems there is always something fun and family friendly going on at the Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island...

Next Week inTheater

Our area is offering some wonderful entertainment next week. If you love shows you will be excited to know of two productions around the Destin/Fort Walton Beach areas. The first is the Broadway Musical RENT on April8th. This Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning musical, written by Jonathan Larson and directed by Michael Greif, is coming to the Mattie Kelly Fine and Performing Arts Center at Okaloosa-Walton College in Niceville, FL (just over the MidBay bridge, North of Destin) for ONE SHOW ONLY.850.729.6000

The second lasts Thursday April 10th - Sunday April13th... Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. This family friendly musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice will be presented by Fort Walton Beach High School at the school. Performances will be April 10, 11, 12 at 7:00 pm and on 13 April there is a matinee performance at 2:00pm. For information contact Contact Christa Whittaker at 850.833.3300.

So, after a beautiful day at the beach or one of Southern Resorts' property pools, relax and be entertained. You will not be disappointed!

Apalachicola Art Walk & Wine Festival

Stay the weekend in Port St. Joe at the Barefoot Cottages and take advantage of two fun events in the area. The first I mentioned last week in the blog about the SaltAir Farmers' Market that begins this Saturday, April 5th. After spending the morning there, take the short drive over to Apalachicola for the Apalachicola Art Walk & Wine Festival . This looks like so much fun with art in all forms showcasing around picturesque downtown Apalachicola where artists and musicians will be showing, selling and demonstrating their talents from 12:00-6:00 pm. Afterwards area chefs will prepare dishes at their restaurants pared with special wines. The evening's finale will be a professional performance of The Queen of Bingo at the Dixie Theatre at 8:00 pm. For more information call (850) 653-9419.

Apalachicola is one of my favorite small Southern towns where the shops are great and the dining wonderful. With the Barefoot Cottages and the beach just a drive away, it is a perfect weekend getaway this time of year.

Sunday Brunch At Anglers Beachside Grill

With the weather as beautiful as it has been, there is no better place to enjoy a late Sunday brunch than the outside deck of Anglers Beachside Grill on Okaloosa Island, just a short drive from Destin. I went this past weekend and enjoyed the scenery while eating delicious Eggs Benedict. For a small fee, bottomless mimosas can be added to your meal as well. What a wonderful way to enjoy a sunny Sunday afternoon with family and friends!