Florida Panhandle welcomes solitude and spring breakers All about the beach

By Ellen Creager

Detroit Free Press (TNS)

NAVARRE BEACH, Fla.

Dolphins leaping in the sea. Shells glistening on the shore. Perfect miles of white sand beaches that make you happy to be alive.

The treasures of the Florida Panhandle belong to all of us and none of us.

And whether you respond to this place with parties or solitude, it’s up to you.

The Florida Panhandle, if you look on a map, is actually south of Alabama. It has a southern feel in its pace, attitude and food.

Known for huge spring break crowds in March, it also attracts snowbirds in winter and family vacationers in summer.

The Panhandle is anchored by Pensacola on the west and Panama City on the east.

Drive it, and you will definitely see some manmade mischief here.

There are too many looming, out-of-scale condo towers, too many sprawling shopping centers and way too many chain restaurants, plus the usual assortment of junky gift shops and tattoo parlors.

But for some, those things cannot ruin nature’s fine handiwork or the Panhandle’s charm.

The trick is to pick not only the right time but the right spot for what you want to do.

Serious fishing? Base yourself in Destin.

A family wanting a beach vacation? I like Pensacola Beach.

Privacy? Try Navarre Beach or a planned community such as Seaside.

Resort your style? Try the Hilton Sandestin.

Wild parties and spring break? Panama City Beach, no question.

A word about spring break. This year, it collides with Easter. College spring breaks begin next week and continue through March.

Panama City Beach is the top destination in the country for spring break, with an estimated 300,000 students descending on the city.

Besides the beaches, its draw is the country’s largest nightclub, Club La Vela, and the fact that Florida is a whole lot easier to reach and cheaper than Cancun, Punta Cana or Nassau.

The drinking age is 21 in Florida. Panama City Beach is basically 15 miles of bars, jet skis, Ripley’s Believe it or Not and condo towers.

But don’t think that the Panhandle is one big crazed party. It’s not. In fact, Florida has done a great job of ensuring that much of nature is protected on this part of the Gulf Coast so that everyone can enjoy the views, the sand and the sweep of gorgeous beauty Florida is blessed to have.

Some favorite spots for that? Opal Beach on the glistening Gulf Islands National Seashore, west of Navarre Beach. Pensacola Beach and its scenic pier. St. Andrews State Park, just east of Panama City Beach. Henderson State Park near Destin.

Many state parks here have camping for those who want to be closer to nature than a night club.

This region also is home to intriguing sights, chiefly the National Naval Aviation Museum, home to the acrobatic flying team the Blue Angels. The nicely cared for Pensacola historic district has architecture dating back to 1805. Families with young children should try the small Gulf Breeze zoo.

Mostly, though, the Panhandle is all about the beach. It has been given two nicknames: the Redneck Riviera and The Emerald Coast. Both are true.

You can get fried green tomatoes in the restaurants. Cheese grits are a big thing. A bar straddling the state line with Alabama has a mullet-throwing contest.

Emerald Coast? The water her really is clear and crystalline with a natural emerald color not caused by algae or man but by a miracle of nature.

In the Panhandle, like the Florida Keys, the southern-facing beaches mean you get to see the sunrise and the sunset.