We were all sad to say goodbye to Florida! As we meandered our way west along the Gulf Coast, we passed through Miramar Beach and Destin - wow, stunning! The rumors are true - the sand really is SO white. Several pontoons were anchored near little islands with people out walking across shallow sand bars in the emerald waters.
Destin was a perfect lunch stopping point for us, so we pulled over in a parking lot right between Whole Foods (my favorite) and Bass Pro Shop (the boys' favorite.) It's fantastic when we can cross grocery shopping off our list en route.
Our last stretch of Florida took us down the beaches of Perdido Key, which also boasts amazing white sands and dunes. Evidence of this year's hurricane season are still noticeable here and there, and huge glass condo buildings rise along the beach horizon.
A "Sweet Home Alabama" sign welcomed us to the Roll Tide state. Per the recommendations of a good friend, we stopped at FLORA-BAMA, a restaurant + bar right on the state line. It was just a really laid back kind of dive, and I loved it! Digging my toes in the sand out back while we ordered, all while watching the kids run around on the beach and boats pull up to the dock was pretty relaxing.
The beautiful beaches continued as we merged right into the town of Orange Beach. The dunes made this beach feel a little more natural, and the shoreline was almost in a scalloped pattern. I'm not sure if that's part of the aftermath from a rough hurricane season, but it's quite pretty.
Pandion Ridge RV Resort was our home base here, and we really enjoyed the campground. It was nice and open, sites spread out with ample space, roadways were wide for maneuvering, plus a pool, hiking/biking trails and huge fishing pond.