Destin, FL Named One of America’s Top 5 Beach Towns for Summer Road Trips
We’re excited to report that Destin, FL is getting plenty of positive press this summer! In addition to being recognized for having the best beaches in Florida, our Emerald Coast city was recently named one of America’s top five beach towns for road trips. Destin’s latest award comes from CarRentals.com, a sister company of the popular travel website Expedia.
According to the writer of the piece, Chris Killen, Destin was chosen for the article because visitors will find so many great attractions and activities that can be enjoyed in just one day. Killen told The Destin Log, “Why is Destin one of our best beach towns? Because you can catch a mahi-mahi, play a few games of beach volleyball, and go for a swim in the waters of the Emerald Coast all before dinner time.”
Notably, Destin, FL was the only beach town in the Southeast chosen for the article. Other cities profiled in the blog include Traverse City, MI, Newport Beach, CA, Narragansett, RI, and Galveston, TX.
How Far Are You From Destin?
Destin is such a great destination for road trips because of its proximity to many of the nation’s major cities. If you live in the Southeast, there is a good chance that you’re only a day’s drive from The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village. Below, you will find the approximate time it takes to drive to Destin from some of the South’s largest cities (please note that traffic can be variable):
- Mobile, AL – 2 hours
- Montgomery, AL – 3 hours
- Birmingham, AL – 4 hours, 20 minutes
- New Orleans, LA – 4 hours
- Baton Rouge, LA – 4 hours, 50 minutes
- Jackson, MS – 5 hours
- Atlanta, GA – 5 hours
- Chattanooga, TN – 6 hours
- Tallahassee, FL – 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Jacksonville, FL – 4 hours, 40 minutes
- Orlando, FL – 5 hours, 50 minutes
For those who live too far away from Destin to drive, flying into the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport is a great alternative. The airport is home to a number of car rental companies, so you can still enjoy cruising around Destin even if you fly to the Emerald Coast!
Scenic Drives in Destin
The Destin area boasts a number of lovely drives where you can soak up the coast’s spectacular scenery. Here are a few of our favorite places to roll the windows down and take in the views:
• Scenic Highway 30A is a 24-mile byway that stretches along the Gulf of Mexico coastline, passing white sand beaches and coastal dune lakes.
• The 7.5-mile long drive from Destin to Fort Walton Beach along U.S. 98 takes auto tourists across a bridge over the East Pass of Destin Harbor and includes an extended journey through Okaloosa Island.
• Scenic Highway 98 is a breathtaking 5-mile road that runs right along the water and features lots of beach access areas.
Where to Stay in Destin
Located adjacent to Henderson Beach State Park on Scenic Highway 98, the Henderson Park Inn is Destin’s most romantic place to stay. Boasting a private white sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico, complimentary breakfast and lunch, an award-winning onsite restaurant, and beautifully appointed accommodations, our adults only hotel is perfect for honeymoons, weddings, anniversaries, and other couples’ retreats.
The Henderson Park Inn has been recognized with the Conde Nast Johansens Award for Excellence and voted the most romantic hotel in America by the users of About.com and TripAdvisor.com. To start planning your getaway, browse our selection of Destin hotel rooms!