Destin/Pensecola FL Spring Break Ideas?

SkiPharmer

SkiPharmer

Active Member
Jul 27, 2014
282
St. Croix River, MN
Boat Info
2001 Formula 41 Performance Cruiser
Engines
Twin 8.2. Liter Mercruisers Direct Drives
We will have a three year old and a 6 year old this March and are thinking of driving down to the panhandle area (from MN) to spend 4 nights or so somewhere warm and drive back for spring break. Thoughts of where to stay? Crab Island looks fun! Is it easy to rent a boat and go there? Things we want: decent place with a pool and easy access to the beach, kids activities, decent places to eat. I’ve never rented a boat, I’ve had one for 16 years (330 Sundancer for the last 5). Anyone with any beta? Thanks!
 
Most any place in Destin or on Okaloosa Island will do you just fine; call around for the best deal and location to kid stuff. You can pretty much rent a pontoon boat anywhere. Some places have coupons on boat rentals.
Most of the Crab Island stuff has pretty much shut down for the season but it's still a good time.

So come on down and visit the Emerald Coast; AKA "Red Neck Riviera"
 
stephens013 said:
Most any place in Destin or on Okaloosa Island will do you just fine; call around for the best deal and location to kid stuff. You can pretty much rent a pontoon boat anywhere. Some places have coupons on boat rentals.
Most of the Crab Island stuff has pretty much shut down for the season but it's still a good time.

So come on down and visit the Emerald Coast; AKA "Red Neck Riviera"
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we would be down in March for spring Break. When does the crab island stuff open? Would a pontoon boat be sufficient for cruising around?
 
Pontoon boats are perfect for a crab island excursion.
CrAb Island doesn't really start taking off until May. Water is a bit frosty till then.
 
stephens013 said:
Pontoon boats are perfect for a crab island excursion.
CrAb Island doesn't really start taking off until May. Water is a bit frosty till then.
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So the ocean water isn’t warm enough to swim in? Remind you we are coming from MN :) what is the water temp usually
 
Okaloosa County and Destin are clamping down on the Crab Island activity. Permanent anchoring of party barges selling drinks/food is going to be prohibited.....not sure when this become effective. This has been an area that has pretty much been unpoliced for years and there are a lot of water rescues and 911 calls from the area primarily due to uncontrolled alcohol sales. This is definitely not the place to take a 3 and 4 year old, or hasn't been in recent years.

There are very few places to beach or anchor a pontoon boat in protected water in Destin, other than just putt around in the bay. As an alternative, consider Panama City Beach which is a family oriented vacation area. Tons of kid oriented activity for all ages. Best of all, there is a barrier island separating Panama City from the Gulf. You can rent a pontoon boat and go anywhere behind a 12 mile Long Island and anchor or beach the rental boat on the bay side in an area that looks like a Caribbean Island, then walk across the island to the Gulf to enjoy the surf. The owner of our dealership/marina has a fleet of well maintained pontoon boats and a few Boston Whalers...other pontoon boat rentals can be kind of sketchy as the boats get old and maintenance isn't regular. Just be careful with any rental on the coast.

Weather is a crap shoot in early March......it can be rainy and windy one day than 70 degrees and sunny the next. It is a great area to visit.....you won't want to go home. Who knows, you might find a CSR member in town and snag a dolphin excursion for free................
 
I'm not disagreeing with anything said but others. I will add an option or three for your consideration: Gulf Shores, AL; Orange Beach, AL; Perdido Key, FL.
 
fwebster said:
Okaloosa County and Destin are clamping down on the Crab Island activity. Permanent anchoring of party barges selling drinks/food is going to be prohibited.....not sure when this become effective. This has been an area that has pretty much been unpoliced for years and there are a lot of water rescues and 911 calls from the area primarily due to uncontrolled alcohol sales. This is definitely not the place to take a 3 and 4 year old, or hasn't been in recent years.

There are very few places to beach or anchor a pontoon boat in protected water in Destin, other than just putt around in the bay. As an alternative, consider Panama City Beach which is a family oriented vacation area. Tons of kid oriented activity for all ages. Best of all, there is a barrier island separating Panama City from the Gulf. You can rent a pontoon boat and go anywhere behind a 12 mile Long Island and anchor or beach the rental boat on the bay side in an area that looks like a Caribbean Island, then walk across the island to the Gulf to enjoy the surf. The owner of our dealership/marina has a fleet of well maintained pontoon boats and a few Boston Whalers...other pontoon boat rentals can be kind of sketchy as the boats get old and maintenance isn't regular. Just be careful with any rental on the coast.

Weather is a crap shoot in early March......it can be rainy and windy one day than 70 degrees and sunny the next. It is a great area to visit.....you won't want to go home. Who knows, you might find a CSR member in town and snag a dolphin excursion for free................
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Isn’t PCB filled with crazy spring breakers? I’d totally would pay for gas plus some if I knew someone with a boat on CSR down there! Got any leads?
 
fwebster said:
Okaloosa County and Destin are clamping down on the Crab Island activity. Permanent anchoring of party barges selling drinks/food is going to be prohibited.....not sure when this become effective. This has been an area that has pretty much been unpoliced for years and there are a lot of water rescues and 911 calls from the area primarily due to uncontrolled alcohol sales. This is definitely not the place to take a 3 and 4 year old, or hasn't been in recent years.

There are very few places to beach or anchor a pontoon boat in protected water in Destin, other than just putt around in the bay. As an alternative, consider Panama City Beach which is a family oriented vacation area. Tons of kid oriented activity for all ages. Best of all, there is a barrier island separating Panama City from the Gulf. You can rent a pontoon boat and go anywhere behind a 12 mile Long Island and anchor or beach the rental boat on the bay side in an area that looks like a Caribbean Island, then walk across the island to the Gulf to enjoy the surf. The owner of our dealership/marina has a fleet of well maintained pontoon boats and a few Boston Whalers...other pontoon boat rentals can be kind of sketchy as the boats get old and maintenance isn't regular. Just be careful with any rental on the coast.

Weather is a crap shoot in early March......it can be rainy and windy one day than 70 degrees and sunny the next. It is a great area to visit.....you won't want to go home. Who knows, you might find a CSR member in town and snag a dolphin excursion for free................
Click to expand...

Frank is right about Destin; kind of a mad house with all the pontoon boats roaming around. I live here but go out west of Ft Walton to beach and play.

Last I looked all the crab island floating vendors where gone. Some of them are parked in my marina. Season is over.

Water temp is a bit frosty for me till late April. Till then I’m at my favorite beach bar watching snow birds frolic in the surf.
 
We don’t have much of a Spring Break now. Dealing with wild drunk college age kids has forced the mayor and co commission to enact and enforce new laws that prohibit alcohol on the beach and prevent serving alcohol after 2am.

We live here most of the time and and spring breakers never was much of a problem. Our house in on the west end of the beach which has always been quiet because it is primarily small condos and single family homes. Destin and Pensacola seem to have captured the Spring Break crowd after PCB made them unwelcome here.

As far as a boat owner here, if we can agree on a schedule, and are in town, you guys can go out with us for a day you won’t forget.
 
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Why not drive for a few more hours and head further south? Not to knock the panhandle, but there are better places to go IMO with young children in March no less. Sanibel Island comes to mind. Warmer water, beautiful beaches, and a true family oriented environment.

Just my 2 cents - from a former long time Florida resident.
 
M Prod said:
Why not drive for a few more hours and head further south? Not to knock the panhandle, but there are better places to go IMO with young children in March no less. Sanibel Island comes to mind. Warmer water, beautiful beaches, and a true family oriented environment.

Just my 2 cents - from a former long time Florida resident.
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After doing some research the panhandle won’t quite be warm enough...what other places would you recommend?
 
fwebster said:
Okaloosa County and Destin are clamping down on the Crab Island activity. Permanent anchoring of party barges selling drinks/food is going to be prohibited.....not sure when this become effective. This has been an area that has pretty much been unpoliced for years and there are a lot of water rescues and 911 calls from the area primarily due to uncontrolled alcohol sales. This is definitely not the place to take a 3 and 4 year old, or hasn't been in recent years.

There are very few places to beach or anchor a pontoon boat in protected water in Destin, other than just putt around in the bay. As an alternative, consider Panama City Beach which is a family oriented vacation area. Tons of kid oriented activity for all ages. Best of all, there is a barrier island separating Panama City from the Gulf. You can rent a pontoon boat and go anywhere behind a 12 mile Long Island and anchor or beach the rental boat on the bay side in an area that looks like a Caribbean Island, then walk across the island to the Gulf to enjoy the surf. The owner of our dealership/marina has a fleet of well maintained pontoon boats and a few Boston Whalers...other pontoon boat rentals can be kind of sketchy as the boats get old and maintenance isn't regular. Just be careful with any rental on the coast.

Weather is a crap shoot in early March......it can be rainy and windy one day than 70 degrees and sunny the next. It is a great area to visit.....you won't want to go home. Who knows, you might find a CSR member in town and snag a dolphin excursion for free................
Click to expand...
I would agree with Frank that Panama City is a good gulf destination. We have gone down there a few times at Christmas and enough is open to have a good time....we have also rented pontoons down there, it is a once and done experience but fun for a day. March break would only be a better experience with weather and more open.
 
We love treasure island outside of Tampa.
 
I wouldn't right off the pan handle as a march destination because it isn't warm enough... You just never know the odds are, its nice enough.... To go another 8 hours after a 20 hour plus trip with two young kids... Would be a deterrent to me
 
We booked an awesome place in Siesta Key! Can't wait! We plan on renting a small runabout for a half day or so. Any suggestions to do or see down there! Thanks!
 
If you want to do a fun overnite trip (if boat rental will let you) you could take the ICW down to Cabbage key about 55 miles, spend the night and head back the next day. All kinds of places to explore, Cayo Costa park, Boca Grande etc. Easy navigation.
 
SkiPharmer said:
We booked an awesome place in Siesta Key! Can't wait! We plan on renting a small runabout for a half day or so. Any suggestions to do or see down there! Thanks!
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If you rent from CBs, they will provide a pretty good map of places to go. With a half day rental, you probably will have to choose whether to go North of South. If you go South, I would anchor at Snake Island by Venice Inlet, and also pull up at the beach that they point out on the map where you beach on the ICW side, and then walk across to the Gulf Beach. You could also stop at Pop's in Venice for something to eat on the trip.

Heading North, you could anchor in the cove at New Passat the south end of Longboat Key (just under the bridge between Longboat and City Island) and also cruise into Marina Jack's to eat, or stop at New Pass Grill or Old Salty Dog.

Have a great trip!
 
Mikemapva said:
If you rent from CBs, they will provide a pretty good map of places to go. With a half day rental, you probably will have to choose whether to go North of South. If you go South, I would anchor at Snake Island by Venice Inlet, and also pull up at the beach that they point out on the map where you beach on the ICW side, and then walk across to the Gulf Beach. You could also stop at Pop's in Venice for something to eat on the trip.

Heading North, you could anchor in the cove at New Passat the south end of Longboat Key (just under the bridge between Longboat and City Island) and also cruise into Marina Jack's to eat, or stop at New Pass Grill or Old Salty Dog.

Have a great trip!
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Do you suggesting renting from there? Or where else?
 
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