Hanging Out in the Florida Panhandle

Wintering at the Beach!

If you have never visited the white, sandy beaches of South Walton County, Florida, you are truly missing out.  The Emerald Coast is hands down the most beautiful I have seen.   Stunning nature and white sand beaches with waters that only the Caribbean could come close to.  There are tons of restaurants to chose from and shopping is huge here, of course.  There are also loads of bike rentals and water activities for the family.  It definitely has a great family atmosphere.  So if you are looking for a new vacation spot, check out Santa Rosa Beach.

Here is a list of some of the restaurants we ate at during our stay and just for the record, we did cook some nights!

The Local Catch is located on 30A between Blue Mountain Beach and Gulf Place Town Center.  They serve coastal seafood with a Southern twist in a casual environment.

The Bay, which is located on Hwy 331 overlooking Choctawhatchee Bay, serves Southern gulf coast cuisine, sushi, a 12-draft beer system, excellent wine selections, and inventive bar-crafted cocktails. Seating is available inside and out.

The Perfect Pig has 3 locations; Gulf Place, Watercolor, and Seagrove.  Their menu features fresh local grouper, pulled pork, and hand-sliced, applewood smoked bacon.  We visited two out of the three locations for breakfast and were not disappointed with either meal.

Pizza by the Sea has four locations on Florida’s Emerald Coast, Watercolor Crossings, Gulf Place Town Center, Seacrest, and Miramar Beach.  The restaurants specialize in a wonderfully thin crust pizza and also feature a great selection of fresh Italian cuisine, salads, sandwiches, retro sodas, beer, and wine.  They are a family-friendly pizza place.  Since D is a huge fan of thin crust, we were weekly regulars here.

Grayton Seafood Company is a nice neighborhood gathering spot and seafood restaurant on scenic 30A in Grayton Beach, Florida.  The owner is super friendly and very understanding of seafood allergies!

The Great Southern Cafe is located in the heart of Seaside and is well known. The owner and chef, Jim Shirley, prides himself by using local ingredients in international cuisines with a southern flair.  He also owns North Beach Tortilla Company, The Bay, Ji Shi KiChn, and  The Meltdown on 30A.  He is also the co-owner of The Fish House, The Atlas Oyster House, and The Fish House Deck Bar in Pensacola, Florida.

A few honorable mentions include; Chiringo, Basmati's Asian Cuisine, Johnny McTighe's Irish Pub, Blue Mabel Smokehouse, Farm & Fire Southern Pizzeria,  Siam Thai Cuisine, and Chop Stix Chinese Restaurant 

My Sisters Come for a Quick Visit 

In February, my sweet sisters flew down to visit for a week.  My daughter-in-law was away in NYC for fashion week and bummed that she wasn't going be there during their visit.  So we decided that they will just have to come back next year when it's not fashion week so we can all hang out together. 

During the week we, of course, shopped, took walks on the beach, dined out, and then shopped some more.  Their visit overlapped with Valentine's Day so Dennis treated us all out to dinner at Mimmo's Italian Restaurant in Destin and afterward, my son headed to the airport to pick up his homesick wife.  The next morning it was my turn to drive to the airport and drop my sisters off.  I'm always so surprised how time flies when you are with loved ones.  So until we are together again..hugs to my sisters!

 Putting our Remodel Skills to Work!

 

During our stay, I helped out with a few improvements that my son and D-I-L wanted to make on their new home.  First on the list was painting all of the walls and ceilings.  By the time we moved out, most of the first floor rooms were done.  Unfortunately, they have two more floors to go.  Sorry kiddos but the reservations at our next campground were booked and the road was calling.  Whew!  Got out of that!

We also had a time of sadness during our stay.  We had to say goodbye to sweet little Desi.  She was a huge part of our lives and will always be in our hearts.

A big thank you to R & V for the hot showers, room to stretch a little bit, and of course, the hospitality!  We love the new house and can't wait to meet the newest family member in person.  Welcome to the family, Huddy!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

On Christmas Eve, we packed an overnight bag and headed back up to Georgia, leaving Ivan at Wekiva Falls.  My son and daughter-in-law were gracious once again to welcome us with open arms and had agreed to host Christmas in their new home this year. 

My oldest son and daughter-in-law, who had also just bought a new home in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, also drove up to join us for the holiday.  We all spent the night and got up the next morning to the house full of toys and gifts!  Gotta love Christmas!

The granddaughters both got new bikes and once breakfast was over - thanks Ali for doing the cooking - and all of the gifts were open, the girls hit the road to try them out.  I still can't get over how grown the girls are now! Riding bikes already!  Update: Izzy has since learned to ride her bike without training wheels!  Way to go Izzy!

Back in November, my sweet daughters-in-law had arranged for us to have family photos taken at a local park as one of my Christmas gifts.  Here are a few of them.  One of the best gifts ever!

Putting Ivan in storage for 2 months and moving over to 30A!

 

Enjoy your rest Ivan

After Christmas was over, we headed back down to Sanford, Florida to prepare Ivan for a two-month rest in storage.  My oldest son had invited us to stay with them at there new home in Santa Rosa Beach.  Two months of free rent and a block from to the sugary sand of Blue Mountain Beach!  Well, Duh, we said yes! 

New Year's Eve 2020! Can you believe it? 

For the New Year celebration, the family once again gathered together but this time at my oldest son's new home in Florida.  What a perfect way to bring in the new year.  Sun, sand, and family! 

 On New Year's Eve, we went to The Hub on 30A.  The Hub is a festive gathering place for friends and families to eat, drink, shop, play, and relax.  Several restaurants and a bar featuring everything you can dream up; from burgers to seafood, fried chicken, pizza, healthy wraps, BBQ, ice cream, and cocktail concoctions.  The restaurants are situated around a lawn and patio area with comfortable seating, fireplaces, event stage, and jumbotron.  You'll find plenty of live music concerts and other entertainment such as sports or movies on the big screen.  There's something happening every night and on New Years' Eve they have a countdown for the kiddos with a beach ball drop.

2020 Beach Ball Drop at The Hub

The Hub on New Year's Eve

New Years' day we dove two miles down the road to another local favorite restaurant located at Gulf Place called Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar.  After a great lunch and another year behind us, my middle son and his family packed up and headed back to Georgia.  I can only hope that this will become our new holiday tradition for I can't think of a better beginning to a new year than this!

Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar

As for the four of us, we will continue hanging out on 30A till the spring winds take us on the road again.

Sunny Flordia and Birthday Cruise

Since we had gotten a late start on Friday due to having to pick up Ivan at the repair shop, we decided to stop at a halfway point which put us in Hahira, GA just north of Valdosta.  We found Cain Creekside RV Park through Passport-America that had a spot available.

It turned out to be a nice pull-thru site facing a small pond with privacy fences on both sides.   We paid only $25 due to our Passport-America membership for the one night and the park was very quiet and easy to get right back on the interstate the next morning.

Wekiva Falls

 

After a four hour drive, we arrived at Wekiva Falls RV Resort in Sorrento, FL.  The park is a pretty good size with over 500 full hook-up sites and they escort you to your site and help you get backed in.  The site they had originally booked us at turned out to be too narrow.  We were not able to deploy our slide outs due to a large palm tree.  The guy was nice enough to ride me around in his golf cart and let me pick out a new site from several that were available.  Our only advice to anyone visiting this park is to know that the ground is very soft, so expect your wheels to sink into the sandy soil.  I imagine if there's a lot of rain it could become an issue.  We luckily didn't have a problem getting back out.


After getting settled, we decided to head into Sanford to pick up a few groceries and items for our upcoming cruise.   Of course, we ate first cause everyone knows you never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach so we decided to grab a bite to eat first!

My sister has told me quite often that one of her son's favorite places to eat is Red Robin but since I don't eat burgers we've never visited one. 

I finally took the time to look at their menu and found out they have the impossible burger so we gave it a try.  It's been 25 years since I gave up red meat and I am here to tell you if you are a vegetarian/vegan/pescatarian and have not tried the impossible burger, you are missing out.  It is the closest I have tasted in all the years to a real burger.  I am sold on the impossible burger and I'm pretty sure we will be eating at Red Robin more often now.

Cruising with family and new friends

On Sunday morning we got up early and drove to Cape Canaveral to meet up with D's sister, Dawn, her husband Jerry, and a couple of friends that were going on our birthday cruise.  I am very excited about hanging out with Dawn and Jerry for a whole week.  Both of our birthdays are in December and this has been on my bucket list for a while.

Our cruise started out great but then on day two the sea got a little rough and yes that's when the seasickness set in.  I had lost my patch and was not a happy camper!  Who knew the ship infirmary doesn't even carry transdermal patches on board. Insane!  Luckily we got them to move us to a room closer to the center of the boat. That made a huge difference.  We also found out that eating green apples really helps settle your stomach as well! 

By the third day, the waters had calmed and I was able to join everyone again.  So back to doing what everyone does on a cruise.   Eat, drink, & repeat.  I think I have definitely decided I am not really a big cruise fan.  If we ever do decide to take another one it will be to Alaska.  Now that might be worth taking the risk of being sick on a boat! 

Papantla Flying Men

Our first port of call was Costa Maya, Mexico. We watched the aerial dance of the Papantla Flying Men in the Mayan village in the city of Mahahual.  This tradition has been around for 500 years and it is now protected by UNESCO.

Five men climb a 98-foot tall pole and then four of the five launch themselves at the same time, tied to the pole with ropes to descend to the ground. The fifth man dances on top of the pole playing a drum and a flute while bending fully backward to acknowledge the god of the sun. It was really a sight to behold.

Afterward, we walked around the village and visited the Diamond International Shop where Dawn bought a beautiful ruby ring.  By then the weather was pretty warm so we decided to head back to the ship since I was still getting over being seasick.  Plus the food and booze on the ship are free!

Our Next Port of Call was Cozumel

Once my feet was on solid ground, we decided to hit the shops in order to buy a few bottles of Mexico's famous vanilla extract.  We were told it is one of the items that is a must-buy when you are there.  I bought one bottle of clear since I have never seen it sold in clear here in the states.  Dawn bought several bottles of both! Well let you guys know if it was worth fighting the crowds for when I use it.

Afterward, we went on a scavenger hunt for charms.  Since Dawn has been on several cruises before she knew about this charm bracelet that Diamonds International give away free.  Come to find out a lot of the jewelry stores there also give you a free charm to go just for the asking.  I think all in all we got five between the two ports.

A Song and a Dance for the price of a beer! 

Once all the shopping was over we met back up for a quick drink at where else... Señor Frogs.  I think I had forgotten how insane the place is.  Not only do they make everyone wear a balloon hat but the feel you up when you get a shot.  I thought Jerry was going to die when she put her hands all over him.  I have to admit the guys were a good sport about it.  Although I can't say the same thing about D wearing his balloon hat. The man tossed it on the floor.  Who does that?  Dawn and I wore ours all the way back to the boat.  And with pride too!!

At the end of the week, we said our sad goodbyes as we went our separate ways.  We drove back to Sorrento Florida to our home away from no home and Jerry and Dawn went to spend a few more days with their friends, Deb and Bill.  We enjoyed getting to meet them and hope they decide to join us again on our next adventures with J&D.  Maybe.....Alaska!?! Hint, Hint Dawn!

Turkey and Repairs

Stone Mountain Heights RV Park

Today we moved a whole 11 miles over to Stone Mountain Heights RV Park.  Normally we only move on the weekends since D works during the week but for some reason, the park did not want us coming in on the weekend and requested we arrive by 3pm.  I'm assuming it was because of Atlanta traffic being such a bear and can cause your arrival to be unpredictable the closer you get to rush hour. Anyone who lives in Atlanta or has ever past through knows rush hour is now from 6 am to 7pm with no breaks between!  Not as bad as Boston but it's getting pretty darn close in my opinion. Anyway, D ended up taking the morning off so we could move.  

One of our nightly visitor

View of Stone Mountain from
Walmart

I have to admit I had no idea this park was even here and I grew up here! I can't tell you how many times I have driven down Hwy 78 and have never noticed this place!  So I was a little shocked to have found out that it had been here for years but use to be a mobile home park.  It now operates mainly as an RV park, is tons cheaper than staying inside the park, the sites are really huge, and the cell signal for D to work was perfect.  There are a few mobile homes still in the park but they are all very well kept.  It's also very quiet and they have deer and ducks that roam free. We did have a little bit of a time getting the 5th wheel level but finally figured it out. So heads up if you stay here make sure you get a level site.

We have in the past stayed at the campground within Stone Mountain Park but the cell coverage was not adequate enough for D to work plus they have a 14-day max.  We were pleased to have found this park and to discover it is only 8 miles from our granddaughters! Whenever we come back home we hope to stay here again.

Hanging with my BFF - aka my sister!

One of the hardest things about being on the road is leaving family behind.  I can't tell you how much I prayed over this very thing.  Not only leaving my sons and their families but also my sisters!  My sisters have been my rock during some of the hardest times of my life.  They have lived through every high and every low with me and I love them more than words can say.  With the loss of our mom when we

were all still in our 30's and then with the passing of my youngest son a few years ago, our bond is even closer.  I didn't think that was even possible but I have to say I wouldn't know what to do without my sisters to lean on. 

My oldest sister has always has been my "mom".  I tease her about it but she also knows it true.  I count on her to tell me the truth and to keep me in line.  As far back as I can remember, she has been the one who has tried to teach me right from wrong, how to dress, how to wear my hair, and most importantly, how to love.  My middle sister is the most loyal person I know.  She never judges you and will carry your deepest, darkest secrets to her grave. She is a friend for life!  I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed meeting up with her every week to shop, eat, and just hang out.  If I could only talk her into joining us on the road. Hint, hint!

I do have a brother that I don't get to see as often as I would like, so before we head out of town again my sister made sure we met up him for a quick bite.  I pray often for his health and to keep his sons in uniform safe.

Family Time

The week of Thanksgiving, the parts for the repairs to the side panel were due in, so we packed a suitcase, hauled the 5th wheel over to National Indoor RV Center in Buford, and moved in with my son and family.  Their new house that they had recently moved into is absolutely beautiful.  They had our room all made up and ready for us.  It was such a blessing to be able to hang out with them and see the granddaughters on a daily basis

During our week, we went shopping for new eyeglasses for the girls, went to see Frozen II, and prepared Thanksgiving dinner.  But before you knew it the week was over and the 5th wheel was ready to roll.  A big heartfelt thank you to my son for welcoming us into your home and making us feel so welcomed. 

D showing off O's mad drawing skillz

On Saturday, we say goodbye to family until Christmas and head over to pick up the 5th wheel - aka Ivan the Silverback - and head South to Florida to catch a cruise!