Find Your Destiny in Sandestin

Before we get started, is there an award for cheesiest headline? Because I think I just won with this one. But I don’t care because, all dairy aside, I’m going to tell you about one of Texas’ favorite vacation destinations, Sandestin, Florida, and why you need to get there as soon as you can.

I admit to being a little reluctant to vacation at a Florida beach when the idea was first brought up years ago. I’d been to Miami, Key West, West Palm Beach and a few other locations throughout the years, and I thought they were fine. But beach-wise, I really didn’t think anything could top Hawaii or the Caribbean. Then I set foot in Sandestin and realized I had been a moron.

Sandestin lies smack dab in a part of Florida known as The Emerald Coast, which stretches along the top part of the state on the Gulf side. Good Morning America recently called the Emerald Coast one of the “10 Most Beautiful Places in America.” I call it one of the “10 Easiest Places to Drive to in the Car Instead of Paying Stupid Airfare.” But yes, beautiful, too.

This is the view from our balcony at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa. Not too shabby, huh? The Hilton is smack dab on the sugar white sands of the beach (it’s actually pure Appalachian quartz) and the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The sun’s reflection in the surf gives the water a gorgeous emerald-green color, hence the Emerald Coast nickname. Pictures really don’t do it justice, but note the yellow umbrellas, chaise lounges, private cabanas and deck chairs that dot the shoreline below. I just might be sitting in one of them! (I was not. I was upstairs in the room wondering why I forgot to pack underwear again and working out a contingency plan.)

We’ve stayed at the Hilton Sandestin twice, each time in the fall when the weather is still warm enough to go in the water, but not so hot you have perma-sweat. It’s a perfect fit for families due to the outside/inside nature of the layout, and the three pools (two outdoor, one indoor) that keep everyone occupied. We also had a lot of fun playing touch football on the sand until someone (me) touched someone else (my entire family) a little too hard, and then we had to continue the Boy Fun over on the resort’s basketball court. Tell me, mothers of daughters, what’s it like to not have bruises after a vacation?

Here’s a view from the resort’s pretty minigolf course that’s right on-site. I made it through that activity injury free!

There are 602 deluxe guest rooms and suites at the Hilton that all include balconies with partial or full gulf views. Rooms on the first floor also feature a covered patio. We prefer the Junior deluxe suites because they have bunk beds that are in a separate area, so you get a little more privacy and don’t have to hear the kids kicking each other in the same bed all night. Seriously, once they’re 12 and 14-years-old, it becomes like WWE up in there.

The Sandestin Hilton has six restaurants, making it very convenient to just stay on-site for meals, plus a luxury spa, fitness center, kid’s club (ages 5-12), game room, bike rentals, tennis courts, and nearby golf and shopping. We love going to the Village of Baytowne Wharf, right inside the Sandestin resort gates, for even more restaurants, plus cute shops, and plenty of kid activities like a ropes course, an arcade and a zipline. We had a lot of fun there, especially after a certain someone discovered that the Fat Tuesday Daiquiri Bar has to-go cups. TO-GO CUPS.

The Emerald Coast has plenty of other activities to offer, both natural (hiking) and unnatural (Big Kahuna’s Water Park), so even a week-long stay would keep you busy. One day we rented bikes and rode them down to the village of Seaside that is absolutely adorable. They have an awesome indie bookstore, too.

Of course, instead of actually leaving the property, you could instead just follow our lead and walk onto the Hilton’s deck, then hop onto the beach. Time spent with the sand and sea is always time well spent. Somebody smart said that once. It’s probably on a t-shirt. But come on—-just look at these pictures.

Aw, now I want to go back. Since my husband’s not willing to take me, how much would an Uber cost for 11 hours with frequent potty breaks and a Manilow playlist on the stereo? Not much, right? Less than twenty bucks?

At any rate, if you’re looking to spend a week, or even a few days, away with your family (or away from your family, I guess, because it’s perfect for lady trips, too), get to Sandestin, Florida. You’ll love it and everything it has to offer, I promise. And that’s not just the to-go daiquiris talking, either.