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Road Trip In Progress…

True to our 2011 resolution, which inspired us to sneak off to Maui last year, this year we’ve road tripped down to Destin, Florida so we can soak up some rays and recharge our drill DIY batteries.

Beach Pic Sand

Turns out even if you love painting and sanding and stripping wallpaper, it’s nice to step away from the primer and the sawdust to reboot for a week with your family. And since we had already driven down to Atlanta last week for the Haven Conference, we figured why stop there when the beautiful gulf coast was a half-day drive away…

Beach Pic1

Destin was our destination of choice because our good friends the Bowers have said such great things about it. Oh, and did I mention the Bowers came with us?

Panorama

We do plan to drop in a few times throughout the next five days with some posts that we wrote up before we left (we have an awesome $1,000+ international giveaway that we’ll share tomorrow morning along with some other things, like a sweet Reader Redesign). But our main goal is to recharge, put the laptops down, and show Clara a good time.

Beach Pic Clara

So we’ll just be stopping by every once in a while until next Monday (please forgive us if we’re not actively answering comments until then). We can’t wait to come back refreshed, inspired, and ready to tackle everything on our beefy to-do list. If only we could coerce our house sitters into painting some blue trim while they’re there (we have a few friends and family members who are taking turns moving in to stare at the wallpaper hang out while we’re gone).

Dining Room2

What do you think the odds are of them surprising us with some painted trim when we return? Methinks it’s zero point zero zero. So we’re grateful that this is the only blue that we’ll be staring at for the next few days:

Beach Pic Blue

Naaaature! (said in the voice of Robert Goulet, of course).

Comments

  11. Amy says

    My favorite vacation destination!!! Crab Island is the BEST!!! Love boating out to the underwater island and playing with all the little hermies!!! Have the BEST TIME!!!

    Reply

  13. Kristin says

    Happy Vacation! I grew up going to Destin every year for vacation, since we lived only 3 hours away in south Mississippi. Moving to Nashville put a cramp in our beach time, but we’ll be going to Destin this Sunday-woohoo!

    You need to check out Another Broken Egg Cafe and Maguires Irish Pub while you’re there. They’re both fantastic! Also, if you feel like you’ve burned enough calories in the sand and sun, you need to get a filled doughnut at the Donut Hole Bakery. You will not be disappointed. Can you tell I basically go on foodcations? :)

    Have a great time!

    Reply

    • Laura says

      To add to Kristin’s suggestions, visit Crust Pizzeria for some AWESOME pizza. Pepito’s Mexican Restaurant has better fish tacos than Pompano Joe’s (and cheaper too!). And Fudpucker’s is just fun with the adjoining arcade for Clara.

      Have fun!

    • Kathy S. says

      We vacation in Destin every year. I love it! So I have to chime in with a couple other suggestions. The Red Bar in Grayton Beach is definitely worth the drive, and in the evenings, the little Seaside is a fun place to hang out. They usually have free concerts and other fun things going on in the amphitheatre. Seaside is also where they filmed the movie, The Truman Show. Have a great time!

  14. Katy says

    Have fun on vacay, but please keep Clara OUT of the water near dusk and dawn – those are prime shark feeding times! Get good sunblock and go to the beach between 10-3 for the safest time in the water.

    Reply

    • amanda says

      I am pretty sure they’ve been to the beach before and managed to avoid getting eaten by sharks (!!) or getting full body sunburns. Lighten up! People, you don’t have to comment with warnings on every post they make.

    • Katy says

      Sorry, but I grew up in Florida and many many times saw people letting their toddlers swim on the beach at dusk and dawn less than 20 yards from where people were shark fishing and purposely putting blood in the water. It is not a good idea to swim at those times.

    • Jasmine says

      There was actually a shark attack in destin a few years ago while I was there visiting my grandparents who live there, so fair warning

    • amanda says

      I get it but this is just kind of a running theme that I’ve noticed here in the comments. If they say they’re going to get their chimney fixed, there’ll be someone in the comments telling them that they better not because Clara might see workers on the roof and then try to climb up there one day and fall. Or if they’re eating snowcones, a commenter feels the need to let them know that sometimes kids can eat a snowcone and then go home and try to swallow an entire ice cube and choke and die. Seriously, these are two 30something adult parents who have managed to keep a kid alive for over three consecutive years without shark attacks. Enough with all the “helpful warnings.”

    • Katy says

      Amanda-

      I wasn’t aware of that, I was just responding to the shot of Clara in the water at sunset. A lot of people take littles to the beach at sunrise and sunset to avoid sunburn and are oblivious to people shark fishing nearby. A lot of hotels and resorts have safety guides that warn people NOT to swim at dusk and dawn for that reason. Avoiding the water when people are pouring in chopped up fish to create a feeding frenzy is slightly less obvious than typical common-sense safety if you didn’t grow up on the gulf coast. The truth is that sharks swim all around you at the beach all day long – sometimes they’ll even bump into you. But you’re unlikely to be attacked unless it’s at dusk, dawn, or there is blood in the water.

  15. Savina says

    Eat at the Red Bar in Grayton Beach!! It is fabulous and there is so much to see there so the kids will love it. Lots of live music and cool eclectic art. And the food is superb.

    Reply

    • MaryB says

      I third that suggestion – along with a pre-or-post dinner drive down 30A to see all the fun little towns. Be sure to go all the way to Alys Beach. Have a wonderful vacation! :)

    • Megan says

      Yes, the Red Bar is a must! We go to Destin (well, actually Blue Mountain beach) every other year with my husband’s family. It’s a wonderful beach!

      You should also hit up Seaside, a cute little town that you all would love about 15 minutes from Destin (also near Grayton Beach and the Red Bar).

    • Dayna says

      Agree!! Its right off hwy 30A in Grayton, turn at the blinking red light and you can’t miss it. Ask any local and they’ll give you directions!

    • Sara says

      while on 30A stop at Blue Mountain Creamery….the best ice cream and homemade frozen yogurt!!! bring cash

      Also Bud and Alley’s in Seaside

  17. Melissa S. says

    Destin is only 40 minutes from me! Be sure to check out Baytown wharf, lots of cute little shops and a playground for the kids.

    Reply

  19. Melissa D says

    Destin is GORGEOUS! The beautiful water and soft sand they have there is so different from the eastern beaches of Florida. Enjoy your vacation!

    Reply

  23. Steph says

    Enjoy your vacation. You guys deserve it! I just got back from my beach vacation and am back to work today. I’d much rather be sitting on the beach sipping an iced coffee.

    Reply

  24. Ashleigh says

    SO Jealous. We go to Destin every year, and I will be there in less than four weeks. SO bummed we weren’t there at the same time…although, I’m sure you aren’t, because I would have been on Petersik watch the entire trip. :-)

    Reply

  26. Diane Taylor says

    Ahhh – someone needs to come up with a paint color called Destin blue…..it looks so peaceful. Enjoy your down time!

    Reply

  32. Amanda says

    Go to the end of Destin near Ft Walton and take the kids to the Jetty! I always find tons of shark teeth and awesome shells!

    Reply

  33. Lisa E says

    I agree with Lindsey, you totally should frame that shot of you and Clara. Beautiful! Enjoy, you so deserve this break!

    Reply

  35. Dawn says

    Enjoy! We’ve lived in south Georgia 5 years (if you took 75 down to Florida, you passed my house!), and have only been to the Gulf once. A trip to Destin or Panama City is on the agenda for next summer (this year we’re going to Disney!); if you have a great experience at your beach hotel/house, would you please pass along a recommendation?

    Reply

  36. Brit [House Updated] says

    So important to take a break and recharge! But I often spend my recharge time plotting new projects – I guess you can take a girl out of a DIY house but you can’t take the DIY out of the girl…

    Have so much fun!

    Reply

  41. Jess @ Little House. Big Heart. says

    Enjoy your vacay! It’s well deserved!

    BTW: It’s Florida scallop season right now, so if scallops are your thing and you get an opportunity to have a few, do! We had some when we visited Kev’s parents in Tampa and they were delicious!!

    Reply

  45. Maggie says

    Can’t recommend enough: Dewey Destins Harbour Side for a great- not touristy trap restaurant & Captain Guido Charters for a private chartered sunset sail or dolphin sail- very excellent rates & a fun captain who plays some great 50’s doo wop tunes.

    Have a great time!
    Maggie in Cincy

    Reply

  48. Dayna says

    Definitely plan a dinner at the Red Bar in Grayton beach – its mine and my husband’s FAVORITE restaurant of all time! They have great live music, awesome atmosphere (you won’t believe the décor!), its right on the beach so you can go for a walk while you wait for your table, and hands down the best food!!! Please let us know if you go there, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Plus if you drive just a tad further down 30A past Grayton, you’ll see Seaside which is where The Truman Show was filmed. Pretty much the cutest little beach down you’ve ever seen and a great place for the kids to ride their bikes or play on the grassy quad, or have a rooftop dinner at bud and alleys or lunch from the food trucks.

    Reply

    • Savina says

      Dayna I said the same thing about the Red Bar!! My cousin has worked there for years and is also a local artist. He painted one of the doors and some work on the inside too!

    • Dayna says

      I see some restaurant crashing/window shopping posts in the future if ya’ll get to head down 30A – like some others have mentioned, so many unique eclectic shops down that way.

    • Lindsay says

      The Red Bar is a must!!! My parents have a condo on Panama City Beach and we travel to Destin every year! Enjoy!!

  49. Lisa says

    Aw, you guys totally deserve a good break! We JUST vacationed in Destin a month ago. Would of loved being starstruck by seeing you guys (ha ha) my husband would’ve totally made fun of me. :)

    My two recommedations is a restaurant called The Back Porch. Everyone’s food was a-mazing. Also ice cream places were hard to find for us, but we found Brusters (on Emerald Coast Parkway) and that was pretty slammin as well.

    Relax and enjoy!

    Reply

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