STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

I was just there last week, and we go there 3-4 times a year. It's beautiful. The sand is absolutely white and the water is blue blue blue.

I've never stayed at pelican-beach, we usually rent houses instead of high rise condo-type places.

One of my favorite places to stay that is budget friendly is Capri by the Gulf. It's one of the last one story condo/hotels directly on the beach in the Gulf Coast. Some of them are really nice and other's are decorated in the old Florida style a la The Golden Girls, but the prices are amazing...plus you are literally steps from the sand. Each of the condo's is individually owned, so tracking them down may be a little difficult, but here is a website that has a few listings http://www.premiervacationresorts.net/cgi-bin/webdata_pro.pl?_cgifunction=Search&_layout=Rental%20Listings&rentalunits.placeonline=Yes
also www.beachguide.com and http://rentalo.com/205932/capriby.html
you might also try calling the manager's office, I couldn't find the number online but i'm sure if you called information for Destin, they would have it. We've stayed in really upscale beach homes, and while these aren't as nice as those, they are still our favorite just because of the atmosphere.

You should also try www.oceanreefresorts.com, that's the company we almost always rent through. They have a lot of choices.

Places you MUST eat:
1. Dewey Destin's. It looks like a floating shack, but it's seriously the best seafood in Destin. It's mainly a place that locals go to, because tourist haven't really discovered it.
2. Pompano Joe's
3. The Crab Trap

I highly recommend spending a day in Seaside, it's about 15 minutes east of Destin and it's where they filmed "The Truman Show" with Jim Carrey. It's one of my favorite places in the world. www.seasidefl.com

Also the shopping is AMAZING. They have a big outlet mall www.silversandsoutlet.com, which has Saks Off Fifth, Coach, J.Crew, Brooks Brothers, and a ton of other stores. Destin Commons is also great. It's an outdoor mall, with a good mix of mall type stores and local boutiques, if you go, you have to stop in The Zoo Gallery, it's one of my favorite stores in Destin. They have 3 locations, one in Destin Commons, one at The Market Shops, and one at Grayton Beach which is in between  Destin and Seaside.

Another fun place is Baytowne Wharf. www.baytownewharf.com. It's a fun place to walk around and shop and eat.

Can you tell I love Destin? It really is my favorite place to be. I hope to eventually move down there for good, but have to settle for short visits in the mean time.

If you have any questions just let me know! You're going to have a great time.
You should also consider having family pictures done while you're there, i have recommendations for that as well, if you're interested!

i went a few years ago and i agree you have to go to that little town where they filmed the truman show it is unreal! Crab Trap was also good, I'm forgetting the name of another place, it was kind of a tongue twister, ill think about it, they had live alligators there and such it was really fun and great seafood.