Visiting Destin in 2020

We have family in Destin, so we go there at least once a year. However, this year was little different. We visited in June 2020 during the pandemic. For the most part, we had been in our house for the prior 3 months. We weren’t sure what it was going to be like to fly again. We didn’t know if any activities would be available or what restaurants (if any) would be open. We were pleasantly surprised that we had another fantastic trip to Destin!

Getting There

We nervously decided to get on a plane and try it out. We were prepared with hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, and masks. Allegiant Airlines provided everyone with an awesome care package that included a disposable mask, alcohol wipes, and gloves. They also loaded the plane in small sections from the back of the plane to the front. This was so nice! We got right on and didn’t have to stand in a crowd of people waiting to get seated. The plane had more people than I expected. It was probably about 70% full. They were not keeping seats open that I could tell. We lucked out with a row to ourselves. Overall, I would feel safe flying on Allegiant again!

The Beach

The beaches in this area are phenomonal! The sand is soft and white while the water is very clear. The water is warmer and more shallow than the Atlantic side. The beaches seemed busier than usual. I am guessing because it was soon after things started opening up and many families just wanted to get out of the house….similar to us. Luckily I am socially awkward so social distancing was my thing before it was cool 😉

We spent one day at the beach at Tops’l. It was busy but we were able to keep our distance. We ate lunch there and the staff wore masks. The kids favorite part is always their frozen cocktail with whip cream! The main pool became too crowded for us so after lunch we ventured to a smaller one that only had a couple other kids. They were limiting the number of people allowed in the main pool area.

Another day we met some friends and ventured off to the CrabTrap. Unfortunately, I noticed the boys touching themselves (more than usual) after playing in the ocean for a couple hours. They were complaining about a stinging feeling in their suits. We think it was sea lice so we took a break and went to eat lunch. We had a table outside on the deck which was perfect. They had a good kids menu and gave them wiki sticks to play with while we waited. It is hard to find a parking spot here so be prepared. We took a golf cart which I recommend if possible. They offer plenty of specific spots just for golf carts.

Activities

Every year we try something new while mixing in some of our old favorites. This year one of our adventures was deep sea fishing! I had never been and was nervous about motion sickness. Due to this, my youngest son and myself took plenty of dramamine before we left. That seemed to do the trick. Unfortunately, it seemed to have a sedative effect as my son napped during the main event.

We used Destin Inshore Guides as our choice for the trip. They were great! The boat was clean and we were the only ones onboard besides the captain and his mate. My boys are obsessed with sharks so the captain was nice enough to take a little detour and found some to point out. It is a little freaky to know there are so many out there and not that far off shore!

Once we found our spot, the boys started their fishing while I peacefully watched and took pictures. They did a great job of helping the boys and making sure they got to reel some fish in and hold them. The time flew by! They caught Cobia, Grouper, and Snapper so we ended up keeping some red snapper for dinner. The captain does the yucky work and guts the fish for you once back at the dock. I would recommend Destin Inshore Guides if you are ready to do some family deep sea fishing!

We ventured to Baytowne Wharf one evening. Surprisingly it was not busy. The kids love it here. They have many activities such as zip lining and a ropes course. We grabbed some delicious gelato at Seaside Sweeteries. Then followed it up with a trip to the candy shop next door.

Every year we make a stop at LuLu’s. Again we ate outside and were not seated near anyone. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any toys out for the kids to play in the sand (understood, I just didn’t think to bring any). Never the less, we enjoyed the food and atmosphere.

We visited Destin Commons one day to stop at our favorite surf shop. Some of the stores required masks while others did not. The boys also always like to take a picture by the large shark while there!

We decided one day to go play mini golf at a place on the strip. I don’t recommend. It was early in the day and yet extremely hot and there was no shade. We had to wait a long time after every hole as there was a large party a couple holes ahead of us. People were not keeping their distance. The family behind us kept allowing their kid to run up on us while we were still in the middle of golfing. While we were waiting for the hole in front of us to become available, people behind us had no problem coming right up on us impatiently waiting. That was a bust but I think the kids did enjoy the go-karts.

For more information on activites in the area, check out our Destin page!

This year we spent more time just relaxing. We stayed close to ‘home’ and went on bike rides, walks, neighborhood pool visits, and did some fishing in the ponds. It was just what we needed!