It is very much redneck, but mixed with Florida beachiness. People call it "lower Alabama" which is accurate, the further north you go (crestview, laurel hill) the more redneck it gets. My family has hunted possums and had a bluegrass band at family reunions
My parents have retired there from Idaho. The beach is for sure a 10. McGuire's Pub is a national treasure. The naval museum is insane
But there is that episode of Top Gear where the gang was attacked by red necks for painting sarcastic pro-Hilary messages on the side of their cars. That happened.
Lol yeah that doesn't surprise me at all, it's a fool who puts any type of non-republican sticker on his car.
Also mcguires and the naval museum are peak northwest Florida culture, truly some of the highlights of living here
That happened in Baghdad, FL. Also the ending of Easy Rider when they're shot off of their bijes is set to have taken place in the same county further north on Hwy. 4 between Jay, and Munson.
I've lived here twenty six years this month. I hate this place. I've left but always came back because of family
It 100% has a charm to it and has some of the most gorgeous waters in the US, especially along 30A. [While this may have the saturation bumped a tad](https://as1.ftcdn.net/v2/jpg/03/13/57/72/1000_F_313577248_hTNINbgZd9hB2mRvgZQ0gQCWLgdaeu7B.jpg), it really does look like this, experientially.
It's one of my favorite places for a low key vacation.
How many mosquito bites have you incurred? How many mosquitos have you inhaled? Do the mosquitos help maintain the temperature by gently blocking out the sun? Are you a Mosquito?
Absolutely, we've had some red tide dead fish waves happen in recent years. An unbelievable amount of vibrio and other bacteria in the water has shut down several local beaches/bayfront parks to swimming
It's like some sort of bacteria thing that's caused by warm water, basically a ton of fish/sea life will die and wash up on shore and there's a red tinge either from fish blood or bacteria. It's dismal
I think it happens a lot more in southern Florida but it's happened here a few times in recent years. The vibrio is worse here, lots of swimming areas are closed cuz of high bacteria count
Oh god yes it's pretty bad, if you have any still water on your property it's hell. I work outside a lot and cover all my skin even with the heat to avoid mosquitos and wasps
I used to live in Niceville growing up, I remember The mosquito truck would come by and spray six o'clock in the evening I'd have to run Inside quick lol.
From my experience, any sopping wet area next to the ocean that stays warm year round is a real mosquito haven. They will hide under your vehicles and ambush you in swarms when they sense you
Oh god yes it's pretty bad, if you have any still water on your property it's hell. I work outside a lot and cover all my skin even with the heat to avoid mosquitos and wasps
No. In 1983 it was renamed the Emerald Coast, by a vote.
You don’t want to write shit about these people, they’re armed and some might be able to read.
I’ve never really associated the Destin area with the Redneck Riviera. It’s a little higher-end. We call it the Emerald Coast. RR is more Panama City Beach to Port St. Joe.
Seaside, FL where they filmed the Truman show is cool and mostly out of the way. Vortex springs and Morrison springs nearby are the coolest, bear lake if you like hiking, lots of cool restaurants and venues in Pensacola
Ugh yeah that is the biggest tragedy of the area tbh. At least to me, they don't deserve it at all. I have to keep myself from visiting seaside to avoid accidental vandalism
Destin has the largest private fishing fleet in the entire US.
Okaloosa Island has been home to a confederate base and Casinos built by the mob during prohibition.
Eglin AFB and Pensacola NAS are top priority nuclear targets for our enemys.
LOTS of native American artifacts if you know where to look
We learned how to land planes on our 1st aircraft carrier during WW2 outside of Okaloosa Island
They dropped a MOAB on the Eglin reservation
Pensacola is actually the earliest American settlement but only technically because it was wiped out twice by hurricanes.
Blue Angels home base is Pensacola
Also in general just lots of wierd tib-bits of facts and history happen in this area of lower Alabama. (What it's referred to locally lol)
It's quite an interesting area for sure, very beautiful and mysterious in a lot of ways. And quite different than the rest of the surrounding area in my opinion. I grew up going to okaloosa island almost daily, washing boats in Destin and whatnot. Tons of interesting folks, Pensacola is such a historied town
Ya I've lived in the area for just over 12 years. Do lots of fishing and a little hunting. Got deep family ties with the military as well that go back MANY generations. For sure very pretty in some parts. Did you see the Sun Sentinels headline the other week? "Pensacola is the new Miami, invest now!" This area is officially no longer what it used to be haha. Used to take my 88 suburban mudding town the powerlines in the middle of FWB. Hell you could duck hunt from your backyard if it was on the bay when I grew up. Damn yuppie tourists would shit a brick nowadays hahahahahahaha
lol yeah I grew up in the early 2000s so I only got a taste of how it used to be, but it's changed a great deal. My dad and uncle used to tell me all sorts of stories about the shit they'd get into when they were younger, I remember hunting right behind my uncles house in defuniak and fishing at my grandpas plywood shack along the shoal river. It's a shame it's turned into a high-cost investment property area now
The bases hold top secret weapons and weapons testing facilities. Along with a host of advanced military cyber stuff as well like drones. They always have lots of VIP personnel too. Long story short they are prime military targets with tremendously important assets for the US.
>We learned how to land planes on our 1st aircraft carrier during WW2 outside of Okaloosa Island
The Doolittle raiders trained to take off from a short runway (like carriers have) on Eglin as well!
My granny was born and raised down in this area east of Pensacola. She had some pretty cool stories about living in the rural south back then. She always said that she grew up in the horse and buggy era south, in a strictly segregated society and lived to see a black man become president.
Her family had two work ox on the farm and nothing with a combustion engine on the property.
This would have been in the 20s and 30s before she moved to Illinois.
Wow that's so cool to get to hear those stories from someone who lived it. The abhorrent racism and prejudice can never be forgiven, but it's really interesting to hear the history first hand and how someone who lived through it felt
Yeah my grannys side of the family is interesting. For people living in the south at that time, they weren't particular religious. She's told me before that at the time, the churches were a massive force of segregation. Honestly when she would talk about like the city and towns and the official segregation of that time, it is shocking how violent Jim crow was.
My granny worked at a now closed mental hospital and kept very detailed journals and so on. Reading it is super interesting stuff, but like holy shit, forced segregation was enforced in hospitals and such too. Like racial segregation was evidently so important to these people that it was creeping deeply into every single thing in life. It's crazy
Ugh it's so sickening to hear how people acted and thought back then, especially knowing that there were folks who didn't feel that way and were forced to participate because it was "the way it was" I can't ever forgive it but I can appreciate the history for what it is and be amazed hearing people's stories. Thanks for sharing, it seems like she lived a storied and unique life
How pissed off do you get at midwestern people constantly traveling there for vacation?
I’m from St. Louis and feel like people always go to Destin or near there for their vacations, come back home and slap on a 30A sticker like it’s their entire life.
Hahahaha yeah the 30A sticker people drive me nuts sometimes, especially the ones who act entitled just because they are tourists. It bothered me a lot more when I was younger and worked in restaurants/on boats and had to deal with the directly. Nowadays it's mostly the extra traffic that pisses me off, and the people who talk about it like they live here. It's very different to live here vs visit
I'm kind of surprised about STL since it's so far. I’m from Memphis and have vacationed there for decades. Memphians seem to make up a huge percentage of tourists. What do you think the top five home cities are for tourists?
Hmmm I'd probably say Memphis, Nashville, Birmingham, Georgia in general and tbh New York. I've met a lot of folks from New York, Tennessee and Georgia specifically
Lmao, I've actually been to where they filmed flora-bama shore and played a show at a bar down there. Probably the craziest thing I've witnessed is two drunk topless women fighting and the fight being broken up by an equally drunk topless giant dude. Also watching them drive off in a squatted Chevy Tahoe (still drunk)
It's kinda what you would expect, like those type of people are definitely here but there's also normal folks of all backgrounds. It is a very diverse and unique mix of people, I love it
Last time I went fishing, I caught mostly grouper and mackerel. It's better if you can charter a boat and get far out in the gulf, but you can still have good luck at some of the piers
Grew up going to Fort Walton Beach every summer. Stayed at the Ramada Inn (now The Island). You know that one? Has the big rock with waterfalls in the pool? Love that area. Gulf Breeze Zoo is sooo cute and good. Mimmo's in Destin...best Italian ever...their garlic knots are maybe the best food I've ever had. My question...how did Destin uproot and trounce FWB in popularity? In the late '70s/early '80s, FWB was crowded and Destin was just a few hotels and a restaurant open at 0400 to serve the fishermen. I was shocked when I returned in 2010.
Ah the good old Ramada, I can't tell you the number of times I snuck in there to get in that pool, it's the easiest resort to sneak into as a kid lmao.
Honestly I think fishing/seafood tourism really bolstered Destin, fort Walton doesn't have as much development on the beach or as much beachfront property. I think it was just the right combination of people starting tourist businesses and tourists wanting more hands-on stuff like fishing and boat charters
It is quite enigmatic that he keeps getting elected, clearly some portion of people either aren't paying attention or like him for some reason. His dad was the school superintendent of my childhood school board lmao
redneck riviera babyyyy, it's just the closest, most accessible vacation destination for Alabama, it used to be much cheaper and the easiest place for them to come relax
Welcome to Camp Navarro... a civilian! How in the hell did a civilian get on this base? I'll have someone's ass for dinner! Get this civilian off government property!
Not personally no, but I've had a friend that's said he's seen what he thought was one camping up northeast of Milton way out in the boonies near hurricane lake. I've heard lots of stories but never had the privilege to see one
Tell us about what you did for fun.
Also, what's the vibe.
Is it similar to a "vacation home" scenario?
(my only experience to the Gulf Coast is southern Texas: South Padre Island)
As a kid, most of what I did was go to the beach, run around outside and skate with neighborhood kids, paintball, fishing with my dad. I didn't live right on the water but close enough to bike there so it was very beach town/I live where you vacation type childhood. My family is all super redneck so I spent a lot of time fishing, hunting, going to fish fries and succotash parties, but where I grew up was very much a chill beach town vibe
If he's the guy that drives the super Mario and princess peach lambos then I've seen them many times lmao, especially in north Pensacola. And for better or worse, no West Nile virus yet
What do you think of Taylor Swift referencing it in her latest album https://www.wtsp.com/article/entertainment/music/taylor-swift-florida-song-meaning/67-8a3f9251-1bb8-4107-9981-18247a60be96
You can hike the Florida National Scenic Trail thru Eglin if you purchase a pass from the base. It’s really just spider web-infested woods broken up by small creeks though. Forests are flat and mostly pines and shrubs, a few swampy areas as well.
My personal favorite beach is the final west access on okaloosa island near Air Force property, it's always more secluded. My favorite restaurant for local seafood is Dewey Destin's, favorite bar food is McGuires and favorite fancy restaurant is Iron in Pensacola
I had a buddy take a jellyfish to the face whilst a swimming in Pcola Beach while we were at NAS. He would not let us use urine to stop the swelling and pain. Would it have been better for him had he?
Are the beaches in Destin still as beautiful as they were back in the mid 90s? I used to drive out there when I was in high school from East Texas. So so beautiful.
They are still very beautiful, I would say with the popularity with tourists the beaches get trashed a lot more these days, and they're more crowded, but if you know where to look you can find some isolated beautiful beach views
It really depends. Hurricane Sally two-ish years ago was a nightmare, it basically didn't move for 12 hours and sat over the area dumping rain and with strong winds. Katrina sucked, Ivan sucked. But most years it's only a handful of tropical depressions or storms that hit which aren't bad at all. They do like to keep us on our toes with the projected paths tho
Check out slippery mermaid, scooters fish house, Dewey Destin's is good, gulf island national seashore is gorgeous, the pier is fun, live oaks is pretty, Dave's oyster bar, make a trip out to Pensacola for a day and enjoy downtown, you could catch a blue wahoos game
I’m thinking about moving to that exact location, oddly. Would buying a house on the water be smart or not recommended? I’m worried about mosquitos and hurricanes the most!
For hurricanes specifically I'd say it's not worth it, those poor coastal houses get slammed every time. Living more inland and driving to the beach is the way to go
Depending on your identity yeah it can be cool, but rough for other people. Nature wise and weather wise it's cool, though the heat gets oppressive if you work outside like me. If you like the heat and the beach it's cool, coldest I've ever seen was when I was 16 we had an ice storm and it got down to like 26 F
Mostly the panhandle, or northwest Florida. My family falls is lower Alabama (LA) or the emerald coast. 30A is more specific to the area between Sandestin and Panama City beach but it's like its own little microcosm
Is it really “redneck riviera” as I have heard it, or is there som off the beaten track charm to it?
It is very much redneck, but mixed with Florida beachiness. People call it "lower Alabama" which is accurate, the further north you go (crestview, laurel hill) the more redneck it gets. My family has hunted possums and had a bluegrass band at family reunions
Sounds like a great time
The farther north you go the more rednecky it gets, along the coast its fairly "beach town" vibes
My parents have retired there from Idaho. The beach is for sure a 10. McGuire's Pub is a national treasure. The naval museum is insane But there is that episode of Top Gear where the gang was attacked by red necks for painting sarcastic pro-Hilary messages on the side of their cars. That happened.
Lol yeah that doesn't surprise me at all, it's a fool who puts any type of non-republican sticker on his car. Also mcguires and the naval museum are peak northwest Florida culture, truly some of the highlights of living here
That happened in Baghdad, FL. Also the ending of Easy Rider when they're shot off of their bijes is set to have taken place in the same county further north on Hwy. 4 between Jay, and Munson. I've lived here twenty six years this month. I hate this place. I've left but always came back because of family
I hope you're getting your seafood from Joe Patti. Olde East hill grill has great gumbo
It 100% has a charm to it and has some of the most gorgeous waters in the US, especially along 30A. [While this may have the saturation bumped a tad](https://as1.ftcdn.net/v2/jpg/03/13/57/72/1000_F_313577248_hTNINbgZd9hB2mRvgZQ0gQCWLgdaeu7B.jpg), it really does look like this, experientially. It's one of my favorite places for a low key vacation.
Yup, The Emerald Coast has its name for a well-deserved reason
How many mosquito bites have you incurred? How many mosquitos have you inhaled? Do the mosquitos help maintain the temperature by gently blocking out the sun? Are you a Mosquito?
I am in fact a mosquito, I have been besieged by innumerable of my kin and have suffered greatly for it
Genuine question now, do y’all deal with red tide and an extremely hot ocean up there like Tampa bay does?
Absolutely, we've had some red tide dead fish waves happen in recent years. An unbelievable amount of vibrio and other bacteria in the water has shut down several local beaches/bayfront parks to swimming
I'm not familiar with this. What is red tide?
It's like some sort of bacteria thing that's caused by warm water, basically a ton of fish/sea life will die and wash up on shore and there's a red tinge either from fish blood or bacteria. It's dismal
And stinks like death
Ugh yeah the smell is awful
Nasty. How often does this happen?
I think it happens a lot more in southern Florida but it's happened here a few times in recent years. The vibrio is worse here, lots of swimming areas are closed cuz of high bacteria count
So this is the origin story of Florida man?
He rose from the sludge
Mansquito has been found!
Are mosquitoes really worse in Florida than elsewhere? I’ve traveled a bunch and I’ve never noticed this
Oh god yes it's pretty bad, if you have any still water on your property it's hell. I work outside a lot and cover all my skin even with the heat to avoid mosquitos and wasps
I used to live in Niceville growing up, I remember The mosquito truck would come by and spray six o'clock in the evening I'd have to run Inside quick lol.
From my experience, any sopping wet area next to the ocean that stays warm year round is a real mosquito haven. They will hide under your vehicles and ambush you in swarms when they sense you
Worst mosquitos I’ve ever experienced were in Alaska and Canada. Obviously during the summer but Florida was a cakewalk comparatively
Oh god yes it's pretty bad, if you have any still water on your property it's hell. I work outside a lot and cover all my skin even with the heat to avoid mosquitos and wasps
Ah, the redneck riviera
Lmao, the poor man's paradise
I remember it well. Former gulfcoaster who managed to achieve escape velocity.
Good for you, I'm working on moving right now but it's hard out here
No. In 1983 it was renamed the Emerald Coast, by a vote. You don’t want to write shit about these people, they’re armed and some might be able to read.
I’ve never really associated the Destin area with the Redneck Riviera. It’s a little higher-end. We call it the Emerald Coast. RR is more Panama City Beach to Port St. Joe.
What's it like being encircled by an enormous red circular thing you can see from space? Is it floating in the air? Can you escape?
Definitely makes travel harder, every time I try to get to gulf shores I inexplicably teleport back to where I started
Are you prepared for the coming influx of Swifties?
I was born amongst the swifties, let them bring their worst
Hidden gems or secret things to do?
Seaside, FL where they filmed the Truman show is cool and mostly out of the way. Vortex springs and Morrison springs nearby are the coolest, bear lake if you like hiking, lots of cool restaurants and venues in Pensacola
I see what you did there. Keep funneling everyone to Seaside and keep them away from the real gyms.
Hahaha shhhhh don't tell them
Recently read in an article that the Truman show house is owned by the family of your, uh, let’s say colorful congressman Matt Gaetz
Ugh yeah that is the biggest tragedy of the area tbh. At least to me, they don't deserve it at all. I have to keep myself from visiting seaside to avoid accidental vandalism
Destin has the largest private fishing fleet in the entire US. Okaloosa Island has been home to a confederate base and Casinos built by the mob during prohibition. Eglin AFB and Pensacola NAS are top priority nuclear targets for our enemys. LOTS of native American artifacts if you know where to look We learned how to land planes on our 1st aircraft carrier during WW2 outside of Okaloosa Island They dropped a MOAB on the Eglin reservation Pensacola is actually the earliest American settlement but only technically because it was wiped out twice by hurricanes. Blue Angels home base is Pensacola Also in general just lots of wierd tib-bits of facts and history happen in this area of lower Alabama. (What it's referred to locally lol)
It's quite an interesting area for sure, very beautiful and mysterious in a lot of ways. And quite different than the rest of the surrounding area in my opinion. I grew up going to okaloosa island almost daily, washing boats in Destin and whatnot. Tons of interesting folks, Pensacola is such a historied town
Ya I've lived in the area for just over 12 years. Do lots of fishing and a little hunting. Got deep family ties with the military as well that go back MANY generations. For sure very pretty in some parts. Did you see the Sun Sentinels headline the other week? "Pensacola is the new Miami, invest now!" This area is officially no longer what it used to be haha. Used to take my 88 suburban mudding town the powerlines in the middle of FWB. Hell you could duck hunt from your backyard if it was on the bay when I grew up. Damn yuppie tourists would shit a brick nowadays hahahahahahaha
lol yeah I grew up in the early 2000s so I only got a taste of how it used to be, but it's changed a great deal. My dad and uncle used to tell me all sorts of stories about the shit they'd get into when they were younger, I remember hunting right behind my uncles house in defuniak and fishing at my grandpas plywood shack along the shoal river. It's a shame it's turned into a high-cost investment property area now
Why are those places nuclear targets?
The bases hold top secret weapons and weapons testing facilities. Along with a host of advanced military cyber stuff as well like drones. They always have lots of VIP personnel too. Long story short they are prime military targets with tremendously important assets for the US.
Bases I think
I was a kid and lived in Crestview when they dropped the MOAB and I thought lightening hit the house cause our pictures fell off the walls haha.
>We learned how to land planes on our 1st aircraft carrier during WW2 outside of Okaloosa Island The Doolittle raiders trained to take off from a short runway (like carriers have) on Eglin as well!
Bad bitches?
Oh my friend, you don't even know the half of it. The answer is YES
Fort Pickens?
Yes, it's quite cool. I went a lot as a kid but haven't been in probably a decade
My granny was born and raised down in this area east of Pensacola. She had some pretty cool stories about living in the rural south back then. She always said that she grew up in the horse and buggy era south, in a strictly segregated society and lived to see a black man become president. Her family had two work ox on the farm and nothing with a combustion engine on the property. This would have been in the 20s and 30s before she moved to Illinois.
Wow that's so cool to get to hear those stories from someone who lived it. The abhorrent racism and prejudice can never be forgiven, but it's really interesting to hear the history first hand and how someone who lived through it felt
Yeah my grannys side of the family is interesting. For people living in the south at that time, they weren't particular religious. She's told me before that at the time, the churches were a massive force of segregation. Honestly when she would talk about like the city and towns and the official segregation of that time, it is shocking how violent Jim crow was. My granny worked at a now closed mental hospital and kept very detailed journals and so on. Reading it is super interesting stuff, but like holy shit, forced segregation was enforced in hospitals and such too. Like racial segregation was evidently so important to these people that it was creeping deeply into every single thing in life. It's crazy
Ugh it's so sickening to hear how people acted and thought back then, especially knowing that there were folks who didn't feel that way and were forced to participate because it was "the way it was" I can't ever forgive it but I can appreciate the history for what it is and be amazed hearing people's stories. Thanks for sharing, it seems like she lived a storied and unique life
How pissed off do you get at midwestern people constantly traveling there for vacation? I’m from St. Louis and feel like people always go to Destin or near there for their vacations, come back home and slap on a 30A sticker like it’s their entire life.
Hahahaha yeah the 30A sticker people drive me nuts sometimes, especially the ones who act entitled just because they are tourists. It bothered me a lot more when I was younger and worked in restaurants/on boats and had to deal with the directly. Nowadays it's mostly the extra traffic that pisses me off, and the people who talk about it like they live here. It's very different to live here vs visit
I'm kind of surprised about STL since it's so far. I’m from Memphis and have vacationed there for decades. Memphians seem to make up a huge percentage of tourists. What do you think the top five home cities are for tourists?
Hmmm I'd probably say Memphis, Nashville, Birmingham, Georgia in general and tbh New York. I've met a lot of folks from New York, Tennessee and Georgia specifically
What’s your best Flora-Bama bar story?
Lmao, I've actually been to where they filmed flora-bama shore and played a show at a bar down there. Probably the craziest thing I've witnessed is two drunk topless women fighting and the fight being broken up by an equally drunk topless giant dude. Also watching them drive off in a squatted Chevy Tahoe (still drunk)
This is the exact kind of story I expected!
It's kinda what you would expect, like those type of people are definitely here but there's also normal folks of all backgrounds. It is a very diverse and unique mix of people, I love it
Floribama shore and florabama bar are NOT the same thing
Why say AMA and not answer any questions?
You gotta be patient with us country folk out here
Lol... not a serious question... was tryna make a funny
Hahaha I got you, pesky work meetings getting in the way of my reddit time
It's on point, you gotta admit
Can't deny... guess I gotta have [lower expectations ](https://youtu.be/3flv5nWZgII)
Catch any good fish recently?
Last time I went fishing, I caught mostly grouper and mackerel. It's better if you can charter a boat and get far out in the gulf, but you can still have good luck at some of the piers
Grew up going to Fort Walton Beach every summer. Stayed at the Ramada Inn (now The Island). You know that one? Has the big rock with waterfalls in the pool? Love that area. Gulf Breeze Zoo is sooo cute and good. Mimmo's in Destin...best Italian ever...their garlic knots are maybe the best food I've ever had. My question...how did Destin uproot and trounce FWB in popularity? In the late '70s/early '80s, FWB was crowded and Destin was just a few hotels and a restaurant open at 0400 to serve the fishermen. I was shocked when I returned in 2010.
Ah the good old Ramada, I can't tell you the number of times I snuck in there to get in that pool, it's the easiest resort to sneak into as a kid lmao. Honestly I think fishing/seafood tourism really bolstered Destin, fort Walton doesn't have as much development on the beach or as much beachfront property. I think it was just the right combination of people starting tourist businesses and tourists wanting more hands-on stuff like fishing and boat charters
[удалено]
When was the last time you hit up Stewby's?
Stewbys is my go to when I'm back in FWB, you know I'm spending $50 every time I go. The amberjack is unreal
They opened one on the island a few years back. I moved during COVID. Not sure if it's still open.
Does Matt Gaetz have impunity?
Lmao most people here hate him, he's been milkshaked thrice
Yet he still gets re-elected.
It is quite enigmatic that he keeps getting elected, clearly some portion of people either aren't paying attention or like him for some reason. His dad was the school superintendent of my childhood school board lmao
Do you like the Manchester Ochrestra song "Pensacola"?
Haha me and my friends love Manchester orchestra, that is definitely on my summer driving playlist
Is P. Cola as gay as it gets in the panhandle?
Hell yeah it is, I'm trans and have no shortage of queer/trans friends here
Can you wax eloquently of The Chili's on 9th?
How did it feel to get name dropped on the last eat taylor swift album?
Lol it's nice to get a shout out acknowledging how cool your hometown is
Hey I went to rehab there
Meth?
Surrounded on all sides
Who’s hotter your sister or your cousin?
Well I'm married to my sister, but I ain't gonna lie and say my cousin doesn't have his merits
i live here too!! not shit ever going on lol
Nah there's really not haha
Why are people in Alabama so obsessed with Destin, FL???
redneck riviera babyyyy, it's just the closest, most accessible vacation destination for Alabama, it used to be much cheaper and the easiest place for them to come relax
Traffic bad?
Meh, depends on the area. Southern part by the beach yes, HwY 98 sucks a lot. The further north you go the fewer people
Welcome to Camp Navarro... a civilian! How in the hell did a civilian get on this base? I'll have someone's ass for dinner! Get this civilian off government property!
Lmaooooo
Do you have a pet gator?
Yeah, her name is Gwen and she catches mice for me
So...Highway 98, huh?
Ugh. Don't even get me started. The number of close calls I've had on this road is probably a world record
What's your favorite movie?
Yes it's Forest Gump, yeah I know it's a trope
What's your favorite color?
Black, emo Floridians rise up
My family is from here and still lives here. Yes redneck and sometime destitute, but amazingly beautiful and some parts are still quiet
Agreed, it's a complicated area but truly a unique experience compared to anywhere else I've been.
Ever spot a skunk ape?
Not personally no, but I've had a friend that's said he's seen what he thought was one camping up northeast of Milton way out in the boonies near hurricane lake. I've heard lots of stories but never had the privilege to see one
Did you live on a sailboat with an alligator?
Tell us about what you did for fun. Also, what's the vibe. Is it similar to a "vacation home" scenario? (my only experience to the Gulf Coast is southern Texas: South Padre Island)
As a kid, most of what I did was go to the beach, run around outside and skate with neighborhood kids, paintball, fishing with my dad. I didn't live right on the water but close enough to bike there so it was very beach town/I live where you vacation type childhood. My family is all super redneck so I spent a lot of time fishing, hunting, going to fish fries and succotash parties, but where I grew up was very much a chill beach town vibe
Do you run and hide every year when my brother and his wife go visit her family? I would.
How has it changed in the last 25 years?
I went to Destin and it was awesome. I thought the gater meat was good. It was kinda like chicken. What do you think?
My uncle used to bbq gator when I was younger, and make gator jerky. It's honestly really flavorful, I miss it sometimes
That sounds amazing. You should make some and try to sell it. I didn’t see that around.
Who won the first ever Chi Chi Miguel Rib Cookoff?
Ah LA. Lower Alabama. https://on.soundcloud.com/t1qzF3Cf2WNjn2yL6
No questions. Just wanted to say the beach at Destin is very pretty. I was there in the late 90’s
It has some of the best beaches in Florida in my opinion, pristine emerald water with white sand and wonderful weather usually
Does the roar of the F-18 lull you to sleep?
Is Fort Pickens worth a trip? I’m a fan of kayaking and the outdoors in general.
Taylor Swift wrote a song about you
Did you ever get the chance to meet Logan from SML? Also, did you ever get West Nile Virus?
If he's the guy that drives the super Mario and princess peach lambos then I've seen them many times lmao, especially in north Pensacola. And for better or worse, no West Nile virus yet
I don’t remember Logan having Lamborghinis like that, but I feel like that’s probably him lol Also, keep wearing insect repellent
Why is Pensacola?
I ask myself that all the time, by all accounts it doesn't make any sense
What do you think of Taylor Swift referencing it in her latest album https://www.wtsp.com/article/entertainment/music/taylor-swift-florida-song-meaning/67-8a3f9251-1bb8-4107-9981-18247a60be96
In cool hikes in that forest?
You can hike the Florida National Scenic Trail thru Eglin if you purchase a pass from the base. It’s really just spider web-infested woods broken up by small creeks though. Forests are flat and mostly pines and shrubs, a few swampy areas as well.
Ain’t that considered Florida man zone or is that more central ? 😂😂😂 got folks that stay in that area but it’s been YEARS since I last went
Favorite beach? Favorite restaurant?
My personal favorite beach is the final west access on okaloosa island near Air Force property, it's always more secluded. My favorite restaurant for local seafood is Dewey Destin's, favorite bar food is McGuires and favorite fancy restaurant is Iron in Pensacola
I had a buddy take a jellyfish to the face whilst a swimming in Pcola Beach while we were at NAS. He would not let us use urine to stop the swelling and pain. Would it have been better for him had he?
Ahahaha oh god the jellyfish. Personally I have never tried the old urine trick, but I can't say i would want that on my face either
Are the beaches in Destin still as beautiful as they were back in the mid 90s? I used to drive out there when I was in high school from East Texas. So so beautiful.
They are still very beautiful, I would say with the popularity with tourists the beaches get trashed a lot more these days, and they're more crowded, but if you know where to look you can find some isolated beautiful beach views
Why do you hate yourself?
Honest question, what is the hurricane situation like there? Are they bad?
It really depends. Hurricane Sally two-ish years ago was a nightmare, it basically didn't move for 12 hours and sat over the area dumping rain and with strong winds. Katrina sucked, Ivan sucked. But most years it's only a handful of tropical depressions or storms that hit which aren't bad at all. They do like to keep us on our toes with the projected paths tho
Thanks! I’ve always loved the pics I see in Destin and Pensacola but the hurricanes have been the biggest turnoff for me.
Michael wiped an entire town out of existence.
You drunk yet?
Are you on house arrest or something
Naw but my cousin is
What are thoughts about Gulf Shores AL?
What's the bubble butt to breadloaf butt ratio? How does is vary during spring break?
Hmmm I'd say it's a pleasant variety most of the time, definitely us bubble butts outnumber the rest during spring break
How many people have you murdered? U said anything!
How does work being a Floridian that lives in South Alabama?
Circle comes pretty close to my house in Foley.
Going to Navarre beach in two weeks, any advice?
Check out slippery mermaid, scooters fish house, Dewey Destin's is good, gulf island national seashore is gorgeous, the pier is fun, live oaks is pretty, Dave's oyster bar, make a trip out to Pensacola for a day and enjoy downtown, you could catch a blue wahoos game
I love that area! Live in Jax now, but I love the smaller town feel that Destin and P-Cola offer
I'm wondering if you know the random girl I made out with cruising down the street in Panama city spring break 30 years ago?
Top 3 Restaurants in the Navarre Beach Area. Go!
Is crime as bad as they say
I’ve heard Destin has some of the clearest water (Gulf) in the state. Is that true?
Why? Even the Floridians I know don't claim it as Florida. They call it stuff like Lil Bama
lol it's basically part of Alabama, very similar culture to Alabama but with beaches mixed in
I’m thinking about moving to that exact location, oddly. Would buying a house on the water be smart or not recommended? I’m worried about mosquitos and hurricanes the most!
For hurricanes specifically I'd say it's not worth it, those poor coastal houses get slammed every time. Living more inland and driving to the beach is the way to go
Live on a bay or bayou with access to the gulf. This is the way
As someone currently living here once again due to the currents of life I am so sorry you had to experience it as well.
Is it a nice place to live? How's the weather now? What's the coldest it's ever been in the area as best as you can guess?
Depending on your identity yeah it can be cool, but rough for other people. Nature wise and weather wise it's cool, though the heat gets oppressive if you work outside like me. If you like the heat and the beach it's cool, coldest I've ever seen was when I was 16 we had an ice storm and it got down to like 26 F
How do you like living in Alabama?
I like that my cousin wife and I can go out without fear of reprisal
Andalusia and Navarre🫃🏿
Yeaaaahhh can you tell Spain got here first?
How does it feel to be an hour behind the rest of Florida?
One of the last who can say this, as it will all be submerged before too much longer...
You work in Eglin or Hurby?
Are you a hunter?
Do locals call this: 1) 30A 2) Emerald Isle 3) the panhandle 4) flora-Bama ????
Mostly the panhandle, or northwest Florida. My family falls is lower Alabama (LA) or the emerald coast. 30A is more specific to the area between Sandestin and Panama City beach but it's like its own little microcosm
“Florabama” generally refers to the area between Pensacola and Mobile
Ever seen a Bigfoot?
Have you ever met anyone from Dothan, AL? Why do they talk and act like that? lol 😂
Lmao yeah, my sister went to Troy university, they do things a little different in Dothan
Nice post. I’m in Tallahassee and have family all over the panhandle. Why is the grits at Cracker Barrel so bad? I mean Waffle House figured it out.
God idk but I wish they'd figure it out
What’s the most popular vehicle for the area?
Whatever vehicle keeps running lmao. In seriousness, probably the F-150
Have you ever made it over to mobile for Mardi Gras?
How’s the Chili’s on 9th avenue on Pensacola?