quiet, nice hotels/beaches/towns - Gulf Coast area

[kermit116]

Looking for suggestions of quiet, pretty beaches, towns, and hotels in the Gulf Coast area. Probably looking to be in the FL panhandle area, but we're willing to go further West into AL or MS. We'd prefer a quiet area with smaller hotels or boutique style hotels.

DH and I would like to hang out on the beach, maybe take a boat out, eat at some good restaurants, generally have a low-key vacation in a quaint setting. We're NOT looking for casinos, large hotels, clubs, or a big party scene.

Our top priorities are:
-very nice, clean, quiet beach with clear blue water
-small town feel
-good restaurants
-reasonable hotels (hopefully not more than $150-$200/night)

Any tips would be great!

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

Looking for suggestions of quiet, pretty beaches, towns, and hotels in the Gulf Coast area. Probably looking to be in the FL panhandle area, but we're willing to go further West into AL or MS. We'd prefer a quiet area with smaller hotels or boutique style hotels.

DH and I would like to hang out on the beach, maybe take a boat out, eat at some good restaurants, generally have a low-key vacation in a quaint setting. We're NOT looking for casinos, large hotels, clubs, or a big party scene.

Our top priorities are:
-very nice, clean, quiet beach with clear blue water
-small town feel
-good restaurants
-reasonable hotels (hopefully not more than $150-$200/night)

Any tips would be great!

You probably won't find any beaches along the Gulf of Mexico with clear Blue water. Maybe the Bahamas or the Florida Keys or Cancun.

The closest you will get is to stay somewhere along the coast that has a bay or a cove to keep the ocean waters away from the beach. The waters stay clearer that way.

I have heard good things about Gulf Shores Alabama and Destin Florida.

I don't think you are going to find anything quiet or quaint either. Not right on the beach. Beach towns have tourists unless you are going in the off season.

If I were going to the Florida coast, I would stay at the SUN DESTIN condos right on the beach at Destin, Florida where you walk right out of the back of the resort onto the beach and you can go back up to your condo for lunch since they all have kitchens in them.

 

[Shagley]

Check into Dauphin Island, Alabama. We love it there. They don't have any hotels right on the beach, but you can rent your own beach house directly on the beach for about $1500 a week depending on when you go. They also have condos on the beach, but we have never stayed there so I don't know the prices.

Just to add:

We go in mid to late May (we try to go for the last week of Spring rates), and it is very quiet. One time I counted 15 other people on the beach as far as I could see in either direction, and that was the most people I ever remember seeing on the beach. The summer season most likely is a lot busier, that is why we love May.

They don't have any chain stores or restaurants on the island to keep it from coming commercialized like Gulf Shores. There are a couple restaurants (more if you drive off the island about 15 or 20 minutes), a couple souvenir shops, a bakery, some small grocery/convience type stores, etc.

The clearness of the water depends on the weather. If it has been calm for a few days, it will be clear, but if it storms, it can be kind of murky until it settles down again.

 

[ah1126]

Hello from Destin, Florida!

The water is a hard one, because you never know, but most of the time it is blue/green and amazing. We also have sugar sand beaches.

Seaside, Water Color, and Blue Mountain Beach are between here and Panama City Beach. They will be a little more quiet. Not as many hotels, more beach houses and bed and breakfasts.

Next I would look at Destin. It can be busy at times, it just depends on when you are looking at. The best time to come is between spring break and when school lets out, or in the fall once school starts back again. Stay away from Panama City Beach unless you want to party.

 

[Green Tea]

Rosemary Beach, except probably pricier than what you are hoping for. But seems to fit the bill for the rest.

 

[teCh0010]

A condo on highway 30A between Destin and PC would be my first recommendation. Grayton Beach and Seaside would be good choices if you want to be able to walk to restaurants from your condo our house, or you could stay somewhere like Dune Allen that is quieter but you have to drive everywhere.

vrbo would be your best bet for that area.

 

[teCh0010]

I did a quick search to show you an option of what is out there :

http://www.vrbo.com/193511
http://www.vrbo.com/252343

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Stay away from Panama City Beach unless you want to party.

Really, that just depends on WHEN you're going. If Spring Break, absolutely. Other times of the year, not so much. I do know the hotel our family loves there is very, very family oriented 11 months of the year, but is definitely Party Central during Spring Break.

A little quieter though is Orange Beach, AL. Not as much to do there (unless you're into golf), but it's quieter & a bit cheaper too.

 

[akclayton]

I've also heard great things about Gulf Shores and Destin. I'm from the Texas Gulf Coast and we aren't known to have pretty waters. It's usually chocolate brown. If you have the right weather conditions and wind blowing from the north then we have pretty green water as well. Being on the Gulf Coast it's a bit of a gamble. I've heard it can get not to pretty in those areas as well and it really depends on the weather. It won't be chocolate brown but it may not be the blue and green that you are looking for the whole time but it will still be pretty.
If you find an area, consider going on to priceline to the name your price section of the hotels. You have to be dead set on your vacation dates when you do this because you can't cancel and your card it charged upon them finding a match. My family loves using this option on priceline. We've stayed in awesome places for more than 50% of the actual room value. San Diego, we stayed in a Hilton on the Bay for $55 per night in the summer. Awesome deal! If your destination is on priceline, I'd recommend trying this option out.
There is also vacation rental websites where people rent out their beach property to you and you can usually get good deals on them. Plus side to this, is most come furnished with kitchen supplies and sometimes even bedding.

 

[famousmockingbird]

We've been to places all through the areas that you named, and Orange Beach, AL is my favorite. Great restaurants and you are right next to Gulf Shores, which has a whole lot more of great restaurants. As far as rooms and lodging, I'm not sure about price range, but look up the Perdido Beach Resort. It's a nice property, right on the beach.

 

[UCFALUM]

30A for sure! Some of the pp mentioned it but Sandestin is also great and the whole package. We are called the Emerald Coast for our white sandy beaches and emerald waters. Love it here!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I'm from the Texas Gulf Coast and we aren't known to have pretty waters. It's usually chocolate brown. If you have the right weather conditions and wind blowing from the north then we have pretty green water as well. Being on the Gulf Coast it's a bit of a gamble. I've heard it can get not to pretty in those areas as well and it really depends on the weather. It won't be chocolate brown but it may not be the blue and green that you are looking for the whole time but it will still be pretty.

Prettiest beaches I've seen on the gulf were at North Padre, but it's not developed. PCB, Orange Beach, and South Padre were nearly as nice. None of 'em have blue water even on the best days.

 

[PrincessShanShan]

Check into Dauphin Island, Alabama. We love it there. They don't have any hotels right on the beach, but you can rent your own beach house directly on the beach for about $1500 a week depending on when you go. They also have condos on the beach, but we have never stayed there so I don't know the prices.

Just to add:

We go in mid to late May (we try to go for the last week of Spring rates), and it is very quiet. One time I counted 15 other people on the beach as far as I could see in either direction, and that was the most people I ever remember seeing on the beach. The summer season most likely is a lot busier, that is why we love May.

They don't have any chain stores or restaurants on the island to keep it from coming commercialized like Gulf Shores. There are a couple restaurants (more if you drive off the island about 15 or 20 minutes), a couple souvenir shops, a bakery, some small grocery/convience type stores, etc.

The clearness of the water depends on the weather. If it has been calm for a few days, it will be clear, but if it storms, it can be kind of murky until it settles down again.

I was about to suggest Dauphin Island. I'm just across the bridge on the mainland. Those of us here call it the hidden jewel of the gulf and we love that it's not commercislized. My family was one of the first to settle the island way back in the 1700 so of course it's quite special to me with a lot of family history.

 

[cajunbaby1]

Ft Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island is really nice. And not too very far past Okaloosa is Destin,FL. Great beaches and in SanDestin is an awesome OUTLET Shopping.

 

[Shagley]

I was about to suggest Dauphin Island. I'm just across the bridge on the mainland. Those of us here call it the hidden jewel of the gulf and we love that it's not commercislized. My family was one of the first to settle the island way back in the 1700 so of course it's quite special to me with a lot of family history.

Oh, you are so lucky to live right there. We have been there about 10 or 12 times, and just love it. If I ever win the lottery, I am going to buy a beach house on Dauphin Island. We haven't been back for the last two years, and my sister is in major withdrawl. She has already decided that next year we are going back for sure. This year we have to save to do Disneyworld & Universal in August. We even love shopping at the Walmart at Tillman's Corner. That is always our first stop before we head to the island, and it is the sign that we have finally arrived after driving 16 hours.

 

[brekin67]

Check out North Captiva Islands, off Florida coast. Only accessible by water ferry. No cars on the island, only golf carts which come with house rental.

 

[steffaknits]

My husband's family used to go to Destin every year. It is very beautiful there. I think it has gotten quite a bit more built up and busier tho, but we were still able to enjoy ourselves the last time we went. Last year we went to Longboat Key and it was awesome. There were maybe 10 people on the entire beach. The sand was white and the water was clear. We saw dolphins from the beach and we even got to watch them release a baby sea turtle. We did go at the end of September so that probably affected the crowds, but we loved it. Plus it is pretty close to Sarasota so you have that option if you want a little more excitement.

 

[ah1126]

30A for sure! Some of the pp mentioned it but Sandestin is also great and the whole package. We are called the Emerald Coast for our white sandy beaches and emerald waters. Love it here!

Hi neighbor!

 

[iheartpeterpan]

The beaches of 30A in Walton Co FL are awesome, quiet and within walking/short drive to lots of cute/quaint places. We absolutely LOVE Seaside and go every year, but it can be a little pricey (we save more for this trip than we do for Disney). To get the same area, seriously a walk or bike ride into Seaside, stay in Seagrove for much less cash. Also Rosemary, Alys Beach, Watercolor, Grayton Beach, Santa Rosa. Anywhere along there.

Destin's beaches and PCB are also nice but you will get more of the touristy/putt putt/t-shirt shop vibe there.

 

[cvjw]

If you want quiet, check out Cape San Blas, Florida. It is about an hour south of Panama City Beach, and it is heaven. No high rises, no development, just beautiful homes on a peninsula - beach on one side, bay on the other. The end of the island is comprised of Saint Joe's State Park. It is practically untouched by development. On our first stay in Cape San Blas, we thought the beaches/water rival any of the Caribbean beaches that we have visited (and we have been to a few). Last summer, as we walked the almost deserted beaches in the mornings, we were treated to dolphins, sea turtles, sting rays, and huge schools of shimmering fish swimming right off shore. My boys loved it there.