April 2019 - Sandnsol Destin Vacation Rental

Easter Activities Around Destin

April 14, 2019 by stacysandnsol

Easter Weekend is Full of Activities for the family.

Although Easter traditions may differ for every family, you won’t have trouble finding whatever activities you’re looking for if you’re in Destin next weekend. From sunrise service to brunch, and Easter Egg hunts, we have you covered.

Family Easter Events

You don’t have to wait until Sunday for Easter fun. In fact, Thursday April 18th, Destin Methodist church hosts a free family friendly Easter event. From 4-7 p.m. at Destin Life Center, there is an egg hunt, Easter crafts and a hot dog dinner. Miss Patty Cake will make sure the whole family has fun.

Another fun event is on the front lawn of the Henderson Beach Resort on Sunday. Remember to bring Easter baskets and hunt for thousands of candy filled eggs. Find one of the golden eggs and win a free scoop of ice cream with sprinkles. Must have a brunch reservation to participate in the egg hunt.

After Sunday brunch, visit the Easter Bunny on the main stage in Harborwalk Village from 2-4 p.m. Other activities include face painting and an art walk. SB Photos of Destin provides one free 4×6 photo per family.

Brunch

Speaking of brunch, there are several options in the area. Besides the egg hunt, Henderson’s brunch includes live entertainment, a grand buffet and sparkling wine or apple juice. Not to be outdone, The Emerald Grand also offers an Easter Brunch. This year, they actually have 2 options: Plated brunch in the Grand Vista Bar and grill from 11-3 or enjoy the buffet in the Harborview Room. Highlights of the buffet are the omelet station, carving station and extensive dessert choices.Remember that onsite parking at the Emerald Grand is $10. After brunch at the Grand, visit the Easter bunny in the Harborwalk.

For a unique take on Easter, try the Solaris brunch cruise. Their three course dinner is just $25 per person. Special Easter baskets are available for table delivery as well. Check in begins at 12:15, and they will depart at 1:00. Reservations required.

Henderson’s: Adults $75 Children 5-12 years $24 and children under 5 are free. Reservations are required. please call 850. 424.4400.

Emerald Grand: Grand Vista Adults $29 (14 years and up) Harborview Adults $32 (16 and up) children 3 and under are free. Reservations recommended. 850.424.0621

Solaris: $25 per person. Deadline for Easter baskets is Monday April 13th. 850.650.2519

OceanClub: Ranging from $15-$33. 850.267.3666

Brotula’s: Adults $30.95 Children 10 & under $14.95 .850.460.8900

Worship

Next, Hop on down the bunny trail that leads to the Henderson Beach or Crab Trap Easter morning for worship on the beach. Once again, Destin Methodist church greets the sunrise from Henderson Beach at 6:00 a.m. Easter morning. In addition to the sunrise service, there is another beach worship service at 7:30 at both the Destin and Okaloosa Crab Trap locations. Worship on the beach is amazing, and Easter is all the more moving.

If you prefer a more traditional venue for Easter services, there are plenty of those from every denomination. Some of the most recommended churches include Destin United Methodist, The Gathering Sandestin, Resurrection Catholic Church Miramar Beach and First Baptist Church of Fort Walton. For more information, refer to their websites.

Worship Schedules:

Destin Methodist: http://destinumc.org/start-here/service-times/

The Gathering Sandestin: http://www.thegatheringsandestin.com/

First Baptist Church Fort Walton: http://fbcfwb.org/

*Resurrection Catholic Church Miramar Beach: http://resurrectionbythebeach.org/ (website shows it is under construction, but keep scrolling down for Easter times, they are there)

Written by Stacy Loux Sandnsol oceanfront vacation rental

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Wine Festivals, Tastings and Auctions in Destin

April 13, 2019April 10, 2019 by stacysandnsol

Wine, Wine and More Wine

Spring is in the air, and wine festivals abound in Destin this April. Begin this wine trek with Sandestin’s 33rd annual event this week, head to South Walton Beaches wine and Food Festival and finish with the Destin Wine Auction Weekend the end of the month.

33rd Annual Sandestin Wine Festival at Baytowne Wharf

For those of you looking to get your wine fix this weekend, Sandestin is the place to be. Beginning the 4 day event is the kick off party, April 11th, from 6-8 p.m. Enjoy samples from Rum Runners and Timber Creek. Continuing Friday and Saturday, participants will find samples of hundreds of wines from around the world. Whether you prefer pinots, cabs or chardonnays, there’s bound to be several from every price point. Grand Tastings are Friday from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday 1-5 p.m.

During the festival, enjoy food pairings from local favorite restaurants including Seagars, Roberto’s Pizzeria and Vue on 30A.

Some other events include the Solaris Champagne lunch Cruise and Slick Lips Seafood brunch event. See the local guide for complete schedule http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/477836/28110629/1554830869360/2019_Tasters_Guide_Web.pdf?token=HkiCgTwVquepxAB8NBs832NyxK4%3D

Purchase Kick off party tickets for $30

Rum Runners at Sandestin
9100 Baytowne Wharf Boulevard
Miramar Beach, FL 32550 https://www.bigtickets.com/e/sd/kickoff/?referral=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Esandestinwinefestival%2Ecom%2Fsavor-south-walton-food-tents%2F

Purchase tickets before the event at the regular price of $55/$65 day of (Friday) and $85/$95 day of (Saturday) plus tax https://www.bigtickets.com/e/sd/grandtasting/?referral=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Esandestinwinefestival%2Ecom%2Fschedule%2F

South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival

Later in the month, another tradition continues at Grand Boulevard’s Town Center in Miramar Beach. The South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival is April 25th 28th. Unlike many wine festivals, organizers aim not only to provide great food and wine, but also to educate people on the stories behind the wine. Through their charity Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation the event benefits children in the Northwest Florida area.

Kicking off the event is the Wine Maker’s and Shakers tasting with some of the biggest names in the industry. The rest of the weekend is filled with several different events, such as culinary offerings, tasting seminars, live music and chef demos. VIP tickets which provide entry to all events except Makers and Shakers are available at a discounted price.

Consider attending the Reserve Tasting and silent and live auctions on Saturday afternoon. According to their website, “the event will culminate with a high-energy live auction, which includes rare and distinctive wines, spectacular trips and other incredible one-of-a-kind items.”http://www.dcwaf.org/events/2019/4/14th-annual-destin-charity-wine-auction

Makers and Shakers: Thursday April 25^th 5-7 p.m.

VIP Tasting at Culinary Village: Friday April 26th 4-6 p.m.

Craft Beer and Spirits Jam at Town Center and Grand Park: Friday April 26^th 6-9 p.m.

Reserve Tasting And Wine Auction: Saturday April 27 1-4 p.m.

Grand Tasting: Saturday & Sunday 1-4 p.m.

Tickets for all events can be purchased online https://sowalwine.com/tickets/

For more information visit:https://sowalwine.com/

As you prepare for these fun weekends remember to book your accommodations at Sandnsol. Our 3 bedroom 3 bathroom oceanfront condo is the perfect place to spend your free time and enjoy the white sand beaches of the Emerald Coast.

DCWAF benefits several organizations including but not limited to:

Children in Crisis, Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast, Children’s Volunteer Health Network, Youth Village, Shelter House of Northwest Florida, Habitat for Humanity of Walton County, Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, Emerald Coast Autism Center, Pathways for Change, Food for Thought, Opportunity Place, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, Mental Health Association Okaloosa & Walton Counties, The Arc of the Emerald Coast, Westonwood Ranch, and AMIKids Emerald Coast

Written by Stacy Loux Sandnsol vacation rental

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Destin Beach Flag Warnings

April 9, 2019 by stacysandnsol

Know your Beach Flag Warnings

Seeing the rough waters this morning inspired me to get the word out on the meanings of the different beach flag warning colors. The local Coast Guard assesses beach conditions on a daily basis and assign colors based on the current water conditions.

Green: Low Hazard

Calm waters and clear blue skies over the the gulf coast are a common and welcome sight. No worries at all when we see a green flag. Paddle boarding, snorkeling, shelling along the water’s edge and floating on an inner tube are some of my favorite activities during a green flag.

Yellow: Medium Hazard

Another common flag in Destin is the yellow flag. It indicates light to medium surf or currents. Many travelers prefer a yellow flag because the light surf is ideal for boogie boarding and body surfing. There is potential for strong surf or dangerous current. Swimming is recommended only for strong swimmers and should be done near a life guard if possible. Young children or weaker swimmers should wear life jackets and stay close to shore. During a yellow flag, you experience a refreshing gulf breeze, which is perfect for flying kites.

Red: High Hazard

Red flags warn beach goers of severe hazards in the water. High surf and dangerous currents are likely. Although you can still swim using extreme caution if there is one red flag, you should only go in the water if you are a keen swimmer.

Rip currents, also called rip tides, catch swimmers off guard. The strong under tow carries a swimmer away from shore. If you get caught in a channel of water flowing away from the shoreline, don’t fight the current. As the diagram above illustrates, swim parallel to shore until you get out of the current, then return to safety.

Double Red Flags: Beach Closed

Occasionally, surf conditions are unsafe for swimmers and the beach is closed. In this instance, Double red flags are used. Typically this happens when a tropical storm or hurricane is approaching the area. Swimming is strictly prohibited, and you shouldn’t risk entering the water. Waves are several feet high and overtake even the best of swimmers.

Purple Flags: Marine Pests

Often flown with another color flag, purple or black flags warn beach goers that they may experience potentially dangerous marine life. This ranges from sea lice to jelly fish to sharks. If the beach is not closed to swimming, be aware of the potential hazards.

Most of us know what sharks and jellyfish are, but what about the other pests? Sea lice (the larvae of jellyfish), and Blue button jellyfish (not actually a jellyfish) can cause skin irritation if they are trapped in your bathing suit. They are often more of a nuisance than a danger. Depending on your sensitivity, you may not even notice them. On the other hand, if you experience itching or a rash, usually an over-the-counter 1% cortisone skin cream or an oral antihistamine offers relief. The good news is, they are not contagious and can not survive outside of salt water. Experts suggest wearing sunscreen and not wearing a t-shirt in the water to reduce their risk of getting stung by sea lice or blue buttons.

By heeding these warning flags and tips, hopefully your beautiful day at the beach won’t result in a trip to the hospital!

After your day at the beach, rinse off in one of Sandnsol’s three updated bathrooms.

https://sandnsol.com/sandnsol-galleries/

Written by Stacy Loux of Sandnsol Destin vacation rental

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