Happy Tuesday! I’m taking y’all down to Sandestin, FL, for this installment of Travel Tuesday. Although I’m no stranger to Sandestin, I hadn’t been in almost twenty years. We used to stay at the Hilton resort in Sandestin every spring break and summer growing up, but started visiting Rosemary and Seaside/Watercolor (30A) a while back. Both areas are on the Florida panhandle and share the same sugar white sand and Emerald Coast water. Sandestin is mostly hotels and condos while 30A is almost all houses. We only had a few days to cram a beach trip into our summer, so Sandestin was the winner for us this year. We planned it last minute but were able to get a room at the Hilton.
Emerald Coast
The Hilton is a great option for families as the restaurants are all kid friendly. We loved being able to snag sushi in the lobby restaurant while the kids could order from the beach bar menu, but sit with us at the Japanese restaurant. Overall, it’s a well run resort. I booked a beach setup at the same time I booked our room, which was convenient. It’s so nice not having to haul chairs and umbrellas down to the beach. The conditions were excellent the entire three days we were there. Calm, crystal clear water and only rained once at night.
Hilton Sandestin
In short, the Hilton is a great spot for a long weekend. If staying longer, I’d book a house in Rosemary or Watercolor/Seaside. The Hilton resort and its restaurants are technically for guests only. We were given wristbands to wear. Sadly, this is not enforced. We had an unfortunate encounter our very first night at the resort which made me a little wary of letting the kids roam free. Bodie and I happened upon a grown man with his pants down relieving himself in a potted plant on property. Needless to say, this is disturbing and inappropriate behavior. After that incident, I was acutely aware of how lax security is. Just something to keep in mind! Would we go back to the Hilton in Sandestin? Yes. It’s a great value for a beautiful beach on the Emerald Coast.
As always, feel free to reach out with any questions.
