6 Vacation Hacks For Your Trip to Destin, Florida

We’ve all been on vacation before, where you have that moment of “Dang, I wish I had known about this sooner!” Well, you’re luck, because we are going give you 6 vacation hacks for your trip to Destin, Florida. Follow along and bookmark this page so you can bust it out when you get here!

Hack #1: Beach Chair Service
One of the biggest things people complain about is not wanting to travel with or spend money on things to take to the beach with you – chairs, umbrellas, etc. We highly recommend paying to use the beach chair services provided. It’s a cost effective way to enjoy your beach time without having to lug chairs and all the extras to the beach with you. If you do end up buying your own but can’t fly back with it, consider leaving it for the next family in your rental house or condo. Pay it forward!

Hack #2: Grocery Delivery
This one might blow your mind. If you’ve ever been to Destin in the summer, then you know all about the nightmare traffic and the hour long waits to go anywhere (and if you didn’t know.. I’m sorry to be the one to fill you in!) An amazing timesaver tip from a local: utilize grocery delivery. You can actually order your groceries online before you even get to Destin, pay for them, and have them delivered to your condo at the date/time of your choosing. This is especially helpful if you’re arriving late and don’t want to battle the Christmas type crowds at Wal-Mart or Publix for your week long snack run. Bonus Tip: If you are a new user, your first delivery charge is FREE. You heard me. FREE. Check it out here. Also check out our Preferred Partner, Destin Grocery Girls who can do a variety of shopping related tasks for you while you enjoy your vacation!

Hack #3: My Town 2 Go – 850
If you’re coming from a larger city, you’re probably familiar with food delivery type services like Uber Eats or Eat24. My Town 2 Go – 850 is the Emerald Coast’s version of having your favorite meals delivered straight to your door. Download the app on your phone, enter your delivery zip code, and browse restaurants ready to take your order. It may not be available in all areas yet, but it’s worth checking out – save yourself the crazy hassle of 2 hour long wait times in all restaurants and have the food delivered right to you. Bonus: Use promo code MyTownSunshine for free delivery on your first order!

Hack #4: No Wait App
We know that eating in for every meal isn’t realistic on vacation, and that’s okay. We love supporting our local community! However, a 2 hour wait for a cheeseburger can be ridiculous sometimes. This is why the No Wait App is one of our favorites. You can browse nearby restaurants on your phone, select the one you’d like to dine with, and put your name on the waiting list… all before you leave your condo. It will give you an estimated arrival time and you can check in real time how many parties are ahead of you in line. This is such a time saver and we can’t say enough good things about it!

Hack #5: Bike Rentals
Back to traffic, it’s just a fact that it’s going to a while before the situation gets any better. In the meantime though, we can fully recommend renting a bike and doing some exploring off the beaten path. You can find an array of bike rentals in Miramar Beach and along Hwy 30a, some will even deliver them to you and save you the hassle. Our preferred partner, Bikes R’Us is one we recommend checking out first. Biking through our small villages like Watercolor, Seaside, and Rosemary Beach is an awesome way to see what the area has to offer without the mess of driving in circles looking for parking spots.

Hack #6: Henderson Beach State Park
One complaint we regularly hear is that vacationers have trouble finding parking when it comes to the beach. If you’re not staying in a beach front condo where you can walk to the sand, you’re going to battle the ongoing issue that is public parking. Our spots are limited, partly to keep our beautiful paradise from becoming a concrete parking lot jungle. If you’re unable to get to the beach early (think 9am) to snag a parking spot, Henderson Beach State Park is a hidden gem that a lot of families haven’t discovered. It is well worth the $4 charge with ample parking, an extra long stretch of beach with a variety of access points, as well as CLEAN, large bathrooms. You’re paying for convenience here but it’s well worth it for those with kids, or those who don’t want to waste their entire afternoon looking for parking.

Bonus Tip:
Did you come all this way to paradise only to realize you left half your charger at home? No worries – check the back of TVs for a USB charging port. Many new smart TVs have ports you can utilize with your USB cord to charge your electronics without having to purchase yet another charger.

There you have it – a collection of the 6 vacation hacks for your trip to Destin, Florida. Here’s to hoping you’ll find one or two useful. Tuck them away for the next vacation or share them with friends. We’re all about making life easier!

Published by Thomas Cox
Thursday, June 28, 2018