Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Perdido Key
About 12 miles southwest of Pensacola, off Hwy 292 (which becomes Hwy 182), the east-
ernmost Florida piece of the Gulf Islands National Seashore spans Perdido Key's crystal-
line waters. These dunes are home to the endangered Perdido Key beach mouse, which
blends in well with the white-quartz sands here. There are two coastal state parks in the
Gulf Beach Hwy; admission per vehicle $3; 8am-sunset)
and, on the northern side of the la-
goon, between Perdido Key and the mainland,
Big Lagoon State Park
( 850-492-1595;
www.floridastateparks.org/biglagoon
; 12301 Gulf Beach Hwy; admission per vehicle $6; 8am-sun-
set)
, with great crabbing in the lagoon's shallows. (You'll find several free beach areas
along the stretch of Perdido Key town, too.)
The town of Perdido Key is centered not on hotels but on condo resorts, all requiring
multinight stays, and there are few restaurants or bars - the notable exception is the vener-
able Flora-Bama Lounge. There are also a handful of seafood spots along the main drag.
Visitors can stay in Pensacola, or 3 miles west in Orange Beach, AL.
Perdido Key runs right to the state line. From here, you can follow Hwy 182 straight in-
to Alabama and take Hwy 59/US 90 north to connect with 1-10.
If you're arriving in Perdido Key on Hwy 182 from the west, welcome to Florida.
Fort Walton Beach & Destin
With a rich Native American history, these neighboring resort towns are larger than Pensa-
cola Beach but slightly less developed than nearby Panama City Beach. Driving along
Hwy 98 from Pensacola Beach, Fort Walton Beach comes first, with its stilted holiday
shacks, beachfront mansions and long-time residents. Continuing east, across the Brooks
and then the Marler Bridge, Destin, which has the odd claim of appealing to retirees, fam-
ilies
and
spring-breakers, begins to look like an endless chain of strip malls, high-rise con-
dos and mini-amusement parks. Both towns offer luminous waters, white sand and plenty
of food, drink and merriment.
