Destined For Destin… Welcome To The Emerald Coast

So, for Spring Break, I decided to take a trip to Destin, Florida for the first time. Setting up my reservations for Destin was a breeze, but can you say LAST MINUTE?? ha. I booked my room at Sleep Inn located just east of the Destin city limits. Being near the parkway made it really convenient for travel and plus you were just minutes away from the beach. After mapping my journey on Google Maps, I saved everything and went home. Reservations were set for check-in Tuesday, March 16th and check-out Friday, March 19th. Total cost? $300.00. You're talking about spring break and it's that cheap?? Well apparently I got it at a good deal online, because the hotel clerk soon told me it was supposed to be higher than that... like near $500, but they had to honor the online price. 

Tuesday morning around 8:30am, I left Brookhaven, MS and headed towards Destin, Florida. Traveling through Louisiana on Interstate 12 and eventually I-10 through Mobile. Afterwhich, I was soon to be on Highway 98 and into Florida. The day was gorgeous. The sun was shining bright and the air was slightly cool. Great day for the sunroof to be open! and it was.

If you've ever traveled the GPS route to Destin, then you know how long of a trip that can be. Although only 6 hours, it doesn't necessarily give you the most scenic route. Anyhow, I made it to Fort Walton Beach, stopping to fuel up on the other side of the port bridge. Back on the Emerald Coast Parkway (Highway 98) I was on the way to Destin!....wait... 6 miles?? I was only 6 miles from Destin??? Is that hotel I see in the distance in Destin??? Quite frankly, yes. Crossing the path of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and over the Bay Bridge, finally entering Destin.

What a nice city! resorts everywhere! Nice Bass Pro Shop!! (gotta love it). Outlet stores in a convenient location. The hotel? nice room. Full king bed, refrigerator, microwave, Internet access and all for only $89.00 a night  minus the crazy tax rate.

So, as you probably have now figured out that it was my first time ever to see the Destin, Florida area. As a matter of fact, I've only been to Florida maybe twice and it was through Jacksonville. Now, I'm touring the Emerald Coast for vacation!!... and for a few photos of course.

Sunny Day in Destin - While in Destin, and trying to dodge the overcast and rainy skies, I captured the above photo. It's an old sailboat that someone abandoned just west of the bay area. Apparently it has been there for a long time, because it was nested in the waterhole.

Evening Skies in Destin - So the next day I went back to this same spot. Taking 15 minutes to walk from the bay bridge, I spent about 40 minutes here watching the sun go down. From a distance, I captured this shot of the same sailboat, except with the pink glow of the sky reflecting off the sugar white sands.

Sunset Over The Dunes - A gorgeous shot of sunset over the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Check out the colors that are represened by the sunset!

A Romantic Sunset - Here I am again! So, this couple were walking behind me and as they approached, they stopped. I told them that they didn't have to wait and I would practice the shots while they clear the scene. I'm glad I was able to go back through and see this on the memory card.

Wildlife in Destin, Florida - Endangered species habitat in the Gulf Islands National Seashore. What an amazing opportunity to capture a charming scene.

A Night in Destin - A long shutter speed with the lens open. Here's the bay bridge and Destin on the other side.

Rough Seas On The Emerald Coast - An afternoon in Destin, although overcast skies.

See All Destin Photos In Glistening Light Gallery

Sand in the floorboard of your SUV is a good feeling when you live in Southwest Mississippi. The closest beach is Lake Lincoln---which is NOT a beach...ha. I hope you enjoyed the shots. I've got some more to post, but that's another blog entry soon.

For the sailboat shots, I utilized a 58mm circular light polarization filter for the Canon EOS Rebel T1i to give the image more High Definition blues and greens. If you have glares from sunlight in your pics, then try a polarizer, but don't settle for the cheapest one. You"ll get what you paid for. Tiffen makes a great polarizer filter for a decent price.