Upon leaving Sarasota, we once again stopped in Apollo Beach to enjoy lunch at another coastal restaurant before bringing our winter getaway to a close. Circles Waterfront Restaurant was established back in 1998. For years it has been serving the community and faithful visitors some of the best surf and turf dishes Florida has to offer. Most everything on their menu is made to order. If the seafood is not local, then it is flown in overnight. Even their beef and chicken are r

In addition to being known for its artistic community, Sarasota is home to an extensive network of parks, preserves, and trails. It has far more than the average city its size. Whether you like to walk, hike, bike or run, there is anything from waterfront paths, long-distance paved routes, nature trails, and boardwalks to choose from. If you prefer to spend your time on the water, there are many access points to launch a kayak or take a guided tour exploring the mangrove pres

Today, we are going to take a quick look at the culinary hot spots that made the cut for our brief visit to Sarasota back in January. When researching restaurants, I was looking for what I am always on the lookout for, a place recognized for its great food, made with quality ingredients, and in a desirable setting. While you wouldn’t normally think of Indian food when visiting a coastal community, this restaurant caught my attention when it revealed a Google rating of 4.9 sta

Apollo Beach is a small, but growing community. Ironically, it is not a beach community, at least in the sense of what you think of in regards to a Florida beach. While there is a few points of sandy beach access to Tampa Bay, Apollo Beach is predominantly known as a residential canal waterfront community. Nestled in the midst, is a newly discovered restaurant fave for me. Finn’s Dockside Bar & Grill checks off most of my boxes when it comes to a dining establishment with gre

While summer is the most desirable season for most people to visit Florida, there are many unique events and attractions that just can’t be experienced during the summer months. One of those such events is the annual migration of manatees that flock to warmer waters during the winter months. One of the best places to see these gentle giants corralling together is the Tampa Electric Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach, Florida. Hundreds of manatees have been gathering here

Located on Clapboard Creek in Jacksonville, about 10 miles from the beaches of Huguenot Memorial Park and Little Talbot Island State Park, is a laid-back restaurant that serves fresh local seafood and a variety of other casual dining favorites. Palms Fish Camp is an “Old Florida Cracker” style fish camp that includes indoor and outdoor dining. With a public boat ramp on the property and floating dock, boaters have a great opportunity to tie up for lunch or dinner. The rest

After a disappointing visit to Casa Marina Hotel for brunch, I decided to give brunch a try at another popular Jacksonville Beach restaurant. This time I was headed to Refinery. This upscale restaurant features an ocean bar, pub, entertainment lounge, and an elegant upstairs dining room. They serve Euro-American fare. The ocean bar is their outdoor option giving direct access to the ocean air and view of the beach dunes. The First Street Pub offers a surprising touch of

Situated just off the intracoastal waterway in St Augustine on the San Sebastion River lies a laid-back seafood restaurant called Grouper Shack. This eatery sits in a small marina with its own dock allowing for casual boaters to stop in for a quick bite to eat. It is secluded amidst the marsh grasses and tree line in a peaceful and relaxed setting, yet you can see far and wide if you are there for lunch. Grouper Shack is an informal dining experience. You place your order

I love the city of St Augustine. There is quite the variety of things to see and do there. With its unique character and the allure of its old-world beauty, it is no wonder this old city is the gem of Northeast Florida. It is a water lover’s playground with its miles of beaches, intracoastal waterway, rivers, and inlets. It has a diverse and vibrant food scene that is growing in recognition. Located in Villano Beach, Cap’s on the Water is one of the many St Augustine hot

For the first time in 10 years, there has not been a single hurricane that has made landfall in the U.S. this season. Only Tropical Storm Chantal formed out in the Atlantic off the coast of Florida and made landfall in South Carolina back in early July with minimal impacts. While Florida has been spared so far this year, the east coast has experienced significant beach erosion, flooding, and some structural damages in the last 2 months along many areas such as Jupiter Inlet

The Gulf is a beachy outdoor dining venue. They have two locations. One in Fort Walton Beach, FL and the other in Orange Beach, AL. The restaurant is cleverly constructed using old shipping containers painted with a beautiful deep ocean blue color. The landscape includes silky soft grass, soaring palm trees, powdery sand and a captivating bayfront dining experience. There is a short bayside boardwalk to enjoy a walk along the water and a boat accessible dock for their wa

If you enjoy the beach, but not the crowds, often a coastal state park might be a good fit for you. Folks tend to not want to pay an entrance fee for a park when they are able to access the beach for free elsewhere. However, the price for greater seclusion and the beauty of a well-preserved and protected coast may be well worth it. Henderson Beach State Park is one of those such places. Located on the Emerald Coast of Destin, it features private access to about 1.14 miles

If you have any interest in the military or its aircrafts, this hands down must be the best attraction in the U.S., if not the entire world. Located near the Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, the Air Force Armament Museum is an absolute treasure trove of history, artifacts, and military aircrafts on display. The museum website lays claim that they are “the only museum in the world dedicated to the collection, preservation, and exhibition of artifacts and memorabili

Beachview Breakfast & Grill was our first stop in Fort Walton Beach. Though the name may be a little misleading, they do serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Being on stilts with parking underneath, the restaurant exterior had a classy and classic beach look. The dining area was an open-air deck that was very laid back and relaxing. Seating was surprisingly limited, but it made for a cozier and quieter atmosphere, at least for breakfast. While I had previously seen severa

For our final Destin restaurant review, I will share my thoughts on dinner at Azul Mexican Fusion. This restaurant first caught my attention when they defined their cuisine as Mexican-Mediterranean fusion. Talk about the unexpected. If that was not enticing enough, I read several reviews raving about their sunsets by the bay watching boats going in and out of the Harbor Walk Marina. I thought… “Say no more. Count me in.” Naturally, I was excited to go. Water. Boats. S

Our next review may seem out of place for a coastal dining destination, but I assure you it is a must-visit dining experience. McGuire’s Irish Pub is a highly popular restaurant amongst locals and visitors alike. According to their website, they have received numerous awards and accolades such as Best Brewpub, Best Burger, Best Steakhouse and Best All-Around Restaurant just to name a few. They have even garnered attention from NBC’s Today Show and various well-respected ma

Next up for review is Fudpucker’s, not to be confused with the chain Fuddrucker’s. This lunch and dinner establishment claims to be a beachside bar and grill, but it is not located on the beach. However, if you are looking for a family-friendly, food-filled, quirky tourist trap, have I found the place for you. The beachside reference comes from…wait for it… “The World’s Greatest Alligator Park” called Gator Beach. Yes, you heard me right. This restaurant not only serves

Our next breakfast spotlight in Destin is Ruby Slipper. The concept for this restaurant is absolutely genius in my opinion. Have you ever wished you could have a real authentic restaurant brunch any day of the week? Well, Ruby Slipper has answered that call. From coffees to cocktails and bennies (benedicts) to sammies (sandwiches), their menu hosts many of the treasured options that come with the ideal brunch spread. Ruby Slipper is a chain that was started in New Orlean

Crackings is a family owned and operated restaurant that began in 1998. They are a breakfast, brunch, and lunch establishment. They currently have 2 locations, one in Destin and the other in Santa Rosa Beach (Grayton). I typically only go to a breakfast restaurant when I am on vacation. I find that most breakfast restaurants smell greasy or like dirty dishwater and the floors are either sticky tile or carpet that hasn’t been changed in at least a decade. Thus, I’m a litt

To get my feet wet with my first featured destination, we are going to do a flash back to May when I briefly visited the Destin and Fort Walton Beach area of the panhandle. Over the course of the next 7 posts, I will give a quick overview of the restaurants I dined at to give you a little sample of what is to come. Nicknamed “The World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” Destin was named after a fisherman from Connecticut, Captain Leonard Destin, who settled there around 1850. It