How To Listen:

Listen online using the player at the upper right hand corner of this page (broadband) or click for the dial-up version.

Listen on your phone: iPhone, Blackberry, Cell Phone Listen Link

You may also right-click to download the podcast: 080_Destin_Florida_Podcast.mp3 and put it on your portable media player or burn it to a CD and listen in the car!

iTunes listeners subscribe through our iTunes Destin Florida Podcast page.

Some Of The News Covered:

Spring break is going strong. Spring break numbers are up from last year. Both Destin and Panama City have seen large numbers of spring breakers on the beach and in the bars. There is only a couple weeks left of spring break. After spring break business slows down for a couple weeks before schools get out for summer break.

Louis Louis' is now open! The owners of the Red Bar have opened a sister restaurant. Louis Louis' opened recently offering the same menu on a chalk board like the Red Bar. The restaurant is located where Cafe Provence was located on Hwy 98 in Santa Rosa Beach. Louis Louis' is open seven days a week from 5-10 p.m.

Old 98 has a new walkway! The bike path on Old 98 is very popular in the morning. There is a lot of pedestrian traffic. Old 98 has seen many improvements. The bike path was improved a year ago. Also, Pompano Joe's opened its new parking lot a year ago. Now, a boardwalk has been completed that allows pedestrians to walk alongside of Old 98 with a great view of the beach.

The Destin Cobia Tournament is on! The months of March and April are the months fishermen compete to catch the largest cobia on the Emerald Coast. Boats can be seen cruising off the beaches looking for the tasty fish. Fishing is expected to pick up drastically as the Gulf of Mexico warms up.

Destin is getting a strip club. The Destin City Council has settled with the owner of The Oasis over a long battle with zoning. The only area in Destin zoned for a strip club is on Airport Road. The Oasis first opened on Mountain Drive. Many residents were not happy with the business. Now, the strip club will relocate next to a fire department and across the street from the Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church. There could be live adult entertainment by the end of the summer.

Great air fares coming! Southwest will begin flying out of Panama City in May. Many area airports are trying to compete with the low fare carrier. Air fares at the Okaloosa Regional Airport have already dropped in price. Cheaper air fares can be expected with all of the area airports.

Links From This Episode:

Thanks to our sponsors for helping make this show possible. Please visit them at:

• Hammock Bay in Freeport, Florida
• Uptown Station in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida

Music selection for this episode is Esper Fiction of Defuniak Springs with their song Lilith

• Esper Fiction Myspace Page

Got a show comment or suggestion? Or, are you a local band/artist who would like us to play your music?

I love to hear from you and find out more that you would like to know about Destin and the Emerald Coast!

Email me at destinfloridapodcast@yahoo.com

In the last podcast, I talked about Intrawest finalizing the sale of Sandestin Resort to Tom Becnel. Rumors of this impending sale have been circulating in the community for many than a year, so I thought I would provide a little more information to our listeners regarding the resort and the effect of the sale on those who own property and who work at Sandestin.

Becnel is a developer who already operates resorts, luxury condos and townhomes in the area, most notably the Silver Shells Resort, The Palms, and One Beach Club in Sandestin. Many people including John Russell, Senior Vice President of Operations at Sandestin, view the sale as a good thing since Becnel is a local with knowledge of the property and existing relationships to many individuals in the community. The sale of the 2,400-acre resort property, which is home to timeshare villas, condominiums, town homes and hotel accommodations, could also be viewed as a sign that the real estate market in Destin is improving.

Like I said before, anyone whose ever been out to Sandestin knows that it's nice, but I did a little research to see what the resort actually has to offer, and as it turns out, the Sandestin Resort is home to 4 golf courses, 15 tennis courts, 19 swimming pools, 7 miles of beach and bayfront, and a 98-slip marina, plus the pedestrian village which has tons of restaurants, bars and shops. The Sandestin Wine Festival is also happening soon at Baytown Wharf from April 22-25, where you can taste over 600 domestic and international wines in all price ranges.

If you work at the Sandestin Resort, don't be too concerned with the change in ownership, as it appears Becnel will retain the staff excluding those involved with Intrawest sales, and keep day-to-day operations pretty much the same. If you own a home, condo or Destin timeshare at the resort, little should change for you as well.

How To Listen:

Listen online using the player at the upper right hand corner of this page (broadband) or click for the dial-up version.

Listen on your phone: iPhone, Blackberry, Cell Phone Listen Link

You may also right-click to download the podcast: 079_Destin_Florida_Podcast.mp3 and put it on your portable media player or burn it to a CD and listen in the car!

iTunes listeners subscribe through our iTunes Destin Florida Podcast page.

Some Of The News Covered:

Spring break is here! Spring breakers rolled into the area last weekend. Business in local bars and restaurants went from steady to busy! Places like, AJ's, Club Overboard and The Swamp are the area hotspots for nightlife. Next week will have a higher influx of spring breakers.

Whale's Tail is open! Many locals have been waiting for the re-opening of the Whale's Tail on Old 98. The beach bar is now open. The restaurant upstairs is yet to open up. Parking is limited due to parking construction. A fire in the spring of 2009 closed the popular local hang out.

Crush Wine Bar and Cafe is open in Seaside! Cafe Rendez-vous in downtown Seaside closed to make way for Crush. Like Rendez-vous, Crush will offer something different. The theme is a beachy-chic environment. The wine bar and cafe will offer a variety of California wines along with a menu that will be contemporary and trendy with food plates.

St. Patrick's Day is on the 17th! Destin celebrates St. Patty's with the Grog March. Participants in the Grog March walk to all the popular bars and restaurants on the Destin Harbor. The final destination is Maguire's Irish Pub, where the celebrating really begins. St. Patty's for 2010 can expect a great crowd due to the peak week of spring break.

The Electric Cowboy comes to Destin! Captain Kidds Seafood Buffet closed on the Destin Harbor. The location will be occupied by a new taste for fun! The Electric Cowboy will offer dancing, music and a light show! During the day, country music and southern rock will be played. Later in the night, dance music will take over with the party crowd. Music will be played to the likings of the crowd.

Fish Out of Water could have best chef! The Emerald Coast is known for great seafood and restaurants. Great food comes from a great chef. Philip Krajeck, chef de cuisine at the Fish Out of Water restaurant has been nominated as the best chef in the South. The James Beard Foundation holds the annual award ceremony where chefs are critiqued in 19 categories by over 400 judges. The finalists will be announced March 22nd.

Links From This Episode:

Thanks to our sponsors for helping make this show possible. Please visit them at:

• Hammock Bay in Freeport, Florida
• Uptown Station in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida

Music selection for this episode is Cockfight of Pensacola with their song Cockroaches

• Cockfight Myspace Page

Got a show comment or suggestion? Or, are you a local band/artist who would like us to play your music?

I love to hear from you and find out more that you would like to know about Destin and the Emerald Coast!

Email me at destinfloridapodcast@yahoo.com

How To Listen:

Listen online using the player at the upper right hand corner of this page (broadband) or click for the dial-up version.

Listen on your phone: iPhone, Blackberry, Cell Phone Listen Link

You may also right-click to download the podcast: 078_Destin_Florida_Podcast.mp3 and put it on your portable media player or burn it to a CD and listen in the car!

iTunes listeners subscribe through our iTunes Destin Florida Podcast page.

Some Of The News Covered:

Panama City in top five! USA Today announced Panama City as one of the top five bargain destinations for spring 2010. Many spring breakers will come to the Emerald Coast to let loose and enjoy the areas beautiful beaches. MTV will not be hosting the party in Panama City this year, but the absence should not affect crowds.

Intrawest sells Sandestin Resort! Sandestin Resort is no longer owned by Intrawest. Destin developer Tom Becnel recently purchased the property. Details of the sale are disclosed. Intrawest originally purchased the resort in 1998 from Malaysia-based Sime Darby Berhad for $130 million.

Holiday Isle is getting sand money! Holiday Isle has suffered a lot from beach erosion. The Destin City Council recently voted to put up $200,000 to help with restoration. A public-private partnership, with Holiday Isle homeowners is providing $415,000. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will provide an additional $200,000. Restoration will be from Holiday Surf and Racquet Club to the jetties.

Noise ordinance in Walton County. Walton County is proposing a new noise ordinance. The ordinance states, "There is an interest in the quality of life of the residents in Walton County." Some businesses are worried about the affects of the ordinance. Many beach weddings take place in Walton County and a noise ordinance may affect the wedding business.

New flights in Pensacola! United Airlines is flying twice a day, non-stop from Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. Panama City's International Airport is just months away from opening. Southwest's first flight will touch down May 22nd!

Navarre Beach Pier opens in May! The new pier on Navarre Beach is under construction now. The new pier was originally designed to be 1,500 feet in length. Santa Rosa County received a permit that will allow the pier to get an additional 45 feet. The Navarre Beach Pier will become the longest fishing pier over the Gulf of Mexico!

Links From This Episode:

Thanks to our sponsors for helping make this show possible. Please visit them at:

• Hammock Bay in Freeport, Florida
• Uptown Station in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida

Music selection for this episode is Idea 7 of Destin with their song Spanish Wind

• Idea 7 Myspace Page
• www.soapandsong.com

Got a show comment or suggestion? Or, are you a local band/artist who would like us to play your music?

I love to hear from you and find out more that you would like to know about Destin and the Emerald Coast!

Email me at destinfloridapodcast@yahoo.com