Then & Now in Destin, Florida!

Growing up in a military family, we moved A LOT! No place ever really felt like home when you were only there for four years. However, one of the greatest perks of a life like that is that you get to experience different states (sometimes different countries), new cultures, and varying climates. The unanimous favorite amongst my family was Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, because we were less than 30 minutes from Destin Beach! This Spring, Newman Dailey Resort Properties, a kid favorite since ’85, gave us one of the best “Then & Now in Destin, Florida” experiences of our life!

If you have not been to Destin, then you truly have not seen the most beautiful beach that the U.S. has to offer. The water is crystal clear, and the sand is white and soft! We moved away from Eglin AFB in 2001, but my family made sure to visit as often as possible throughout my middle school and high school years all the way through college. Destin was a place where we could relive old memories but continue to make new ones as a family. Now, as a mother of two, I am continuing to take my family to Destin in hopes that these beautiful beaches and all of the local entertainment will leave the same imprint on my children that they have left on me.

We booked an absolutely beautiful beach house with Newman Dailey Resort Properties, The Cove. They provided us with four free nights’ of our week stay to try them out. The house had more than enough space for our family of four, plus we brought my parents along, and they had a whole floor to themselves! We also specifically wanted our own pool at the house for our little ones to enjoy – and we are SO glad we had a pool! Our girls wanted to swim every day as much as possible. We were also within driving distance to the beach and some of the most popular Destin restaurants.

We had never used Newman Dailey before, but we were truly blown away by their customer service and attention to detail. On our drive down to Florida, the staff at Newman Dailey called to let us know that the washing machine was malfunctioning. They had ordered a new part, but it had not arrived when they expected it to. We were so impressed that they offered to pick up our laundry, wash it, and return it if we needed them to in the meantime! Talk about going above and beyond! If you have ever rented an Airbnb… you know that you don’t get that sort of service. Newman Dailey has someone accessible by phone 24/7 if you need something attended to, which was extremely comforting for us!

Newman Dailey also provides a FREE activity with each night of your stay! We had the option to choose between golf outings, dolphin cruises, the Big Kahuna Waterpark, and MUCH more! We chose to take our family to The Gulfarium. This is an attraction that I frequented many times as a child because I had a passion for dolphins!

As a kid, my dad surprised me with a dolphin experience where I was able to spend time in the water with the dolphin, and it is a memory I will never forget. This year, I was able to create a similar memory for my 6-year-old daughter. We both took part in a dolphin experience where she was able to feel the dolphin for the first time, learn some of the training techniques from a real dolphin trainer, AND throw it a fishy snack! It was a truly magical experience for me to watch her, remembering my first time doing the same things.

Another fun activity we did was go to Fat Daddy’s Arcade and The Track with gift cards Newman Dailey gave to us. I had been there over the years myself and loved seeing our daughters light up with all the excitement of carousels, go-karts, and more just like I did when I was younger. Everywhere you look as you drive through the Destin area, there really is somewhere to have fun and make incredible family memories. Watch our YouTube video to see a fun recap of our trip!

During our stay, Newman Dailey also treated our whole family to dinner at The Surf Hut, which is right on the ocean. The food was great, the service amazing, and the girls loved playing on the beach after dinner. Make sure to plan a meal there on your next trip down!

I truly cannot express how much this trip meant for me as a mom. I love that we have found a vacation destination that will be part of our family’s lives for years to come. We were so impressed with Newman Dailey as well, and I look forward to booking with them on our next trip! If your family is looking for a great family vacation destination, I hope you’ll consider Destin, Florida! ☺

While we had a great time with our little ones and my parents, watch this video from our Owner with Louisville that went with her parents, hubby, and teenage daughter to see even more of what there is to do in Destin!