On several occasions I have written about my strong attraction to the coast, how it grounds me and is so good for my soul. My first love in this regard was the Atlantic along the coasts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, simply because I was raised in the Southeast. Places such as Myrtle Beach, Isle of Palms, Hilton Head, Tybee Island, St. Simons, Jekyll, Sapelo Island, Amelia Island, St. Augustine, Ormond, and Daytona are all popular vacation destinations. I have fond memories from summer and early fall trips to all these locations, from within the last few years and going all the way back to my childhood.

In the last decade or so I have had several opportunities to visit the west coast in San Diego, Huntington Beach, Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea, San Francisco, and multiple locations in northern Oregon. It’s a completely different experience from the Atlantic, but no less enjoyable and with some spectacular landscape features you don’t see in Florida or Georgia.

Growing up, my family sometimes went to beaches along the Gulf Coast, and I even went there with friends in college, places such as Panama City Beach and Clearwater. However, I never found the Gulf Coast beaches as attractive as the Atlantic ones. The waves were usually much smaller, and the beaches were not as wide, both of which were important because I typically spent my days as a child and a young man either body surfing in the breakers or baking my skin on the sand. The atmosphere was probably thicker and provided more protection back in the day, and my skin was much more resilient to the sun’s rays. I tanned well and rarely burned much. Those days are over, even for this generation’s youngsters.

Living in the great state of Missouri now, a quick trip to the Gulf is much more manageable, even when flying. We have short direct flights that get us close to multiple Gulf beaches. We tried out Galveston in Texas a few years back, and I was pleasantly surprised how great it was experiencing the beach from the deck chairs at the house we rented with family and friends. Come to think of it, when we took a pre-Christmas holiday trip to Jamaica in 2015, we spent very little time out on the beach but certainly feasted on the views from the expansive balcony of our hotel room.

One place I had never seen was the stretch of the Gulf known as the Emerald Coast that lies west of Panama City and covers about 100 miles of seashore featuring destinations such as Navarre Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, and Miramar Beach. My wife and I were in Destin for a memorial service in February of 2023, and while we were there, we took a few walks out on the beaches. The contrast of the brilliant white sand against the blue-green water makes for a breathtaking vista that goes on forever. It is magnificent.

When I planned a solo trip for September this year, I decided to give the Emerald Coast a try. My wife, who also graciously serves as our ever-resourceful travel planner, was kind enough to book my flight, rent a car for me, and reserve a fourth-floor condo unit at a lovely complex just across the road from the beach called the Mediterranea. It was conveniently located to restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and retailers, many within walking distance. It was a perfect getaway. I was able to take long strolls on the white sand and on paved walkways just across the street. Although I didn’t take advantage of it, the pool was beautiful and added to the overall aesthetic. The view from the balcony was easy on my eyes whenever I looked up from the book I spent so much time reading while smelling the salty air and feeling the constant breeze on my skin.

It’s a good idea to break away from traditions and time-worn habits to explore other possibilities, especially when traveling. We have discovered all kinds of unexpected adventures and curiosities by going in new directions. I am certain we will return to the Emerald Coast, but there are so many other beaches to see, trails to walk, and sights to behold. As we approach the “work optional” stage of our lives, we plan to spend a whole lot more time doing just that.