Run – Don’t Walk!

We spent a wonderful 3 nights at the beach last weekend. I was born in Sarasota and grew up enjoying the beach, so I figure my roots are sea oats. That makes days at the beach especially idyllic. I went to the website for the Dunes of Panama to pull a few photos (remember I’m photographically challenged) and I saw a last minute vacation special that made my heart leap. This place was great and I am sorely tempted to head straight there again. $99 a night for beachfront with a gorgeous balcony? Are you kidding? (Only through June 5- fly, drive or run, but hurry!)

My schedule at the beach looked like this:
7 ish Walk on the Beach
8 ish Relax on the balcony & watch the beach come to life
10 ish Lounge at the pool
1 ish Eat lunch- either poolside or on the balcony
2 ish Sit on the beach under the umbrella.
4 ish Back to the pool.
6 ish Dinner somewhere casual and fun
8 ish Browse at Pier Park

People-watching is so interesting. Here’s bits of a conversation I overheard at the pool:
Blonde lady: “I am concerned about getting sunburned. I got a little red yesterday.”
Fit Friend: “You can NOT get sunburned if you have on sunscreen. No worries.
Blonde lady: “I don’t think we should swim in the gulf today. There’s a red flag.”
Fit Friend: “That ridiculous. As long as you can touch, you can’t drown. Only stupid people drown. They go out too far and that’s how they get into trouble.”
Editor’s Note: You absolutely CAN get sunburned with sunscreen on. She is ignorant. Furthermore, this area is known for rip tides. There were more than 45 water rescues on Sat. and 2 people drowned. The woman at the pool was clearly not a good source for advice.

One last recommendation: Pier Park opened in March on the west end of Panama City Beach. It is absolutely delightful. A well planned area with stores, food and entertainment. Let me know if you head to the condo and I’ll come down and give you a personal tour of the area. No charge. : )