Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/375259
f a l l 2 0 1 4 | w e s t w o r l d 25 Northwest Best Bets dan toulgoet L esser known than its southern Key cousins, the northwest coast of Florida is no slouch when it comes to serving up Pan- handle hospitality. Here, Canadian snowbirds and vacationing families check into condos, resorts and B&Bs along the white-sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, then hit the area's highlights, including: Seafood and Such The fi shing- village-turned-tourist-town of Destin stays true to its deep-sea roots with fresh catch of the day – amberjack, grouper, snapper, trig- gerfi sh – at fi sh markets and on the menu at such local faves as the casual Harry T's Lighthouse and upscale Cuvee Bistro (2014 TripAdvisor Certifi cate of Excel- lence winner). For an al fresco night out, pack a picnic dinner and head to the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village, where local acts such as bluegrass-rock-funk Dread Clampitt take to the stage. Beach, Bike, Boat Leave only footprints in the white-as-snow quartz sand of Henderson Beach State Park, where monarch butter- fl ies fl utter over sand pines, railroad vines and dune rosemary. Sink deep into Destin's marine past at the Destin History & Fishing Museum, home to scale-tipping catches ("Red snapper, Florida State record, 46 lb., 8 oz."), archival photographs and paraphernalia. Hop on a sport fi shing boat to reel in your own big – or little – catch in the morning, and have it for lunch at a "hook and cook" restaurant in town. Creature Close-Ups Get an eyeful of sea lions, dolphins, turtles and more at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park in Fort Walton Beach. Rub an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin's belly – it feels like wet leather – and feed it some capelin, before jumping into a saltwater pool for a snorkel with gentle stingrays. Spot more sea life from the deck of a sunset cruise as it drifts out of the bustling shop- and boat-lined Destin Harbor into the wide-open Gulf of Mexico. emeraldcoast .com –Sheila Hansen (far left) On board a deep-sea fi shing boat in search of amberjack and snapper; (left) Destin and its Emerald Coast neighbours are home to almost 40 kilometres of white-sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. See pages 17 & 31 for details on our tours to Florida.