Ft. Pickens camping

[mike_s]

I actually preffer Grayton for tent camping, they have dirt to set up on rather than pea gravel The beach and park is more secluded, rather than smack in the middle of Destin(Henderson). There is also good food and live music(usually) within biking distance.

Henderson or Grayton will both have showers in the campsite areas.

where is Grayton State Park? Isn't it on 30a?

the live music/bar? is that some place like Red Bar or somewhere near that?


the advantage to pea gravel over dirt tent pads is that pea-gravel drains quicker I think.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

30A, just about a mile east of the road that heads towards the Red Bar and all the other stuff in town. The Live Music/Bar I was talking about was the Red Bar, there are several other eateries over there as well. Also, if you bike further east, you'll hit Watercolors pretty quickly for more eateries(including some cheaper alternatives - good to know for next time, ugh!).

The peagravel at Henderson was meant for RVs, not tents. I personally think sleeping on peagravel isn't as comfortable as a good flat dirt(or mud) clearing Henderson doesn't even advertise as having tent camping, they didn't give us any hassles though - although we did go over there with a VW bus/camper(1970).

 

[mike_s]

30A, just about a mile east of the road that heads towards the Red Bar and all the other stuff in town. The Live Music/Bar I was talking about was the Red Bar,

Read Bar is awesome to eat at.

prob the Best grouper in the panhandle.

 

[mrmccoy]

I have slept on pea gravel in a tent before but the only good thing about pea gravel is if it rains pretty hard it doesn't hold water. A guy at work told me about grayton....he went there as a kid quit a few years back.
I will definitly check out the red bar!

What is this Watercolors you speak of suprbugman?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Watercolors is a rich people community, but there are shops with Subways, Pizza, and other cheap eateries. You won't find anything cheap to eat at in Grayton, unless you catch the taco stand open(we didn't :/ ).

 

[mike_s]

I will definitly check out the red bar!

Take cash. they don't take plastic or checks. cash only. (I think they have an ATM onsite maybe).

You might have to search for it as Picolo's (sp?) Red Bar or something similar. FYI

Foods great, not cheap as bugman said in that area. but it's good food for the money. (considering you can pay that much and get crappy food up at some of the places in Destin where they put out plates like an assembly line and get mushy fish). Get there early or expect a wait. they open at 5pm. (suggest early if taking kids that get restless waiting).

 

[mrmccoy]

gotcha!
The g/f loves destin and when we go with her family they like to do all the touristy stuff. I hate traffic and crowds! I'm hoping this little trip will help her realize there are just as nice places that aren't as crowded and less traffic.

 

[mike_s]

gotcha!
The g/f loves destin and when we go with her family they like to do all the touristy stuff. I hate traffic and crowds! I'm hoping this little trip will help her realize there are just as nice places that aren't as crowded and less traffic.

the crowds/traffic on 30A can be worse than Destin in busy summer.

30A is 2 lane and 30mph for the most part. it can be a bottleneck.

but it's much better now that they have opened up connector roads to hwy98 (or made them wider and easier to access via redlight from hwy 98). People can use these roads to get out to 98 and not have to drive the length of 30a


In Destin, we stay on scenic 98 (beach road). it keeps you out of all the traffic and craziness of Destin traffic

traffic/crowds aren't as bad this year though (in my opinion). seems with the economy being down, folks aren't going as much.

 

[mrmccoy]

Well I looked at the online reservation thing for grayton beach and henderson beach and both are booked with no open camp sites for the weekend I will be there. I did find Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park which is in niceville.....thats probly where we will end up staying due to last min. planning!

The two trips I have made to ft. walton.....one during billy bow legs anf the other was the weekend of the 4th. That might be why it was a little more crowded for me

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Keep the reservations page open and keep an eye on it. Slots will open up, you just have to snipe them when they do open.