2 Local Destinations announced as some of the Best Getaways in Florida

Conde Nast Traveler traveled Florida from East to West and North to South to end up with the 16 Best Weekend Getaways in Florida including 2 of our local gems.

Panama City

Leave the spring break mayhem to Panama City Beach. Neighboring Panama City proper is a Panhandle revelation home to an Oyster Trail with a dozen restaurants proffering the fruits of the local Gulf and a burgeoning Mural Trail, too. Less than a five-hour drive from cities like Atlanta, Birmingham, New Orleans, and Jacksonville, Panama City—with its historic downtown and easy access to the nearby sugar sand beaches of Panama City Beach—might surprise you. Right downtown, the History Class Brewing Company is a brand new gastropub that nods to the city’s history with old time artifacts in its design, and mango and guava infused wheat beer on tap. Don’t miss a visit to nearby Historic St. Andrews, ten minutes away, a funky fishing village with streets lined with oyster shells, a few decent waterfront restaurants for a seafood meal, and pretty Oaks by the Bay Park, with its highly Instagrammable and ancient oak tree, "Old Sentry," estimated to be more than 250 years old.

Beaches of South Walton

For the kind of water you thought only lived on screen savers and sand so fine you’ll want to pop it into an hourglass, the beaches of South Walton in Florida’s Panhandle rise to the top. Vacation rentals where you can sip your morning coffee as dolphins pass by just offshore are plenty in spots like Rosemary Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Grayton Beach, and Seaside. In Sandestin, Hotel Effie, with its swanky rooftop pool and lounge, opened in Feb. 2021. And iconic gulf coast properties like the Water Color Inn, fronting the Gulf of Mexico, put you right along Scenic 30A, where you can drive with coastal views, stop to paddle in freshwater dune lakes or make a stop for suds tasting at the Grayton Brew Company. Ecotourism opportunities get you out enjoying Florida’s nature at every turn along this stretch of coastline, whether by ebike along the sandy backroads or from the seat of a kayak, exploring Northwest Florida’s best watery trails.

Click here to see all 16 Best Weekend Getaways in Florida.