The Redneck Riviera, with Videos

I'm sure you've heard of the famous Riviera, but are you familiar with the Redneck Riviera? That's what many locals call the Florida Panhandle. This area includes communities like Mexico Beach, Beacon Hill, Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, St. Joe Beach, Panama City, Ft. Walton Beach, and Destin, Florida. The "Riviera" part comes from the beautiful, clear turquoise water, and the "redneck" part comes from the fact that the region is largely inhabited by Southern conservatives. Put the two terms together, and you have Redneck Riviera. But don't worry - the natives are friendly!

The beaches here are amazing. In fact, Dr. Beach named the shore at Cape San Blas the best beach in the U.S. a couple of years ago! The sand is soft and dazzling white, consisting of powdered quartz. Because of its high reflectivity, it doesn't even get hot like the darker sands of Florida's Atlantic beaches, so there's no need for flip-flops to come between you and the beach. The stretches of sand on the Redneck Riviera are wide and level, perfect for volleyball, frisbee, and sunning.

The water fronting the Redneck Riviera is gorgeous, with gentle waves and practically no undertow in some places. The surf is shallow, with a gentle, gradual slope. There are no drop-offs to worry about, so these are very kid-safe beaches.

Because of the water's high visibility, snorkeling and diving are favorite pastimes on the Redneck Riviera. Also popular are fishing, shelling, scalloping, swimming, boating, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, and sight seeing. In larger cities like Panama City and Destin, there are even more opportunities for vacationers.

This area has its own unique "old Florida" charm. You won't find high rises, sprawling shopping malls, amusement parks, or wall-to-wall fast food restaurants and touristy joints in small towns like Mexico Beach and St. Joe Beach. Instead, you'll discover charming locally-owned restaurants that serve fresh Gulf seafood and quaint mom-and-pop stores that sell groceries, clothing, and beach supplies. In Panama City and Destin, Florida, you'll usually find crowds, along with large shopping malls and an abundance of all different types of restaurants and fast-food eateries.

We love visiting the Redneck Riviera! We try to make the drive at least once or twice a year for a family vacation. We have very young grandchildren, so we appreciate the calmness and the clarity of the water, along with the cool sand on the beach. We always have a wonderful time here. The entire family stays together in a huge house right on the beach. In most of the beach houses in which we've stayed, when we step off the back porch or deck, we're on the glorious sand. We've traveled all over Florida, but for great beaches, the Redneck Riviera is our favorite area.

When you decide to come to the Redneck Riviera for a visit, you'll have a wide range of lodging choices. This stretch of coastline has plenty of beachfront houses, luxurious homes, oceanfront condos, magnificent villas, campgrounds, hotels, motels, cabins, and seaside cottages. There's a huge price range for accommodations, so you're sure to find one to fit your budget - even for beachfront lodging.

If you want to experience the laid-back, pristine natural beauty of the eastern Redneck Riviera, hurry up! This place can't remain secret forever. It will soon be discovered, just like Panama City and Destin. As soon as developers grab it, it will become just another beach resort area.