The Salty Details

Quick Snapshot 🌴 📍 Location: Miramar Beach, Florida 🏨 Stayed At: Surfside Resort 🍽️ Ate At: Royal Palm Grille, The Surf Hut, Merlin's Pizza,  Pompano Joe's, Moo La La  Ice Cream & Fudge 💰 Price Range: $$-$$$ 🌴🌴🌴🌴½ (4.5/5 Palms) The Experience Miramar Beach is one of those places that makes it easy to settle into vacation mode. Located along Florida's Emerald Coast, it offers beautiful gulf views, white-sand beaches, great restaurants, shopping, and easy access to nearby attractions. While neighboring Destin is known for its busy traffic and crowds, Miramar Beach felt a little slower, but there was still plenty to enjoy—from waterfront restaurants and local shops to beautiful Gulf of America views around every corner. We stayed at Surfside Resort and loved the skybridge that provided direct beach access. No crossing busy roads (unless you just want to). No hauling beach gear through parking lots. Just a quick walk above it all and straight to the sand. One t...

  Quick Snapshot 📍 Location: Clearwater Beach 🏨 Stayed at: Clearwater Beach Hotel 🍽️ Ate at: Salty's Island Bar & Grille + Crabby's Bar & Grill 💵 Price Range: $$$ (holiday weekend + beach prices 😅) 🌴 Overall Rating: 🌴🌴🌴🌴 (4/5 Palms) 🌊 The Experience This trip happened before Go Be Salty™ ever existed… What started as a business trip turned into a quick 2-night Memorial Day weekend getaway in Clearwater Beach. And because this was booked LAST minute on a holiday weekend… let’s just say our hotel options were limited. 🤣 So yes, we stayed at the Clearwater Beach Hotel, which I think is technically about a 2-star hotel. Was it luxurious? Nope. But it was clean, within walking distance to the beach, and available during one of the busiest weekends of the year — which honestly felt like a miracle at that point. 😂 My mom always says, "we’re making memories” during moments like this — the unexpected, unplanned, imperfect parts of a trip. Looking back now...

There’s something about standing beside the ocean that changes you for a moment. Maybe it’s the endless horizon. Maybe it’s the sound of waves rolling in one after another. Or maybe it’s simply the realization that we are standing beside something far bigger than ourselves. Peaceful. We spend so much of life carrying things that feel enormous. Schedules. Responsibilities. Stress. Decisions. Worries. Everything can start to feel loud and heavy after a while. But the ocean has a way of putting things back into perspective as you stand there looking out across miles and miles of water. Suddenly the “big things” do not seem quite as important as they did moments ago. The thing keeping you awake at night feels smaller. Your mind gets quieter. Your breathing slows. And for a few moments, life feels less crowded. Not because your problems disappeared… but because the ocean reminds you how vast the world really is. I think that’s one reason people return to the coast ...

St. Simons Island, Georgia This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our family business. My husband once said something years ago that I’ve never forgotten: “Time slows down when we do.” I think that may be one reason the beach stays on my mind long after we come home. Life away from the coast often feels fast. There are alarms, errands, dishes, deadlines, traffic, bills, and calendars full of things that all seem important at the time. Days can blur together before we even realize another week has passed. But something changes at the beach. Morning coffee tastes slower. Walks last longer. Sunsets become the main event. Dinner doesn’t feel rushed. Conversations stretch out. We notice the breeze. We look up more. We breathe deeper. Maybe time doesn’t really slow down there. Maybe we do. And maybe that’s why I crave the beach the way I do between trips. I’ve asked myself ...

No matter if it’s a quick weekend getaway or a longer vacation, We've learned that a little preparation before leaving home can make the whole trip smoother. We've created a simple routine to follow before every trip, and it saves a lot of last-minute stress. Here are the 10 things to do before any trip. *This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. 1. Double Check All Reservations A few days before leaving, we confirm hotel bookings, flights, rental cars, and any tours or activities we’ve planned. It only takes a few minutes and gives us peace of mind. We also screenshot confirmation numbers just in case Wi-Fi or cell service is spotty later.  2. Check the Weather One Last Time We usually check the forecast when we first start packing, but always look again 24 to 48 hours before leaving. That final weather check helps us adjust outfits, shoes, jackets, umbrellas, or beach gear if needed. A compact tr...

    Quick Snapshot 📍 Location:  Shellpoint Beach 🏨 Stayed at: Day Trip 🍽️ Ate at: The Salty Donkey 💵 Price Range: $$ 🌴 Overall Rating: 🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴  (5/5 Palms) 🌊 The Salty Experience Shell Point Beach isn’t your typical Florida destination. There are no crowds pulling your attention in a hundred directions. Just water. Sky. And space to breathe.  It felt like a reset. And honestly… that was everything. Pro tip: Don’t forget water shoes—the shells can be a little rough underfoot 👣 🍽️ Gimme Some Grub  🦞 The Salty Donkey Thatched roof. Waterfront views. Tiki bar vibes. The kind of place where you can sit back, feel the breeze, watch the boats roll in… and not be in a hurry to leave. 💵 $20–$30 per person 🦞 Seafood (lunch + dinner) 🪑 Indoor/outdoor seating (Waterfront + tiki bar on the marina) 🔗 https://www.facebook.com/p/the-salty-donkey-61560872530331/ 👉 Dockside dining done right 🌊 ✨ The Salty Takeaway Sometimes you don’t need a packed ...