Panhandle Travel Guide

June 24, 2011

Coastal towns picture perfect on the Florida Panhandle

It has been 15 years since Seaside, a meticulously manicured town on Florida's Panhandle, staked its claim to fame as the setting for "The Truman Show."

4:07 PM EST, February 25, 2011

Panama City Beach banking on spring break rebound

Spring break T-shirts, beer cozies, thong bikinis and Mardi Gras beads fill the shelves at the Paradise Found store on Panama City Beach. The shop is hiring extra staff and will maintain extended hours through March and April.

February 12, 2011

POSTCARDS FROM FLORIDA

Jim Abbott on Florida Travel: Sun, fun, festivals in Pensacola for spring break

Is it too early to plan for spring break?

3:45 PM EST, February 1, 2011

With nothing but sun on the horizon, things are looking up in the Florida Panhandle

On a sunny Saturday morning in November, about 25 people from toddlers to seniors pose for photos against the backdrop of Panama City Beach, their surfboards — in myriad colors — stuck into the white, sugary sand.

Florida Beach Guide: Pensacola Beach

Pensacola Beach, connected to Pensacola by two long bridges, is framed by turquoise waters and white sand beaches. The Gulf Islands National Seashore keeps beaches accessible to the public and preserves the area's environment.

12:18 PM EDT, May 11, 2010

Get rowdy in the Swamp, peaceful in the Panhandle

North Florida and the Panhandle

The Panhandle beaches

Pensacola Beach

May 18, 2008

Pensacola: History flavors panhandle city

History-wise, you can cover a lot of ground in Pensacola -- from the city's colonization in 1559 by Spain to Civil War forts to the modern-day winged war machines at the National Naval Aviation Museum.

The panhandle offers solitude in the winter

They call this part of the Florida Panhandle the Forgotten Coast, and on a cool winter day, it's easy to see why.

July 6, 2010

Florida Shopping Guide: Panhandle

The beach towns of the Panhandle have more to offer than crystal blue waters and white sands. From great deals at the outlet mall to local finds in small seaside towns, this is a shopper and beach lover's dream area.

February 15, 2009

Focus on Florida Beaches and Keys

Escape to Florida's lesser-known islands

Because you get there by causeway, you've got to know that Miami Beach is an island. So are Palm Beach, Key West, Sanibel, Amelia and Marco, to name a few of Florida's popular resorts.

February 15, 2009

Focus on Florida Beaches and Keys

Bask on Perdido Key's shores

Perdido Key lies in the northern Gulf of Mexico offshore from Pensacola. Most of it is in Florida, but the Alabama state line cuts across its western tip. To get there: Take I-75 north to I-10, then west on I-10 to Pensacola and west on State Road 292 to Perdido Key. Nearest major airport is at Pensacola, about 14 miles.

February 15, 2009

Focus on Florida Beaches and Keys

After storm, lighthouse rises again

Three years ago, storms toppled the 153-year-old Cape St. George Lighthouse. It collapsed on uninhabited Little St. George Island, where it had been accessible only by boat and boarded up as a safety hazard.

Ten Stops Along Florida's Black Heritage Trail

Martin Luther King Jr. once remarked, "Because the goal of America is freedom, abused and scorned tho' we may be, our destiny is tied up with America's destiny."

June 13, 2001

Jewels of Florida's Emerald Coast sparkle with sun and fun

The communities of Destin and Fort Walton Beach are nestled midway within the 130-mile curve of the Florida Panhandle between Pensacola and Mexico Beach. It's an area often referred to as the "Redneck Riviera," so-called because it was where working-class families throughout the South often took their vacations.

May 15, 2003

Florida's springs: Weekend getaways that are literally cool

No matter how far you drive in Florida, chances are, you won't go far enough to find a place with cooler temperatures.

May 6, 2001

Florida's history is open to the public

There are marvelous places in Florida where you can touch history -- where you can smell it, sense it, walk around in it.

May 9, 2001

Pensacola has a handle on beaches, history

Pensacola, a port city in the western Panhandle, is known for its colorful heritage, rich military history, scenic beaches and vibrant cultural events.

Florida Beach Guide: Destin Beach

The white beaches and emerald waters of the Destin area draw many tourists. Florida's Department of Environmental Protection estimates that more than 80 percent of the Emerald Coast's 4.5 million yearly visitors travel to the region to visit Destin. Visitors can charter fishing vessels from the harbor,and there are 12 beach access points in the city. Among the access points is Henderson Beach State Recreation Area. A portion of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, the Okaloosa Day Use Area, is just across East Pass on Santa Rosa Island.