Close your eyes, and it’s the carefree 60’s once more.
The Beach Boy’s “Surfin’ U.S.A.” melodic tones from your AM radio fill the crisp morning air. The song beckons you to explore sun-drenched white sandy beaches and feel the rhythmic ocean waves.
Maybe that’s what inspired our intrepid reporters, Stephen and Marisa Hegyesi. Perhaps they longed for some relaxing fun in the sun.
Either way, they packed their Elkhart Lake Blue C7 Corvette and pointed the Grand Sport’s nose toward Panama City, Florida.
For these non-stop adventurers, this song is certainly apropos.
“We’ll all be planning that route we’re gonna take real soon.
We’re waxing down our surfboards. We can’t wait for June.
We’ll all be gone for the summer. We’re on Surfari to stay.“
Surfin’ U.S.A.
Once again, we’re excited to bring you the chronicles of Stephen and Marisa as they see the U.S.A. in their Chevrolet. Thank you both for letting us live vicariously through your Corvette road trips!
Cruising To Panama City Beach
Road Trip Adventure by Marisa Hegyesi.
It’s summertime! It is time to drop your tops down and go to the beach.
Our friends, Maritza and Ralph from Cypress, Texas, still work full time and needed a break. So they suggested we drive from Atlanta to join them in Panama City Beach, Florida, from the 15th through the 18th of May.
Steve and I went down in our 2019 Grand Sport Convertible, which we travel in quite often.
We chose this time of the year because the weather is not too hot yet, and schools are still in session. The clear turquoise water was slightly chilly at first.
But after you acclimated, the water was quite refreshing.
Chillin At The Beach
We enjoyed chilling out on the beach, hunting for seashells, and building sand castles. It also gave us time to catch up with each other.
Maritza and I went to the same high school in Houston. We have watched our kids grow, marry, and have their own children.
Our husbands chatted about their common interests while we reminisced.
Our beach excitement included a daily air show courtesy of the nearby Tyndall Air Force Base. One evening while we enjoyed a tropical cocktail by the pool, we got a low-level Raptors flyby along the beachfront.
If you are not staying beachfront, there are a few places for jet-watching near the base. There are locations close enough to see the flames from the afterburners during takeoff.
Pier Park Excitement
At Pier Park, we strolled out onto the fishing pier. We saw fishermen catching ladyfish, sea turtles, and large schools of fish.
We had to drop into the Ron Jon Surf Shop for a bit of shopping. There is a Ferris wheel at Pier Park and plenty of places to dine, shop, and have ice cream!
After perusing through a local magazine, we found a place called the Coastal Chic & Antique Market, which was not your typical T-shirt shop.
Instead, the store had beautiful wood carvings of mermaids, sea turtles, dolphins, nicer gift items, decorative accessories, and antiques.
Delicious Seafood
We like to try off-the-beaten-path restaurants. But, unfortunately, there can be too many “tourists” waiting for the restaurants overlooking the beach.
So, we asked the front desk clerk where the locals go for dinner. They suggested The Grand Marlin Restaurant & Oyster Bar, which overlooks a scenic lagoon and offers a variety of surf and turf dishes.
The service was good, and the food was delicious. She-Crab soup, shrimp salad, and grouper piccata were just a few of our selections for dinner.
For lunch one day, we again asked the clerk at the antique store for a local place to eat. She suggested Triple J Steaks and Seafood directly down the street.
We had fried flounder, Boob Boom Shrimp, Shrimp Salad, and Pork Chops, but they have entrees for everyone’s tastes.
They obviously have a great Happy Hour because at exactly 4 PM, the bar filled with the local residents.
Getaway With Friends
The weather was beautiful during our visit. We had evening thunderstorms, but even they were terrific.
The offshore lightning show kept us oohing and ahhing, with some “Wow!”s thrown in at times.
Panama City Beach has beautiful white sand beaches, with plenty of public beach access points (paved parking lots), a plethora of restaurants, and various attractions.
Do you need a change of scenery or a place to meet far away friends?
Head to Florida!
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