This is spring break season. A month ago when the snow birds were still here we could not get a seat at a restaurant.
Since the snow birds have left, no problem. The spring break crowds have not materialized. We ate for under 30 dollars using the 2 for 22 deal at Runaway Island. A decent steak for me and a decent snapper for her. It wasn’t a feast, but not fast food either. We sat on the beach in perfect weather in the middle of lunch time on a Saturday. There was no wait to get in. This compares to typical wait times that used to run 30 to 45 minutes at edge times and 1 to 2 hours at peak.
Now this is not all Macro. Last year we had a bad lawless experience with spring break and this year both the regulars that would normally be here and the rowdy crowd that was discouraged from being here have stayed home.
Still this is my third spring here and this is the first that has been this slow.
Also, we are seeing 2 percent or more price reductions on housing pretty much across the board. The car lots are starting to fill up with cars although I have not checked prices and suspect that they have not fallen. (The Car Guy on twitter is saying used car prices are very high and likely to go higher)
As yet I have not seen any construction crew members job hunting. So unemployment has not ticked up a lot.
“The area and particularly the beaches along the Emerald Coast from Pensacola to Panama City are also referred to as the “Redneck Riviera”, alluding to the strong Southern culture of the hinterland.”
Thanks. You type faster than me. I thought it was an unofficial moniker used by the OP. I looked it up and behold! It’s a real place. A real place I have actually spent time at over the years. When I was there it was sometimes referred to as “Lower Alabama.”
The water is beautiful. No red tide but there Sargassum mat drifting this way. Florida is long and a lot can happen between now and the time it gets here. There is an upside. The mats provide food and habitat for endangered sea turtles. The turtles should start hatching mid summer.
We had salads for lunch at Runaway Island on Thursday. Went to Fun-Land (across the street) Saturday night for ice cream. Staying at Wyndham Emerald Beach Resort, checking out Monday morning and heading to the Orlando area to visit some aging relatives. Small world.
I must say that the lines of raised, lite pick-up trucks blaring music does seem like the Redneck Riviera moniker might be appropriate. LOL Thought it might “wow” the folks if we brought out my wife’s Tesla from the parking deck and let it perform it’s light show, but thought better of it.
Rob
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
It would be a pleasure to meet up with you next time! Not on our plan for 2023… we’re using up our remaining time share points at a couple other resorts this year.
Perhaps crazy… but we’re considering buying a condo either in PCB or in SC (probably North Myrtle) and renting it out when we’re otherwise engaged. I like it here in PCB for the beach and the sunsets. A long drive from Charlotte, but I’m OK with it.
Rob
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
The Red Neck Rivera is also known as the Emerald Coast. It is a series of white sugar sand beaches stretching from Fort Pickens State Park just to the west if Pensacola Florida to St. Andrews state park on the east end of Panama City Beach. (While geographically close, Panama City Beach and Panama City have different cultures and economic under pinnings.)
The three main entities are Pensacola Beach, Destin and Panama City beach. Of the three, Destin is the most expensive and probably the prettiest. However, that is like trying to judge between three beautiful triplets.
I have been to a lot of beautiful place. Some much prettier than the Emerald Coast, but none with beaches that are prettier. Most days the water starts out emerald green splashing on snow white beaches, the sand dunes remind me of the snow drifts in South Dakota, but the sea oats that grow on them, and the fact that I
am not cold tells the truth. It quickly turns blue not far off shore.
The best time to visit is after Easter and before Memorial day, there is a slack period then and it is warm without being blistering hot. The fall can be nice, but the last three years have seen a lot of hurricanes so there is a risk at that time.
I’m biased but you need to get out more. We have a vacation place in Rosemary Beach. I get emails/news letters from a couple real estate companies that give quarterly breakdowns of sales. Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach are by far the most expensive on a per square foot basis. As far as sales, there are a few more places for sale compared to past couple years but still low inventory. Do see more prices reductions of $100-200k but on a $5-10M house it is not much.
I remember the first time going to the Emerald Coast and hearing all the talk of sugar white sands and blue waters. Figured it was all hype. Got to the top of the dune and was amazed.
The most curious thing I ever saw. Beach front house bought for around $7M. Beautiful home, nothing apparently wrong with it. Torn down and another built in its place. What do those people do for a living?
I went to Pensacola Beach for my nephews graduation from flight school and was blown away on how fun it was. Went in May and checked the area out. Destin was really fun, they have water taxis that will take you around and there was a bar out in the bay. My brother-n-law and I chartered a boat and loaded the families up for a fishing trip. The best part of the whole area was the seafood. Wow the raw oysters tasted great, much different than other parts of the country.
I’ve been to Destin once in the Fall, and it was absolutely one of the nicest beaches I’ve ever been at. Was blown away by how warm the water was. I’m used to water that is a wakeup call when you jump in, lol. Beaches aren’t really high on the list of vacation spots, but I can definitely see why the Destin area is so popular.
Can’t argue. The 30a area is expensive. And the people are beautiful. I did a little people watching there and about determined that most people there have more tied up in cosmetic surgery than I have in net worth.
Still, hamburger for hamburger, and donut for donut, Destin is more expensive.
I like geography, and thought this video plays to the Emerald Coast topic.
The author talks about migration of Blacks away from the “South”, in the early 1900s.
But doesn’t mention White migration.
I found that omission, interesting, since many Whites also “went north and/or west”.
He says Blacks (I say Both groups) immigrated due to job/economic opportunities.
Lack of infrastructure, lack of good education, are also mentioned.
Those same macro economic issues spur emigration/immigration today.
Beach front house bought for around $7M. Beautiful home, nothing apparently wrong with it. Torn down and another built in its place. What do those people do for a living?
Just a bit nuttier than the dentist that bought my aunt’s house at a small lake outside of Kalamazoo. Nice house, nothing wrong with it. Paid $425,000, and immediately tore it down, to build something bigger.
