Mama Kat Thursday: Virtual Vacation!

The Mama Kat blog writing prompt today is:

"Take us to a local spot in your city and show us what we're missing...you'll be saving us thousands of dollars now that we don't need to take the trip!"

I live in the Niceville/Ft Walton Beach/Destin area here the  Florida Panhandle.
 Despite the fact Destin & Sandestin are popular resort destinations, Niceville and Ft.Walton remain fairly small town. 
The tea is sweet and life is slow.
It's the sort of place where you'll see a fancy BMW driving down the road right next to a good 'ol boy beater truck with hunting rifles mounted in the back window and empty hunting dog boxes in the back.
It's that kinda of place.

A central feature of the area is Eglin Air Force Base--the largest land base in the Air Force. So large, in fact, that Hurlburt Air Force Base, on the other side of Ft. Walton, is actually on Eglin property. 

But, unless you have an I.D. card or work there, you'll never see it.

Though, many tourists drive up to the Air Force gates because they mistake them for a toll-booth.

However, THIS is why people come here:
 

The beautiful white beaches of the Emerald Coast!

Each grain of sand is so perfectly symmetrical, your feet squeak as you walk through it! 

Sea Oats On The Gulf Art Poster

Lots of native plants decorate the beaches--Sea Oats in particular are important for holding the sand in place during storms.

After Hurricane Opal in 1994, a major replanting project for Sea Oats was required to replace what had been swept away.
Sea Oats are protected and it's illegal to pick them or damage them.

While beautiful, the Gulf can be also dangerous. There's hazardous wildlife, like jelly fish, stingrays and sharks, plus the riptide currents below the waves can be powerful.
So a flag warning system was devised to let visitors know what to expect or whether entering the water is ill-advised:

Another lesser known, but worthwhile attraction is the Air Force Armament Museum, located along the highway outside of Eglin:

The Armament Museum features a wonderful outdoor aircraft display covering many eras, including an SR-71 Blackbird, which is their show piece right out front!

There's also an extensive exhibit inside the building from Cavalry  weapons days to modern!
You can visit the link above for more information!

I think, personally, I'd choose off-season months to visit rather then high summer. Temperatures are cooler and prices cheaper.

But that's just me.

Me Here-You Not Vacation Envy Postcard

Hope you enjoyed this mini-tour!

Thanks for Visiting!