Are you anxious to get back to the beach for a stay in one of our Gulf Coast vacation rentals? Well, don’t miss your chance to WIN a three night stay from Southern and our friends at Destin Shines!

Spring into action and visit the Destin Shines Facebook page to enter to win! All you have to do is Like Southern Resorts and Destin Shines and you’ll be entered to win a stay in one of our beautiful Northwest Florida condos for 3 nights in 2012. Share this with your friends and family to receive up to 5 additional entries. Hey, if they win, they might just bring you along! The winner of our giveaway will receive accommodations that can sleep up to six guests.

Don’t delay, enter our Gulf Coast giveaway today! The winner will be announced on February 15, 2012 at 3PM. Good luck and we hope to see you back on the beaches during a sweet Southern getaway with us.

Are you heading to the Gulf Coast for our famed Mardi Gras celebrations? Well, don’t miss the Piratefest Boat Parade and Buccaneer Bash during your vacation in Perdido Key!

The Piratefest Boat Parade is a Mardi Gras celebration the entire family will enjoy during your sweet Southern getaway to the western edge of the Florida Panhandle. This coastal celebration will take place along the inland waterways of Perdido Key. Stake out your spot along the docks and cheer for your favorite “ship” as they throw beads, candy and more before storming the shores of the Flora-Bama Lounge at 1:30PM for the Buccaneer Bash. The bash will include live music, awards and red beans and rice for sale.

The boat parade will be available for view from several area ports including the Holiday Harbor Marina, Sunset Grill, Oyster Bar, the Perdido Bay Seafood Docks, Galvez Landing and along Ole River.

Join us for a Gulf Coast vacation to Fort Walton Beach, Florida for our annual Mardi Gras celebration on February 11, 2012! Named as one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast in February, this is one party you don’t want to miss!

The usually busy Okaloosa Island will come to a stand-still on Saturday, February 11 as the crowds line the street and a party erupts along our white sandy beaches! Head to the parade route and claim your front row spot before the event kicks off at 11AM. Cheer, clap, dance and generally enjoy the revelry as your favorite area attractions, restaurants, and shops present their floats and throw beads, moonpies and more!

Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for your favorite Southern crew! We’ll be making our way down Okaloosa Island in our inaugural appearance in this year’s parade and you don’t want to miss your chance at beads, cups and even a GoSouthern.com t-shirt!

Mardi Gras is just around the corner and always a favorite event along the Gulf Coast. Mardi Gras madness will begin the first weekend in February with our first parade at the HarborWalk Village in Destin!

HarborWalk Village is just a short drive from each of our Destin vacation rentals and Fort Walton Beach condos. On any given visit you will find wonderful restaurants, great shops and plenty to enjoy including community events and live music most of the year. On February 4, 2012, however, get ready for a wonderful celebration as they kickoff Mardi Gras with their annual parade and street festival! Revel in the party atmosphere created by the dazzling floats, creative costumes, street performers, live music and much more! Celebrate Mardi Gras and catch your fill of beads right where it all began – the Gulf Coast! Reserve your stay in an Emerald Coast vacation rental today!

It’s once again time for one of the most highly anticipated Gulf Coast event of the year – the Double Bridge Run! Reserve your Southern stay in a Pensacola Beach vacation rental and join us at the race on February 4, 2012.

The Double Bridge Run is both a 15K and 5K run/walk. Only those who elect to run the 15K course will cover both bridges, but everyone is guaranteed a good workout and a great time. The 15K course begins at 7aM at the Palafox Pier in downtown Pensacola, takes you past the Pensacola Civic Center, over the 3-mile Bridge, through Gulf Breeze and over the bridge leading into Pensacola Beach before ending on the sandy shores of the Gulf of Mexico. The 5K run/walk begins near Gulf Breeze High School at 8:30AM and follows the same path over the Bob Sike’s Bridge into Pensacola Beach.

Lace up your running shoes and meet us on the beautiful beaches of Northwest Florida for this event. Be sure and stay after the race for the expo, awards and after-party at the delcious Hemingway’s Bar & Grill. See you at the finish line!

Don’t miss out on a fun-filled day along St. Joseph’s Bay in Port St. Joe, Florida during your vacation to the Forgotten Coast of Florida! Visit Simmons Bayou on February 4, 2012 for the annual Bay Day Shrimp Boil!

Shrimp boils are a southern tradition here along the Gulf Coast. Come experience the one-of-a-kind flavor of shrimp, corn, red potatoes and sausage boiled to perfection in, traditionally, Old Bay seasoning witha  side of sweet tea! Don’t bother with the utensils, but grab plenty of napkins to enjoy this peel-&-eat event.

In addition to great food your donation of just $10.00, benefitting the St. Joseph’s Preserve, will also enable you to tour the beautiful homes of Indian Pass, enjoy boat tours of the area, listen to the live music and possibly even win prizes! Be sure to stop into te St. Joseph Bay Preserves Center from 11AM to 2PM on February 4, 2012 to dine for a great cause!

Get in a great run during your vacation in Fort Walton Beach or stay in a Destin vacation rental this January. Meet up with Biggest Loser winner Danny Cahill for a 5K, 10K and half-marathon run!

Destin’s Bayou, Bay & Back run/walk includes a 5K course, 10K run and half-marathon distance run and is open to everyone whether you’re a seasoned runner or just out for a beautiful walk. Meet up at Clement Taylor Park, off Calhoun Avenue in Destin, at 7:30AM rain or shine on January 28, 2012 and get ready to run one of the most gorgeous courses around! Your path may vary depending on the distance you choose to run. The new half-marathon course, however, will traverse Choctawhatchee Bay, the Destin Harbor, and East Pass as it leads it’s runners through Destin, along an undeveloped stretch of Okaloosa Island and back to the starting point over the Destin bridge.

Lace up those running shoes and make your plans for one of the best runs in Northwest Florida! All proceeds benefit the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance and you can register for the run, at a discounted fee, at active.com.

Our winter residents staying with us in Panama City Beach vacation rentals don’t want to miss out on the fun festivities the area CVB has planned just for them. Head out and see why Panama City Beach took the top honors as the place to retire in 2012 from  ’Where to Retire’ Magazine!

Our snowbirds staying with us in a Gulf Coast beach condo will certainly appreciate our fully-equipped kitchens when it comes time to compete in the 2012 Cooking Challenges. Whether you’re best recipe is for sweet treats, spicy chili or a steamy soup head to the Senior Center and show it off!

If you love to boogie, don’t miss out on the bi-weekly Winter Resident Dance at the Boardwalk Beach Resort. DJ Jim Lawson will be playing all your favorite tunes and refreshments, including drink specials, will be available. Grab your friends and practice your best moves before the main event, the Senior Prom! Don’t miss this beach-themed event on February 10, 2012 at Edgewater Beach Resort. You could win a weekend trip down for your family and $500 spending cash! No matter what you decide to do, we hope our Panama City Beach Snowbirds have a blast along the beaches of Northwest Florida in 2012.

Join us during your stay in a Pensacola Beach vacation rental this weekend, January 21, 2012 for the Great American Chili Cook-off in nearby downtown Pensacola. You don’t want to miss this tasty event where the number one rule in competition is to have fun!

The Great American Chili Cook-off is now in it’s 18th year and is a favorite local event in the historic district of town, located just a few moments drive in from the Gulf Coast beaches. Cooking will begin at noon. Watch as each team slices and dices on-site as they prepare at least five gallons of homecooked chili for the afternoon tasting. Come hungry as the chili will be spooned up at 4PM and you’ll want to try them all!

And if you think this competition is all about the food, well,  it is but it’s also about showmanship. Look out for wild decorations, costumes, presentations and theme as each team works toward the ultimate title of first place and people’s choice! Enjoy your day strolling the beaches of Northwest Florida and Pensacola Beach before heading into town and enjoying a delicious evening at the Great American Chili Cook-off!

Join us during your vacation in Northwest Florida for the Emerald Coast Bridal Faire! This event will take place on Sunday, January 15, 2012 from 1PM to 5PM and is a must-attend for all those neew brides-to-be!

Whether you’re planning a destination wedding along the Gulf Coast or simply looking for great ideas, the Emerald Coast Bridal Faire is worth the afternoon away from the beaches and attractions of Fort Walton Beach and Destin. Admission is only $10 and you’ll not only see the latest trends in everything from invitations to floral arrangements but also view a tremendous fashion show where you may just spot ‘the dress’!

Perhaps you are interested in a Gulf Coast wedding, however. It may be more affordable and ideal for you than you could have ever imagined. Visit the Southern Team during the event to hear about our lovely wedding venues including the Destin Bay House, the Il Paradiso beach home and more, not to mention condo deals for your out of town guests. We hope to see all the 2012 brides at this weekends bridal faire at the Emerald Coast Convention Center in Fort Walton Beach!