Beach Getaways 2008 - (Page 6) shorts NOTABLE BEACH NEWS by Amy Nance There’s plenty to take note of on Florida’s shores, where new resorts offer something for every kind of beachgoer, and attractions and festivals bring the whole family out to the water’s edge. Circus Rings in Summer in Florida’s North If you think the circus isn’t coming to town, think again: Panama City Beach’s Circus by the Sea brings aerial antics and more to that city’s Frank Brown Park, less than a mile from the beach. Florida State University’s Flying High Circus finds a summer home at this big top, which can seat 2,000. Look for nightly performances six days a week, to debut in June. In Destin, Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village wants you to come out for a different kind of spring break. The resort’s daily shuttle service to nearly clandestine Noriega Point in Destin Harbor lets quiet types enjoy the Gulf without the party atmosphere. Between Destin and Pensacola in Santa Rosa County, Navarre Beach features a million new, native plants, giving the already glistening dunes a lush backdrop of green. This summer, Scenic 30A, a statedesignated scenic highway east of Sandestin in south Walton County, will be rededicated. While driving the coast in Pensacola, don’t forget lunch. The Fish House on Pensacola Bay is one of those places with a big, breezy deck, great live music and “famous” grits that accompany its gourmet seafood dishes. Across the state, not only did the luxe Ponte Vedra Inn & Club score AAA’s Five Diamond Award late last year, but its celebrated seaside Lagoon Golf Course reopened after major renovations and a redesign. Want to get to Florida without hitting the road? Amelia River Cruises & Charters’ new ferry service to Fernandina Beach is set to begin this summer, pending U.S. Coast Guard approval. Amelia River Cruises & Charters, 904-261-9972, www.ameliarivercruises.com; Circus by the Sea, 850-249-1101, www.circusbythesea.com; Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village, 850-337-8800, www.emeraldgrande.com; The Fish House, 850470-0003, www.goodgrits.com; Navarre Beach, 800-480-7263, www.beaches-rivers.com; Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, 904-285-1111, www.pvresorts.com. Top, Gulf Islands National Seashore (photo by Antonio Cesar). Center, Panama City Beach’s Circus By the Sea. Center left, Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village. Left, kids on Navarre Beach (photo courtesy of Santa Rosa County CVB). 6 VISITFLORIDA.com/beaches http://www.ameliarivercruises.com http://www.circusbythesea.com http://www.emeraldgrande.com http://www.goodgrits.com http://www.beaches-rivers.com http://www.pvresorts.com http://VISITFLORIDA.com/beaches
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