# Destin, FL Rides?



## Muldoon54 (Feb 12, 2005)

Anyone know of good rides (group or solo) in Destin, FL? Will be down there in the beginning of June and want to bring my road bike. Thanks!


----------



## gutpile (Feb 26, 2005)

*Traffic galore*

I grew up there and the good 'ol days are long gone. Unlike south fla where I am now, the summer is tourist season for the panhandle. Destin is being developed like crazy. My impressions from last visit was it has no long main roads to comfortably venture out on, and the back roads (neighborhood streets) can be squirelly - a lot of stop & go etc. This is not much help I know - perhaps some riders in that area will repsond with some suggestions.


----------



## West End Rail NJ (Apr 28, 2005)

*Try Swimming*

Cycling sucks, there is a bike trail over near 30A - in the Seaside area but overall the cycling sucks.


----------



## Muldoon54 (Feb 12, 2005)

Appreciate the advice! I hadn't been there in a while and didn't remember the layout. From the way it looks, I guess I'll be leaving the bike home. Thanks again!


----------



## FLbiker (May 21, 2005)

*Rides*

Call Robin at Robin's Bikes. He is an avid rider and should be able to help you out. Number is 850-269-2453.


----------



## frank_grupt (Jun 28, 2004)

*Go a little further east*

Destin is a hole, but if you head a little further east to the South Walton area there is a long MUT that parallels 30-A. It's got all the usual MUT drawbacks, so don't expect to do any head-down gear munching, but it's very nice otherwise, especially further east, past Seaside. There are a couple of state parks along the way and the beaches there are much nicer than those in Destin. Costs just a buck to get in for the day if you're on a bike. 

If you have an MTB with you, there's a fair bit of singletrack (20-plus miles) through the state parks around Santa Rosa and Seaside. Some of it's sandy, but it's fun and interesting (assuming you don't live in a pine swamp and find such things mundane), especially if you ride fast. I didn't see any critters but the bushes echo with slithery noises as you go past, encouraging you to stay on the trail. There's a map posted outside a bike shop in (I think -- all the towns run together) San Rosa, might be called Biking Billy's or something similar, that shows one entrance, but I found that once I reached the end of the trail shown on that map, there was more to ride at the end.

If you're interested in new urbanist architecture, this is a great area to ride around. It's about as bike-friendly as any place. We have gone for a week at the beach there the last couple of years. We take our MTBs, me trailing the bigger kid with a trail-gator and my wife with the little one in a baby seat. Once we get there, we rarely use the car at all. 

There is, in theory, a bike lane along some of 98 from Destin out to 30-A. It didn't look like much fun to me. If you're car-less and desperate (more than a few minutes in Destin would make me desperate), however, it should serve to get you out of town. Otherwise, just drive out.


----------



## Muldoon54 (Feb 12, 2005)

*Thanks!*

Hey Guys,

Thank you very much for all of your help. I called Robin at his shop earlier today and he told me about some of their group rides. Looks like the trip has been saved and the bike is coming with me. And after reading about the MTB trails, I might throw that on the rack too. I do have a 4 bike carrier, now I wonder what other bike I can bring. Thanks again for all of your help. If you should need anything from south Louisiana, please let me know.


----------

