Triton Destinations: Central Gulf Coast

Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle.

The Central Gulf Coast – stretching across the coastlines of Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle – is nearly 200 miles of paradise awash in southern hospitality. With abundant waterways, rich culture, some of the best seafood in the U.S. and miles and miles of pristine beaches, the Central Gulf offers a slower-paced sanctuary for travelers from all over the world.

Each of these coasts boasts similar features – access to warm Gulf waters, sugar-sand beaches, and a variety of boating and fishing opportunities – but unique attributes distinguish one from the other.

Mississippi Gulf Coast

Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic. Courtesy of Ashley Andrews.

From Waveland to Pascagoula, the Secret Coast, as this area is affectionately known, welcomes guests with mouth-watering seafood and outdoor adventures galore. Hop on a charter for a day of near-shore fishing among the barrier islands or anchor out and soak up the sun. Retail therapy can be found in many of the small towns along the Mississippi coast, particularly in downtown Ocean Springs, a charming spot filled with boutiques, art galleries, restaurants and nightlife. A museum in Ocean Springs is dedicated to Walter Inglis Anderson, a renowned artist and naturalist who lived and worked on the coast.

One of the most popular destinations on the Mississippi Coast is Biloxi. Cheer on the Biloxi Shuckers minor league baseball team at MGM Park, visit the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art and the Biloxi Lighthouse or roll the dice at one of a dozen gaming facilities. Just behind the Golden Nugget Casino & Resort sits Biloxi’s Point Cadet Marina, a yacht-friendly marina with 246 boat slips, fuel dock, laundry, shower and other amenities. The marina is also the site of one of the largest sportfishing tournaments in the Gulf – the Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic.

Alabama Gulf Coast

Heading east, you’ll find coastal Alabama with her sugar-white sand beaches and the largest deep-sea fishing charter fleet on the Gulf Coast. Mobile – the oldest city in Alabama and the birthplace of Mardi Gras –is home to the ninth largest shipping port in the nation. Mobile Bay sits at the mouth of the Mobile River and provides the southern entry point to the river system leading all the way north to the Great Lakes.

Dotting the eastern banks of Mobile Bay are several small towns referred to as the Eastern Shore. The Eastern Shore includes the city of Fairhope, which was named one of “America’s Most Romantic Towns” by Travel + Leisure magazine. Founded in 1908 as a single-tax colony, Fairhope is known for its breathtaking sunsets, quaint downtown and robust artistic community. The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa in Point Clear is a luxury historic resort that served as a hospital during the Civil War and military training ground in World War II. The resort offers stunning views, exquisite accommodations and meticulously maintained championship golf courses along the Robert Trent Jones Trail.

South of Fairhope, you’ll encounter 32 miles of pristine beaches bordering the twin cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Visitors to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, also known as “Pleasure Island”, can spend the day relaxing on the beach, playing in the warm Gulf waters or enjoying a variety of water activities like boating and kayaking. The Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail inside the Gulf State Park was recently named the best recreational trail in the country by USA Today and offers guests more than 28 miles of paved trail system to explore the 6,150-acre park.

Foodies can enjoy a range of dining experiences, from casual beachside eateries to find dining restaurants serving up gourmet dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. The Wharf Marina, located along the Intracoastal Waterway in Orange Beach, is a state-of-the-art facility with 200 slips, fuel, pump out, and close proximity to restaurants, bars, and other amenities inside The Wharf Entertainment Complex. The Wharf Marina hosts two major sportfishing tournaments each summer – the Orange Beach Billfish Classic and the Blue Marlin Grand Championship, which has been dubbed “The Greatest Show in Sportfishing”.

Florida Panhandle

Gulf ICW Gulf Shoes. Courtesy of Saunders Yachtworks.

With its warm weather, emerald waters and relaxed atmosphere, the Florida Panhandle – also known as the Emerald Coast – is the perfect place to sit back, relax and enjoy some of the best food, culture and scenery that the Sunshine State has to offer. Straddling the Florida-Alabama state line in Perdido Key, Fla., is the world-famous Flora-Bama Lounge, a beachfront dive bar built in 1964 that attracts thousands of visitors each year.

In Pensacola, you’ll find a wonderful mix of cityscape and powder-soft beaches. Pensacola’s vibrant downtown area is bustling with restaurants, bars, music venues and shops that cater to a variety of tastes and preferences. Like Biloxi, Pensacola has its own minor league baseball team, the Blue Wahoos, whose stadium overlooks Pensacola Bay. Located at Pensacola Bay’s east channel, Palafox Pier Yacht Harbor can accommodate yachts up to 175’ in length and offers on-site fuel, restaurants, pump-out and other amenities. It is also home to the Pensacola Big Game Fishing Club’s International Billfish Tournament. Pensacola Beach has multiple public beach access points and an array of casual dining and entertainment options for a day in the sun. Beachgoers often have the opportunity to watch as the Blue Angels appear in perfectly symmetrical formation and buzz the beach during a practice session for one of their airshows.

The last stop on the Central Gulf Coast is the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” Destin, Fla. With its own white-sandy beaches and crystal-clear, emerald waters, Destin is one of the most popular beach vacation destinations in the region. Spend the day anchored out in the shallow waters at Crab Island or relax on the beach at one of Destin’s five beachfront parks with public access. For those who love to fish, king mackerel, blackfin tuna and grouper can be found a short distance offshore. HarborWalk Village and Destin Commons provide entertainment off the beach with a multitude of shopping options, a movie theater and a range of restaurants. Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort not only serves up an extensive menu of luxury vacation amenities, it’s also the location of Baytowne Marina, a 210-slip full-service marina that can host vessels up to 140 feet. Each summer, Baytowne brings in sportfishing enthusiasts from all over the Gulf Coast for the Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic.

Navigating from one stop to the next along the Central Gulf Coast via superyacht is best done by cruising inland along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The Gulf ICW runs for more than 1,000 miles from Carrabelle, Fla., to Brownsville, Texas. It accommodates vessels with a deeper draft, while providing access to the Gulf of Mexico at various points along the way. Bridges along the Gulf ICW are fixed with most having a height of 65’.