Henderson Park Inn
If someone placed you in front of Henderson Park Inn and then asked you to identify your geographical location, chances are high that you’d guess wrong. This 30-room inn with its Victorian architecture flanked in well-worn cedar shingles and accented with gleaming white woodwork would leave many confidently declaring they were on the coast of Maine or some other spot in New England. But a walk around to the beach right behind the Inn might cause confusion. Maine’s shores are rocky, not flat and covered with sugar-white sand. Its coastal waters dark, not pale mint green. So where are you? Henderson Park Inn is in Destin, Fla., and even though it sits directly on one of the Emerald Coast’s finest beaches, it seems far removed from everything else around it, both in look and feel.
Tucked away on the edge of Henderson State Park and its undeveloped beach, Henderson Park Inn offers a charm and tranquility that can be hard to find in some other nearby seaside locales. With nothing for over a mile on one side, and only small lodgings on the other (no towering condos), most often the only sounds you hear are waves breaking against the shore and the occasional seagull cry. One noise you will definitely not hear is that associated with children, as Henderson Park Inn is for adults only.
You’ll notice the next difference when you open the door to your casually elegant room. The usual suspects of beach décor are missing (framed palm-tree or seashell prints, pastel or bright-colored fabrics) and replaced with dark wood furnishings, rich gold and jewel-toned bedding and bead board wainscoting. Of course the one element that’s almost a given at any beachfront accommodations, a balcony, is present, but it’s a little different too. The deep-set balconies of each room are private, spacious and because you can’t see your neighbors, leave you feeling as if you’re the only guest there.
Several aspects of the property combine to extend that feeling throughout your entire stay. The easy, yet luxurious, atmosphere and a high level of personal service keep Henderson Park Inn true to the “inn” part of its name. Everyone from the concierge to the cleaning staff is welcoming and both willing and able to meet most special requests. Coffee, soft drinks and snacks are available (at no charge) throughout the day, with lemonade and fresh-baked cookies added in the afternoon. A complimentary “happy hour” each evening includes wine and beer. Another special, and quite romantic, touch greets you upon arrival: a tray on your bed topped with a bottle of wine and two glasses, grapes and a single red rose. If you do choose to socialize during your getaway, the wide deck overlooking the Gulf is the perfect perch for mingling with other guests while enjoying a drink and the colorful glow of a sunset.
Another plus of this property, making it the natural choice for a relaxing retreat, is the fact that you never need to leave. An ample breakfast—so much more than a few muffins and your choice of cereal box—is included in your room rate, as is lunch. Both are served in the Inn’s lovely dining room, which transforms into the Beach Walk Café for dinner. The space is intimate, yet seems open and airy, thanks to a wall of windows with an amazing view of the water through sea oats and pristine dunes. The vista alone is almost worth the check at the end of the meal, but even it can’t outshine the food. The menu changes with the seasons but consistently features fine dining cuisine that earns rave reviews and draws outside diners in addition to the Inn’s guests. First course selections like spicy smoked tomato and shrimp soup are followed by pepper-crusted yellow fin tuna or specialties like “Grouper Vince.” And the restaurant also operates under the Inn’s “service with a smile” philosophy. The chef accommodates special orders whenever possible.
In between eating, drinking and relaxing with a view, you should take at least a few moments to experience the beach. Chairs with umbrellas as well as a few bench swings are set up on the sand. Bikes are also available if you do decide to venture out. Whatever you do, at Henderson Park Inn, you’ll be doing it amid serenity and style.
Henderson Park Inn
2700 Scenic Hwy 98
Destin, FL 32541
© 2011 Gulfscapes Magazine. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | To Purchase Use Email Gulfscapes | 361-548-6804
Rainforest grows in Galveston
Texas may be in the throes of a record drought, but that hasn’t stopped a Rainforest from springing up! Rising ten stories above the beach at Moody Gardens resort complex is the new, $25 million Rainforest Pyramid, a tropical oasis with over 1,000 species of exotic plants and animals from rainforests all over the world. The glassed in Pyramid is a marvel of engineering. It allows in the tropical sunlight and contains the moisture that powers the rainforest while keeping things nice and cool for visitors as they explore the numerous exhibits.
The Pyramid is divided into geographic sections, including Africa, Central and South America and Asia. Each section displays the flora and fauna indigenous to those areas.
The walking tour begins high in the treetops on a suspended walkway that takes you right through the forest canopy, where monkeys and sloths cling to branches. Look down and you’ll see the river that is home to the endangered giant Amazon River otter. Look up and and you’ll see flocks of bright pink ibis perched. Keep walking and you’ll enter the enclosed butterfly sanctuary, where the multicolored insects flutter and light.
As you decend onto the forest floor, the path weaves in and out of the tall palm, ficus and mahogany trees. You’ll wander into Mayan ruins like Indiana Jones. You’ll encounter exhibits of tree frogs, snakes and lizards. Streams of gently gurgling water cross your path and waterfalls cascade into pools populated with rare fish and turtles. Brightly plumed parrots and macaws creak and call as they watch visitors pass. Dozens of spectacular orchids and rare flowering plants hang along the trail, offering glimpses of the unique vegetation that occurs only in rainforests. It is at once very calming due to the water sounds, but also exciting with a new exotic experience around each corner.
Chinese alligators, vampire bats, ocelots, porcupines, leopard stingrays . . . there’s a whole other world waiting for you inside the Rainforest.
Related event at Moody gardens – Festival of Lights
Moody Gardens | One Hope Boulevard Galveston, Texas 77554 | www.moodygardens.com
Categories: Animals, Attractions, Featured story, Texas, Travel, Vacations Tags: Attractions, destination, galveston, Moody Gardens, rainforest, Rainforest Pyramid, texas, travel, tx, vacation
Many Mississippi casinos open for business
Jackson, Miss. (May 9, 2011) – Mississippi state officials are working to inform tourists that Mississippi is open for business.
The State of Mississippi continues to monitor and assess the rising water levels of the Mississippi River, and state agencies are working with local, state and federal agencies to track water stages and road and business closures. The Mississippi Development Authority is working with the state’s lead agency, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, to stay informed of the latest developments and to assess the potential impact on business and tourism in Mississippi.
“The tourism industry is vital to our state’s economy. We are concerned about the impact this will have on the businesses and individuals that make their living from our tourism and hospitality industries,” said Mary Beth Wilkerson, director of Tourism for MDA. “With more than 78,000 Mississippi residents directly employed in the tourism industry and tourism revenue adding $357 million to the state’s General Fund each year, we encourage all to rely on sound information before making or changing their travel plans. I hope people will continue to monitor the situation, and I encourage travelers to visit http://www.VisitMississippi.org for the latest information.”
MDA’s Tourism Division has received the following updates related to tourism product closing due to the Mississippi River flooding:
Lula: Isle of Capri is closed.
Tunica: All casinos are closed.
Vicksburg:
- Horizon Casino and Hotel 601.636.3423 – n/a (already closed for renovations)
- Ameristar Casino 601.638.1000 – Open (possibly close later this week)
- DiamondJacks Casino 1.877.711.0677 - Closed
- Rainbow Hotel Casino – Open (possibly close later this week)
Natchez:
- Isle of Capri Casino 1.800.THE.ISLE – Closed
Greenville:
- Jubilee 662.335.1111 - Closed
- Lighthouse Point 1.800.878.1777 – Closed
- Harlow’s Casino 1.866.524.LUCK – Closed
The 11 casinos on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Pearl River Resorts in Choctaw, Miss., are all open without disruption.
MDA staff will continue to stay in close contact with these organizations, and as the agency receives updated information as it pertains to these areas of potential impact, it will make that information available. MDA will continue to keep the public informed with regards to the potential effects of flooding on travel and tourism.
Gulfscapes Magazine
Categories: Activities, Gulf Coast States, Mississippi, Things to Do Tags: casinos, flooding, ms, ms. mississippi, tourism, travel
2011 Spring Break Travel Discounts
In South Padre Island Texas …
Just in time for spring travel, special rates at Suites at Sunchase, 90-room property in South Padre Island, Texas, start at $79.00 per night, March 21 – April 21, 2011, based on double occupancy.
Situated on beautiful Laguna Madre Bay, this independent boutique hotel is a few miles from the SPI Convention Center, Schlitterbahn Water Park, the Lighthouse and Nature Trail. Lively restaurants and shopping are also nearby. The property has a 3,400 square-foot meeting room, an outdoor heated pool, hot tub and studio and one-bedroom suites with panoramic views of the bay and South Padre Island. Each suite pampers with a flat-screen high-definition TV, pillow-top mattress, iPod dock, sitting area, wet-bar, microwave and fridge.
Guests and locals gather in the Casablanca Bar on the fourth floor to sip drinks, enjoy live entertainment featuring Pelican West and catch spectacular Laguna Madre sunsets. Additional amenities include the Sunset Café, serving breakfast and lunch; a fitness center; and business center. The on-site shops at the Suites at Sunchase include a boutique shop, nail salon, beauty shop and spa, and a spirits and gourmet coffee store.
___________
In Conroe, Texas …
La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa Teams Up With Radio Disney - For A Wizards of Waverly Place Spring Break
CONROE, Texas –La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa — Houston’s playground for families and friends – partners with Radio Disney to provide guests of all ages an unforgettable, fun-filled spring break. This spring break, kids pack up their flip-flops and swimsuits, while warming up their magic wands for a Wizards of Waverly Place spring break parties, Mar. 12 and Mar. 19. While participating in poolside games and dance parties to Selena Gomez tunes with Radio Disneydance troops, guests can enter to win a chance to attend one of the final tapings of the show. Available Mar. 11-25, Spring Break Package starts at $159/night, including luxury suite accommodations, daily breakfast discounts on golf and spa services and more.
Spring Break at La Torretta Lake Resort and Spa
Valid Mar. 11-25, starting at $159/night
Luxury Suite Accommodations
Daily Breakfast for a Family of Four
25 percent off Golf and Spa Services
Complimentary Resort Fee
After working up a sweat, everyone hops in and drifts down the refreshing lazy river, where water spouts cool off guests as they float through the gentle rapids in the 3.5 acre Aqua Park. When little swimmers are not splashing around, arts and crafts and cookie-decorating contests are sure to keep them entertained. As the sun sets over the banks of Lake Conroe, families gather for s’mores and an elaborate fireworks display that lights up the Texas sky, as guests of all ages are left starry-eyed.
Perfect for families, couples, socialites and outdoor adventurers, La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa is Houston’s playground featuring countless enticing activities. Whether sport fishing and navigating a personal sailboat on Lake Conroe, floating down the lazy river at the Aqua Park or teeing off on the 18-hole golf course, guests of all ages are engaged in building lifelong memories together. Balancing outdoor adventure with world-class sophistication, La Torretta features Texas’ only Michelin-starred chef serving French delicacies at the water front Chez Roux restaurant as well as global spa treatments at the renowned SpaTerre.
For additional information or to book a Lifestyle Weekend at La Torretta Lake Resort & Spa, visit www.LaTorrettaLakeResort.com or call 936-448-4400.
…
