Off-Property Dinner and Night Swimming

Thursday we knew it was our last day to go out to eat and we had spent every other day eating either at one of the restaurants at the hotel or at the Baytown which is still SanDestin property. We decided to go off-property this day, but knew we had to go early or it would be a disaster waiting with all five young kids.  After talking to a lot of people who were also staying there that week, we learned that most waits at most restaurants off the property were at least an hour.  We came in a little earlier from the beach that day and let the kids watch a show to rest before getting ready for dinner. One thing I love about this hotel is the set-up of the rooms.  It is definitely a family vacation destination and the rooms are equipped with these cute bunk-beds that are off by themselves making it feel like a different room.  They also have their own TV, which the kids just thought was the coolest!  

We got to dinner just before it got crazy and didn't have to wait at all.  Since it was the day before the 4th they were passing out all sorts of patriotic necklaces, footballs and goodies to the kids.

Handley and Mackenzie bonded on this trip and she is just such a doll!

Since we ate so early we decided it would be a good night for night swimming.  My kids think it is the coolest thing to swim at night when the lights are on in the pool.  This pool had all different colored lights so it was fun for them to swim around and see the different colors.

After night swimming we took our three down to the beach to go on a crab hunt.  Each night we would watch from our balcony at the dozens of people who were on the beach with flashlights looking for crabs.  Robby brought a giant flashlight for this purpose and the kids loved it and we even found a little crab for them to see.  Just as we got down to the beach there was a firework display and they loved getting a sampling of what was to come the next night.