Catching Up with Destin Snowbird Larry Jackson

As we wrap up this commemorative year of celebrating our 30th Anniversary of warm welcomes, we’ve been feeling very nostalgic.  Our winter guests are arriving to town, and we’ve been sharing tales of years past.  We recently caught up with regular guest (aka extended family member) Larry Jackson, who is celebrating his 10th year staying with Newman-Dailey at Ocean Mist in Crystal Beach. We reminisced about his experiences over the years. Here’s highlights from our conversation: 

Where is home? Bolivar, Missouri

How did you become a Destin Snowbird? Well, my parents used to travel to the valley each winter and I saw how it kept them young. No shoveling snow, no harsh winters. We’ve been coming to Destin for years and thought this would be a great place to stay during the winter months.

Do you remember your first visit to Destin? Yes. We had some friends that owned a cottage in Destin and we drove up the Florida coast from Central Florida to stay at their place. It was our first time in Destin and we thought it was beautiful.

How did you find Newman-Dailey? I was in line at the convenience store and the Director of Housekeeping for Newman-Dailey Resort Properties was in front of me in line. We started chatting and next thing we knew, she was showing us around Crystal Beach for the next five hours. We kept her card and when we were ready to come back we called her and she remembered us!

When and where did you stay on your first visit back to the area? Our first visit back to the area was November 1, 2004 to March 15, 2005. We had reserved a vacation rental, and before we arrived it was sold so Newman-Dailey had to move us. The team suggested Caribbean Palms. We loved it! It was the year that Ivan had come through so there was lots of rebuilding and construction on the boardwalks but we still had a great time.

Have you been coming to stay with Newman-Dailey ever since? Well, the next year I was ill so we had to call and cancel our reservation. It was so disappointing and a trying time for our family. The team was so wonderful. They were caring and understanding and even moved our deposit to the next year. The way we were treated blew our minds! We’ve been every year since.

What do you tell your friends about Newman-Dailey? We sing your praises. We tell everyone how the team at Newman-Dailey goes above and beyond the call of duty. Everyone takes us under their wing. We now stay at Ocean Mist cottage when we come. We give feedback for the owners and treat the place like it is our own. We’ve been delighted to find there is something new at the home almost every year—a new refrigerator, new mattress, new artwork, you name it. 

When you think about Newman-Dailey what comes to mind? Caring. We definitely feel like we are part of the family. A family that cares.

We enjoyed walking down memory lane with Larry and appreciate having his family as part of ours. If you are a regular guest and have a story to share, please email us at [email protected].

For those looking for a well-appointed Destin vacation rental, we invite you to become part of our family. Click here for a link to our comfortable South Walton and Destin vacation rentals or call one of our friendly vacation specialists at 1-800-225-7652.

See you @ the beach!
 

Published by Tracy Louthain
Monday, December 14, 2015