We woke up on April 2nd feeling well-rested and ready to hit the road for the next leg of our trip. Our destination: Panama City Beach, Florida — just about an hour east of Miramar Beach, where One Big Holiday would officially kick off the next day.

After checking out, we said goodbye to Santee and cruised south before heading west into the Florida Panhandle. The drive was mostly smooth, though we did run into some construction that slowed us down, especially where the expressway ended. I was struck by how rural the region felt — more open and undeveloped than I’d expected. Unfortunately, in several places, the forests had been completely stripped away, leaving barren patches of land. It was a jarring and disheartening sight, to say the least.

We eventually made it to the hotel in Panama City Beach, eager to unwind and grab something to eat. Naturally, I pulled up trusty old Tripadvisor, and one name jumped out: Dat Cajun Place Cafe. I was surprised — and a little impressed — when Nicole agreed to give it a shot.

The place was absolutely slammed. Standing room only, with a swarm of people waiting outside. They quoted us an hour wait, and we decided to go for it. We grabbed drinks at the bar, then wandered outside for some fresh air and a little room to breathe.

When we were finally seated, it was more than worth the wait. I went all in: gator bites, baked oysters, and jambalaya with green beans and Texas toast. Holy crap — it was good. So good, in fact, that Nicole joked she might have to roll me out of there. She wasn’t entirely wrong.

Getting an Uber back to the hotel took a bit, but we eventually made it. Full bellies, tired feet, and another day of memories in the books — we both slept like rocks.