Who says Brentwood doesn’t have a beach? Of course, we do! We just keep it in Destin, Florida, that’s all. Call it Brentwood Beach on the Emerald Coast.
But where to stay on your visit to our perfect peninsula with its sugar-white sand dunes, fresh sea breezes and emerald green waters? Well, that’s a Brentwood Beach no-brainer. It’s The Henderson, a Salamander Beach and Spa Resort, which was recently named one of “The South’s Best Resorts of 2019” by Southern Living. Brentwood Lifestyle can confirm that the accolade is highly deserved. The luxurious and immaculate rooms come with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and furnished balconies. Rooms with Gulf views and free-standing tubs—Brentwood Lifestyle personally recommends—are also available.
Whichever room you choose, The Henderson is the ideal getaway for the entire family, including your dog. For those wishing to bring their four-legged pal along, The Henderson offers dog-friendly rooms on the garden level along with dog beds and water and food bowls. There’s even a souvenir dog toy your pooch will receive at check-in. Plus, there’s a good chance you and your pup will become acquainted with two new canine companions, Dune and Ranger. These friendly dogs serve as The Henderson’s canine ambassadors and will welcome you with happy wags and make themselves available for photo ops if desired.
For the kids, The Henderson is an absolute paradise with a wealth of activities from which to choose, fitting for a place nestled next to a state park with giant white sand dunes and meandering hiking trails and the most beautiful stretch of beach on the Florida panhandle. The Henderson can serve as the start and finish of a family bike tour with more than 18 miles of safe, paved trails to ride and, at the resort itself, there is an inviting, kid-friendly pool, a lazy river, a splash pad and an ice cream shop for cool snacks in between all the splashing. There are also structured activities for kids ages 4 through 12 with the Poppy’s Kids Club and Kid’s Night Out, allowing time for mom and dad to get away for a while and do their own thing. The kids’ activities change daily and include either lunch or dinner. Mondays, for example, have a mad scientist theme as kids don lab coats and perform fun, hands-on experiments. Wednesdays are all about pirates as kids put on pirate garb and dig for buried treasure. Fridays are for superheroes as kids make their own masks. Without a doubt, the kids will have a blast and will want to fly back to this enchanted place as soon as possible.
Mom and dad will love it, too. With its ideal location, private beach, fine dining, a world-class spa, fitness classes, attentive staff, decadently comfortable beds and inviting balconies overlooking paradise, the only downside to the visit will be having to leave. But while you’re there, make sure to check out the extraordinary breakfast buffet and definitely treat yourself to some private cabana time at the adults-only pool. In the evening, perhaps while the kids are dressed as pirates and eagerly digging for surprises buried in the clean, white sand, enjoy a cocktail and s'mores around the fire pit and make some new friends. It is, after all, Brentwood’s Beach at The Henderson, and there’s a good chance some of the friendly folks you meet will be your neighbors.
What makes the unique sand at The Henderson so powdery and white? It consists of small quartz particles that have been washed down from the southern Appalachian Mountains via the Apalachicola River since the end of the last Ice Age, forming some of the most homogeneous sand in the world.
