This week iTrip is featuring its 116 Perdido Sun penthouse, situated along a world class beach in Perdido Key, Florida. It’s a great place for a Perdido Key vacation.

The first-floor, three-bedroom, three-bath penthouse includes an attractively decorated, spacious great room, a formal dining room and a full-kitchen with beautiful granite countertops. Drink a cup of coffee or read a good book while enjoying the fresh air on the covered patio.

Relax in the great room after a fun day at the beach. The tastefully decorated great room features plenty of window space, comfortable furniture and a television. Relax and watch your favorite TV shows or a movie. The penthouse has four televisions; no need to argue about which TV show to watch. The three large bedrooms include a private bath and dressing area. The spacious penthouse sleeps eight people.

Perdido Key vacation rentals are within easy reach of pristine beaches. Besides frolicking in the Gulf of Mexico, you and family members also have access to a large indoor and outdoor pool. The complex also has a large Jacuzzi hot tub, recreational facilities and a lawn area with picnic tables. Dine outdoors and enjoy the great views and fresh air. When you’re ready to relax at the beach or engage in beach activities, the complex features 200 feet of white sand beachfront. The new exercise facility makes it easy to continue your exercise regime during vacation time. Kids have a fun time in the game room.

According to the Travel Channel, Perdido Key is among the 20 most beautiful beaches in the world and according to Conde Nast Traveler among the top 5 island beaches.

Have a wonderful time during your Perdido Key vacation!

Within 5 miles of iTrip’s luxurious Perdido Key vacation rentals, 3 Florida state parks invite vacationers to unplug, relax and immerse themselves in the Florida Panhandle’s wild, natural beauty. Just a short drive from comfortable condo rentals on Perdido Key, these parks allow vacationers to step back in time and experience Florida’s pristine natural beauty.

Perdido Key State Park. The perfect place for a lazy day at the beach, rolling dunes covered with sea oats end in white sandy beaches, enticing vacationers to bask in the sun and swim in the surf. As you stroll along the beach, keep an eye out for cockle shells, sea scallops, sand dollars and hermit crabs. The park is home to flocks of pelicans and shorebirds. Surfing and surf fishing are popular activities.

Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park. Pine flatwoods and prairie wetlands surround this undeveloped bayou. A place of quiet serenity, the park is home to more than 100 endangered plant species, including rare pitcher plants, alligators and snapping turtles. A 1.3-mile round-trip stroller/wheelchair-accessible nature trail leads to a platform overlooking the bayou. Watch for jumping mullet and dolphins.

Big Lagoon State Park. Narrow white sand beaches and calm, shallow waters make this a good place for a family day at the beach. The lagoon is also a popular spot for crabbing, cast fishing, canoeing (rentals available) and boating. Five miles of hiking trails wind through the preserve. Stop by the ranger station for a schedule of guided nature walks. A birders’ paradise, the park is a gateway for the Great Florida Birding Trail. Tidal salt marshes attract great blue herons, king rails, shore birds and waterfowl. Upland pine flatwoods are home to cardinals, towhees, brown thrashes and nuthatches. Visitors can check out binoculars at the ranger station. For a breathtaking birds’-eye view, climb the 4-story observation tower on East Beach.

Find your own luxurious Perdido Key vacation rentals at iTrip.net!

If you need a place to “get lost” with the girls for a weekend, then Perdido Key Florida is the perfect place.  Not just because of the secluded beaches that offer a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle, but because “Perdido” means “lost” in Spanish, so locals sometimes refer to it as “Lost Key.”

Perdido Key vacation rentals offer a chance for a long-form slumber party. Relax and unwind in comfort and take in the beauty of the surrounding area. If low-key fun is the goal, meander and take in the quaint village-like atmosphere. Visit the art gallery before exploring the specialty shops that sell antiques or treasures made by local artisans.  

Of course, you’ll want to get out and enjoy the sunshine, white sand, and clear blue waters.  You can do that at a slow pace, by sunbathing and swimming.  Our Perdido Key condo rentals offer a variety of amenities like swimming pools, tennis courts, a spa and a poolside café.  

You can also immerse yourself in nature by strolling among the dunes that protect the local wildlife, or visiting Big Lagoon State park. There are also cruises available to help you make the most of all the waterways — watch dolphins play, sail the back bays and bayous. Once you’re rejuvenated, revel in the freedom of playtime! There are plenty of water sports available, so try kayaking or snorkeling, parasailing, surfing or scuba diving. 

In the evening, relax on a dinner cruise, take in local theater or the opera, take in the local cuisine and beach atmosphere at dining spots like Calypso Joe’s, The Crab Trap, Floro-Bama or The Shrimp Basket, or go nearby to The Wharf, where you can see a movie, catch a live concert, and enjoy a gourmet meal.

Start planning to get lost with your girlfriends now! View a variety of Perdido Key condo rentals today!

Looking for a romantic hideaway for the weekend? Get to know each other all over again during an idyllic weekend at a luxurious Perdido Key, Florida vacation rental. A little piece of paradise carved from the undulating dunes of Perdido Key State Park, the vacation rental condominiums of Perdido Key are enclosed by some of Florida’s most beautiful and most secluded sugar sand beaches.

Imagine sipping fresh-squeezed orange juice while breakfasting al fresco on the balcony of a beautifully-appointed beach-front rental condominium. The pristine white sand beach stretches invitingly before you, lapped by the beautiful blue waters of the gulf. Seagulls reel and cry overhead as the wind whispers seductively across the sparkling sand. Welcome to another morning in paradise.

Just 15 miles from Pensacola, Perdido Key is one of the sandy, wind-swept barrier islands that edge the Florida Panhandle. A glistening jewel surrounded by warm gulf waters, Perdido Key is home to some of the Panhandle’s most breathtaking natural beaches – the perfect spot to spend a romantic weekend with someone you love.

Beach lovers who want to get away from it all will fall in love with the gulf-front Indigo rental condominiums. With the beach right outside your door, these condominiums offer spectacular, floor-to-ceiling views of the Gulf of Mexico. A fully equipped kitchen, walk-in showers, mirror-surrounded Jacuzzi tub, indoor and outdoor pools, hot tub, sauna, steam room and fitness center will ensure that your vacation is relaxing and enjoyable.

If you prefer to experience the lush, verdant green of Florida’s Emerald Coast, book a romantic weekend at Perdido Key’s Eden condo rentals. Feel peace descend as you and your love wander arm-in-arm down quiet paths through exotic gardens. Pamper yourself at Eden’s full-service spa or enjoy the indoor and outdoor pools and two hot tubs.

Book your romantic Perdido Keys condo rental today at iTrip.net.

Perdido Key is a breathtaking piece of Florida’s Emerald Coast that offers travelers a true opportunity to escape the hyperactivity associated with many of Florida’s major vacation destinations.  This quiet and calm slice of heaven is often referred to as the “lost key” because of its incredible secluded beaches that provide the perfect place to relax.

Travelers flock to Perdido Key all year round to experience the sun, fun and cool ocean breeze without having to worry about fighting the crowds to set up blankets and chairs.  Whether your favorite beach activity involves catching big waves or catching up on your reading with your feet buried in the sand, the beaches of Perdido Key offer an ideal atmosphere.

In addition to the feeling of escape you’ll enjoy on the gorgeous white secluded beaches, a Perdido condo rental will let you and your family get back to nature as well.  A large portion of the “lost key” is designated as state parks, like Big Lagoon State Park, where vacationers can enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, bike riding, picnics or bird watching. 

Those who are looking to enjoy a vacation that provides the opportunity to sit back and relax or to dive right in to the excitement of the major attractions will also benefit from renting a Perdido Key condo rental.  The quaint and quiet atmosphere may give you the feeling that you are a million miles away from everything but many of the major attractions of Pensacola are easily accessible from Perdido Key.  Your Perdido Key condo rental puts you and your family close enough to enjoy the Pensacola Zoo, world class golf courses, amusements and museums without constantly being immersed in the crowds. 

Perdido Key represents everything that a beach lover could want from a vacation destination.  Let iTrip help you book the perfect Perdido Key condo for an absolutely unforgettable getaway.

Perdido Key, FL is located on a “narrow strip of snow white beaches and crystal blue waters on the Northwest Panhandle of Florida.” It is considered to be a bridge that links out to its larger city neighbors, Pensacola, FL and Orange Beach, AL. Perdido Key has an extraordinary atmosphere and an air of quaint mystery.

Because of this, Perdido Key has earned a “Top 5 List” on our blog.

In no particular order, here is our list of reasons to vacation in Perdido Key.

1. Perdido Key stretches about 16 miles, and about 60% of it is “located in federal or state parks.” This makes Perdido Key one of the “last remaining  unblemished stretches of wilderness in the Florida Panhandle.”

2. The literal translation of Perdido Key means “lost key,” which was named by the early Spaniards who discovered it in 1693. Until the Spaniards discovered “the key,” it was a secret well kept by the Gulf Coast’s native Americans- Perdido Key’s first denizens. But- there are still many treasures to be uncovered.

3.  Perdido Key has an average temperature of 75 degrees, and an astounding 343 days of sunshine a year. As visitperdido.com says, “It’s not surprising the key is a long-hidden retreat that blends together both year-round outdoor activities, and an authentic laid-back lifestyle uniquely its own.”

4. Flora-Bama Lounge- This is perhaps Perdido Key’s hottest spot to visit. It’s got a delectable oyster bar and live music. It’s also home to a diverse number of fascinating festivals and events, including, the “Polar Bear Dip,” the “Jammin’ Jambalaya Cajun Crawfish Fest,” ”Sandstock,” and “Bama Blues & BBQ.”

5. Perdido Key State Park- This park exhibits all the beauty Perdido Key possesses, and it has a slew of activites to engage in. Some of these activities include, lounging on its pristine beaches, swimming, fishing, picnicking, and wildlife viewing.

These are only five reasons to vacation in Perdido Key, but the possibilities are endless when you’re in paradise. Come on down and experience the possibilities for yourself.

Here at iTrip.net, we can set you up in a Perdido Key vacation rental that compliments your paradise themed vacation.

For more information about Perdido Key, its attractions and events, go to www.visitperdido.com.

Public relations is too often overlooked and underestimated when it comes to business – at least, that’s how one PR expert sees it.

In an article written by PRNewsonline.com, Karen Hinton, president of the Washington D.C.-based public relations firm Hinton Communications, calls BP “the poster child for bad PR practices.”

“At the beginning of the spill, company executives sounded the right tone, but they couldn’t maintain it because of the lies, misrepresentations and careless decision-making revealed through anonymous sources, leaked memos and, in many instances, the company’s own utterances—many of which have been foolish, half-witted and naive”, said Hinton.

Two weeks ago, BP decided it would be a good idea to launch an ad campaign in relation to their oil spill disaster- they were wrong. Spending money on an ad campaign while oil is still desolating our beautiful beaches and their wildlife inhabitants, is never a good idea.

As for the ad campaign itself, Hinton tells PRNewsonline.com, ““It comes across as insincere and manipulative in the midst of 24/7 television coverage that hasn’t even begun to capture the destructive images on the Gulf Coast.”

This calamitous PR ploy by BP is going to be scrutinized by marketing gurus, and remembered by business owners and executives for years to come- hopefully as a lesson on what not to do in a crisis.

As a leading company in the vacation rental management industry, we here at iTrip.net have seen the affects of the oil spill firsthand and we are appalled by the actions of BP over the last couple of months. Honesty and loyalty are just as important to the success of a company as the income that keeps the company afloat. We understand that a happy client creates a loyal client, and that’s one of the many concepts we’ve built our business model upon.

We offer a “Worry-Free Guarantee” to all of our clients, and we have several testimonials from clients who have found solace in our services. We strive to be the poster child for good public relations, marketing and customer service, and we’re confident you will find that at iTrip.net.

Here is the horrid BP ad campaign via Youtube.

There is no doubt that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in April 2010 was one of the worst environmental disasters since the Exxon Valdez oil spill. In fact, the Gulf of Mexico (BP) oil spill is expected to surpass the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill as the worst oil disaster in U.S. history.

No one will soon forget the loss of human life, the devastation to the Gulf Coast’s oceans, and the large number of wildlife refuges (including several dead animals), affected by this tragedy. Although, currently the media is not doing the Gulf Shores any justice, brighter days are ahead due to the efforts taken to maximize the protection of Florida’s beaches.

Here is a list of some of the actions being taken to assure the continued safety of the Gulf Coast Shores.

• Boom Placement- Containment booms will be placed in specific areas to protect the delicate habitats that support wildlife and fish. The placement of booms are based on tides and where the oil is most threatening, as well as direction given in each region’s area contingency plan. Oil will be skimmed or sucked off the surface of the waters and into containment trucks.

• Biological Agents – If the oil were to wash on to the beach, the sand can be cleaned using biological agents. Cleanup crews will spread fertilizers over the contaminated shoreline. These fertilizers promote the growth of native, non-toxic microbes which breakdown the oil into natural components such as fatty acids and carbon dioxide.

• Sorbents – Oil slicks on water can also be cleaned using sorbents, large sponges that absorb oil on top of water.

• Dispersants – The oil can also be handled quickly and broken down using dispersants. Dispersants are chemicals which allow the oil droplets to mix with water and be absorbed into the aquatic system. Dispersants are, however, used with caution as the broken-down oil can be absorbed by marine life thus entering the food chain.

After several meetings, environmental experts and BP executives have declared that the shores along the Gulf Coast are no longer in imminent danger. Currently there is no evidence of any health risks to local residents or tourists who have made plans for a Gulf Shore vacation this summer. The fisheries, wildlife, and seafood off the coast are safe and there are no alerts at this time.

The Department of Health and the DEP are keeping a close eye on the health and environmental impacts to affected areas, and will give notice of advisory if conditions become unsafe. There are currently no known closures and all state parks and beaches are currently open. For more in-depth information visit the Deepwater Horizon Response website.

The show must go on in the Gulf Coast, and so it will. Come on down and find yourself in one of iTrip’s luxurious Gulf Shore Condos, where the beaches are clean, the seafood is fresh, and the festivities are in full swing. We have the Gulf Shore vacation you’ve been dreaming of.

Despite the dreadful Gulf of Mexico oil spill that occurred in April 2010, the fishing tournaments in the Perdido Key area look as if they are going to proceed as scheduled.

To anglers around the Southeast, June is known as “fishing tournament” month, and this year’s series of tournaments will start off with a bang.

The 40th annual Bill Hargreaves Fishing Rodeo will kick things off on June 17, with the captains meeting, followed by the fishing Rodeo from June 18-19, and will end on June 30 with the fish fry and awards ceremony.

With children and families still the center piece for this tournament, it makes sense that this year’s charity is once again the Ronald McDonald House. This premier family event will play host to over 200 junior anglers, and a portion of the proceeds will go to constructing a new house in the Pensacola/Perdido Key area for families in need of housing when their child is hospitalized.

A week after the fishing rodeo, the Bud Light King Mackerel Tournament will begin at Pensacola Beach. Come on out on June 26-27 and watch some of the best fishermen catch king size mackerel and cobia. Take off and weigh in will take place at the famous Flounder’s Chowder House, which is a carnival-house of entertainment in itself.

Just two days later, the Pensacola/Perdido Key area will be hosting one of the largest tournaments of the month, when the 40th annual Pensacola International Billfish Tournament comes back to town. This year’s tournament will be held at NAS Pensacola from June 30-July 4, and will bring about 600 anglers from all around the southeast. Participants in this event can win up to $565,000 in cash and prizes.

For those of you who love to “drop line and anchor”, June is the month you’ll want to take off and go fishing in Perdido Key Florida. Live a little, take a week off, get comfortable in a beautiful gulf front condo, and catch all three tournaments. Then, get ready to watch the fireworks light up the night sky as a finale to one the greatest vacations you and your family have ever experienced.

Nature enthusiasts are sure to fall in love with Perdido Key, Florida, a 247-acre barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico; it would be hard to find a more perfect vacation spot. This is one of the few remaining stretches of wilderness in the Panhandle and nearly half of Perdido Key is set aside for parks and nature preserves. It’s the perfect place for hiking, kayaking, snorkeling or bird watching.

It’s also the perfect place for doing what I do best on vacation; nothing. If you enjoy just vegetating on a quiet sandy beach with only the company of sea gulls and the sound of the ocean as backdrop music, take a stack of books to read, a beach chair, some sunglasses and chill! Should you

Should you crave more action than the beaches of Perdido Key offer you can easily take a day trip to nearby Pensacola. While you’re there be sure to visit the nearby National Museum of Naval Aviation, on the grounds of the Pensacola Naval Air Station. The air base is also home to the Blue Angels, the Navy’s famous flight demonstration squadron; watch them practice from March through November. My husband took our boys to the museum and they loved it, especially the flight simulator.

If you are in the mood for shopping Perdido Key is just a short distance to the Cordova Mall in Pensacola, where you can browse through the shops to your heart’s desire. After you’ve worked up an appetite shopping, there are tons of great places to eat in Pensacola. McGuire’s Irish Pub and Brewery is my favorite. They have everything from steaks to grilled fish, prime ribs and salads. The dining room houses copper kettles which brew the House Ale, and the walls are lined with over 8000 bottles of wine. The bar boasts over 125,000 signed dollar bills. They have live music playing most nights and also on during brunch on Sunday’s.

So whether it’s the beauty of nature you want to enjoy in Perdido Key, Florida, or the hustle and bustle of Pensacola, you can find it all along the Emerald Coast.