For five decades, the resort set on the spectacular Emerald Coast has drawn visitors to its beautiful white-sand beaches, made from quartz carried from the Appalachian Mountains twenty thousand years ago. After fifty years, it's no surprise that the largest resort to be situated on Florida’s Gulf Coast remains the ultimate destination for generations of coastal adventurers, families, couples, reunions, winter vacationers, and getaways.

This Thanksgiving, locals and travelers visiting the Emerald Coast can remove the holiday stress from their plate, leaving room for extra turkey and mashed potatoes. Whether they choose to dine at the elusive Hotel Effie for brunch or enjoy an exclusive Thanksgiving Fall dinner, below are options for chef-driven holiday meals for the whole family.

Hotel Effie has partnered with the Emerald Coast Autism Center for a special one-night event hosted by celebrity chef Hugh Acheson on July 15 at 6pm-10pm. The pre-fixe dinner will take place at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Ovide, nestled in the heart of the world-famous Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.

As Mother's Day quickly approaches, the time to pick out a gift is dwindling. Moms do so much, and it can be tough to find a present that lives up to her greatness—especially at the last minute. So we rounded up a range of perfect Mother's Day gifts to show appreciation to the incredible and stylish moms, grandmothers, and mother figures out there. Happy gifting!

The venue of the day is the relatively new and buzzed-about Hotel Effie. Named after the owner's matriarch, the Hotel has a family element that emanates through the graciousness everyone working here seems to possess. Walking into the bright and spacious lobby, I feel transported to a swanky metropolitan city, minus the ostentatiousness that comes with that. The modern yet breezy design is refreshing from the typical beach casual decor we Floridians are so used to seeing. Perhaps it's because I am finally off 30-A? Anyone who stays on 30-A knows the running joke of Destin/Sandestin being a faraway "big city." So take it from me, Hotel Effie came to play.

Hotel Effie, located between the Gulf of Mexico’s emerald-green waters and the Choctawhatchee Bay, is the area’s newest luxury hotel. Judging just from its name, Hotel Effie is classy, fun, and has a novelty to it that we love. The modern hotel provides genuine Southern hospitality packaged in comfortable luxury.