Living on the Emerald Coast

Fun in the Sun

Destin Harbor

The Gulf at Sundown

Sunset over the pier

Eglin AFB Thunderbirds

Boardwalk & Floyds Eatery

The Boardwalk at night

FWB vs Choctaw Football

The Crab Trap Restaurant at the Boardwalk

The Gulfarium

View from the Destin Bridge

Beasley Park Beach

FWB Golf Club & Course

FWB Golf Course

The Mattie Kelly Arts Center

Entrance to Kelly Plantation

Kelly Plantation Golf Course

Pelican on the beach

The Gulf of Mexico

The Landing in FWB

Landing Playground in FWB

                                                                                                                          

Living on the Emerald Coast!

 What this means to US and hopefully You too!

Southern Living Magazine readers has voted our area as Best Beach in The South and Top Family Destination for 12 years running! 

Forbes Magazine acclaimed one of the Top Ten Best Small Places to Live for 5 years running!

Recently picked #1 Beach in America by USA Today readers!

Access To Our Sandy White Beaches & Crystal Clear Water 24/7- Did you know that our area has been voted "Best Beaches for Families" and "Most Beautiful Beaches" countless times by regional and national magazines? Did you know that our white sand is not actually sand at all but quartz which is why it remains so white? The name "Emerald Coast" was given to the collective miles of beaches along the Florida Panhandle for the sparkling aquamarine waters along the Gulf of Mexico! Fantastic parks & public access points dot the coastline so that everyone has an opportunity to experience a perfect example of God's handwork!

Our Year Around 'Tropical' Weather- Our average temperatures run from 61F to 90.7F with the low average about 43F. Our coldest month is January with the average overnight temperature at 42.7F and our warmest month is July with the average daytime temperature at 90.7F.  

Watersports -  Whether it be snorkeling at the jetties, scuba diving, renting a pontoon boat or a waverunner or parasailing ...you are certainly guaranteed the most fun under our Florida sun!  Many local dive shops offer a variety of SCUBA services including training and certifications for becoming a certified diver, dive trips, snorkeling and equipment sales. There are several rental shops to rent jet skis/waverunners and pontoon boats for the whole family to enjoy. 

Cruises On The Solaris- through SunQuest Cruises you can reserve a dinner reservation with dancing and live entertainment or go dolphin-watching on a sightseeing cruise. The Solaris is docked at the Baytowne Marina in the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort. It accomodates as many as 150 guests.

Concerts In The Parks....Pack a Picnic And Savor the Sound of Music - Enjoy many free concerts at many local parks includes Liza Jackson Water Park, The Landing in Fort Walton Beach,Kelly Plantation in Destin and Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin to mention just a few. Fun for Everyone!

Swimming With Dolphins at the Gulfarium- Is located right next to the Boardwalk on Highway 98. Enjoy the many sea-life shows and entertainment plus swimming with the dolphins! The Gulfarium has always been a supporter for many education programs. They offer summer camps to kids and young adults & even overnight parties. Great fun for the whole family!

Billy Bowlegs Annual Pirate Festival - A festival of fun held in June of each year for the whole family. Live entertainment, food, arts & crafts, pirates, treasure hunt, a torch light parade, fireworks and children activities makes this festival one that everyone looks forward to each and every year!

Boating at Crab Island - Crab Island is located just north of the Destin Bridge and is a spot where family and friends gravitate to enjoy each other's company, soaking up the sun, swimming, boating and just relaxing and enjoying our surroundings.  Definitely a R & R experience!

The Boardwalk, Pier & More Fishing-Visit the Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island. It is one of the local hotspots! With early morning fishing on The Pier to soaking up the sun on the beach to relaxing with dinner at Angler's or any of the other fine restaurants. For those advid fishermen, fishing is abundant whether on the Pier or on the Destin bridge! Come check out the Black Drum, Grouper or Sheepshead!

Our "Military" - We Salute You!- We are a military town, with Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field and Duke Field, and we support our men and women in uniform. The military presence has created job opportunities for both the military and civilians. It plays a major role in our economy and for the real estate market as well. As a community we embrace and salute our men and women for all their efforts in keeping us safe and fighting for our rights to be a "free" nation!

Our Many, Many Superb Restaurant Establishments- WoW...where to begin when I describe our superb restaurants?  We have anything and everything along the gulf coast from take out, to casual eating, to fine dining. We have many restuarant chains as well as "mom & pop" eateries. Where ever you go you will certainly be satisfied!  

Our Area Artists- Our many local artists display their "works of art" at our many festivals held during the year. You will mostly likely find their masterpieces at any of our local festivals like The Billy Bowlegs Festival, The Destin Seafood Festival and The Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival. 

Shopping at the Destin Commons...a Unique Experience-This shopping extravaganza has a jumping water park for the kids and a beautiful water fountain in the center of the main roadway along with its many shops from Bass Pro Shop and Belk as their primary anchor stores and the Rave Motion Picture Theater with over 10 screens. Chico's, Ann Taylor, Victoria Secrets, Cache, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Brookstone, Build a Bear, The Zoo Gallery, The Black & White store plus many, many other options welcome for your shopping dollars! Have lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, Panera Bread, Tropical Smoothie or at a variety of other eateries.....it's an all day experience! 

The Mattie Kelly Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College Features Entertainment From Broadway to Improv!- Northwest Florida State College, previously Okaloosa Walton College, in Niceville, has a beautiful Arts Center that hosts many plays, concerts and national productions. It is a great source of family entertainment!

Sunrises & Sunsets- You will fall in love with our sunrises and sunsets particularly over the Gulf of Mexico! What can be more romantic than sitting on the beach with a loved one and enjoying the beautiful sunset and scenery with backdrop music of waves crashing against the beaches? 

Charter Boat Fishing- Destin is named the World's Luckiest Fishing Village for good reason. It is known internationally for its October Fishing Rodeo during which there have been many record-breaking catches made! Come down to the the Destin Harbor and you will be amazed at all the fishing boat and personal boat craft! Be on site when the charter boats arrive with their bundles of "fresh catch of the day" and see the variety of fish! Walk along the dock and reserve your charter boat from the many charter establishments located on the harbor, from a private party to a group rate....it is surely a bountiful pleasure!

The Zoo in Gulf Breeze - Come see & explore all you can do at the zoo! Feed the alligators or the giraffes, or take a ride on the safari train and explore the free-roaming wildlife on a 30 acre preserve. The kids will enjoy the "petting zoo". What better place to have your child's birthday party! Open to school field trips too! This is a great 'family' experience! 

Outdoor Ice Skating in the Winter- Enjoy the outdoor ice skating rink during the winter holidays. It's a great time for family and friends! 

Our Snowbirds...We Welcome You! - We welcome our part-time snowbirds to our area! Those that frequent the Emerald Coast yearly have become "locals" in their own right and "friends" to our community!

High School Football- We are well-known for our support of high school athletic programs and our four high schools offer the best of rivalry games when they are pitted against each other! The bands, flag corp and cheerleaders offer great half-time shows as well! 

Ride "The Wave" -  The Wave Connection is the area's county transit program. It runs on the hour to accommodate the consumer from shopping to medical care. They recently added a fleet of Trolleys to operate on Highway 98 in downtown Fort Walton Beach and on Okaloosa Island.

Picturesque Golfing-WoW who hasn't been here to golf? It is a great pastime for both the locals and tourists! We have over 50 immaculate, pristine golf courses that it would be hard to decide which one to try first! Many resorts along Highway 98 in Destin and Sandestin offer their own golf courses and country clubs. The Raven Golf Club has been acclaimed the "Best New Course in Florida" by Florida Golf News. This 6,900-yard, par-71 course in Sandestin has hosted the PGA championship tour since 2006.  Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort is ranked 45th among the nation's top 75 golf resorts! For all you golfers out there...that's pretty impressive!

 

 

Need We Say More.....