Destin, Fl (Emerald Coast)

Destin is considered part of Florida's Emerald Coast area consisting of Fort Walton Beach, Destin and Okaloosa Island located in central time zone on the panhandle of Florida.  The Emerald Coast is approximately 1 hour southeast of Pensacola and 1 hour north of Panama City Beach. A printed visitors guide can be picked up at the Emerald Coast chamber of commerce or a PDF version can be found here: Emerald Coast Visitor Guide.  The guide contains a plethora of useful information about vacation packages, excursions, shopping, beaches and dining.

There are a wide variety of accommodations from house rentals for large family vacations to high-rise condos with amazing views into the Gulf Of Mexico.  Smaller resorts have quaint seaside rooms for the romantic getaway.  RV and tenting campgrounds are also available for vacationers wanting to get closer to nature.

The beach shores are home to some of the whitest sand in the world.  The pristine sand is created from quartz crystals that have been worn down into symmetrical particles of sand so smooth that they squeak beneath your feet as you walk.  The crystal clear blue green water of the Gulf of Mexico is beautiful to look at and the sand is very comfortable to walk on. The warm clear water provides amazing views of dolphins, sea turtles, schools of fish and more.  Use caution to avoid jellyfish along the shoreline or while swimming in deeper waters. The white sandy beaches are great for a relaxing and low-key day and for down-time between excursions or activities. Limited shell collecting was to be found along the tide line. The few shells found were very small about the size of a fingernail. The beaches do not have lifeguards but warning flags are posted on each beach showing the status of water conditions.

There are dozens of local experts available to help you find the perfect adventure.  Snorkel tours, scuba lessons, paddle boards, dolphin cruises and wave runner rentals are just a few of the many options available for your experience level and desire to adventure.  Rent a pontoon boat and chill on Crab Island or catch a romantic sunset over the Gulf Coast.  This will be the height of your Emerald Coast trip.

What is Crab Island?

Crab Island is one of the top attractions in Destin. Technically, Crab Island is an underwater sandbar in the crystal clear water north of the Destin Bridge. Crab Island is only accessible by boat and is approximately waist deep to adults making it a popular place to drop anchor and participate in a variety of family friendly activities. A floating stage provides a party scene for the younger crowd and there are plenty of friendly activities for families.  There are many floating vendors offering food such as boiled peanuts, sandwiches or ice cream and a waterpark with a giant inflatable slide, trampoline and inflatable obstacle course.

Endless attractions stretch beyond the white sandy beaches and there are plenty of activities available that can easily fill your day.  History buffs can spend a day at one of the many museums, thrill-seekers can go on a rock climbing, zip lining or parasailing adventure or just spend the day relaxing on one of the many beautiful beaches.  On sunless days there are fun indoor activities including movie theaters, shopping, bowling and mini-golf options.

There are dozens of beaches, boat charters, shopping experiences, excursions and restaurants available in the region and this blog only describes a small portion of these attractions I had the opportunity to experience.

Click the interactive map below for a list of places I've visited. Each pointer contains a unique link to a separate blog post sharing the details of my experience.

Accommodations = Yellow
Restaurants, Bars = Red
Attractions = Blue