Sand
just doesn’t get much whiter than this, and that’s only the
beginning of what’s so special about this well-loved band of
Gulf of Mexico beachfront dubbed the Emerald Coast. The water is
bright green, the dunes are lofty, the fish are plentiful, and
the excitement doesn’t quit. For families, for lovers, for
anyone, this is the superlative in Florida beach vacationing.
Book a room in a beachfront bed and breakfast, a marina motel, a
rental condo, or a name-brand hotel. Then grab your fishing
pole.
 Destin
earns its name as the "World’s Luckiest Fishing Village" by
virtue of its famed emerald Gulf shore – deep and inshore waters
that hold enough sailfish, grouper, mackerel, cobia, tarpon and
wahoo to inspire an extensive fleet of fishing charters, a bevy
of tournaments (including the October-long Fishing Rodeo), and a
glorious selection of seafood restaurants. With the speediest
deep-water access to the Gulf, Destin claims more billfish
catches annually than any other Gulf port and up to four times
more fish species than most other destinations.
In addition to fishing, tour and glass-bottom boats take you
sightseeing, snorkeling, diving, sailing, spotting dolphins and
more. You will find them lined up along the harbor in front of
seafood restaurants heavy on character, light on the budget.
Turn the kids loose on the beach at Henderson Beach State Park
or James W. Lee Park at the eastern end of town, off main drag
Highway 98. The luxurious softness and incredible whiteness of
the sand make these beaches stand out. They are created from
pulverized quartz washed, buffeted and delivered by river sweep
all the way from the Appalachian Mountains. The sand’s quartz
origins contribute to the sparkling brightness and to the way it
squeaks when you walk on it.
When the kids have turned the right shade of pink, head to one
of the amusement parks that further the region’s reputation
among families. Big Kahuna’s Water & Adventure will grab their
attention, and it’s perfect for day and night play with its
shipwreck-themed water park, miniature golf, go-karts, food
concessions, and other kiddie rides and adrenaline attractions.
For grown-up fun, there are highly acclaimed golf courses for
all levels of expertise.
The Destin Bridge crosses East Pass to
Fort Walton Beach, an
older beach community with lots of affordable resorts and family
pastimes. To get between the two towns, you pass through one
section of Gulf Islands National Seashore, a dramatic landscape
of drifted blinding white sand that often puts northern visitors
in mind of snow. On the Seashore’s bay side, a public access
makes a popular recreational spot for boaters, waterskiers,
waverunners and parasailers.
Beach shops, lively bars, go-kart tracks, batting cages,
amusement parks, watersports concessions and beach accesses line
the beach’s main drag on Fort Walton Beach’s Okaloosa Island.
The Boardwalk is an energetic center of activity with
restaurants, clubs, the town’s fishing pier, beach volleyball
and the classic Florida’s Gulfarium, entertaining families with
flipping dolphins and comical seals since 1955. The island road
ends at the entrance to Eglin Air Force Base, inaccessible to
civilians.
On the mainland, separated from the island by the wide and
beautiful Choctawhatchee Bay, Fort Walton Beach’s livelihood as
a military town becomes more evident, especially at U.S. Air
Force Armament – all about weapons and aerial fighting machines.
Downtown comprises a few square blocks along the bayfront with
perky little shops, a hometown park, a 17-foot-tall Indian mound
and accompanying museum, and the Emerald Coast Science Center, a
hands-on haven for kids.
In addition to Destin’s annual fishing contests, the area hosts
more than 100 festivals each year, many focused on relishing
seafood. The annual Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival celebrates
Fort Walton Beach’s swashbuckling past during June. The spring
and summer months are liveliest along the Emerald Coast, one of
the South’s favorite family playgrounds, where the days are as
carefree as a childhood memory. |
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