Destin-Fort Walton Beach Florida

Plan your next Emerald Coast adventure via TripShock!

Embark on a parasailing adventure!

Destin has been known for decades as the "World's Luckiest Fishing Village" because its position on the Gulf of Mexico places it closest to the 100-Fathom Curve. Here, the sea shelf drops abruptly to depths as low as 600 feet where deep-sea species like red snapper, grouper, amberjack, king mackerel, sailfish and blue marlin can be found. So, whether you're an avid angler or still have questions about how to bait a hook, our experienced guides are here to ensure a stress-free, memorable experience. Your charter will supply the rod and reel, cold storage for the fish and your fishing license. They'll even clean your catch for you! From there, you can have one of the local participating "You catch it, we'll cook it" restaurants prepare it for you or you can have it packaged, frozen and sent home.

Host to the Destin Seafood Festival and Destin Fishing Rodeo, HarborWalk Village is home to the largest fishing fleet in the nation as well as fishing charters and dolphin cruises, water excursions, a variety specialty shops, entertainment, and various waterfront restaurants which make the location a popular gathering place for locals and visitors alike.

Since it's opening in 2003, this 500,000 square foot, pet-friendly shopping center has set the standard as the premiere open-air lifestyle center offering the best in shopping, dining and entertainment in the destination.

Year after year, the Boardwalk has been a popular Okaloosa Island destination for friends and families alike. With its ideal location on the Gulf of Mexico, convenient parking and wide range of activities, it's the perfect place to make magical memories. Discover beachfront shopping, savor various flavors of cuisine and take in the incredible views of the Gulf.

Downtown Fort Walton Beach offers local flavor and southern hospitality. Home to a number of unique owner operated boutique style stores, restaurants, bars, coffee shops and wellness centers, this unique and historical venue also includes the Heritage Park & Cultural Center, the Northwest Florida Ballet Academy, the Ft. Walton Beach Library, the Ft. Walton Beach Chamber and the Ft. Walton Beach Landing Park. So if you are looking to discover something great that the entire family can enjoy, come see us Downtown!

Open since 1955, Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park is the world's oldest operating live marine show and aquarium. Come and enjoy four live marine shows, Alligator Alley, and other marine animal and tropical bird exhibits. A unique meeting venue is also located inside the aquarium viewing room.

Over 40 different water play areas, rides, slides and pools! Enjoy the giant wave pool or relax in the lazy river. Scream down the 5-story Jumanji or scream along the Maui Pipeline. Fly the Skycoaster and play miniature golf.

A family-fun go-karting, thrill ride, arcade and miniature golf experience.

Uncle Buck's Fishbowl and Grill features a truly unique atmosphere and design geared for family fun and dining. With 12 full lanes of bowling that offer a unique underwater ocean experience and custom bowling balls that bear the likeness of octopus, mermaids, camouflage and more, this experience makes bowling an adventure!

Located on Okaloosa Island, Wild Willy's Adventure Zone features 17,000 square feet of air conditioned space housing a state-of-the-art redemption arcade, a 4-D movie theater, a lazer maze, Salvati's Pizza Factory and Yogo Mogo's Creamy Cool Creations for fun and entertainment rain or shine. But the fun doesn't stop there. Step outside and challenge yourself on two miniature dinosaur themed golf courses, a 60 foot ropes course, a spinning roller coaster, a reverse bungee trampoline and remote control Battle Boats!

Sail the emerald waters aboard the 74-foot Schooner "Daniel Webster Clements", enjoy a speed boat rise, or view the dolphins in their natural habitat on any one of many dolphin cruises, sailing or speedboat excursions available in the destination.

Home to the Emerald Coast's Annual Volleyball Tournament, Newman C. Brackin Wayside Park is located on Okaloosa Island and provides public beach access via the Okaloosa Island Boardwalk. But the perks don't stop there. Visitors can walk straight from the beach right up to a variety of shopping and dining establishments. No worries. Sandy toes are welcome!

John Beasley Park is located on Okaloosa Island and offers public beach access as well as free parking, two large pavilions with seating, public restrooms, vending and two dune walk overs leading straight to the Gulf of Mexico.

Refurbished in 2006, Ross Marler Park provides public boating, swimming and fishing access to the Choctawhatchee Bay. The park offers 20 boat trailer parking spaces, 80 auto parking spaces and a tram stop. Amenities include an ADA accessible fishing platform, two boat ramps, two sets of restrooms, several pavilions, grills, a roped off swimming area, and a walking trail with interpretive signage, as well as a completely fenced, rubber surfaced children’s playground and walking perimeter, all of which are completely ADA accessible

Imagine a majestic shoreline anchored by 30-foot, snow white sand dunes where basking in the Florida sun or wading into warm Gulf waters is the order of each and every day. No need to daydream — Henderson Beach makes this a reality. This protected strip of the Emerald Coast isn’t just for relaxation. Fishing, a nature trail and 60 campsites connected to the beach via boardwalk are among this park’s featured areas. This special place was established for the preservation and protection of the area’s natural features and public enjoyment, the last remaining coastal scrub area in Destin. The park is also a great place for events like weddings and family reunions.

Bordering Joe’s Bayou on Choctawhatchee Bay, Mattie Kelly Park offers visitors both a look at Florida wetlands, as well as access to the Bayou and a large fishing pier. A brackish pond near the water provides additional opportunities for wildlife viewing, and over 100 bird species have been recorded in the park. The nature trail comprises a raised boardwalk and interpretive signs, giving visitors a vaulted view of the marsh grasses, royal fern, muscadine, and cattails below. Across the wetlands area are beautiful Longleaf Pine, with needles that can grow up to 15 inches long. The boardwalk also shows visitors examples of invasive species in the form of the Chinese Tallow Tree, which can outcompete native plant species if not removed. When the nature trail ends, visitors can cross the road to the entrance to the fishing pier, which runs parallel to the shore before turning out into the bayou. Seagrass grows here, and the clear water affords great views of oyster bed restoration in progress. The bottom is sandy, and wading is permitted as long as seagrass and oysters are avoided. Fishing at the pier is relaxing, and anglers can hope for hard tail, grouper, and more. Fishing is better at high tide.

East Jetty is the second rock structure that extends into the Gulf, forming the other arm of East Pass. The jetty itself is a little walk from the parking area, past a private beach but with plenty of public beach and swimming area available for visitors. The jetty itself is a great place to fish, though anglers should be very careful of wet and slippery rocks. This area is also a favorite for Great Blue Herons, and it is possible to see half a dozen of the large birds at any one time. Shorebirds are also common at the shoreline, as are multiple tern species soaring in the winds overhead. The waters around the finger jetty can be excellent for snorkeling and diving. Two sculptures can be seen beneath the waves, and the rocks of the jetty and finger jetty attract both reef fish and larger recreational fish, such as Jack Crevelle and Flounder. However, it is highly recommended that all divers and snorkelers go with trained guides, as the currents in this area can be very strong and sometimes dangerous. Snorkel and snuba trips are available, and if you have never tried scuba diving but always wanted to, feel free to check out on of the many discovery dive options with local dive shops and guides. In the summertime, make sure to arrive to the public access parking early in the morning. Because of the spot’s popularity, the spaces are often filled quickly.

The small parking area near the Brooks Bridge is a great place to hop out of the car and explore the beach and the jetty, while looking over the protected dune/wetlands ecosystems owned and managed by the Eglin Air Force Base. Remember, do not walk on the dunes or in the wetland areas! Due to its proximity to the parking area, the beach provides an easy place to launch a kayak or paddleboard. The grassy wetland is perhaps best viewed near the parking area. Bring binoculars to scan the grasses for egrets and herons, as well as colorful wildflowers. In the summer, look for the delicate pink Saltmarsh Mallow, which can grow to six feet and sport dozens of blossoms. Iconic Sea Oats wave in the breeze from their preferred dune habitat. Due to the calmer waters, Hermit Crabs abound here, and children delight in collecting them, then releasing them once more when they leave the beach (always be gentle when handling wildlife, and return the crabs to where you found them). The crowds thin as you walk along the beach towards the jetty. Look for little shorebirds running against the waves, as well as Least Terns fishing in the shallow waters. Great Blue Herons can be seen within the wetland plucking long grasses for their nests on Okaloosa Island. Once you reach the jetty itself, your view expands all the way down the beaches of the island. In addition to terrestrial wildlife, the jetty is known for its fishing opportunities. Anglers cast in the water both to the side of the jetty, as well as from the rocks themselves, hoping to catch Bluefish, Ladyfish, Red Fish, and more. Be careful, the wet rocks can be slippery! The jetty and beach around it provides an amazing place to view the evening sunset. Birds and other wildlife are particularly active during this cooler period of the day, and you may just have the beach all to yourself.

Located in Ft. Walton Beach, Liza Jackson Park offers access to the Cinco Bayou as well as boat ramps, fishing pier, pavilions, picnic tables, grills, restrooms and playground equipment.

Located on Okaloosa Island, Veterans Park at Baywalk has access to the Choctawhatchee Bay, in addition to three existing freshwater ponds. A boardwalk winds around the property, preventing erosion of the sandy soil. The park hosts large pine trees as well as wildflowers, tall grasses, and other vegetation, providing unique habitat on Okaloosa Island and is a birding hotspot, with nearly 200 species found here throughout the year. In the summer Ospreys and Great Blue Heron nest, allowing the opportunity to see the new chicks grow and fledge. Other herons, such as the Green, Tricolored, and Yellow-crowned Night Heron, fish in the ponds, while Red-winged Blackbirds, warblers, doves, and many other species find food and shelter in the bushes and trees.

Sound Park, located along Highway 98 and the intracoastal waterway, features picnic areas, benches, a fishing pier, and unique sculptures. The shore bordering the park is the site of the “Sound Park Conservation Project,” and was planted with native vegetation in order to stabilize it – as well as provide habitat for local wildlife. An oyster reef was built in the waterway itself. Visitors can stroll along the short boardwalk that leads to the fishing pier, or crisscross the other dirt pathways that wind through the park. Five beautiful sculptures dot the grassy areas, provided by the Ft. Walton Beach Main Street Organization.

Though only 25 acres, Oak Tree Nature Park has it all: benches, trails, a picnic pavilion, and wildlife observation areas. The park has even been a study site for Native American archeology, and researchers found a shell midden as well as other artifacts. The trail is approximately a mile long, looping around the park. The forest overhead provides comfortable shade even on the hottest afternoons. Pine trees, oak trees, magnolia, and other trees make up the canopy of the park, while palmettos, wax myrtle, fetterbush, sparkleberry, and Florida anise form the understory. The trail crosses lovely Silver Sands Creek in two spots, one of which includes a viewing platform. Dragonflies, minnows, and frogs can be seen on the banks of the small stream from above. The undeveloped park has preserved native plant communities and provides habitat to numerous mammals, birds, and amphibians. Otter and beaver can be seen here, as well as turtles, alligators, and over 100 bird species. Interpretive signs show visitors what wildlife sounds to look and listen for, including species present and how they use the park as habitat. One sign even explains the concept of invasive species and the harm they can bring to native ecosystem, using Chinese tallow and air potato vine in front of the trail as an example. The park may be 25 acres, but it hosts multiple opportunities to learn about Florida’s native ecosystems. The shorter trail is perfect for children, and we recommend making at least two loops to see all the park has to offer.

The Ft. Walton Beach Landing is located in Downtown Ft. Walton Beach and offers 700 feet of water front views and access, a boardwalk, boat ramps, a fishing pier, a gazebo, a stage, and playground equipment. However, the park is most known as being the landing location for the famous Captain Billy Bowlegs and Krewe on the first full weekend in June, launching the beginning of the annual local Pirate Festival!

An educational and cultural institution comprised of the Indian Temple Mound Museum, Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum, Garnier Post Office Museum, Fort Walton Temple Mound and the Civil War Exhibit Building.

Explore 5,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor exhibit space including Indian artifacts, historic fishing boats, over 75 mounts of locally caught fish, historic photographs and documents of early Destin and the fishing industry.

Exhibits of aircraft and armaments dating back to World War I. Free admission.

Step outside the box and experience science firsthand at this interactive museum which includes a STEM Makerspace, new exhibits, animal encounters, and more! The Emerald Coast Science Center has promoted STEM education and public outreach in Okaloosa County and beyond for over 25 years and is committed to serving Northwest Florida, its residents, and its visitors through excellent STEM programming and exhibits. In the museum, patrons will find a facility for all ages with touchable, workable exhibits that teach about natural phenomena and basic scientific principles. The center displays over 45 exhibits within 8,000 square feet of indoor space and 2 acres of property including robotics, live animals, SMALLab Learning, and so much more. Discover the difference a hands-on encounter with science can make at the Emerald Coast Science Center.

Enjoy one of the many air shows performed in Destin throughout the summer from aboard a sailing cruise.

Offered every Wednesday evening during the summer and on certain holidays throughout the year, enjoy a spectacular display of fireworks from the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier.

Enjoy listening to the soothing sounds of local bands that cross a variety of genres at the Mattie Kelly Arts Village in Destin. The concerts take place in the evenings from May through October and appeal to a variety of musical taste. Bring your own cooler or purchase snacks on-site.

The original Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier was built in 1972 and extended 962 feet into the Gulf of Mexico. The current pier opened in 1988 and now extends 1,262 feet into the Gulf, or almost 1/4 mile. The pier is a favorite for anglers and spectators alike.

The Destin family and Destin have been intertwined since Dewey's great grandfather, Leonard Destin, founded the town in 1835. Since then Dewey's knowledge of fish and the way it is best prepared led him to establish Dewey Destin's Seafood Restaurant, one of the historical landmarks and specialty restaurants of Destin.

The Magnolia Grill, which sits on historic Brooks Street in downtown Ft. Walton Beach, is equal parts museum and dining establishment. The walls of this 1910 catalog house are covered with pieces of local history including photos of people and places that now only exist in the memories of those who grew up or lived here “back in the day.”