When people think of Destin, FL, the pristine white powdery beaches and emerald green water is usually what comes to mind first. But amusement parks in Destin provide an entirely different experience when the need for adrenaline kicks in.
While some of these aren’t really “parks,” we’ve detailed special spots for amusement in the Destin area to include:
- Zip lines
- Miniature golf
- Go kart racing
- Bumper boats
- Water parks
- Gulfarium
- Arcades
- Laser tag
- Bowling
- Rock climbing
- Alligator shows
Zip lines around Destin
There are several places in and around Destin to enjoy a zip line ride, so the place you choose really depends on where you’re staying and what you want enjoy along with a zip line adventure. If you’re interested in a walk around a quaint village on the bay, heading over to Baytowne Wharf is a great option. There you’ll find an adventure park with zip lines, a fenced play area for kids, shops and fun restaurants overlooking Horseshoe Bayou.
In the heart of Destin, is Harborwalk Village which is almost always buzzing with activity. With this being a primary fishing hub in the area, enjoy a zip line ride overlooking the marina while boats head out and come back to display their catches. Then enjoy some seafood and live music at one of the many great restaurants in this slice of Destin. Depending on the weekend, there are often fun festivals taking place here, as well.
If you keep heading west, over the bridge to Okaloosa Island, you’ll come to Wild Willy’s Adventure Zone, which has an array of activities to enjoy including a zip line course, miniature golf and large arcade.
Miniature Golf
There are several putt putt golf centers in Destin if miniature golf is your thing. Check out Big Kahuna’s, The Track, and Wild Willy’s Adventure Zone for specially designed courses.
Go Kart Racing
If go cart racing is more your speed, try The Track Family Fun Park in Destin. After a couple of spins around the raceway in a go kart, there’s plenty more to do there. If you’re looking for rides that spin, swoop, plummet and ascend, there’s likely to be a ride there for you.
Bumper Boats
Bumper boats are also found at The Track, along with bumper cars, two fun activities to enjoy with the whole family.
Destin Water Parks
The immersion water park located in Destin is Big Kahuna’s. While it has some dryland adventure rides mini-golf, it’s primarily known for the many water slides, wave pool, and lazy river. Families usually plan on a full day of water fun when they head here.
Gulfarium
Gulfarium is Northwest Florida’s prized aquarium with interesting ways to learn about this area’s sea life and opportunities to interact with some being very up close and personal! It provides a great venue for families to engage with each other and the marine life.
Arcades
Rainy days and days where you just want a break from the sun for a while are great opportunities to escape in one of the many arcades. While Wild Willy’s was mentioned for mini-golf, it has a large arcade room with an array of ways to pay for escapism.
In Destin proper, you’ll find Fat Daddy’s arcade next to Fudpucker’s. The two work well together because the kids can enjoy spending some money in the arcade and then meet the parents next door at Fudpucker’s for some dinner and music.
Further east is Thrill’s Arcade in the Miramar Beach area.
Laser Tag
Thrill’s Arcade has laser tag as well, so on a rainy day or an evening out for fun, if you feel in the mood for some laser action, this is a good place to head once you’ve rounded up the troops!
Bowling
Bowling is another great activity in the area if you either are looking for something during the colder months or are wanting to get out of the sun or rain during the hotter seasons.
Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl and Grill is located on the corner of Hwy 293 and Hwy 98, and is part of the Destin Commons shopping center. It has a sea life theme, and includes a 16-lane bowling alley with bumpers for small kids if they want them.
A little further to the west on Hwy 98 is Hurricane Lanes, more of a traditional style bowling alley which includes a bar with pool tables.
Rock Climbing
If members of your party want to try doing a little climbing, Baytowne Wharf has a rock wall as part of their activities.
If you’re a little more serious about your climbing and want to maybe get a glimpse of some masters at work as they scale, check out Rock Out Climbing Gym in the heart of the City of Destin. Some of the climbers there accomplish some unbelievable feats.
Alligator Shows in Destin
Just to make sure you know you’re in Florida, Fudpuckers has a live alligator area they call Gator Beach. They have hundreds of alligators and the area and shows are free to the public! The handlers do regularly-scheduled shows, providing interesting facts about these reptiles, and even let you get your picture taken with one of them! Check Fudpucker’s site out for information about their shows.
Summary
Needless to say, Destin and the surrounding area has an abundance of amusement parks and entertainment venues for locals and visitors all to enjoy. The challenge is figuring out just what you want your day’s activities to include!
Have you been to an entertainment spot in or around Destin that was super fun? We’d love to hear about it. Let us know!