If you haven’t been to the Destin beaches and you’re in the eastern US, you might want to put this beach vacation on your short list. If you’ve been, it’s likely you’ll want to come back.
In fact, Destin can boast several awards that the area’s received over the past few years by different members of the media: 1) voted “Florida’s Favorite Beach,” by Birmingham Parent Magazine, 2) listed as 2nd Best of the Florida Gulf Coast Beaches” by VacationIdea.com, 3) ranked 4th on Southern Living’s “The South’s Best Beach Towns 2020.”
The word is out, and Destin certainly has had a rise in popularity as beach destinations in the past several years. So come join us here and see what the hype is all about. Just make sure you visit the “don’t miss” destinations and check off the “must do’s” while in Destin.
These include:
- A day on the main beach strip
- A visit to the Destin Harbor Boardwalk
- A trip to Norriego Point
- Getting out on the water
- A sunset at a waterfront restaurant
Let’s get into more detail on each of these.
A Day on a Destin Beach
Beachcombing, particularly during the warmer seasons, is one of Americans’ favorite vacation activities. In fact, it’s the leading tourist destination for the US, with twice as many people go to one of the United States’ inland or coastal beaches in a year than go to the total number of National Parks run by the National Park Service. (1)
No matter what you like to do, it’s hard not to find something enjoyable to do while at one of the many beautiful Destin beaches.
Here’s some of what you’ll find beach-goers doing:
Running and/or walking
This is most popular in the early morning or early evening during peak season because of the heat and humidity.
If you decide to take a walk or run and leave your belongings unattended, make sure you take your necessities with you. (Don’t leave car keys and wallets unattended. While I don’t know of much theft, it can really happen anywhere; being stranded on the beach without keys, money, phone or I.D. can easily ruin your stay.)
If you need a place to store your valuables while walking or running on the beach, a friend of mine suggested this dual-purpose water bottle. I thought it was a really good idea, like its construction, and it’s always a good idea to have water with you on the beach!
Lounging
Bring Your Own Set-up:
Most people bring their own chairs or beach mat to the beach.
Chairs:
There are SO many different types of chairs you can get that work well, from the no-frills economical, to those that serve several purposes.
After years of toting a chair to the beach, I’ve found that the ones that have a carrying strap and a shade are the best for this area because the sun during peak season everywhere else can be brutal, but the sun reflecting off the white sand of the Destin beaches can bake you more easily than you’d think.
Here’s the chair with sunshade that I like the best and use myself. It’s about $10 more than some of the others, but this one has lasted the best (and mine still looks brand new after 2 years of use!) It’s easy to sling over the shoulder and is sturdy and pretty compact.
Beach mats:
Often, you’ll see people with just a towel soaking up the sun. Sometimes you’ll see people with roll-out beach mats. Depending on the manufacturer, they can be made from regular cotton, cotton with a waterproofing, or straw or synthetic fiber.
If you one that cleans off easily and is mildew resistant, this mat with strap is easy to carry, has two pockets, will sit 4 people and is pretty economical!
I prefer a softer feel on the sand. This one is cotton over a water-resistant mat, still folds up and can be carried with a strap, but is more like a blanket. This is the beach blanket that I use with my family.
Canopies:
You’ll often see 10×10 tents set up for families to gather under. If you’re staying all day, these are great because once their up, they take shield a large group from the sun, but can also be useful during the sporadic rain showers we often get. They’re useful, but more cumbersome than some of the other canopies you see that are more like actual tents. Here’s an example of a pop-up cabana that pops up and folds together easily and quickly.
Renting a Set-Up:
There are several beach-chair companies located in and around the Destin area that will provide quality beach chairs and a deep-set umbrella. Sometimes, this service is provided free-of-charge as part of the rental accommodations, and you can often pay separately for this service.
Building castles
It won’t be long at any of the Destin beaches before you see kids AND adults building sand castles. The texture of the sand is perfect for very smooth sculpting, with the right water-to-sand ratio.
Here are a couple of the ones that my kids and I have done recently.
If you want to just play in the sand and aren’t getting serious about it, many of the surf shops in the area have buckets and shovels that work just fine and they’re very inexpensive. If you want to get more serious, it helps to have some sand castle tools. CoolSand has a kit that has everything needed including building molds, tools, drippers and sand stamper. If you’re more into sand sculptures, Can You Dig It has some great tools.
If you want to have the pros give you some pointers, there are several sand castle classes that are offered in the area.
Floating in the Gulf
Standing beachside in the Gulf is almost always nice during the hot summer months. Most days, the water is what the Emerald Coast waters are known for—being crystal clear, and beautiful greenish blue.
Do be careful if you’re on a float. Currents can change quickly, or you can unknowingly get in one that will take you away from shore. The lifeguards here, when they’re on duty, are usually very interested in keeping people closer to shore for that reason.
Depending on the tide, it might be easy enough to make it to the second sandbar from the beach, which is often a great place discover living sand dollars. If you dig your toes just below the surface of the sandy bottom and feel a hard, flat surface (almost like the top of a stone), you can pull up a sand dollar and have a look. Please be careful with them, though. When they’re on the bottom of the Gulf floor like that, they’re alive, and hey don’t live for very long outside of the water. They’re an important part of the ecosystem here, so we ask that you have a look and then gently return them to the sand. If you want to take any home, you can occasionally find them washed up on the beach, which means they’re most likely no longer alive. (Just know that they’re usually dark in color; the white ones we’ve all seen have been bleached.)
Playing a game
Destin beach-goers love their games! No matter what time of the year, you can usually find a group playing something.
Beach volleyball
Sand volleyball has grown in popularity here in the past couple of years. (We even have some local competitive teams that are quite good!)
Some people actually bring their own net and set up towards the dunes on the beach, but there are also some places you can go in the area that allow you to use their nets.
Al’s Beach Club is located on Okaloosa Island, has waterfront dining and overlooks several beach volleyball courts. Depending on the season, you might not be able to play on them, but could catch a tournament in action.
If that’s too far (Okaloosa Island sits in between Fort Walton Beach and Destin), Pampano Joe’s usually has a volleyball net up right in the beach side of their restaurant. It’s in the opposite direction of Okaloosa Island, on Scenic Hwy 98 in Miramar Beach.
Spike Ball
Spike Ball is a game you’ll see people playing, regardless of the weather. It involves a ball and a center trampoline that the ball bounces off of to other players.
Other games
Football and Trackball are always winners because they can be played on the beach or in the water.
Washers is one I never used to see at the beach, but has become more popular.
And Bocce Ball is a game played by people of all ages. (If you’re wanting to get a Bocce set, learn from my failures! Make sure you get a set with 4 colors because it enables more people to play if you want. Also, don’t get a set made from really cheap resin. We’ve gone through several sets until we finally got a well-made one!)
A Trip to the Destin Harbor Boardwalk
From early morning through the day until into the evening, the Destin boardwalk is full of energy, and wonderful sights, sounds, tastes and activities.
Made of close to ¼ mile of varying landscaping – from decking to pavers to natural landscaping to marina frontage, there’s a lot to take in. Watch fishing charters depart or arrive and show off their day’s catch, or grab a coffee, soda, beer or wine and watch the kids tackle the zip line or rock wall. Visit the many unique shops in the Village, and finish the day at one of the well-known waterfront restaurants in Destin, overlooking the harbor. Even through dinnertime, the area is teeming with excitement, lights and sounds!
A Trip to Norriego Point
While some may disagree that this is a must, I think it provides a unique view of the harbor, the East Pass, the Gulf and jetty—all in one place.
Norriego Point is located directly across the harbor from the boardwalk. It is a beautiful protrusion of stark white sand, and beach flora protecting from erosion. The harbor side of Norriego Point is often a favorite stop by boaters.
By car, it’s located at the end of Gulf Shore Drive. There, you’ll find public parking, a beach access point, pavilion, restrooms and wash-off showers. They even have their own boardwalk!
If you prefer, you can combine a trip to the Destin Harbor Boardwalk and visiting Norriego Point since there are water taxis that will take you to the peninsula.
The protected little bays that are now part of the Point are great for swimming, but don’t forget to bring a mask and snorkel; the jetties provide a perfect place to find some amazing sea creatures.
Getting Out on the Water
Whether you prefer to in the water doing some type of watersports, on the water (riding in a boat), or like a little of both, there are some fantastic ways to enjoy the Destin waters.
If you want to explore on your own, Chartering a boat, renting one, or renting a jet ski, paddle board or kayak are great ways to explore the beauty of the harbor, the East Pass, Crab Island or Choctawhatchee Bay. That can be done from the Destin Boardwalk. If you prefer to go out on the Gulf and explore, there are also numerous rental companies throughout Destin.
Want to surf? Well… while people DO try to get out on the waves, unless it’s before, during or after a storm, the waves aren’t very big. According to the people I know who surf here, the best place to do that (most of the time) is at the pier on Okaloosa Island.
Catching a Sunset at a Waterfront Restaurant
While you might have already done this if you made it the Destin Boardwalk, there are many wonderful places to see a sunset while overlooking the beach at a waterfront restaurant in Destin.
To decide where to go, you might just check out the beach restaurants during one of your days at the beach. There are open-air beach restaurants, and glass-front restaurants in Destin, Sandestin and Miramar Beach. They all have beach bars as well, which is a great place to get a cold soda, beer, or frosty cocktail during the day and into the evening. Popular beach bars in Destin (and surrounding townships) include The Crabtrap, Pompano Joe’s, Whale’s Tale and the Surf Hut.
What’s the Best Way to Get Here
Those coming from the Southeast usually drive. If driving, visitors arrive by going either through Fort Walton Beach, over Hwy 331, or most likely, will be driving on the overpass and over the Midbay Bridge. Those in the car will know they’re getting close when they’ve gotten to Destin side of the bridge and see John Wyland’s whale mural on the Legendary Marine building.
However, if you want to fly, the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) is just about 20 minutes away from Niceville, which is on the mainland side of the Midbay Bridge.
If you fly your own plane or are chartering a plane, there’s also Destin Airport (DTS), which is right in the heart of Destin.
Summary
By now, you know that the Destin beaches offer SO much to do and see! Many people stay on the beach all week long and have a wonderful time. And if you come to the beaches here and don’t get to the other “must-do’s,” just make sure you plan a return visit to check out all the rest!