Plan your summer vacation to Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Call this native southerner biased, but US beaches truly don't get any more sugar-white than on the Gulf Coast. The emerald waters are always warm (even into the fall), and they're backed by adorable beach towns painted in pretty pastel colorways. 

I'm recently back from a trip to Destin-Fort Walton Beach in Florida and can still smell the salty sea breeze, which has rekindled memories of childhood vacations spent along this crystal-clear coastline. The pristine shores and inviting community have my family returning year after year. Here’s everything we’ve learned about planning a summer vacation to the area.

Step 1: Get to know Destin-Fort Walton Beach

Vibes

Not to be confused with Sandestin, the resort development that spans much of neighboring Miramar Beach to the east, Destin is a town with a very deep fishing history dating back to the mid-1800s. Its first condo went up in the 1970s, and the town rapidly grew to become the more developed of the two beach communities. These days, folks can no longer build higher than six stories, and there’s a massive rebuilding underway of its public beaches. Yes, they have Margaritaville and mini golf in Destin, but their fishing origins are still at the forefront of the local community’s identity: Destin Harbor is home to the largest commercial fishing fleet in North America.

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Fort Walton is Destin's more low-key, laid-back cousin, ideal for families with younger children and a little easier on your budget. While Destin has its colorful boardwalk, Fort Walton’s historic downtown is the place to be – and both are quintessential experiences when visiting the area. Okaloosa Island is Fort Walton’s main beach area lined with public access points. There’s also a popular boardwalk on the island where you’ll find plenty of dining and entertainment options, as well as the Okaloosa Island Pier, which is prime for fishing and stretches more than 1200ft over the Gulf.

Eat

Sip smoothies and feast on breakfast tacos at Camille’s at Crystal Beach, or grab coffee and a breakfast burrito at East Pass Coffee. As for the best local seafood spots? More on that later, but between your shrimp and snapper feasts, go for Mexican at La Paz and order a pint at McGuire’s Irish Pub.

Stay

On my most recent visit, I spent a few nights at the adults-only Henderson Park Inn. A boutique property that’s perfect for couples (or a solo editor trying to maximize her vitamin D intake), it has a very New England feel with wooden shingles and white-trimmed porches that overlook the beach and neighboring Henderson Beach State Park. If you’re traveling with kids, they also own the neighboring family-friendly resort, whose fabulous pools are accessible to guests at both properties.

Step 2: Book your accommodations

The two most popular stay options in Destin-Fort Walton are hotels and short-term rentals. Gulf-front resorts are aplenty at all price points – this is an ideal route if certain amenities like pool access and a beachfront location are a top priority. If your crowd is bigger (like my family) or you’re staying for a longer time, you can find rental condos and houses to fit all shapes, sizes and budgets. If you need help filtering your search results, Crystal Beach is a really lovely neighborhood on the water with excellent restaurants and public beach access. Aforementioned Okaloosa Island is a beautiful, quieter strip of land toward Fort Walton with seven public beach access points. As with any summer vacation, book early for better availability and rates.

For a starry sleep (cue the ocean’s swell sounding in the background), Henderson Beach State Park also has 60 campground and RV sites that are connected to the beach via the park’s boardwalk. You can reserve a slot up to 11 months in advance – and you should as soon as you know your dates, as reservations do go quickly. The best part: admission is just $6 per vehicle.

RV owners can also book a bayside campsite at Destin West RV Resort, where you’ll also receive access to the amenities at The Island Resort next door, including pool and beach access.

Step 3: Plan your days

I don’t have to tell you to go to the beach. However, I will tell you not to only go to the beach. Here’s what else you should do.

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Explore Henderson Beach State Park

Whether camping’s not your style or you weren’t able to secure a coveted campsite, the 200-acre park is fortunately open to the public year-round. It’s the last undisturbed coastal scrub area in Destin-Fort Walton Beach, a greatly treasured waterfront pocket for visitors, locals and wildlife (including nesting sea turtles). Explore the areas around its up to 30ft-high dunes by bike or on foot, or enjoy the uninterrupted views on its pristine beach. While pets aren’t allowed on the beach, there’s a ¾-mile pet-friendly hiking trail inside the park. Henderson’s long, uninterrupted shoreline is also an excellent spot to fish.

Tip: There are no lifeguards in Henderson Beach State Park, so pay extra attention to warning flags and use extra caution in the water.

Get out on the water

Whether your goal is to catch a fish that a local restaurant can cook up for you, snorkel in crystal-clear waters, catch a bird’s eye view of the beach while parasailing or just enjoy the sea breeze from aboard a boat, there’s a boatload – no, a harborload – of vessels at your disposal to make that happen.

For a luxurious sailing experience, book a sailboat tour with East Pass Sailing aboard the 45ft Space Dancer, complete with an artisan charcuterie board. Keep an eye out for dolphins and sea turtles – the local boat captains are constantly radioing each other about sightings.

Walk the boardwalk

Give your skin a break from the brilliant Florida sunshine or take refuge from afternoon rain showers by heading over to Destin Harbor. HarborWalk Village is right by Destin Harbor Boardwalk and will keep you entertained with its shops and kid-friendly activities like a rock-climbing wall, a zip line and a mini golf course. The boardwalk itself is only a quarter-mile long, but it’s the go-to area for chartered water excursions, festivals, parades and waterfront dining.

Track down the best seafood

Locally caught seafood is the name of the culinary game in Destin-Fort Walton Beach. Here are a few spots I particularly love.

Harbor Docks: Harbor Docks’ sushi menu is impressively long and delicious. Go for one of their signature rolls, like the Big Papi: tuna, tempura, green onion and spicy sauce, topped with yellowtail, avocado, jalapeño, eel sauce, kewpie mayo and sriracha. This is also one of those special “cook your catch” spots – bring your cleaned catch, and they’ll prepare something delicious for you.

The Harbor Tavern: Conveniently close to Harbor Docks, the vibes at The Harbor Tavern are as fun as the food, with a very laid-back atmosphere and live music every weekend. You can’t go wrong with the Mahi sandwich.

Beach Walk Cafe: Beachfront dining at its finest inside the Henderson Park Inn. Watch the sunset behind Henderson Beach State Park at dinner, or plan around their monthly brunch on the first Sunday of the month.

The Back Porch: A favorite in my family, who have been coming here since before I was born. It’s as close to the sand as you can get, and the sunsets from the porch itself are pretty spectacular.

Hit the links

My dad is not a fan of sand, so bless him for the many, many beach trips he’s agreed to over the years. While the rest of the family spends time on the sand, he’ll usually head to a local golf course. Destin-Fort Walton is home to over 10 golf courses, public and private, catering to all skill levels, such as the semi-private bayside Kelly Plantation and the picturesque, pine-lined Regatta Bay, which is consistently ranked as one of the top courses in the area.

Step 4: Decide how you will get there

Midway between Pensacola to the east and Panama City to the west, Destin is connected to the mainland by State Rd 293 and the Mid-Bay Toll Bridge. If you’re driving into Destin, just follow Hwy 98 east over the William T Marler Bridge (Destin Bridge) from Fort Walton Beach, or follow it west from Panama City. The road is the main drag across Destin. Once summer rolls around, the heavy traffic can test your patience.

Should you fly into Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS), there is no public transport to the beach as of now, though rideshares like Uber are readily available.

Step 5: Pack your beach bag

While I love a sundress, fabulous floppy sunhat and movie star sunglasses moment – which you can absolutely have in Destin-Fort Walton Beach – this isn’t a destination where you’ll feel pressured to be red carpet-ready. The Panhandle is refreshingly casual; I could dress like I’m headed to a friend’s house to rot on the couch together, and no one would bat an eyelid. On my most recent visit, I threw a sundress in my suitcase for the heck of it but spent most of the trip in swimsuits, denim shorts, athleisure and flip-flops. Most importantly: Even with the occasional rainy, cloudy sky, do lather on the sunscreen. My sneakiest, most severe sunburns since childhood have resulted from those kinds of days on the Panhandle.

Step 6: Plan a follow-up trip outside the high season

If you can work out the PTO or break the kids away from school for a few days, a trip down to Destin-Fort Walton in the spring or fall is well worth it. The shoulder seasons make for more space on the beach and extremely pleasant weather (pre-hurricane season if you come in the spring), and your tourism dollars are especially appreciated. 

Fishing fanatics will especially be interested in attending one of the area’s major festivals during these times. There’s the Emerald Coast Open in May, otherwise known as the world’s largest lionfish tournament, when local fishers compete to catch the most of this invasive species, and restaurants cook up clever ways to incorporate lionfish into specialty dishes the week prior. In late September, the Destin Seafood Festival kicks off the Destin Fishing Rodeo, which runs through October. The Rodeo is the area’s biggest fishing tournament, involving daily weigh-ins and many excuses to taste the very best fish from the Gulf.

Ann Douglas traveled to Destin-Fort Walton on the invitation of Destin-Fort Walton Beach. Lonely Planet does not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage.