Are you planning a trip to Destin in August and wondering what to expect? This post will cover everything you need to know about August in Destin, Okaloosa Island and Miramar Beach as fas as weather, activities, crowds, and upcoming events. (Updated for 2023) Destin Beach, Florida In my article about the best times to visit Destin, Florida, I...
The Sparkling Wine and Holiday Lights Festival takes place every year at the Village of Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. The 2023 event will take place on Saturday, November 18th from 4:00-6:00pm. The Sparkling Wine and Holiday Lights event at the Village of Baytowne Wharf is an evening full of holiday spirit, delicious...
Are you planning to visit Destin, Miramar Beach, or Okaloosa Island in June 2024? This post will cover everything you need to know about what to expect as far as weather, crowds, sunsets, activities, and upcoming events. In my article about the Best Times to visit Destin, I ranked June as 3rd on the list, so it’s pretty high on my favorite...
A beach bonfire is a perfect addition to your Destin, Miramar Beach, or 30a vacation which is why so many visitors have a beach bonfire on their Emerald Coast Bucket List. There’s something magical about watching a beautiful sunset with family and friends by the flickering warmth of a beach bonfire accented with the sound of crashing waves. This...
If there’s anywhere in Destin that will transport you back to the old fishing village of the 1800s, it’s the Destin History & Fishing Museum. Front entrance at Destin History and Fishing Museum The Destin History & Fishing Museum is located at 108 Stahlman Avenue at the foot of the Destin Bridge. It sits directly across the street...
Are you ready to try stand up paddle boarding on Destin Harbor? This guide will help you understand the general layout of the harbor and navigate all the different areas you can explore from your paddle board. This article is equally relevant to kayaking on Destin Harbor. Paddle boarding on Destin Harbor is less challenging than the Gulf of Mexico...
Looking for the best place to sing karaoke in Destin, Miramar Beach and Okaloosa Island? If you are here on vacation, that’s the perfect time to sing karaoke if you are new at it or nervous about it, because you will probably never see the people again. I spent my entire life never having the nerve to try karaoke because I don’t consider...
The Destin Harbor Lighted Christmas Boat Parade is an annual holiday tradition that takes place in early December on Destin Harbor. This post will cover information about the 2023 event and the 5 best viewing spots to see the boat parade and fireworks. Participating boats will include area tour boats, dolphin cruise boats, fishing charter boats...
Bubbly Baytowne is a fun event in Miramar Beach offering free sparkling wine to enjoy while you sip and shop your way through the merchants of Baytowne Wharf. Bubbly Baytowne takes place on select Thursday nights several times throughout the year. Bubbly Baytowne is the perfect way to spend an evening out with friends or to enjoy as a happy...
Everyone knows the essential beach items to to bring (towel, umbrella, sunscreen, book, chair, etc…) but here is a list of my favorite, not so obvious, items that will bring your perfect beach day to the next level. Floaty Anchors I’m sure we have all had the experience of relaxing in a floating chair out in the ocean yet finding ourselves...
Are you planning a trip to Destin in September and wondering what to expect? This post will cover everything you need to know about September in Destin, Okaloosa Island and Miramar Beach as fas as weather, activities, crowds, and upcoming events. In my article about the Best Times to visit Destin, Florida, I ranked September as 5th on the...
Emerald Coast Wine Cellars in Miramar Beach, Florida showcases the wines produced by Chautauqua Vineyards and Winery in nearby DeFuniak Springs, Florida. They are open daily and offer complimentary wine tastings before 5pm of all their locally made red, white, blush, and specialty wines. The wines vary from dry, barrel fermented wines, to...
Ghost crabs are one of the many critters you might see on the beach in Destin. They are called “ghost crabs” because of their light color, which allows them to blend into the sand. The name also comes from their ability to disappear quickly. If you spot a small hole in the sand, that is likely a ghost crab hideout. The hole can be quarter to golf...
Looking for the best pool in Destin? Most people come to Destin primarily for the beautiful beaches but having a nice pool where you stay is also be a major bonus. I love fabulous and unique swimming pools and it’s a big factor for me when planning a vacation so that’s why I wrote this post to showcase the best pools in the Destin area...
Destin and Miramar Beach have some of the best food and drink festivals on the Emerald Coast taking place throughout the year and offering a diverse selection of favorite dishes and a variety of drinks. The annual food and drink festivals in Destin outlined here include celebrations of oysters, gumbo, seafood, brunch, craft beer, wine, Bloody...
Are you looking for the closest airports to Destin, Florida? Wondering which airport is the best choice to fly into for your upcoming vacation to the Emerald Coast? This post will help you choose which airport to use depending on where you are staying, which airline you prefer, and several other factors. Harborwalk Village on Destin Harbor...
Today I stopped in at Harbor Tavern in Destin for a late lunch. I haven’t been there since they opened and very much enjoyed it. I’m glad they are doing well. This post will cover some information about this locals favorite spot, photos from my visit and details about my lunch, how to get here, and also some parking tips. Outside of...
Looking for the perfect jigsaw puzzle for your beach vacation? Puzzles and vacations go together perfectly if you ask me, especially if you are visiting a beach destination where you might need a backup indoor activity if it rains. This post will help you find the perfect puzzle to pack. This will also help anyone who is looking for a beach-themed...
Looking for the best place to watch football on Destin Harbor? It’s almost football season so luckily there are several great options. Here are my favorite game-day spots in the Destin harbor area. All these choices have food and drink specials during the game, plenty of TVs of course. Ajs and Tailfins on Destin Harbor Harry T’s...
I’ve created the Ultimate Destin (or any Beach Vacation)pack list below with everything I think you need for a beach trip. I put necessities on the list as well as fun extra things that you might not think of needing until you get out to the beach. Enjoy! Beach Items to Pack -Beach Towels (two per person so they can dry in-between)-Beach...
Shark Movie Night at Crab Island is an annual event hosted by Emerald Coast Marine featuring a boat-in Shark movie at Crab Island. Shark Movie Night at Crab Island normally takes place in August but it can sometimes get pushed back as far as September if the weather is bad. There is still no event scheduled for 2022 but I will update here when...
Looking for the best happy hours in Destin? This post will cover my favorite happy hour spots that have a winning combination of good happy hour drink specials, food specials and an enjoyable atmosphere. This isn’t an exhaustive list of every happy hour special in town because I wanted to narrow it down to the best happy hour...
I have enjoyed watching brave jumpers step off the 100-foot tall Free Fall Tower ledge since it was built in 2013. I didn’t think I would ever actually jump off myself but last week I finally did it. This post will cover my experience jumping off the free fall, pricing and other important information, the best spot to watch jumpers, photos...
Tonight I had the opportunity to shoot the Destin Harbor fireworks from the Harborwalk Village zip line and free fall tower. They don’t allow anyone on the tower unless they are jumping off the free fall or going on the zip line (I had permission because I was taking pictures for Harborwalk) but if you time your activities right, you can see...
I recently had the opportunity to go on my first fishing trip on the Vera Marie party boat with Pelican Adventures in Destin, Florida. The Vera Marie Boat Heading out from Destin Harbor I’ve lived on the Gulf Coast of Florida my entire adult life yet somehow had never been fishing prior to this trip. Several of my friends are avid fishermen...
Destin is known for its calm, crystal clear waters but sometimes we have days when it is not safe to swim in the Gulf which is marked by a red flag at the beach. Or sometimes there are jellyfish in the water or you just want some additional activities. Rip currents are the biggest hazard of rough surf and there are several drownings in our area...
Pin This Article! One of the best places to watch the Destin Harbor fireworks is from Norriego Point. Norriego Point is a public beach area located on Holiday Isle at the end of Gulf Shore Drive. Fireworks from the beach at Norriego Point This post will provide some photos of the fireworks view from the beach at Norriego Point and also give you...
Recently I had the opportunity to go on a Fireworks Cruise with Destin Snorkel. It was a great experience and an amazing up-close view of the fireworks. The Destin Snorkel fireworks cruise departs from the docks of Harborwalk Village every Thursday night from Memorial Day through Labor Day. They offer other excursions during the day such as sunset...
We all know Destin can be an expensive place to vacation. But if you have some extra cash or want to splurge for a special occasion, here’s a Destin bucket list for you: 1. Private Dinner on the Beach Beach Walk Cafe in Destin offers a romantic dinner called Toes in the Sand dinner where they set your table up steps from the water’s...
Rockin Tacos is located on the upstairs level of the Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island (above the retail shops). They serve fresh Mexican food paired with an amazing view of the beach and the Okaloosa Island Pier. I have heard so many great things about this place and finally had a chance to check it out when I was at the Boardwalk recently. Look for...