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 list, so it’s pretty high on the list of my favorite months in Destin, outranked only October, May, June, and July.
The month-by month rankings are all personal opinion though and mine are heavily influenced by how much I enjoy fireworks, events and warm water at the beach.
I could easily imagine September being considered the best month to visit the Destin and Emerald Coast area if spending a lot of time at the beach is high on your vacation priority list. September is the least crowded month at the beach if we are talking about months that are warm enough to swim in the gulf (March – October).
September Weather in Destin
Average High = 87 degrees
Average Low = 67 degrees
Average Gulf Water Temperature = 82 degrees
Average Rainfall = 6.2 inches
September is a lot like August as far as the weather goes. Both are the hottest and most humid months of the year in Destin which makes for nice beach days and warm summer nights. There is usually less rain in September than in July and August, but it varies depending if a tropical system or hurricane comes to shore.
The hot temperatures in September make it a great time for the beach. You can never predict the water color in Destin, but as with all the other months, it’s mostly crystal clear unless Mother Nature throws in a storm or seaweed.
We had a higher than normal amount of seaweed and June Grass last summer and luckily that is more rare in September. If anything affects the water color in September, it’s usually storms.
The gulf water temperature will peak at the warmest all year in August, but it will stay warm through most of September, dropping off only slightly towards the end going into October. The gulf temperature is usually comfortable for swimming through October.
One potential downside to September (and August) is that this month has more stingrays and jellyfish in the water than any other time of the year due to the especially warm water. So bring that vinegar with you in case of a sting.
The extra beach critters won’t affect most people, but there are a few days every year during August-September when there is an outbreak of jellyfish that can affect your trip if you want to swim. Like everything else at the beach, there’s no way to predict. Every month has its upsides and downsides.
Another downside to September is its the official peak of the Atlantic Hurricane season. This just means that it’s the month with the highest chance of tropical weather systems due to the warm waters helping them to develop.
You can’t predict what will happen during hurricane season, which technically runs from June 1 through November 30th, with most storms here occurring in August, September and October.
The Destin area had no significant effects from hurricanes and tropical storms in September 2022 or 2021, but 2020 was an entirely different story with Hurricane Sally coming ashore just west of us and devastating the area with rain and floods.
I still would not see any of this as a deal breaker for visiting Destin in September. It’s just some things to be aware of. Overall, I think the benefits of September outweigh the downsides as long as you are prepared and aware of cancellation policies where you are staying and explore options for travel insurance.
The benefits of September in Destin include lower crowds, lower hotel and condo room rates compared to summer, several fun events, and beautiful scenery at the beach with the sea oats still being in bloom.
September Crowds in Destin
September crowd levels in Destin are somewhat busy compared to how it used to be, but still very slow compared to summer. The exception to the lower September crowds is Labor Day weekend, when there will be a spike for the holiday. Still, the Labor Day weekend crowds are not even close to what we see on Memorial Day weekend.
September crowds are lower because there are no school breaks besides Labor Day. Labor Day is also not a hugely popular travel holiday for most families because kids just went back to school after summer break.
September used to be a wonderfully quiet time to enjoy the beautiful beaches of Destin and the Emerald Coast, but a lot changed in 2020 when many people began working remote. “Off season” became much less of a reality, but we still see a drop off from the craziness of summer.
If you can travel in September, it’s a great time for a beach vacation since you can take advantage of one of the warmest beach months that doesn’t have many school breaks in it.
May usually starts getting busy in the second week as kids get out of school and then it remains busy through mid-August. October used to be a slower month, but most schools have a fall break in October now so the crowds can rival that of June. That leaves September as the least crowded option during the best beach weather between May through October.
September Sunsets and Sunrises in Destin
The sun does not rise or set over the water in summer in Destin, but the sun will start setting over the water along the coastline in mid-September, with the sunrise following in late September.
The biggest downside to summer in Destin is the lack of sunrises and sunsets over the water, so September is a great relief from those days. You can use a free app called SunCalc to track the sunrise and sunrise direction. The exact sun direction varies along the Emerald Coast, depending where you are and when, but this photo gives you an idea of what to expect.
My detailed sunset post will help you find the perfect spot in Destin for a September sunset and help you understand more: Sunset in Destin: 6 Best Places to Watch
September Activities in Destin
There will still be plenty of activities in September, even with the lower crowds. It’s a great time to go fishing, parasailing, or enjoy dolphin cruises with fewer people on the boats.
Expect to see fewer options as far as schedules and shorter operating hours though. A company who offered several tours a day in summer might only offer one a day in September.
September Watersports and Excursions in Destin
If you want to rent a boat, a jet ski, or go on a Destin Parasailing Adventure, in August, you should still have plenty of options. The same is true for dolphin cruises, snorkeling tours, and everything else you can do on a boat.
September is the time you might see deals, discounts or just lower rates overall compared to summer.
Crab Island in September in Destin
Crab Island is a sunken sand bar in the water near the Destin Bridge where boats, jet skis, and kayaks anchor up to relax and play in the shallow waters. It is one of the most popular spots in Destin, but it mostly goes quiet after Labor Day when the vendors begin to close up for the season.
Crab Island is known for the crystal clear water that looks like a swimming pool, but September is when the tides turn to high tide times that are mostly in the early morning, making the water clarity less consistent.
To get the clearest water at Crab Island, make sure to plan your visit in the time window of 2 hours before and after high tide when the clear water from the Gulf of Mexico is coming in. When the tide is going out, Crab Island is filled with water from the bay making it more of a tea color.
For more information about Crab Island, read my complete guide here: Crab Island in Destin: Ultimate Visitors Guide
September 2023 Events in Destin
September has some fun events to enjoy and a few fireworks shows, though not as many as summer. Details about the best things happening this month are below. I will add more as they are announced, so bookmark this page and check back for updates as September gets closer.
Arts & Drafts Festival at Harborwalk Village
Friday September 8th, 2023
- Where: Harborwalk Village
- Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Cost: Various packages available
- Website: Harborwalk Village Website
Enjoy an evening of strolling Harborwalk Village while sampling craft brews from local and regional breweries, browsing products created by local artists and participating in interactive art displays. I wrote more details about the last event here: Arts & Drafts Festival at Harborwalk Village
Labor Day Weekend Fireworks
Sunday September 3rd, 2023
- Harborwalk Village: 9:00pm
- Okaloosa Island Pier: 9:00pm
- Baytowne Wharf: 9:30pm
Labor Day weekend is the official end of summer and it will close with fireworks shows at Harborwalk Village, Baytowne Wharf, and the Okaloosa Island Boardwalk.
I wrote a guide for each show with tips for the best places to watch, parking, and the entire upcoming 2023 schedule of shows here:
- Where to Watch the Harborwalk Village Fireworks
- Where to Watch the Okaloosa Island Fireworks
- Where to Watch the Baytowne Wharf Fireworks
The Baytowne Wharf Labor Day weekend Fireworks take place during the Perfect Hues Arts Festival so be sure to leave extra time for parking if you go to that show. More information below.
Perfect Hues Arts Festival at Baytowne Wharf
Friday September 1st-Sunday September 3rd 2023
- Where: Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort
- Time: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Cost: FREE
- Website: baytownewharf.com
Kick off fall with this popular annual art festival at Baytowne Wharf taking place for 3 nights over the Labor Day holiday weekend.
Stroll the Village streets every evening during the festival as you browse a variety of artwork from local and regional artists, and savor bites from some of the area’s best restaurants and food trucks. Enjoy live music all evening and a spectacular fireworks show over the lagoon on Sunday night at 9:30pm.
2023 Baytowne Wharf Perfect Hues Music Line up:
Friday
5-7:15pm: Mike Whitty
7:30-10pm: Mari Gleason
Saturday
5-7:15pm: Mike Whitty
7:30-10pm: Christon Birge
Sunday
5-7:15pm: Jarod Herzog
7:30-10pm: Emily Bass
Wednesday Night Concert Series at Baytowne Wharf
- Dates: Wednesdays September 6th, 13th, 20th, & 27th 2023 (continuing weekly through October)
- Time: 7:00 – 9:00pm
- Cost: FREE
The Wednesday Night Concert Series is a popular event at Baytowne Wharf that runs through spring, summer and fall on the Village Lawn and Events Plaza Stage.
Bring blankets, lawn chairs, drinks and snacks to enjoy the summer nights outside with live music from a different band each week. The concert series will feature both local and regional talent from a variety of genres.
WNCS September 2023 Music Schedule:
September 6: Jarred McConnell and The High Aces
September 13: Trest Richerson Band
September 20 Shenanigans
September 27: Duchess
Bubbly Baytowne at Baytowne Wharf
Thursday September 21st, 2023
- Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Cost: FREE
- Website: baytownewharf.com
Enjoy an evening full of FREE sparking wine as you sip and stroll through the streets of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin during Bubbly Baytowne. Stop in various retail merchants to fill your glass as you enjoy a selection of premium champagnes.
Bubbly Baytowne is one of my favorite events and I wrote a more detailed article about it here if you want to see more information and photos: Bubbly Baytowne ~ A Sip and Shop through the Village of Baytowne Wharf
Burgers, Bourbon & Beer Festival on Destin Harbor
Saturday September 23rd, 2023
- Where: Destin Harbor Boardwalk behind Brotulas Restaurant
- Time: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Cost: Various Ticket Options
- Website: Burgers, Bourbon & Beer Festival Tickets Website
The 3rd annual Burgers, Bourbon & Beer Festival is coming back to the Destin Harbor Boardwalk this September. The festival features tasty burgers from favorite local restaurants, delicious bourbon, refreshing beer, live music, a kids-zone, an exclusive VIP area, and more.
There is a general admission package option, a VIP option, and a food-only ticket option. The festival takes place near the marina just east of Harborwalk Village.
Fly into Fall Kite Festival
Saturday September 23rd – Sunday September 24th, 2023
- Where: Okaloosa Island Boardwalk Beach
- Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Cost: FREE
- Website: Kitty Hawk Kite Festival Okaloosa Island
The annual kite festival returns in September for two days of kite flying fun at the Okaloosa Island beach. Kitty Hawk Kites has a shop located at the Boardwalk complex and the festival takes place on the beach just in front of it near the fishing pier.
Spectacular Kites such as a 100- foot octopus, 80- foot panda, a 50-foot gator, and many others will be on display flying high over the beach during the festival. Enjoy larger-than-life show kites, professional stunt kite flying demonstrations and free kite flying lessons during this fun, family-friendly event.
I hope this post helps you plan the perfect trip to Destin in September. Below are some of my other monthly guides to check out. These are updated every year so you can bookmark any months you are interested in and check them closer to that time for changes and updates.
- October in Destin
- Christmas Season in Destin
- February in Destin
- March in Destin
- April in Destin
- May in Destin
- June in Destin
- July 4th in Destin
- August in Destin
- Best Times to Visit Destin: Month-by-Month Guide
Be sure to comment below if you have any questions or feedback. I love hearing from you and prefer to answer questions on here so my answers can help others as well. Don’t forget to subscribe to my email list so you don’t miss any posts!
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Hi, I’m Sarah–the creator, writer and photographer behind this site. I sell prints, books, journals, and calendars all made from my Emerald Coast photography and I also manage a few vacation rentals on beautiful Holiday Isle in Destin if you want me to be your helpful, knowledgeable host when you visit.
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