Destin Vacation Information

Whether your idea of a beach vacation is lazing on the warm sand with a frosty drink or reeling in a 100-pound cobia, Destin is the perfect spot to fulfill your fantasies. One of the brightest jewels in the crown of Florida's Emerald Coast, this ocean-side community offers world-class accommodations, including beachfront Destin condo rentals, hotels and beach house rentals, restaurants serving everything from lobster to pizza, more than 1,000 holes of golf, shopping, and just about every water sport imaginable.

Described by one recent visitor as a “tropical paradise,” Destin also boasts plenty of natural beauty, with sugar-white beaches lapped by the clear green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It's an angler's paradise as well. The largest and most elaborately equipped fishing fleet in Florida is docked at the newly renovated Destin Harbor, and many Destin fishing charters are available.

Even if you prefer your fish fried, with coleslaw and hush puppies on the side, you'll find plenty of other things to do on and in the water. Swimming, shelling, and sailing are all popular options. And deep water close to shore means that there's a rich tapestry of undersea life for scuba divers and snorkelers to enjoy. Not much of a swimmer? It doesn't matter. A trip on a glass-bottom boat will get you up close and personal with the Gulf's undersea wonders.

Back on dry land, you can shop till you drop in one of the Destin area's shopping centers or outlet malls. And golfers can choose from more than a dozen courses, many of which also have their own restaurants, bars, and pro shops. With an average of 343 sunny days per year, Destin is an ideal choice for year-round fun. In fact, the area hosts a variety of special events throughout the year, including the annual Destin Seafood Festival, the Emerald Coast Poker Run, and the month-long Destin Fishing Rodeo, which has been held every fall for more than 50 years.

So no matter what you like to do - and how little or how much - chances are you'll find it in Destin.

Plan Your Trip to Destin

Restaurants

Destin restaurants run the gamut from come-as-you-are casual beachside eateries to fine dining establishments with impeccable service. Seafood is the star attraction in Destin, but you'll also find a mouth-watering array of restaurants serving up everything from Italian to old-fashioned Southern specialties. There's something for every taste! Discover the delicious side of Destin with our list of restaurants below.

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Golf

With Destin's marvelous weather, golfing is a year-round activity. Surrounded by beautiful scenery of sparkling emerald water and lush fairways, Destin's golf courses are a pleasure to play. Local courses offer various challenges both for the serious golfer and those just playing a round with friends. Many courses in Destin were designed by the top names in golf, such as Fred Couples, Tom Fazio and Jerry Pate. Enjoy a golf package from one of the area's fine resorts or schedule a day at a local driving range.

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Fishing

Locals often refer to Destin as "the world's luckiest fishing village" with good reason. Destin is unique among Gulf Coast towns in that deep water is within a half hour of its shores, making deep sea fishing a favorite activity. Whether you're fishing for red snapper, grouper, amberjack, flounder or trout, you'll find that Destin is truly an angler's paradise. Destin is also home to one of the largest deep-sea charter boat fleets in the U.S. Let one of Destin's experienced charter boat captains take you on the fishing trip of a lifetime.

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Shopping

Shopping in Destin may become your favorite vacation activity, with the area's abundance of great places to shop combined with shady areas to relax. Spend a day or two browsing some of the most exclusive stores in the south. You'll find the best designer names in apparel, shoes and accessories, plus specialty boutiques for art, antiques, gifts and collectibles. After your vacation is over, you can take home more than a tan!

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Events

There's a celebration going on just about all the time in Destin, making it a fun place to be year-round. Several festivals, including October's Destin Seafood Festival and the month-long Destin Fishing Rodeo, celebrate the Gulf's edible gifts from the sea. There's also the annual Emerald Coast Poker Run, which takes place at the end of Boat Week. Participating boats pay an entrance fee, then travel to designated spots to pick up cards. The boat with the best poker hand at the end of the run is the winner. Proceeds from the poker run go to local children's charities. And every month sees plenty of live concerts, theater and dance performances, wine tastings, food festivals, and arts and crafts shows. Check out our calendar of events for an up-to-date list of what's going on while you're in town.

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Other Things To Do

For the adventurous or those who crave more than just lying in the sun, Destin is jam-packed with fun things to do. Take the whole family to a Destin water park for rides, slides and all-day fun or charter a boat and cruise the emerald green waters for dolphin sightings. Enjoy scuba diving among Destin's natural and man-made reefs and wrecks. Try parasailing or rent a boat for cruising along the shore. You'll never run out of fun activities in Destin!

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