The Heart of the Emerald Coast in Northwest Florida is renowned for magnificent beaches of fine, sugar-white sand, emerald-green waters and delightful surprises everywhere you look. It’s easy to see how the Emerald Coast got its nickname and why Good Morning America named the area one of the “Top 10 Most Beautiful Places in America.” 

Centred around the towns of Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island, this coastal haven boasts superb and breezy golf courses stretching along white-sand beaches or surrounded by live oaks and pines and tropical vegetation. A number of championship courses are located here including one at Eglin Air Force Base.  

During the summer turtle-nesting season, take a free guided night tour of the beach where you might see giant sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. With 16 areas set aside as “Ecotourism Hot Spots,” you’re sure to find miracles of nature throughout the Emerald Coast. Perhaps, such places could also be called “recreational hot spots” because you can fish, paddle, hike, cycle and swim at most of them.

Family fun is abundant on the Emerald Coast, where special venues like Big Kahuna’s Water & Adventure Park, Boogie’s Watersports, the Buccaneer Pirate Cruise, the Cubby Caboose Mini Express Train, Laser Challenge and the popular Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park offer a variety of activities and experiences for all ages. For some adult time, book a romantic sunset cruise out of Destin Harbor.

There’s shopping, dining and nightlife at HarborWalk Village, Destin Commons and downtown Fort Walton Beach. In addition, partially because of the beautiful natural surroundings, this area also supports a thriving arts community and a growing number of studios and galleries.

One of the best things about the Emerald Coast is that it’s easy to reach from Canada. The modern Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport is now accessible with only one-stop service via Atlanta, Georgia, with Delta; via Houston, Texas, with United; or via Dallas, Texas, or Charlotte, North Carolina, with American Airlines.

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Discover all the Heart of the Emerald Coast has to offer at EmeraldCoastFL.com.