Twenty-four miles of powder soft, sugar white sand make up the heart of Florida’s Emerald Coast. While the sunshine state may offer over 1,800 miles of coastline, the shores of Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island provide access to the clear, emerald green water of the Gulf of Mexico unlike any other.

​

Sunny skies, coastal breezes and lush landscapes make the Emerald Coast a paradise for golfers of all skill levels, all year long. Whether skirting the sugar-white sand beaches or wandering through a grove of live oak, pine and tropical vegetation, you’ll have a great time golfing at our eight championship golf courses and country clubs.

If shopping is your passion, you wont be disappointed. All along the Heart of the Emerald Coast, unique stores offer visitors extraordinary shopping experiences not to be missed. In Destin, Ft. Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island, you can take your pick from distinctive boutiques, traditional malls, charming downtown areas, enchanting open-air complexes and picturesque pedestrian villages. Go-to places for shoppers include Destin Commons, HarborWalk Village and Downtown Ft. Walton Beach where you'll find shopping, dining, nightlife and more.

Where there is great fishing, there are usually great seafood restaurants, and the Emerald Coast is no exception. Here you’ll find cuisine that is both inventive and fresh, brought in daily by Florida's largest fishing fleet. From rustic oyster bars and open-air cafes to candlelit restaurants, all our local eateries offer the freshest, largest variety of seafood. But Gulf seafood isn’t the only thing we do well. Steak, sushi, wood-oven-fired pizzas, authentic Asian cuisine, the perfect hamburger ... you can find it all here. Many of the best restaurants in Florida are right here in Destin, Ft .Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island.

No two sunsets on the Emerald Coast are exactly alike, and neither are any two days. Along with award-winning beaches, you'll find several world-class attractions and family entertainment complexes here. You can get wild at the zoo, splash around at a water park, or interact with a live dolphin at the Gulfarium. Speaking of dolphins, dolphin watching cruises are very popular here, as are pirate cruises. Or you can discover the culture and rich history of the area at one of five museums. There are lots of ways to go Emerald Coasting.