soonermomma Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 We are looking at this location for our first big family vacation next May. Our children will be 9, 6, 3 and 3 at the time. If you have been what were your favorite things you did, where did you stay, would you go back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbelle Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 I have been to Ft. Walton Beach a few times, but more times to other places close by. Ft. Walton is nice. I like Destin much better. The beaches are much better in Destin to me and all the little beach towns from Destin to Panama City are my favorite. Anything along scenic 98 and definetly 30A. I love being down there! I wish we could go more often. I would just take school with us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 We stayed at the Laguna Beach Christian Retreat last month. A friend recommended it and it was a good recommendation. It's in the Panama City Beach area. They have cabins and are across the street from the beach (which is awesome BTW). It's one of those places where you have to bring your own sheets and everything. They have a kitchen with plates, utensils and some pans. There are also 2 pools. If this might be a fit for your family give them a call. The website doesn't have too much info. (They do have a homeschool discount. You might have to ask.) While in the area, we went to the Gulfarium (quite pricey), one of those amusement park places to play mini-golf, and even drove to Pensacola to see the Naval Aviation Museum. Wish we could have stayed longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4ofus Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 I'm from Pensacola~just west of Ft. Walton. The big beaches in the area are definately Destin, Walton County Beaches off 30A, Pensacola is nice, Orange Beach/Gulf Shores. The biggest draw being Destin & the beaches along 30A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatA Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 (edited) Hey I live in Fort Walton! :D Never thought I'd see this little town the main subject of a thread. I would agree that FWB is not the happenin' spot for a beach vacation. It's close to the beach, maybe 15-20 mins away from the nicer beaches... but it's not quite as... fun. May is a good time to come, the peak season is from Memorial Day to Labor Day. So it's not too busy but still warm. The beaches are beautiful. This from a non-beachy person. Of course being from here, I don't really know what is good as far as beach rentals. My recommendation would be to find something close to the beach, within walking distance. Despite the name, there's not too many beaches in FWB. Destin is very touristy, but there's more to do there, water park, smaller attractions (but also expensive). It's also has smaller little beach parks that aren't very touristy or well known. PM when you know for sure where you're going and I'll be happy to let you know of any "secret spots." The main artery of this area is Hwy 98, there is also a lot of federal/military reserves. Because of that, the towns are spread out pretty good. So wherever you're staying, you're probably not going to want to drive to another city 15-20 mins away to go eat or go to attractions (or shop). Where you go depends on what you want to do and your budget. Do you care about shopping or non-beach attractions? Edited October 10, 2011 by KatA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angel marie Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 go to vrbo.com. they have great places to stay. no hotels, but condo, apartments and houses, etc... i have rented thru this site at least 12 times and have never been disappointed. the places cost less than a hotel. we have stayed in some awesome condos in sandestin which is next to fort walton. are you set on fort walton? nearby areas are nice too. you can get a house that will have enough room for your entire family. i promise, you won't be disappointed. let me know if you need info on nearby towns. i'm pretty good with the area. have you seen the movie "turman show?" that town is nearby and we just love it. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 We love 30A. There are some cute little villages there, and we can park our car and walk to food, shops, and our favorite the Rosemary Beach ice cream shop. Yum! Destin is more touristy though. It is only a short drive from the villages on 30A. There are several dolphin tours there, and it was amazing to see all of the sharks and stingrays from the boat. The water is so clear! We are from Texas, so no clear water near us lol. Have fun planning! Check out the chamber of commerce sites for the towns, and there are many places online that show attractions for the area. It is very popular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 My BIL lives in Ft Walton! We've visted twice, both times went to the beach in Destin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 (edited) Destin, Destin, Destin. We love it there. Great beaches, shopping, great water park, fresh seafood, The Track, deep sea fishing, Capt. Dave's restaurant, and lots of fabulous little tacky beach stores that I just love. Forget Fudpucker's though, the alligators are fun but the food is lousy. We get places from Southern Resorts and this year's place was fabulous. Quick walk to the beach and about one minute from a big grocery store, liquor store, fresh seafood place and two required tacky beach shops. Edited October 10, 2011 by Remudamom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soonermomma Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 No, it doesn't have to be Fort Walton. I really know nothing about that area, but we are wanting to take a week long Florida beach vacation. I found a hotel room at a Holiday Inn in Ft Walton that would sleep all six of us, so I liked that. I will look at Destin and see what I see. The beach the hotel is on is Emerald Beach. I'm also going to check out the condos mentioned above. If any of you locals know of a good place to stay that will sleep 6 definitely let me know! We do plan to visit the Gulfarium while we are there. I am definitely open to to other non beach places to visit wile we are there. We are think of going either the first or second week of May, before public school gets out, so that hopefully it won't be as crowded. We will be driving from Oklahoma, which is about a 15 hour drive. We are thinking will will drive 9 hours or so and stay overnight in Mississippi on our way down just to break up the drive. My kids have never traveled that far, so we aren't sure how well they will handle the drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 We stayed at the Laguna Beach Christian Retreat last month. A friend recommended it and it was a good recommendation. It's in the Panama City Beach area. They have cabins and are across the street from the beach (which is awesome BTW). It's one of those places where you have to bring your own sheets and everything. They have a kitchen with plates, utensils and some pans. There are also 2 pools. If this might be a fit for your family give them a call. The website doesn't have too much info. (They do have a homeschool discount. You might have to ask.) We've stayed there too, and really enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Hey I live in Fort Walton! :D Never thought I'd see this little town the main subject of a thread. I would agree that FWB is not the happenin' spot for a beach vacation. It's close to the beach, maybe 15-20 mins away from the nicer beaches... but it's not quite as... fun. May is a good time to come, the peak season is from Memorial Day to Labor Day. So it's not too busy but still warm. The beaches are beautiful. This from a non-beachy person. Of course being from here, I don't really know what is good as far as beach rentals. My recommendation would be to find something close to the beach, within walking distance. Despite the name, there's not too many beaches in FWB. Destin is very touristy, but there's more to do there, water park, smaller attractions (but also expensive). It's also has smaller little beach parks that aren't very touristy or well known. PM when you know for sure where you're going and I'll be happy to let you know of any "secret spots." The main artery of this area is Hwy 98, there is also a lot of federal/military reserves. Because of that, the towns are spread out pretty good. So wherever you're staying, you're probably not going to want to drive to another city 15-20 mins away to go eat or go to attractions (or shop). Where you go depends on what you want to do and your budget. Do you care about shopping or non-beach attractions? Hijacking just for a second... So if we wanted to go to the beach but didn't care a fig about the tourist shops or water parks, but just wanted a clean, uncrowded beach, a decent supermarket or Walmart, and a few locally owned seafood restaurants to choose from for a couple of nice meals, Fort Walton would be the place for us? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatA Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Hijacking just for a second...So if we wanted to go to the beach but didn't care a fig about the tourist shops or water parks, but just wanted a clean, uncrowded beach, a decent supermarket or Walmart, and a few locally owned seafood restaurants to choose from for a couple of nice meals, Fort Walton would be the place for us? The short answer? No. FWB is an enigma. If you just landed here without any orientation, you would assume it's just a typical town in Florida. Hot, humid, but not known for it's seafood or its beaches. It's on the coast but it is somewhat insulated from the beach/gulf scene. There is an island that runs parallel to the city and because of that none of our beaches border the gulf, it's all bay beaches (which are nice in their own way, calm and not a lot of jellyfish, etc.) I have yet to find a good seafood restaurant in this town. I'm sure they're around... somewhere. They're just really, really secret. Yes we're close to a few uncrowded beaches, and supermarkets, but it's not really the hub of local seafood. Honestly, Destin has all three of those (but also the tourists). Look at Okaloosa Island, it's between Destin and FWB. I think in this area you have to compromise, the more uncrowded areas come with no supermarkets anywhere near them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatA Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 No, it doesn't have to be Fort Walton. I really know nothing about that area, but we are wanting to take a week long Florida beach vacation. I found a hotel room at a Holiday Inn in Ft Walton that would sleep all six of us, so I liked that. I will look at Destin and see what I see. The beach the hotel is on is Emerald Beach. I'm also going to check out the condos mentioned above. If any of you locals know of a good place to stay that will sleep 6 definitely let me know! We do plan to visit the Gulfarium while we are there. I am definitely open to to other non beach places to visit wile we are there. We are think of going either the first or second week of May, before public school gets out, so that hopefully it won't be as crowded. We will be driving from Oklahoma, which is about a 15 hour drive. We are thinking will will drive 9 hours or so and stay overnight in Mississippi on our way down just to break up the drive. My kids have never traveled that far, so we aren't sure how well they will handle the drive. Ah, okay I see where you are. That's Okaloosa Island. I guess technically FWB? I would say that that's a good spot. You have my approval. :D It's a bit off the main path of 98 (so it's quiet), but close to a supermarket (Publix). I've been down that road only a few times. So I'm not sure about restaurants, but it's about 15 mins from Destin. It also has your obligatory tourist shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soonermomma Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 We are checking out rental properties now on vrbo.com that someone recommended. Are there specific beaches or areas in Destin you would recommend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soonermomma Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 We are checking out rental properties now on vrbo.com that someone recommended. Are there specific beaches or areas in Destin you would recommend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soonermomma Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 We always stay on Okaloosa Island. It's not crowded like Destin and it's cheaper, but it's within short driving distance of Destin and all its attractions. If you need groceries Publix is nearby. My main goal when going to the beach is relaxation on the beach and no crowds, and Okaloosa Island fits that bill perfectly for me. Last time we went we stayed at Waterscape, which is fairly new. It was very nice and the kids loved it. The kids also love The Crab Trap restaurant and the Gulfarium. The best restaurant we found the last time we were there was The Back Porch in Destin. Oh, and we love The Donut Hole. I'm checking out this area now! Thanks for the great info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angel marie Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 hey, me again. stay in sandestin on vrbo.com. laurel grove is great. get (if you can) a house that has a golf cart with it. other areas are great too. some are on the beach side and some are on the bay side. there are houses right on the beach, but you will pay for it. if you don't stay in a house right on the beach, do not worry. you are very close by golf cart or bikes. you can rent pontoon boats too and go to crab island in fort walton. very neat place. google it. you can go back and forth on it to the beach. it is so much fun. other places that are nice --past sandestin are areas along 30-A which is a highway--watercolor, seaside (we looovve!!), seagrove. on vrbo.com--you have tons of choices Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyJudyJudy Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I'll add another vote for Okaloosa Island. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 many many years ago we went there-I got a bad sunburn the first day just from walking on the beach and had to spend most of vacation in cool hotel room....rest of family went to the fort....and other fun places-great pics and kiddos had fun..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa in MO Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 we went two years ago and stayed on Okaloosa Island. We stayed at the condo complex that is the last on the island. It is a gated complex and you have to be at least 25 to rent from the complex. This made it much more family oriented and avoided the party crowd. There is 17 miles of undeveloped beach to the west that you explore. The condo we stayed in slept 8, but there were many other choices that slept less. We had a wonderful time. We stayed 3 nights, next time we will stay at least a week. This complex was recommended by someone on this board. The same unit we rented is listed on vrbo., but is actually more than on the complex website. I have linked the website. http://elmatador-rentals.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I'm in Gulf Breeze - about 35 minutes to the west of Fort Walton. There are some great places to stay on Santa Rosa Island as well - the Portofino is amazing, and there are very inexpensive beach rentals. As for things to do.... Destin is beautiful - but very developed and touristy. SanDestin is gorgeous as well.... SeaSide is the little town where they filmed the Truman Show - a bit further East - but wonderful. The Gulfarium may be worth your time, but keep in mind that is it a bit over priced, and underwhelming (especially if you've been somewhere like SeaWorld). Big Kahuna's is fun. The Gulf Breeze Zoo is pretty and has a nice train ride around the chimp and gorilla islands. Pensacola beach can be fun if it isn't crowded. Take the time to drive west to Fort Pickens if you like history. There is also a native American mound museum in downtown Fort Walton that is pretty nifty. The National Seashore areas all throughout the area are beautiful, and the undeveleped beaches are refreshing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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