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Destin Attractions and Activities

Destin Attractions

Mattie Kelly Fine & Performing Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College: A state-of-the-art fine and performing arts complex presenting Broadway shows and other various touring artists, concerts, theatre and dance productions, and art exhibits. The Arts Center is home to the OWC Fine & Performing Arts Division, the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, and the McIlroy and Holzhauer Galleries.

The Track Recreation Center: The Track in Destin is your family headquarters for fun. The action-packed recreation center features the ultimate in go-kart tracks, miniature golf, bumper boats, a bungee jumping tower and an arcade. Kids Country for the younger set features a train ride, carousel, Ferris wheel and much more.

Southern Star Dolphin Cruises: Dolphin and sunset cruises aboard the 80 foot, glass bottom boat the Southern Star, Destin's original dolphin cruise boat. This relaxing 2 hour cruise is a great experience for the entire family and has been featured on CNN and National Geographic. The boat is climate controlled and features snacks, gifts, rest rooms and a sound system. During the narrated trip kids get to steer the boat, feed the birds and all aboard get an up close view of the area's sea life.

Air Force Armament Museum: Over 1,600 artifacts! Over 24 different aircraft! Cockpits for the kids to experience the thrill of flight. A 30 Minute film on the development of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions. Gift shop for Mom. The Air Force Armament Museum is open Mon through Sat from 9:30am to 4:30pm. The museum if closed on Sundays and Federal Holidays. Photographs are encouraged. No eating facility on site. Ample parking available. Service Pets only.

Baytowne Adventure Zone: The all new Baytowne Adventure Zone in The Village of Baytowne Wharf is one attraction in Destin, FL that will give you four more reasons to "hang" around Sandestin longer. Get an aerial view of the Village and its surroundings as you soar across the lagoon. Then head over to the ropes course for skill-testing fun. If you still haven’t had enough fun, the Coconut Climb and Eurobungy are two other Destin attractions that are sure to put you over your limit.

Adventure Landing: Swings that reach the clouds, winding paths and mazes that lead to unknown places, bridges and slides with water to splash in - a playground beyond your wildest dreams has been completed at The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin. With the imagination and support of locals, children from Butler and Destin Elementary Schools, as well as Playground Specialists from Leathers & Associates, Adventure Landing at Baytowne Wharf is the fulfillment of drawings and dreams of local children. This Destin, FL family attraction is located across from Cabos Paradise Grille in The Village of Baytowne Wharf.

Dunes Putting Course: Swing over to the Dunes Putting Course for a hole-in-one mini-golf experience. Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort explodes to gigantic proportions with this fun-filled Destin, FL family attraction. Tee off at the most extraordinary putting course in the country. Test your skill against this adventurous par 51 course, with 18 lushly landscaped and contoured holes of fun.

Jolee Island: Create your own nature escape on the rustic five-acre Jolee Island Nature Park, one of the premier Destin, Florida attractions.

Just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from the Baytowne Marina, enter by strolling along a wooden footbridge over a scenic salt marsh. A mile-long perimeter trail is dotted with weather-beaten, double-wide porch swings, where you can sit and watch the waters of Horseshoe Bayou lap up against the shore or catch an amazing sunset over Choctawhatchee Bay.

Kids enjoy the pirate ship-shaped playground and look-out tower overlooking the island's pines and magnolias while parents stroll the perimeter and relax on an occasional porch swing.

Big Kahuna's Water and Adventure Park: Big Kahuna's Water Park is one of the most fun and family-friendly attraction in Destin. Your children will have a blast if you take them to Big Kahuna's. The Water Park features dozens of slides, quiet pools, and the biggest man-made waterfall in the world. Relax in one of the pools or float in the lazy river while your kids brave one of the speed slides. If you're looking for something other than water, the park also offers mini golf and go-cart racing. The mini golf course is also one of the best in Destin. I promise a trip to Big Kahuna's will be time well spent. As you're driving down HWY 98, you won't be able to miss seeing all the people splashing into one of the pools after a fast slide. Watch this video to get an idea of what Big Kahuna's is like.

The Track Family Recreation Center: The Track offers go-cart racing, mini-golf, bumper rides, and thrill rides. If you like go-cart racing, the track is where you need to go. I can't remember how many times I've been to The Track with family or friends and enjoyed a friendly and competitive race around the track. If racing go-carts isn't enough for you, try the bungee jump or experience the thrill of skydiving with the Skyflyer. If you're planning a trip to Destin make sure to set aside time for The Track. You're kids will love it and so will you. It would be a crime not to take them to The Track at least once during your stay in Destin.

Destin Activities

Beaching: Miles and miles of a pure, parched playground of Appalachian Quartz sand for sun bronzing, sandcastle building, soul searching and surrendering to sun-drenched solitude. Sun worshippers are amused by sandpipers, snowy egrets, playful dolphins, fishing fleets dotting the horizon and daily dogfights (air shows compliments of Eglin).

Shelling: About a mile out, an aquarium of treasures is at your toes, shells on the sugary white bottom, numerous reefs and giant sand bars are reflected - illuminated - through the crystal-clear waters. Sand Dollar City, a pure white sand bar, is rich with layers of circular "sea money". A ribboning reef of limestone (the pre-Ice Age shoreline) captures thousands of beach bound, large seashells - often up to 20 inches (51cm) in length and perfectly formed. Sunset-hued lion's paws and true tulips to eight-pound (4kg) queen helmets and Florida's signature shell - horse conchs - are discovered along the ledge a mere three miles (5km) out.

Diving & Snorkeling: Exceptional exploring close inshore as the 100 Fathom curve draws closer to Destin * Fort Walton Beach * Okaloosa Island than to any other spot on the Gulf. Underwater shelling is world-renowned. Brilliant green finger and four-foot (120cm) basket sponges flourish. Also prevalent are aqua and purple sea whips, and reef clusters of white star and ivory tree coral. Deep water close inshore attracts one of the widest arrays of marine species in Florida, from vibrant yellow angelfish and playful dolphins to six-foot (180cm) manta rays and 350-pound (158kg) loggerhead sea turtles. Lucky divers are often "submerged" amidst schools of migrating mackerel, amberjack and cigar minnows.

Boating: 65-foot (20m), gaff-rigged Tops'1 schooners to simple sunfish are sailboats available for sunset wine cruises, moonlight rendezvous, snorkeling trips, barrier island hopping and dolphin or manatee expeditions.

Saltwater Fishing: Famous fruitful waters are internationally recognized. The offshore shelf dips straight from Destin's East Pass to 100-foot (30m) depths within 10 miles (16km) -- the speediest deep-water access on the Gulf.

Freshwater Fishing: Some of the best fishing is found in Blackwater, Shoal and Yellow rivers -- teeming with bass, bream and catfish. An array of stocked ponds, such as the 350-acre (140ha) Hurricane Lake in Blackwater River State Park, are filled with channel catfish, large-mouth bass, bluegill and shellcracker.

Shopping: Seaside souvenirs prevail at "character" boutiques from The Zoo and the Spunky Monkey to Banana Bart's. Several mini-centers offer collections of specialty shops, antique stores, art galleries discount malls and popular chain stores.

Destin Festivals and Events

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