A Guided Tour

Beyond the dunes, along harbor boardwalks, tucked beside cafés and courthouse squares, you will find plenty more than sugar-white sand shimmering in the Florida sun. Public art is everywhere—perhaps even in a downtown you’ve seen a thousand times.

Our stretch of Northwest Florida has quietly curated an outdoor museum of murals, sculpture trails, and sea-inspired installations that celebrate local wildlife, maritime heritage, and coastal culture. From monarch butterflies and majestic herons to painted anchors and pelicans in paradise, the Emerald Coast doubles as an open-air gallery. Follow this playful, coastal-themed art trail from DeFuniak Springs to Pensacola—no tickets required.

Panama City Beach
Teeming with SeeLife

Panama City Beach joins the creative current with SeeLife, a project overseen by the Sunshine Art Club, designed to celebrate the community and share art for all. Bright palettes and marine motifs reinforce how deeply the Gulf influences the area’s identity.

From Fire Station 31 and Frank Brown Park to Russell-Fields Pier and the Panama City Beach Library, nearly two dozen playful sea turtles, porpoises, and seahorses can be spotted throughout the area. It is a reminder that even in a busy beach destination, art can anchor a sense of place.

Inlet Beach
Murals That Tell a Story

Mural art at the Inlet Beach Underpass by Wes Hinds, Photo by Nathan Saczynski / NASCO Photo

Thanks to inspired local artists and the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA), a 135-foot stretch of highway in Walton County is anything but ordinary. The county’s first underpass at U.S. Highway 98 in Inlet Beach has been transformed with 10 distinct murals, each created by a local artist and designed to read like oversized, colorful postcards.

This community-driven project celebrates coastal wildlife, marine conservation, and nods to Old Florida heritage. You might spot a sea turtle gliding across a stucco wall or imagery honoring our region’s rich fishing legacy.

Together, the murals turn an everyday passageway into a vibrant canvas, bringing unexpected bursts of creativity to a well-traveled corridor. The mural medium is one of the purest junctures between art and community—ready to brighten even a simple Sunday drive.

South Walton
Monarchs on the Move

Monarch Art Trail features “Kaleidoscope” by Jonathan Burger, Photo by Kurt Lischka courtesy of Watersound Club

Next, head south toward 30A and keep an eye out for butterflies. The CAA Monarch Art Trail features eight larger-than-life monarch butterfly sculptures designed for installation along South Watersound Parkway’s mile-long walking and biking path that connects Highway 98 and 30A.

Each sculpture is uniquely designed by a local artist, often reflecting themes of conservation, native flora, or Gulf Coast color palettes. The trail celebrates the annual monarch migration through the area while inviting passersby to explore beach neighborhoods in a new way.

Finding the butterflies becomes a joyful treasure hunt for both solo travelers and families. One may perch near a town green, another outside a gallery or shopping district. Collect photos at each stop, and you have created your own “butterfly field guide.”

Freeport
Anchored in Art

A contribution to the Anchored in Art in Public Spaces Project painted by Francisco Adaro, photo courtesy of Cultural Arts Alliance

In Freeport, a new wave of creativity is anchored in both history and imagination. The Anchored in Art in Public Spaces Project brought together the city and the CAA to transform five oversized 4.5-foot anchors into vibrant works of art, each uniquely painted by eight different local artists. Though Walton County is miles from the Gulf shoreline, the anchors pay homage to the area’s seafaring history.

Displayed throughout town in parks, along paths, and at community hubs, these anchors are bold, whimsical, and unmistakably nautical. One may shimmer in turquoise and coral, while another celebrates marine life or historic motifs.

Destin & Fort Walton Beach
Herons Migrate to the EC

Cherish Our Tails, Fins, Flippers, and Feathers by Dori Lewman, one of the Emerald Coast Herons, photo courtesy of Cultural Arts Alliance Destin Commons

Elegance takes flight: The Emerald Coast Herons project, presented through Okaloosa Public Arts, features 20 hand-painted heron sculptures placed throughout Okaloosa County.

Each 5-foot heron soars with its own personality—some shimmering in ocean blues, others adorned with mosaic patterns or painterly coastal scenes. Together, they form a public art flock celebrating the graceful wading bird so often seen along Choctawhatchee Bay.

As you wander the Destin Harbor Boardwalk, pop into the library and city hall, and explore local parks (or even the Fort Walton Beach police department), spotting

artsy herons with monikers like “Lucky,” “Starry Eye,” and “Jailbird” adds a new layer of fun to your everyday explorations. 

Pensacola
Pelicans in Paradise

Located at the Pensacola Museum of History, artist Dave Kessler’s In Tribute to Our First Nations honors the area’s native peoples. (Photo courtesy of Cultural Arts Alliance)

End your tour west in Pensacola, where pelicans rule the roost. The Pelicans in Paradise sculpture project scattered artist-designed pelican statues across downtown, North Pensacola, and Pensacola Beach.

Each pelican boasts its own personality—whimsical, elegant, or vibrantly abstract. Like the herons and monarchs farther east, these coastal birds become ambassadors of place, inviting visitors to explore neighborhoods while celebrating local artistry.

The Bigger Picture

What ties these projects together is more than fiberglass and paint: It’s the coastal narrative we all share. From butterflies symbolizing migration and environmental stewardship to herons and pelicans representing shoreline serenity, these works reflect the Emerald Coast’s deep relationship with land and sea, narrated by local artists.

Next time you map out a beach day or otherwise ordinary errand run, add a creative detour. Wander a little. Look up. Look around.

Map It Out: Your Self-Guided Art Route

Turn your public art hunt into a scenic road trip with the family. Drive time without stops is about two hours, but plan to linger, explore, and take photos along the way.

Panama City Beach — SeeLife

Start in Panama City Beach, where the SeeLife project brings whimsical sea turtles, seahorses, and marine-inspired sculptures to spots like Frank Brown Park, Russell-Fields Pier, and the public library.

Inlet Beach — Highway 98 Murals

Head west on U.S. Highway 98 toward Inlet Beach. Beneath the underpass, 10 vibrant murals transform a 135-foot stretch into a colorful tribute to coastal wildlife and Old Florida heritage.

South Walton — Monarch Art Trail

Continue west on Highway 98, then turn south onto South Watersound Parkway toward Scenic Highway 30A. Here, the Monarch Art Trail unfolds along a mile-long path with larger-than-life butterfly sculptures.

Freeport — Anchored in Art

From 30A or U.S. 98, head north on State Road 331 (the Clyde B. Wells Bridge) to Freeport. Discover oversized, artist-painted anchors displayed in parks, along pathways, and throughout the historic downtown area.

Destin — Emerald Coast Herons

Return south via Highway 331 to Highway 98, then continue west into Destin. Explore the Harbor Boardwalk, parks, and civic spaces to spot hand-painted heron sculptures scattered across the city.

Pensacola — Pelicans in Paradise

Stay on U.S. Highway 98 West as it becomes Highway 98/FL-30, then connect to Highway 98 West (via Fort Walton Beach and Navarre) into Pensacola. Downtown streets and waterfront parks are home to a flock of artist-designed pelican sculptures.