A long Florida’s Emerald Coast, chasing sweets is less a detour and more a year-round ritual—one best enjoyed slowly, with sandy feet and something cold (or molten) in hand. Lamonte Gelato When the heat hits, nothing satisfies quite like gelato, and…
From symphonies and stage lights to pirate ships, dolphins, and upside-down museums, Northwest Florida delivers show-stopping entertainment from Fort Walton Beach to Panama City Beach. Traveling with toddlers, teens, or grandparents? These 12 can’t-miss stops promise memory-making moments beyond the…
There is a reason we are drawn to the water. Call it instinct or something more elemental, but the pull of the sea has long been tied to a sense of renewal. Along the Emerald Coast, that quiet restoration is…
Beyond the beach chairs and sunset cocktails, another kind of Emerald Coast experience awaits—one rooted in wraparound porches, handwritten welcome notes, and breakfasts served with a side of local lore. Historic bed-and-breakfast inns offer something refreshingly personal: conversation over coffee,…
A day on the Gulf is reward enough, but the real payoff comes later. Instead of heading home to clean and cook, let one of the Emerald Coast’s restaurants take it from here. With cook-your-catch options, your fresh haul becomes…
The Island Pier Located at 1450 Miracle Strip Parkway, Fort Walton Beach ■ April-October: Open 24 hours ■ November-March: Open 5 a.m.-9 p.m. ■ Daily spectator fee: $2 ■ Daily admission including fishing license: Children 5 and under are free,…
A long the Emerald Coast, wildlife is never far from view: a sea turtle inches across a sandy roadside, an osprey surveys the marina from above, dolphins crest the waves offshore, and a deer slips quietly through the tree line…
There’s a special kind of thrill surrounding the book you select to read beachside. Whether it’s a thriller sending chills down your spine in the heat of sunbathing, a romantic comedy you chuckle at poolside, or literary fiction you contemplate…
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. The Emerald Coast is famous for…
A long the Emerald Coast, cocktails arrive as cold, salt-kissed punctuation marks to long beach days—equal parts spectacle and refreshment. At Daytrader Tiki in Seaside, the escape begins the moment you trade your flip-flops for a barstool. Nikhil Abuvala’s concept…
Pack your curiosity alongside your sunscreen; you will need both. Along the Emerald Coast, the experience goes beyond the view, inviting visitors to step into a more hands-on kind of getaway. From Destin to 30A, the rhythm of the beach…
There’s a difference between eating on vacation and truly tasting a place. Along the Emerald Coast, that difference comes down to one thing: local. The kind where recipes are rooted in family, the fish was likely caught that morning, and…
FORT WALTON BEACH Downtown District Quaint with charm, Fort Walton Beach’s downtown district beckons for casual afternoon strolls. Enjoy small-town shopping from local retailers and boutiques, plus dining ranging from Italian and American fare to coffee shops and cookie spots.…
Sunscreen? Check. Flip-flops? Check. Hidden artistic talent you didn’t know you had? That’s where the Emerald Coast comes in. Beach days may be a given, but this stretch of coastline offers something more—an invitation to step off the sand and…
The Emerald Coast naturally offers countless varieties of fish and seafood at our disposal. But we can’t all be anglers. Some of us need the help and convenience of a professional. Local seafood markets are like the fairy godmother of…
There’s something visitors often say when they arrive on the Emerald Coast: “We want to live like the locals.” We hear it in restaurants, on fishing piers, and along our sugar-white beaches. Travelers want more than a postcard experience. They…
January 30A SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL More than 175 singer-songwriters will take the stage at over 30 venues throughout the 30A region. The 30A Songwriters Festival is the largest gathering of nationally recognized songwriters performing on the Florida coast. 30ASongwritersFestival.com PCB MARDI…
There’s no single way to experience the Emerald Coast—only the way you choose. Beyond the shoreline, a network of trails, paths, and waterways invites you to explore by bike, by foot, or by paddle. From Fort Walton Beach to Panama…
The Emerald Coast is known for what meets the eye—sugar-white sand, emerald-green water, and horizon-wide sunsets. But slip beneath the surface, and another world reveals itself entirely. From submerged sculptures to historic shipwrecks and jetty ecosystems teeming with life, the…
As Northwest Florida continues to grow, so does the region’s need for accessible, high quality skin care. Dermatology Specialists of Florida is helping meet that demand with the opening of its newest office inside the FSU/Tallahassee Memorial Health Medical Clinic…
Plump red tomatoes are popular with area gardeners and their friends who get to share the bounty when in season. However, the colors, shapes, and sizes seen in these gardens and supermarket produce sections barely scratch the surface of the…
My father taught me to love nature. As far back as I can remember, he educated my family on every animal species we encountered, planned camping vacations for us, and shared stories about the importance of preservation. He taught us…
It’s funny how reliably we humans gain animal emblems. One might say spirit animals or just those animals that seem to stick around in our brains. Case in point: Bats are my thing. When I was about 10 years old…
At first light in a Walton County forest, the air hangs damp and cool, heavy with the scent of pine and palmetto. A white-tailed deer slips through the trees. Somewhere overhead, a woodpecker taps. A father kneels in the sand,…
Most of us will never star in a Hollywood production, but a few miles off the coast of Panama City Beach, you don’t need to be an A-lister to grace one of Disney’s most iconic movie sets—you just need a…
Spend enough time around Destin and Fort Walton Beach, and you will probably meet Tina. Tina is a bit of a celebrity around the area, showing up at parades, visiting classrooms, talking it up with vacationers and anyone else. To…
Captivated by the local charm of the Emerald Coast’s famed 30A, the homeowners knew this was the place when they chose the community of WaterColor as the destination for their family beach home. Located in Santa Rosa Beach on the…
Here on the coast, wildlife is never far from view: A sea turtle inches across a sandy expanse; an osprey surveys the marina from above; dolphins crest the waves offshore; and a deer slips quietly through the tree line at…
Last summer, while visiting some biohacker-inclined friends in Southern California, I found myself inside a DIY backyard sauna. As a Floridian and hot Pilates enthusiast, I assumed I was built for heat. I took the seat closest to the furnace…
Less than a decade after opening the award-winning George Bistro + Bar, Chef George Lazi and his wife, Luba, decided to expand their culinary footprint in 2021 with a second enterprise. And while they could have mirrored much of what…
As microplastics, endocrine disruptors, and forever chemicals have made their way into everyday discourse, it’s easy to fixate on what goes into our bodies, but what we wrap our bodies in is just as important. From our socks to our…
Trail running sounds like a simple practice. In essence, it is a sport that requires only determination, a pair of good-fitting shoes, and exercise attire, but there are nuances and learning curves. Consider how a foot lands on uneven ground…
13th Annual Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo June 5-7 This weekend event at the Flora-Bama Ole River Grill is a low-stakes fishing tournament for all ages and skill levels. While participants can enter a variety of competitions, the focus is on fun…
Chris DeLorenzo is on a hunt. The 30-year-old Grayton Beach resident stalks his way around ’70s muscle cars looking for light, looking for color, looking for treasure. That’s how he describes his fine art approach to photographing automobiles at a drag…
The Northwest Florida Panhandle is uniquely positioned to represent a diversity in ecosystems. The Panhandle is split into two ecoregions: the Southeastern Plains (inland) and the Southeastern Coastal Plain (nearshore). Our inland environments boast pine forests, rolling hills, and diverse…
The dog days you’ve been dreaming of are around the corner, leading to beach days, pool parties, and day trips to nearby springs. You may be used to pulling frayed denim shorts and a baggy T-shirt over a trusty swimsuit…
Although it’s only a short drive away, Westgate River Ranch feels like stepping through a portal into Florida’s frontier. Set amid hundreds of acres of whispering oaks and open pastures, this storied property delivers Western charm with an upscale, family-friendly…
Travelers flock to the Colorado Rockies for skiing, hiking, and crisp alpine air, but deep in the San Juan Mountains lies a different Colorado altogether. Hidden between stands of blue spruce, ponderosa, conifers, and aspen groves, steaming mineral pools emerge…
Frosted Starlet A lavish spin on a provocative martini variation, this icy granita is destined to be a showstopper at any summer gathering Ingredients 2 oz. Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur 2 oz.…
Stone’s Throw The Kate McLeod Daily Stone Deep Moisturizing Lotion Bar ($45 for starter kit) is a cocoa butter concentrate comprising beneficial fatty acids. The brand’s original formulation—a combination of rose, frankincense, and neroli known as The Daily—delivers a light…
On a bright afternoon in late winter, the Hotel Effie was flooded with light, warmth, and purpose––850 Business Magazine’s Pinnacle Award luncheon had returned for its 12th year. Each year, 850 Business Magazine presents the Pinnacle Awards to exceptional women…
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and one in five Americans will develop it in their lifetime. Along the Emerald Coast, where sunshine is a way of life, that risk is a year-round reality. The…
For those behind the scenes at the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA), spring is more than a shift in season—it’s a sense of momentum, meaning, and memory woven together. As May unfolds into Art Month Walton County, the…
McCaskill & Company has long been a premier destination for fine jewelry, offering customers a shopping experience defined by exceptional craftsmanship and heartfelt connection. And now, the Destin store is elevating that customer experience with an elegant and deeply meaningful…
To Wayne Simpson, life is a delicate balance of preserving a moment forever and living in the moment. When behind the lens, he is attuned to what will make for a quality photo while reminding himself to stop and take…
The secret’s out—springtime along the Forgotten Coast is a little bit magical. In April and May, Franklin County comes alive with sunshine, salty breezes, and family-friendly fun. From Apalachicola’s historic homes to St. George Island’s picture-perfect beaches to Carrabelle’s quaint…
It’s been said that life is measured not by the breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away. I would argue that the legacy we leave—the breathtaking moments we’ve gifted to others—multiplies the value of a life…
I step off the dirt parking lot just off 30A and onto a mosaic path. Native plants brush the walkway’s edges. A massive tree throws dappled shade across the property, where three paintings framed inside wooden pavilion structures form a…
Flowers bloom as the spring season along the Emerald Coast beckons residents and visitors alike to a bouquet of events. Coming out of winter hibernation, you’re likely seeking a look that’s fresh, colorful, and possibly a bit unexpected. When mixing…
Every April since 2008, Record Store Day has celebrated the unique culture of independent record shops through in-store events around the globe. On the Emerald Coast, stores such as Central Square Records and Revolver Records offer locals a place to…
