Destin, Florida |
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Destin, Florida |
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Destin, FL |
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| THE EXPERIENCE | IT'S SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE
Famous sugar white sands stretch like miles of white satin. Emerald-jeweled waters. Endless strings of fishing fleets. Links and links of golf. Seaside celebrations. Dancing dolphins. Undeniably fresh seafood. The easy-paced Destin * Fort Walton Beach * Okaloosa Island presents simple pleasures -- unpretentious, uncomplicated and breathtakingly beautiful. |
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| SETTING | Neighboring fishing village and Southern sea town -- Destin * Fort
Walton Beach * Okaloosa Island -- comprise the Emerald Coast.
Anchoring Florida's upper north coast, the Gulf of Mexico borders the south, Pensacola and Panama City are west and east respectively, and Alabama edges the northern cap. |
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| DESCRIPTION | The collaboration of shocking white sands and brilliant green waters
ribbon for 24 miles (38km) along the Gulf. More than 60 percent of the
beaches will be preserved forever in their sweeping, virgin purity.
Surrounded by the Gulf, Choctawhatchee Bay, Santa Rosa Sound, lakes and bayous, and riveted with miles of docks and harbors, a refreshing waterbound charisma emerges. Sparsely scattered with sea oats, sand pines and blossoming magnolias, six-mile (10km) stretches of gentle sand dunes alternate with glimpses of "civilization" and pockets of beach parks with pavilions and gazebos along a picturesque coastline. An aquarium of treasures is found from loggerheads and leatherbacks to lion's paws and horse conchs. Beach-basking feathered friends are as simple as sandpipers and as expressive as snowy egrets. Threaded with serpentine marshes and laced with sun-kissed creeks, a number of wildlife preserves quietly claim the beauty of Mother Nature. |
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| TIME ZONE | SURPRISINGLY -- CENTRAL
Natural time warp for its leisurely pace. |
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| DISTINCTIONS | Acclaims from the "World's Luckiest Fishing Village" and some of the
world's finest shelling to undeniably fresh seafood and the starring role
in famous Hollywood films. * Complete list on tidbits sheet. Named "Number One Beach in the South" and one of the top five "Favorite Family Vacation Destinations" by the readers of Southern Living for eight consecutive years. |
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| ACTIVITIES | Searching for eight-pound (4kg) queen helmet shells in sunken forests,
challenging 1,080 holes of famous golf, fishing from Florida's largest
charter boat fleet for the elusive big blue, sailing along the
emerald-flecked surf, tubing down meandering moss-draped rivers and sun
bronzing on pure white powdered shores are enticements.
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| SPECIAL EVENTS & FESTIVALS | MORE THAN 300 ANNUALLY
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| ATTRACTIONS | THE BEACHES * THE WATER * THE SHALLOWS
GULFARIUM * One of America's originals U.S. AIR FORCE ARMAMENT MUSEUM * One of only three in U.S. INDIAN TEMPLE MOUND MUSEUM * Largest by saltwater THE FOCUS CENTER * "Hands-on" science museum |
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| DINING | TOTAL OF MORE THAN 400 RESTAURANTS
Restaurants serve some of the freshest seafood in Florida. A justified claim as there are always at least 20 tasty types of fish available for savoring during any one season. Bordering the gulf, harbor, bay or bayou, culinary characters range from cedar seafood shacks, lighthouse-bedecked oyster bars and tiki-topped harbor decks to gracious antebellum estates and elegant Gulf-air cafes. Emerald Coast specialties spotlight tastes of the South, from authentic Louisiana Cajun crawfish gumbo, beer-battered fried mullet, hush puppies and pecan pie to continental and European cuisines. |
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| CONVENTIONS | MORE THAN 77,500 TOTAL SQUARE FEET OF SPACE MEETING FACILITIES
(5,760sq m)
Coming in Spring 2003, The Emerald Coast Conference Center, with more than 77,500 Square feet. |
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| GETTING AROUND | Roller blades, skate boards, beach cruiser bicycles, car rentals, taxis
and limousines (barefoot is often preferred)
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| ACCESS BY CAR | EASY
U.S. 98 travels along the Emerald Coast, edging the Gulf through Destin and Fort Walton Beach From 331 south, take Highway 85 south at the Alabama/Florida line, straight into Destin * Fort Walton Beach From I-10, exit on to Highway 85 south at the Fort Walton Beach exit and head straight into Destin * Fort Walton Beach 256 miles (412km) from New Orleans |
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| ACCESS BY AIR | TWO NEARBY AIRPORTS -- EIGHT MAJOR CARRIERS
OKALOOSA REGIONAL AIRPORT PENSACOLA REGIONAL AIRPORT One hour and 15 minutes from Atlanta |
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| Eco-Tourism | More than 60 percent of the area's 24 miles of beaches will be preserved forever in sweeping, virgin purity. Protecting its incredible coastline, pockets of seaside parks with pavilions, gazebos and disadvantaged-accessible wooden dune overwalks peer over a gentle rise of sand dunes and sparsely scattered sea oats. The 208-acre (83ha) Henderson Beach State Park, Wayside (Boardwalk) County Park and James Lee County Park, a new salt-air bazaar with 300 feet (90m) of waterfront, are three of the five parks and twelve beach accessways along Destin ¥ Fort Walton Beach. The Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council funds $3000 annually to the Okaloosa County Environmental Council, which sponsors bi-annual beach cleanups in addition to an Adopt-A-Country Road civic and military group cleanup program and "Okaloosa Aqualab," a water quality monitoring program with 20-site analysis provided by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Funding from the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council also supports the Earth Day "Great Florida" beach cleanup, and Okaloosa Pride week, furthering environmental awareness and fostering a lasting appreciation for Okaloosa County's most beautiful natural asset -- our world class beaches. |
Some Content Courtesy Emerald Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau
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