I wish you a warm welcome to Waterscape. I hope you are ready for a fun and relaxing vacation. Please do not hesitate to text me if you have questions or need anything at all.
Yummy stuff to eat:
First, we love Stewby's. It's extremely casual and since most of my renters have young children, this place is ideal.
Best of all, the food is fresh, local, and surprisingly inexpensive. Stewby's is in a little shack, exactly what you
should expect from a great "local place." You can walk to Stewby's. Go out of Waterscape and take a left. It's a couple blocks.
Stewby's
There is a restaurant across the street called "The Gulf." You can walk to it--it is across Hwy. 98 (the busy highway). They
serve fresh seafood and the menu changes daily. This is a fun environment and your kids can play along the bay's shore
while you wait for your food.
The Gulf
Asiago's is just right across the street (walk, parking is tight), and this is the best breakfast in town. The honey butter biscuit easily
feeds two people (YUM ALERT!). Everything I've had is good, except the sausage patty which is like McDonald's (yeh, not my fave).
Asiago's
There is a convenient ice cream place (with a small putt putt course in front) that's also walkable. The name is Okaloosa National Mini Golf and Ice Cream. Go to the street (Santa Rosa Blvd) and turn left. Walk a couple of blocks
and you will run right into it. It's also a great wagon ride for the little ones. They have a Facebook page, but not a website. Here is their number: (850) 888-3404.
Cool stuff to do:
During summer, there is a fireworks show over the pier (you can see it very well from our beach) Wednesdays at 9pm. There are other fireworks shows weekly at the Destin Harborwalk and Baytowne Wharf.
The Gulfarium is next door and you can spend an entire day there. They have shows with dolphins, seals, and sea lions. They have a dolphin encounter experience where you can swim with the dolphins.
This must be planned ahead and space is limited. If you are interested in this, please call ahead for details.
The Gulfarium
Are you looking for an fun-filled, action-packed day out with the family? You can walk (or drive, but I'm always up for a little sunshine and fresh air!) to Wild Willy's Adventure Zone. This is my favorite place in town for go-carts, bumper boats, putt-putt, and an indoor arcade! Their putt-putt course is dinosaur themed and really well done! Go check it out.
Wild Willy's Adventure Zone
The Destin Harborwalk is an activity filled adventure and has all kinds of cruises, including dolphin cruises and fishing excursions. Our personal favorite is the Buccaneer Pirate
Cruise. It's a little pricey if you have a large party but it's really worth the money. It's really fun and the parents will enjoy it too. The pirate crew
will completely occupy your kids for the duration of the ride, so Mom and Dad, you get to relax!! There are also pontoon boat rentals for the more
adventurous. You can cruise over to Crab Island and take a water tour through the Destin Harbor.
Speaking of the Destin Harbor, dinner and a late night stroll persuing the million dollar yachts is fun also. If you aren't satisfied yet,
you can try ziplining or just hang around and peruse the shops. On Thursdays in the summer they have fireworks at 9pm. Be sure to
check their website for a latest list of events as they change frequently.
Destin Harborwalk
Another place to spend an entire afternoon or evening is at the Baytowne Wharf. This is just a splendid little jewel of a place and they have fireworks, concerts, magic shows,
movies on the lawn, and more. They have nice places to eat as well as fun little shops to visit. I probably like this place more than the Destin Harborwalk, but it is a little futher away
and they don't have all of the cruises/boat rentals. Be sure to check their website for a latest list of events.
Baytowne Wharf
If you brought a little "extra" money, renting pontoons or jet skis is CRAZY FUN and it is worth the money if you have it to spend. You can rent both boats and Jet Skis right across the street from Waterscape. The bay offers a smooth, enjoyable ride.
You can encounter dolphins in the bay if you look, especially at high tide (check tide charts, as this is also when the water is the most beautiful.
All the businesses charge the same rates. The most convenient place to rent is Crab Island Watersports or Power Up Watersports, which is just across the street, one on our side of Hwy. 98 and one right across it.
Pontooning to Crab Island really sort of "defines" Destin. We do enjoy pontooning around the Santa Rosa Sound (towards Navarre) and all around the Choctawhatcee Bay.
Crab Island Watersports
Power Up Watersports
Of course, our favorite place of all is right on the Waterscape property. Did you know we have a TON of organized activities right on our pooldeck? From Dive-In Movies to Live Pirate Shows, and tons in between, Waterscape is truly the place to be! Also, Grilling poolside is hard to beat.
PS. Let me give you a little warning about Destin traffic. There's lots of stuff to do there but don't go over there if you are in a hurry. :-)
Here is a calendar of some of our local events that I have captured for you. If it is on this calendar, it comes with my recommendation.
Danica's Tips: Use the arrows at the top to move to the future. Turn your phone sideways to see more text. Click on the event for lots more details.
