Grand Caribbean West

Walk around the town, there...

by lorigirl

Walk around the town, there are a lot of nice places. Shopping spots and little seafood restaurants, pick any you like they're all goooood!!! That's, of couse in case, you will ever be able to leave the beach. I never did. Too beautiful!!!!

Funky Blue's Shack

by Aliseeya about Funky Blue's Shack

The Funky Blue's Shack is located on Hwy 98 next to Grafitti's. It has a very intimate, unique atmosphere and is definently more of a local's hangout. They have live jazz and blues music almost every night and great drink specials. Casual Casual Casual!

Amazing Seafood

by Aliseeya about Bonefish Grill

Bonefish Grill is actually a chain restaurant owned by Outback Steakhouse, but don't let that fool you. There are tons of local seafood restaurants in Destin, but Bonefish ranks up in my top five favorite places to eat. Compared to the typical seafood restaurant in Destin, Bonefish Grill is very elegant and has an upscale ambiance. The service is outstanding, and food is absolutely delicious.

It is usually very crowded during the tourist season, especially on thurs-sun nights. Expect about a 45-90min wait, but you are able to call ahead and place your name on the list. This cuts down on waiting time! While you are waiting for a table, Bonefish has a great bar area where you can get yummy appetizers and drinks.

I have lived in Destin for over a year, and Bonefish consistently provides a wonderful dining experience. The food is magnificant, the service is superb...I highly reccomend it! I usually order the grilled Salmon with a lemon garlic sauce. Dinner comes with fresh, warm bread with olive oil for dipping. The house salad is amazing, although I prefer the caesar. My favorite drink is the Chocolate Martini. Very good!

Hang out at Crab Island

by hope6481

This is a neat place. Shallow, so you can walk around in the water. The water is very calm here, so I feel safe having the kids out in it. On the other side of the bridge there is a little beach that is just perfect. Get there early, people do come out later. It's mostly families trying to get away from the huff and puff of the beach. Perfect for picnics, which we did. Found lots of crabs and fish. This place feels like our little hideaway.

Our Destin Vacation

by Toes14

"Where to stay?"

Forget the hotels, unless you are only staying in town for a few days. If you're staying for a week or more, renting a condo is the way to go. There are thousands of condos for rent, some fancy, some not. Many are gulf-front or gulf view condos. Of course those cost more too. But they are totally worth it if you have small children!

Try renting in Fort Walton Beach, on Okaloosa Island instead of actually in Destin. It's only six miles west over the bridge, the prices a a little cheaper, and you won't have to try & cross a busy road to actually get to the beach!

"Where to eat -Seafood?"

We liked a little place on the bayside called The Crab Shack. We got a (picnic) table on their deck right next to the water. (It's fenced in so little kids can't fall over into the eater.)

They had really good crab legs & shrimp, but the kids menu had only a few options. The crowd was mostly locals. The price was average, service was a little slow, but the food was good.

"What to do?"

Besides the usual beach activities, there is plenty of good golf to be played around Destin, and lots of fishing available.

I took a three hour fishing crouse on one of the few large crowd boats. (I forgot the name.) It was filled to capacity, and the deckhands were only attentive to the 5-6 college girls on the boat. Otherwise they ignored you at best or were downright surly at worst.

Next time I'll try the fishing pier or pay the extra cash and charter a small boat by myself!