Destin & South Walton Florida News

Destin Hot Spot: The Village Of Baytowne Wharf

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:03:00 GMT

The Village of Baytowne Wharf welcomes winter with a season of entertainment and adventure. If you want to spend your Holidays in a tropical wonderland, this is the place to be. Located in Sandestin Resort, the Village of Baytowne Wharf is the meet-and-greet place for all guests, locals, and employees of Sandestin, as well as all the areas that surround...

Midnight Madness At Silver Sands Factory Stores

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:44:00 GMT

After a full day of eating, watching football and spending time with family on Thanksgiving, the race is on for the best deals in holiday shopping. According to the National Retail Federation, 66 million people shopped on the day after Thanksgiving last year, also called Black Friday and 1 in 4 were at the stores by 5 a.m. As midnight madness grows

Annual Best Of Emerald Coast Celebration

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:06:00 GMT

Meet this year’s winners who were voted Best Of by the readers of Emerald Coast Magazine at the 2008 Best of the Emerald Coast event on October 18, from 6 – 10:30 p.m. Winners will be on display along the main street of Destin Commons showing everything from best restaurants, to best retailers, appetizer, dessert, businesses, doctors, photographer,...

Destin Fishing Rodeo Welcomes All Kinds

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:01:00 GMT

It’s “Game On” for the Destin Fishing Rodeo. “I think there’s a competition going on for that first fish,” Rodeo executive director Helen Donaldson said Tuesday morning. In the last couple of weeks, “There has been some people talking smack about catching the first fish,” she said. Today at 10 a.m. when the scales open for the 60th annual Destin Fishing...

Mako My Day

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:01:00 GMT

Afunny thing happened on the way to fish for grouper for the 2007 Destin Fishing Rodeo. Capt. Robert Hill hauled in the largest fish ever caught in the 59-year history of the Rodeo — an 844.4-pound short fin mako shark. His boat, Twilight, hauled the monster back to the dock some 70 miles and still enjoys the Destin history-making buzz a year later....

Vacations Must Go On For Destin Tourists

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 09:03:00 GMT

Most markets are feeling the effects of the faltering economy by now, but tourism in Destin still seems to be running strong. “In the long run, I don’t think people will do anything much different,” said Brad Davis, a former local visiting from Flower Mound, Texas. The consensus around Destin is that vacationing will remain a priority for families on...

4th Of July Fireworks Schedule

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:07:00 GMT

Everyone is looking forward to a spectacular fireworks display this July 4th along the Florida Gulf Coast. In some spots, the excitement begins July 3rd and continues through the 5th. The Destin fireworks display is on Friday, July 4th at 9:00 PM over the Destin East Pass. The show is free and open to the public. There will be free parking at Emerald...

Destin Supports Beach Restoration

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:07:00 GMT

“If you could get 34 percent to turn out for an election in the county, you’d say we’d set some kind of record,” Destin homeowner Terry Trojan says. Trojan told the Destin City Council Monday that by that standard it’s great news that 34 percent of the beachfront homeowners contacted by Citizens for Healthy Beaches have signed petitions supporting a...

Harborwalk Village Now Welcomes Tourists & Residents

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 06:05:00 GMT

The pace of HarborWalk seems to be more of a run. A month ago, visitors to the construction zone at the foot of Marler Bridge and in the shadow of Emerald Grande would walk through piles of sand under hulking structures with no facades. A half-built lighthouse that will be a trademark of the new Harry T’s restaurant would cast a shadow on construction...

New Miss Destin Crowned

Thu, 22 May 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Irony was definitely in the air on Saturday night at the Destin Community Center. “She looks like Jackie O!” one of the contestants exclaimed as Leah Stuart strutted around backstage in a canary yellow trenchcoat and dark sunglasses. Who knew that before the evening was over she would be given the responsibility of being Destin’s own little Jackie Onassis...

Destin Hot Spot: Fat Clemenza's

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If you haven't had the chance to visit Destin's new favorite Italian "hole-in-the-wall" restaurant, Fat Clemenza's, stop everything you're doing and go right now! The first time I ate was by recommendation of my parents, who said the food was as good or better than our favorite little spot back in Miami. Although I didn't believe them at first, my wife...

Destin Plays Host To Sizzlin' Summer Events

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 03:04:00 GMT

Destin and the Beaches of South Walton have planned the best summer yet! Many new venues and talents grace our events calendar this season. Experience why Southern Living readers voted Destin favorite family vacation destination and of course... best beaches in the South . The extremely popular cobia tournaments begin in April. At least 15,000 cobia fanatics...

Big Names Coming To Bigger Destin Commons

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:01:00 GMT

The future of one of Destin’s most popular retail hubs took shape Thursday night. Executives from Destin Commons appeared before the Okaloosa County Planning Commission to seek approval for its second phase, expected to break ground this spring. Approval was granted by the commission in less than 20 minutes and recommendations on the development were...

An Off-season Overnight Trip To Destin, Florida

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:01:00 GMT

Isn’t it funny how something occasionally comes along at just the right moment? Such was the case before the cold weather set in. We were “waxing nostalgic” for the Florida Panhandle (re: The ReView, February 7, 2008) and thumbing through a Budget Travel magazine. There it was: The Beachside Inn in Destin for only $79.00 a night. First, a word about...

Destin Captains Are Happy To Keep Their Snapper Season

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:01:00 GMT

A most unusual sight could be seen Thursday afternoon in Panama City Beach — fishermen giving state regulators a standing ovation. Such was the scene at the end of a nine-hour meeting of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Board of Commissioners Thursday at the Bay Point Marriott. Regulators discussed whether the state would follow...

Marina Plans On Norriego Point

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:01:00 GMT

It will be at least six months before the Destin City Council can hold development hearings on a proposed Norriego Point marina, City Manager Greg Kisela says. Kisela told the council Monday that Pointe One LLC’s proposal for a 53-slip marina might receive approval from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers...

Snapper Showdown

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:01:00 GMT

Shawn Phillips has nine reasons to oppose a shorter season and lower bag limit of red snapper in Florida’s waters. Phillips, the wife of Destin charter boat Capt. Stan Phillips, is the mother of nine and fears for her family and other Destin charter boat families as the industry faces tightened restrictions. On Thursday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife...

Rudy Giuliani To Barnstorm Through Destin

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:01:00 GMT

For the second time in less than a month, a GOP candidate for president will make a stop in Destin. Thursday morning, Republican presidential hopeful and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani will make a short stop at Destin’s The Donut Hole restaurant to meet with supporters. Giuliani,who gave the keynote address at the Walton County Chamber of Commerce...

Dark Park Coming To The Commons?

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:01:00 GMT

Next week, Destin Commons is hoping the Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners approves a plan for what would be Destin’s first dog park. At 9 a.m. on Tuesday, the shopping center’s management will appear before the County Commission to request a change to the Destin Commons development order. The order originally required the Commons to acquire and...