Fort Walton Beach - city in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States

Fort Walton Beach is a small city in the Emerald Coast region of Florida, 40 miles east of Pensacola.

Get in

By plane

• Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport (IATA: VPS), 30.483333°, -86.525278°. Serves Fort Walton Beach and nearby Valparaiso. American Eagle, Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection, United Express serve the airport.

By car

US 98 connects Fort Walton Beach with Pensacola and Panama City. It also connects with nearby Destin. Florida 85 connects the area with I-10.

Get around

Fort Walton Beach has two main arterials. The Miracle Strip Parkway (US 98) travels along the seacoast and through Eglin Air Force Base, and the Eglin Parkway (Florida SR 85) links the city with Okaloosa Regional Airport.

See

• The Gulfarium, 1010 Miracle Strip Parkway, 30.3944°, -86.5940°, +1 850-243-9046. Admissions are open from 9AM until 4PM. Park closes at 6PM.
• Indian Temple Mound and Museum, 139 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE, 30.40443°, -86.60732°. Aug-May M-F 10AM-4:30PM; Jun-Jul M-Sa 10AM-4:30PM, Su noon-4:30PM.
• Air Force Armament Museum, 100 Museum Dr (Eglin Air Force Base), 30.4659°, -86.5618°, +1 850 882-4062, afamf32542@aol.com. M-Sa 9:30AM-4:30PM. Free 2018-07-02

Do

• Visit the beach.
• Billy Bowlegs Festival. Pirate-themed street party early each June. 2020-06-27

Buy

• Antique stores and shops along Highway 98/Miracle Strip Parkway across from the Indian Temple Mound.

Eat

Ft. Walton Beach has many restaurants, including:

• Anglers, 1030 Miracle Strip Pkwy (by the base of the pier on Okaloosa Island), +1 850 796-0260. 2020-06-27
• Fish Lipz, 203 Brooks St (off Highway 98 by the bridge to Okaloosa Island), +1 850 226-7123. Waterfront views, good food and drink. Often have small live bands in the evenings.

Drink

• Fish Lipz, listed at "Eat" above

Sleep

• Best Western Ft. Walton Beachfront Hotel, 380 Santa Rosa Boulevard, 30.3956°, -86.6049°, +1 850 243-9444.
• Comfort Inn & Suites, 137 Miracle Strip Pkwy, +1 850 362-6700. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM.
• Hampton Inn, 1112 Santa Rosa Blvd, 30.3956°, -86.6004°, +1 850 301-0906. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM.
• The Island, 1500 Miracle Strip Pkwy, reservations@theislandfl.com.
• Super 8, 333 Miracle Strip Pkwy, +1 850 344-9944. Some rooms with jacuzzi tubs. 2020-06-27

Go next

• Destin is just to the east on the other side of Okaloosa Island.
• Pensacola is about half an hour to the west.