Things to do in Destin, Florida with Kids

I’m excited to be able to share these fun things to do in Destin, Florida with kids. After a long pause from travel, it was so good to be back in beautiful Florida to visit the blue waters of Destin. We were able to safely travel and take important precautions for Covid-19 during our trip, and I’m sharing some pointers today. We spent most of our time on the beach, or keeping up with virtual school in our condo, but I’m excited to share the fun activities we experienced and the restaurants we found as an absolute must.

A special thank you to Vacasa, for hosting us on this trip, as always all opinions are my own.

Things to do in Destin, Florida with Kids

Family travel is a passion of ours. We want our kids to learn by seeing and doing and hope to grow their minds by introducing them to incredible experiences and diverse cultures. It is our desire for them to have a great appreciation of the world around them and make lots of memories along the way. Even though travel can be tiring as a parent, traveling with family is still one of the most rewarding things we do. The smiles, laughs, and memories make the extra effort worth it.

We have been to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach a number of times, but we had wondered if Destin would be too much of a stretch for our big family. I’m happy to report that we were so excited to visit Destin, to see the gorgeous blue water and clean beaches, that we didn’t notice the extra distance at all. The road trip went so well thanks to some strategy and pre-planning for the car ride. When we arrived and saw the beach and the view from our beautiful condo, we were so glad we made the trip! 

The Best Destin Condos on the Beach

After months of quarantine, homeschooling kids, and experiencing childbirth during a pandemic, we were SO ready for a break. Our condo, the Crescent in Miramar Beach, was beachfront and had a breathtaking view. They also provided a chair and umbrella service free of charge to guests (which is not always the case at other locations) so we really enjoyed spending time either in the beautiful pool, building sandcastles on the beach, or playing in the waves of the beautiful blue water. 

Our condo was perfect for a large family, and would be a great option for a family traveling with friends or grandparents. Our two girls shared a queen size bedroom, our three big boys shared a room with two queen beds. Brian and I had the master suite with room to fit the pack and play for the baby. We had a full kitchen with everything we needed to prepare meals at the condo, and a cozy living room for relaxing and enjoying the view.

We scheduled our condo through Vacasa, which is North America’s largest vacation rental management platform. Their goal is to help provide guests with memorable experiences in their unique vacation rentals—all of which are cleaned to meet or exceed CDC standards. They manage 25,000 vacation properties, and offer 24/7 customer care and dedicated local teams in the markets they serve.

Their local staff was friendly and knowledgeable about the area, and made our stay seamless and easy from check in to check out. In fact, they minimize check-in and check-out times by allowing guests to pay online and by using technology that provides immediate access to their properties.

Our condo had a more personal touch than your standard hotel room. It’s always nice to feel at home while you are traveling! It was such a treat to end our fun day at the beach with this gorgeous sunset. You just can’t find much better than the pink and blue sky reflecting on sparkling blue water.

The morning view wasn’t so bad either, especially when Brian prepared breakfast and mimosas while I slept in, ha!

You might be wondering how much a condo costs in Destin, Florida. I’ve found the rates depend on the size, if the unit is updated, and the proximity to the beach. For a large family like ours to have adequate space, you can expect to spend $250-600 per night depending on the unit.

Tips for Traveling with Young Kids

If you are a family with multiple young children, one thing that helps us enjoy the beach longer is to bring a large quilt, a cooler bag with drinks and snacks, and 10×10′ tent. Tents aren’t allowed in front of the condos, but my husband would head down before breakfast and set up our tent right beside the property line so we could utilize the chairs provided by the condominium, and have a tent for the kids to take a break when needed. The baby napped in my arms most days so I didn’t have to miss out on much of the fun!   

When we head to the beach, we like to save space in our vehicle and leave our beach toys at home. We bring their life jackets and when we get to our destination we purchase inexpensive beach toys.

After a hot day at the beach, it was so nice to cool off in the beautiful pool at The Crescent. Of course the kids couldn’t get enough!

Family Activities in Destin, FL

We spent most of our time at the beach or relaxing in our Condo, but we did venture out to the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park and really enjoyed our experience! From the dolphin show, to the sea lions, to the alligator exhibit, to the aquarium filled with sharks and other sea life, I loved that it was a learning experience as well. 

Brian surprised the big kids with a deep sea fishing trip on the American Spirit. It was a six hour trip and about two hours of that was fishing. It was a beautiful cruise out to their destination. Once there, they saw dolphins in their natural habitat. They caught trigger, snapper, and mango, and the highlight was the captain catching a 6 ft. shark right where they were standing. They got to see it reeled out of the water, and then released. It was an unforgettable experience! 

We enjoyed their catch for dinner that evening. It was an incredible meal and the kids were so proud to be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. 

Here are some of the other family-friendly Destin activities for you to consider for your trip: 

• Sail Wild Hearts offers parasailing and sunset cruises, among other things.
• You can rent pontoon boats, paddle boards, jet skis, and snorkeling excursions at Cattywampus Aquatic Adventures.
• Visit the Navarre Pier where you can walk down to the end of the pier and watch dolphins, and enjoy the Blue Angels practicing maneuvers from the beach!

Best Food in Destin Florida

You might be wondering what restaurants there are in Destin, Florida. It’s always fun to get out and taste the local cuisine. I snapped a few photos with my iPhone of the meals we enjoyed and thought I’d share our favorites.

We took the entire family to the Louisiana Lagniappe, which is a white tablecloth restaurant with a fine dining atmosphere. We saw a lot of families while there and we enjoyed an amazing meal. Their Shrimp and Grits is the best I’ve had in a long time. Swordfish was the special for the evening and Brian really enjoyed it. We will be returning here when we head back to Destin again!

A late night meal at Camille’s was also on the schedule . I ordered the Seared Scallops and Gulf Shrimp. It was served with butternut squash, Peppadew peppers and a brown butter vinaigrette. It was the best meal I can remember having in a very long time. I will be attempting to recreate this dish at home! Brian ordered the Seafood Platter with blackened fish, crab cake and stuffed shrimp. We shared a sushi plate as well. They were very busy, even in the off season, so be prepared for a wait.

Surf Hut feels more like a chain restaurant, but they only serve locally caught fish and we enjoyed a good southern style seafood meal there. Brian ordered the Fried Gulf Shrimp and I ordered the Seared Gulf Grouper which was amazing! I wish we had visited during the day because they have a great view of the beach and a fun set up for the kids to play in the sand.

 Top Rated Restaurants in Destin, Florida:

• Tommy Bahamas
• The Bark Porch
• Fudpucker’s
• Mimmo’s Italian
• The Capriccio Cafe
• Stewby’s
• Boshamps
• Dewey Destin’s
• Pompana Joe’s
• The Local Market is great for breakfast, smoothies, and sandwiches.

I hope these things to do in Destin, Florida with kids is a helpful travel guide for planning your trip. A special thank you to Vacasa for hosting us and helping us make so many wonderful memories!

Be sure to check out our other family travel guides:

• Things to do in Memphis with Kids
• Ocean Club Turks and Caicos
• Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX
• Things to do in St. Louis with Kids
• Beaver Creek Ski Vacation
• Gulf Shores Family Vacation
• Branson Vacation Guide
• Things to do in Dallas with Family
• Napa Valley Weekend Itinerary
• Disney World First Trip
• Disney World Second Trip

*This post was originally published in October 2020, but has recently been updated to include new and updated information. 

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