Lots of parking, clean beach, and plenty of space when we went in October…read more The showers are out in the open, but was great to clean off the sand from our feet. No soap is allowed while showering. We went twice and the first time the gate attendant was a volunteer and the second time a ranger. Both times were very pleasant. I would visit again for a Destin trip. The parking is easy, the water is beautiful, and the sandbar is great for kids.

Pay to get in, buuuut plenty of parking and bathrooms available. They have rinse-off stations but…read morethey're basically low pressure misters. Only 2 out of 3 were working when we went and because of the low pressure, there was a long line of people waiting their turn to rinse off. There is zero shade here so definitely bring umbrella or some sort of shade option because the sun is brutal! The water though? Absolutely perfect! Crystal clear, refreshing swim with very mellow waves. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and will definitely visit again!

PARK HOURS: Wednesday-Saturday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM & Sunday: 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM…read more SPLASH PAD HOURS (May 1-September 1): Wednesday-Saturday: 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM & Sunday: 1:30 PM - 5:30 PM (Open on WEEKENDS ONLY through September!)

Very clean and well equipped kids park. Excellent. Close to Destin and Ft Walton Beach. Easy…read moredrive.

Destin, Florida is a city in NW Florida located in the Panhandle. They have gained notoriety as the…read morebeaches are magical with Emerald Waters and Powdery White Sand. Interesting fact, the sand is that way from granite deposits that flow from North GA and beyond all the way down into the Gulf as silt. Because of the beaches, the area attracts more and more tourist every year and IMO is getting more luxurious as the years go by. I've noticed better restaurants, more aesthetically pleasing looking buildings and just a more upscale feel with each visit. I'm writing this here because I noticed many of the beaches along the 6 mile coast are PRIVATE. I'm not sure which beach to actually post this review but I find that simply horrible, ridiculous, backwards and restrictive! Who adds gates with Codes to a beach?!?! I can understand a handful of properties and major resorts but to secure majority of the coastline with Controlled Access? In my particular visit I stayed at a resort and had the codes for entry/exit but found many people having difficulty simply getting to the beach! I don't think they knew the beaches would have controlled Access! Even to exit, you need a code! That's shameful! It was frustrating to see people struggle with umbrellas/coolers and chairs only to have to find the Public Beach and have to walk back to their car. May I add the city also doesn't have any form of boardwalk to enjoy a long walk down the coast or some form of transportation to maneuver the public/private beaches! You're basically on your own! I'm curious Who/When/How that got approved because that's definitely some backwards N. Florida, My Property, ME, ME, ME planning! I'm not a resident but I believe some things on this planet are public and Imo a beach is one of them! Plus their has to be better ways to protect and maintain these beaches than blocking them off from the general public. Any who, for anybody planning a Trip to Destin, Please do your homework! Visit the website below which has hyperlinks for all the beaches which explains access points/fees/sizes of the beach and more details. I'll also attach a picture which shows a few of the main Public Beaches. It does appear the largest beach is Henderson Beach with1.22 miles of shoreline. Seems like the general "Dump the masses" area. The others are significantly smaller! smh. Any who I hope this helps! One Last detail, We had many umbrellas and chairs however this was literally the 1st beach that didn't have Umbrellas for sale on the beach. It's just very restrictive down there and is worthy of a review! https://www.cityofdestin.com/281/Beach-Information

Great beach there's a restaurant at the park The Crab Trap. Very expensive one drink was $19, the…read morebeach is very nice has very fine soft white sand great place for kids the water is calm 50 yards of shore still waste deep. There is also a restroom and cloth changing station.

You have to try this spot! It is known to locals, as we were told to go visit this spot by a family…read morewe had visited with on the pier near Okaloosa Island. We were in search of dolphins and sharks, and the gal who told us about this local spot mentioned that she has always seen tons of wildlife in this area. It was not too difficult to find, but it took a little bit of looking at the map to locate. It is located right off Gulf Shores Drive. Know that this road dead ends, but it is located right before the dead end. You can pay to park on the street, and the small beach trail is located on the left.. Follow the path through a narrow opening, and it leads you to the bay. Crazy enough, this is where all the sunset dolphin tours go to search for the dolphins. You can't beat the location, as it only cost five dollars to park! You get the same view as the sunset dolphin cruise boats. Unfortunately, due to the hurricane, the bay was quite rough. We were not able to see anything, but I realize that is very uncharacteristic to this area. Due to the hurricane, the waters were rough and filled with dirt. The natural emerald like color was a replaced with dark, murky waters. It was still a wonderful spot to see the sunset! You could climb up onto the rocks and just watch the sun disappear beyond the bay. I definitely will go back! We met a nice local at the spot, and we were told that this is the perfect place to find decent size seashells. I think this would've been a completely different experience if the water were clear and the waves were not as rough. We were also told that around the rocks, around the perimeter of the bay, sharks are sometimes seen stocking their prey. I'm sure there were some in the water, but like I said, due to the hurricane, visibility was rough. It is definitely a hidden gem, and I cannot wait to go back!

Came down here for sunset. We walked down to the jetty and saw some dolphins. Really pretty. I…read moredidn't see any bathrooms. I think you are supposed to pay to park.

Hosted my daughter's 4th birthday here over the weekend, and it was everything I hoped for! Renting…read morePavilion 1 (the larger of the two and closer to the entrance) was easy, affordable, and offered the perfect amount of shade and clean space for our party. We were also given two reserved parking spots, which was a huge perk -- no scrambling for parking meant one less thing to worry about on party day! Lisa, the community director, was incredibly friendly and helpful when I called to ask about the splash pad. I was relying on it being operational, and although it occasionally has circuit breaker issues, we had no problems that day. The weather was beautiful, the park was clean, and guests also enjoyed the beach -- with stunning views of Crab Island and that signature aqua water. We had such a great experience and would absolutely recommend this spot to others looking for a fun, low-stress location for a kid's party!

Perfect small park to getaway from the crowds. I was looking for somewhere to take pics at sunset…read moreand this park was recommended. It's a beautiful spot on the water with lots of trees and a dock area. It's also a nesting site for gray herons. There are multiple nests and the herons are very active. There is a children's play area plus a splash pad so something for everyone. Definitely check it out!

Niceville was my home in the late 1980s. I moved out of state 22 years ago. There used to be a…read morelanding at the creek but not much else. Now, there is a developed parking area, a mile-long boardwalk with lots of places to rest, walk down to the water, swim, etc. There are signs describing flora and fauna. The park even has a Pavillion large enough for sizable gatherings and events. There is security present and it seems very family friendly. I am impressed. Niceville has grown up. I loved walking the boardwalk and memory lane simultaneously...

Turkey Creek Nature Trail is a cool enough park located in the Florida Panhandle. The park has a…read morelot to offer and is a great place to get away from the day to day grind. Turkey Creek Nature Trail definitely makes Niceville a nicer place (I couldn't resist).

Just stopped by here today as a quick little side-trip from Miramar Beach. A Bayou by the way is a…read morebody of brackish water (freshwater/salt water) mix. We went to the day-use area which features one .75 mile trail into the woods, as well as a pathway along one side of Bayou. The trail was nice, flat and full of shade. I learned a lot about the local plants. Bayou/Lake very scenic. the bathroom also was maintained and clean. A great little side trip!

Gorgeous park! It is a WWII gunnery which is why we wanted to come. I was hoping for some history…read morestops in the park but I didn't see anything. The day area restrooms were closed but there was one for guests to use at the ranger station. They were also renovating the camp sites so all of the trails in the back of the park were closed. The one open trail was only .75 miles so we did a few laps and walked along the bayou for some steps. I would like to return when the trails are open and see the rest of the park.

Great spot with usually a decently amount of parking if you time it right! I love that there are…read morebathrooms as well. Beautiful beaches as you'd expect in the area!

Very clean! Life guard on duty, bathrooms, rinse off station, down the way from the island is less…read morebusy. Great for kids

We like to park at this park and walk around the downtown area. The park is on the water and it's…read morealways nice to walk around the area. There's a kids play park a historical site, a free library. Free parking.

When visiting the Destin/Fort Walton Beach (FWB) area as a tourist, especially with kids or dogs in…read moretow, it's good to know about wholesome, outdoor-but-non-beach destinations where you will have access to shade, entertainment, restrooms, and provisions. Even better if entrance and parking (2 hours) are free. Fort Walton Landing Park in the "FWB Downtown Marketplace" zone (aka "East Miracle Strip") fits all of those checkboxes. There are grassy knolls, tall trees, cheeky squirrels, many shaded seating areas, and a large playscape structure, plus bay views and a peek of homes and hotels on Okaloosa Island across the water. There is NOT a beach here (the white sandy beaches are on the island; this is the bay/channel side - other reviewers posting gulf beach pics are confused). The two piers / docks and associated boardwalk are unfortunately still out of commission after storms in 2020, but will hopefully be rebuilt soon. Note that dogs must be on leash at all times. The shops across the street include a mixture of apparel, gifts, art, and sports, so you're sure to find a souvenir or three to take home while you explore the area on foot. We especially liked Buccaneer Shop (local flavor), Run with It! (running and pickleball gear), and Coral Reef Shop (tacky t-shirts with Destin & FWB logos). The FWB Farmers Market is held here 8a - 1p on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month, year-round. Holiday concerts and fireworks are often held here, as well. Check out social media and the individual vendor websites for current information on other park events. For a map of all FWB municipal parks, see https://www.fwb.org/sites/default/files/fileattachments/public_works_amp_utility_services/page/7171/parksrecmap.pdf (zoom in on the green spaces). For a list of all FWB municipal parks, see https://www.fwb.org/parksrec/page/city-parks