Why You Should Visit Fort Walton Beach, Florida

With fewer visitors than Destin (Fort Walton Beach’s neighboring city), Fort Walton is a perfect destination for a relaxed vacation. With so many beautiful waterfront communities along the Emerald Coast, it may be hard to decide where to spend your beach vacation. Here’s what sets Fort Walton Beach apart. 
  
Best of both worlds
Not only can you experience the Emerald Coast’s beautiful white sand beaches, but Fort Walton Beach also has a vibrant downtown where visitors can shop, eat and play. This city has the “small town” feel with the benefits of a big city!  
  
Lively Downtown
Unlike surrounding beach communities, Fort Walton Beach is alive year-round. As the home to multiple military bases, Fort Walton Beach has a larger year-round population than the surrounding beach towns, making the atmosphere at local restaurants, bars and attractions an active one year-round. Best of all, the downtown area is walkable making it an ideal location if you’re traveling without a vehicle. 
  
History
The city is rich with Native American history dating back thousands of years. Much of the city’s history is preserved in the downtown area. For example, Fort Walton Beach’s Heritage Park and Cultural Center offers insight to the city’s past and is made up up multiple museums, including the Indian Temple Mound Museum, Civil War Exhibits and more. 
  
Strong Military Presence 
The most significant factor in Fort Walton Beach’s growth as a city was the creation of Eglin Air Force Base in 1937. Since then, the area’s military presence has only grown larger and larger.  The existence of Eglin and Hurlburt Field Air Force Bases has a powerful impact on the city and contributes greatly to Fort Walton Beach’s culture. 

Do you want to stay in Fort Walton Beach on your next vacation to Florida’s Emerald Coast? Check out our variety of vacation rentals located in the city! 

Published on Tuesday, October 2, 2018