How to Enjoy the Emerald Coast Like a Local

How to Enjoy the Emerald Coast Like a Local

If you want to experience the Emerald Coast like a local, we have provided you with the first steps on how you can enjoy your vacation like Northwest Florida residents.

Ditch the hotel
With an extensive amount of rentals along the Emerald Coast, locals would tell you to rent a condo/house/cottage instead of staying in a hotel. This not only offers a more home away from home experience, but it also gives you and your family more space for a price point comparable to local hotels. 

Bypass the Crowd
Locals know the way to enjoy all of that the Emerald Coast has to offer without engaging in the huge crowds that swarm our region in the summer months. Here are a few tips to dodge the inevitable influx of people:
      Avoid driving at peak times (including Saturday mornings
      and evenings during the peak season).
      Enjoy the beaches in the off-season. While some months
      are cold along the Florida Panhandle, the fall/winter season is still a great time to visit the Emerald Coast (especially if you are used to snowy winters!)
      If you do vacation during the peak season, seek out less crowded beaches. Locals will gladly pay the minimal fee to enter our area’s state parks because they usually have significantly fewer people at the beach in those areas. 

Explore the waterways
While many visitors never want to leave the beautiful beaches, we suggest you explore the emerald green water from a different vantage point. Locals are happy to tell you about the boat, kayak, paddleboard, jet ski and offshore fishing options along the Emerald Coast. In addition to multiple modes of transportation along the waterways, locals would encourage you to grab some snorkeling gear and explore the jetties in Destin. This area is filled with marine life that locals love to experience!

Indulge locally
Locals know to avoid the area’s chain restaurants. With so many delicious local options, all visitors are sure to find food they enjoy while you support local families. Besides restaurants, locals attend the ample Farmers’ Markets along the Emerald Coast. Attending the Farmers’ Markets is a great way to support the locals, and get a peek into the culture of Northwest Florida. 

Enjoy more than the beach
While the beach is our most well-known asset along the Emerald Coast, the Northwest Florida region is filled with other outdoor amenities that locals take advantage of. Those assets include 30A’s Coastal Dune Lakes, the Choctawhatchee Bay and a multitude of state parks. While the beach is amazing, take some time to explore what else the Emerald Coast has to offer on your next beach vacation. 

Listen to the flags
The flags on the beach are there for beach-goers’ protection. Inevitably, some still test the waters when double red flags are present on the beach. Locals understand the danger of entering the water once professionals have said to stay away. For more information on beach flags and safety click here. 

Respect the beach
For the most part, locals understand what a beautiful asset our white sand beaches are to our region. For that reason, locals “leave the beach as they found it.” This means they take everything that they brought to the beach with them when they leave, pick up any trash around them and leave sea turtle nesting areas untouched. The more we are able to protect and preserve the beautiful beaches, the longer we have to enjoy them!   


*Photo credit Kyle Gray Photography

Published on Friday, January 25, 2019