Our Experience and Adventure visiting Fort Walton Beach, FL!
Here are some of our Do's and Don'ts when vising Fort Walton Beach when it comes to things to do, places to eat (or definitely not to eat), and more!
Overall, Fort Walton Beach, FL was a great experience and relaxing vacation. We found plenty of great places to eat, things to do from a vintage air show to a fireworks show. We will showcase some of our favorite things and places and our overall opinion. If you're looking for a nice quiet place to relax with little to no crowd then Fort Walton is the place for you.
Where we Stayed: Island Echos 7-I
Island Echos 7I is a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom Condo with direct views of the Gulf. It's located on the 7th floor right in the middle. You can walk right off the elevator and up to your door. The unit itself was very clean. There are plenty of dishes, pots, pans, etc. to use while you stay. There is a K-cup style coffee maker there as well for those that need that caffeine every morning.
Our only issue with the Unit was when the A/C unit stopped working in the middle of the night. As you can imagine, no A/C in the middle of July is miserable. We notified the Owners who advised that they had the A/C unit serviced about a month prior and knew of a part that was going bad (definitely wished they had replaced it then). However, they came the next day, personally, to deliver a portable A/C unit and some fans to get us by until the following day when the A/C unit could be fixed. It was still miserable for a day, but they offered to refund a portion of our stay for the inconvenience and were very prompt in finding a solution.
Overall, the unit itself was nice, but the entire condo itself lacked a few amenities. For the price we paid, I would have liked to have seen a poolside bar/snack bar or similar in the building as there isn't anywhere within waking distance from the building. So, if you're looking for a place with a poolside bar and/or snack bar, then this isn't the place to stay.
Where we Ate: Some of the Best Seafood We've Had!
We tried several different places while visiting Fort Walton Beach (And Destin, FL). Our first stop was Rockin Tacos: The food and drinks here were great! I would certainly give this place a try (get the Caribbean Lobster Tacos - You won't regret it!).
The Shack in Fort Walton was absolutely delicious. The Crab Dip and Fried Green tomatoes to start, you can't go wrong. Both were delicious. For dinner, we had a bit of everything from the grilled shrimp, fish of the day, to the Captain's Seafood Platter (when they say it feeds 2, they aren't kidding. Don't order unless your hungry or sharing!).
Margaritaville (Destin, FL) - Simply put: DO NOT GO! I'd rather eat fish from a shady sailor in a dark alley with the risk of death before I ever eat here again. If you go, don't blame us.
Dewey Destin's (Destin, FL) - Definitely put this on your places to eat. Make sure to go to their original location (linked above). This was our first time here and it was impressive. When you arrive, just go inside, order, and find a seat. They will bring your food out to you (to find you, they just yell your name super loud, and you raise your hand). The food was great, service was great, and the atmosphere you can't beat.
Brotula's (Destin, FL) - Hands down, the absolute #BestSeafood I've every had. If you love crab legs and shrimp, the Solo Waterfront Bucket is your choice! This was hands down the best crab legs and shrimp I've ever eaten (and I've eaten a lot). We stumbled on this place when our first choice said a three hour wait. We walked right in, around 5:00 and were seated as soon as we got there. The service was top notch as well. Found it by accident and it quickly became the best seafood restaurant in my book. We also got the shrimp and grits (Amazing!). Be sure you check this place out. You won't go wrong!
AJ's Oyster Shanty - Okaloosa Island - We stopped here for dinner on our second night. The food was delicious and the wait was short. They have live music most nights. Do yourself a favor and get the oyster sampler - you may even need to order two!
The Crap Trap - This was our last night out for dinner and it did not disappoint. We walked straight in to a table around 5:00. The Seafood Platter was plenty and delicious. The blackened shrimp was amazing and the crab dip was some of the best we had.
Other Things to Do: Fort Walton and Destin, FL
We stopped by the Destin Boardwalk in the Harbor two different nights. There are plenty of places to eat, shop, and for entertainment (most of which is free!). However, when looking for a place to eat here, refer to our comment on Margaritaville above before deciding on that place (Just don't!).
We were able to see a Vintage Airshow, a woman spinning fire, and fireworks. Children can enjoy
ziplining, rock climbing walls, and much more. Adults can enjoy a frozen drink or on the rocks straight out of a hollowed out pineapple or melon. They were delicious (we got two! - on a side note: they even give you the pineapple they cut out so it's sort of healthy, right?). If you arrive early enough in the afternoon, you can see all the charter boats returning to the Harbor with the fish they caught.
The Adventure Zone in Fort Walton has plenty to do for the children when they are tired of sitting on the beach and relaxing (like most adults love to do). We spent a few evenings here playing putt putt golf and climbing on the Tree Tower. Inside, there is an arcade where your kids can play for hours (if you let them.)
Overall:
Overall, Fort Walton Beach was a nice relaxing vacation. If you enjoy a less crowded beach then it's definitely a place you want to visit. Where some popular destinations have rows and rows of beach chairs already laid out for guests, Fort Walton only had one small row per building. It made for a much more pleasant and relaxing beach experience. However, there are some trade offs for the more relaxing beach.
As we stated before, our building did not have a poolside bar/snack bar associated with it, nor did we see any of the others close by have one either. There aren't many places within walking distance from your buildings, therefore you have to drive further for places to eat or entertainment. If you don't mind the drive (20 minutes at most), then it shouldn't be a deal breaker for you.
Other popular destinations have a few more food choices and entertainment options, but you can certainly find them in Fort Walton as well, just a bit more limited. However, the food here was by far better than any of the places we've been to at more popular destinations.
So, if you're looking for a quiet place to relax with some amazing seafood then Fort Walton Beach is your place to be.
Side Note: Meet Vonda! She was our pick to be the travel partner on this adventure. No trip is complete without some ridiculous vehicle to get us through!
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Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive a commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own.
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