The Okaloosa County Tourist Development Department (TDD) Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism continues to focus their efforts on ecotourism with the deployment of the research vessel R/V MANTA. This expansion supports a long-term vision of continuing to grow as a sought-after destination for those seeking premier fishing and diving opportunities....
The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) in partnership with the South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA) announced that the Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) recently received the 2023 CODAaward for Collaboration of the Year!
CODAawards: Collaboration of Design + Art recognizes outstanding projects that integrate commissioned art into interior, architectural or public spaces. The...
By Cali Hlavac
It’s Cobia Season on the Emerald Coast, a short window of time each year where the cobia migration rolls through our waters and fishermen ride high in their towers trying to spot them. However, things are looking a bit different around here this year, with very minimal...
By Nick Tomecek, Okaloosa County PIO
Divers participating in the 5th Annual Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Tournament set a new record with the successful removal of 24,699 lionfish! Last year’s total was 13,835. Divers from throughout the country competed for prize money totaling more than $100,000 in an effort to eradicate this invasive species...
By Will Estell
If you are a full-time or part-time resident of any of the beach towns and coastal communities that dot Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast you’ve likely heard a thing or two about the Artificial Reef Program initiated and managed by Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism.
As much as the program has...
By Frank Berte
Way back in 1948, the very first Fishing Rodeo was held in Destin! Seventy-five years ago, this bustling international hotbed of the world’s vacationing elite was an entirely different scene. Northwest Florida was still a wild place, full of pine forests, large land animals and a staggering abundance of...
By Nick Tomecek, Okaloosa County PIO
The northern Gulf of Mexico has a new addition to its extensive artificial reef system with the deployment of the 239-foot R/V DEEP STIM III. The vessel, deployed on Jan. 30, 2024, joins hundreds of other artificial reefs already deployed off the shores of...
By Cali Hlavac, To Do In Destin
As the vibrant colors of spring emerge, fishermen and families flock to our piece of paradise and the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” for a spring fishing adventure. With the warming temperatures and inviting waters, springtime on the Emerald Coast offers anglers an unparalleled experience...
