Livin’ La Vida Local: Our Favorite Beaches Near Destin

We’d be the first to say that all the Emerald Coast beaches are world-class, but like any locals, we certainly do have our favorites. In this post, we wanted to take you through a few of the highlights from each beach in the area, so that you can better select where you’d like to stay. We manage properties in all of these areas, and we live in Destin, so we’d like to think we know our stuff!

Santa Rosa Beach (located on 30A, about 10 minutes from Sandestin)

Santa Rosa Beach is where it all started. Founded in 1910, this quiet stretch of sand has expanded into a bustling community with luxury beach houses, great dining, and a unique, Caribbean-style artist colony. Brimming with jewelry, pottery, wearable art handbags, local photography, watercolors, and other one-of-a-kind items, this colorful market is a must-see for visitors to the area. Add in pristine beaches and sweeping dunes, and it’s no surprise that Santa Rosa Beach was named one of Yahoo! Travel’s 10 Best Beach Destinations for 2011.

A charming Santa Rosa cottage

You can really embrace the artistic spirit in one of our quaint cottages on Santa Rosa, located in Old Florida Village. Beach access and Goat Feathers Seafood Market are only minutes away, so the ocean is right at your fingertips!

Panama City Beach

One of the best-known and most beloved beach resorts in the world, Panama City Beach combines an amazing assortment of water activities with the hottest party spots you'll find anywhere. From family-friendly attractions to Spring Break nightlife, it's always an exciting time in Panama City Beach!

The white sands and turquoise surf of Panama City Beach

In addition to its more recognized modern attractions, Panama City Beach is also a natural wonder. Its sugar-white sands are actually composed of finely ground quartz crystals, which have been naturally bleached and polished by the Gulf of Mexico over thousands of years, and its waters boast one of the highest concentrations of bottlenose dolphins in the world! St. Andrews State Park and Camp Helen State Park flank the beach with forests, marshes, hiking trails, and sand dunes, while adventurous underwater enthusiasts will be floored by this area’s historic shipwrecks, artificial reefs, and the only deepwater diving museum in the U.S. Check out Have Travel Memories’ great high-rise condos for your stay in Panama City Beach!

Miramar Beach

On a sliver of land between the Choctawhatchee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, Miramar Beach feels like the classic, cozy beach towns of your childhood. Scenic coast roads, surf shops, beachfront homes with wide decks and verandas, condos with panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico—you’ll get that warm, nostalgic feel no matter where you are in this town.

But just because it feels like a town from another time doesn’t mean you need to feel trapped in 1955: Miramar Beach is outfitted with all the latest modern amenities, from fine dining to water sports. It’s even home to the nation’s largest designer outlet center, the Silver Sands Factory Stores. 

Have Travel Memories offers accommodations across Miramar Beach to suit any tastes. Drink your morning coffee while watching the Gulf of Mexico every morning. Bask in the sunlight on your wraparound deck every afternoon. Head out to fabulous restaurants every night. It’s your vacation—make the memories you want!

The soothing views from some of the balconies in our Miramar Beach accommodations.

Sandestin (located in Miramar Beach)

There’s always something to do in Sandestin! From championship golf courses and world-class tennis courts to spotless pools and AAA Four Diamond restaurants, this golf and beach resort is the ultimate in affordable luxury vacations.

Seagoing yachts stream in and out of the Marina in Baytowne Village, hailing from Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, and other international destinations. Meanwhile, the Grand Boulevard is thronged with shoppers, diners, theatergoers—and even zip-liners!—on their way to a plethora of excellent entertainment options. Dinner-and-dance cruises head into the harbor with guests in search of a good time, and onshore, the clubs open up for natives and visitors alike to let loose and party into the night.

The Grand Boulevard in Sandestin

Have Travel Memories has dozens of accommodations in Sandestin. Whether you want to stay beachside or bayside, there are rental homes, condominiums, villas, town homes and a wide variety of luxury hotel accommodations to choose from.

Some of the accommodations we offer in Sandestin

No matter where you choose to stay in the area, you’re sure to make some wonderful memories—and isn’t that the point of traveling?