Emerald Coast · Beyond the beach
A change of scene, close by
As great as the beach is, it's worth an afternoon exploring beyond it. The Emerald Coast sits at the edge of a lot of cool stuff, from state parks to historic towns, and most of it is an easy drive. Here are the best day trips from Destin and 30A.
🌲 State parks
- Topsail Hill Preserve. Rare coastal dune lakes, hiking, camping, just off 30A.
- Grayton Beach State Park, consistently ranked among America's best beaches.
- Henderson Beach State Park, a pristine protected stretch near Destin.
🏘️ Historic towns
- Apalachicola. A classic Gulf fishing town known for its oysters and old Florida charm, with a walkable historic downtown waterfront. It's a longer drive east (roughly 1.5 hours past Panama City), so it makes a full day of it.
- Pensacola. Home of the Blue Angels and the free National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola, about an hour or so west of Destin.
- Panama City Beach. Big beaches and a totally different vibe for a day to the east.
🏖️ More beach
Sometimes the best day trip is just another beach. Head up to Okaloosa Island or out along 30A to hop between different stretches of sand.