Emerald Coast Beaches | Destin Florida

New Leave No Trace OK’d

Kimberly White, Florida Freedom Newspapers

DESTIN, FL - The Walton County Commission has approved a revised Leave No Trace ordinance that establishes a protocol for what happens to items left on the beach overnight.     Code enforcement officers will enforce the law, which... Full story

Lifeguards patrol the beach trying to prevent disaster

Mona Moore, Florida Freedom Newspapers

WALTON COUNTY, FL - A weekend of clouds, rain and very little sunshine could not keep people off the beach.     "Every time the sun has come out, so have the people," Gary Wise, director of Walton County Beach Safety, said.   ... Full story

SUP for Life

SANTA ROSA BEACH, FL - Waterman Gulf Coast announces the SUP for Life special event on May 31 in the Choctawhatchee Bay at Senor Mojitos in Santa Rosa Beach from noon-8 p.m. The SUP for Life event is for all paddlers, stand up paddleboards, kay... Full story

Beach Access reopens ahead of schedule

Kimberly White, Florida Freedom Newspapers

MIRAMAR BEACH, FL - Just before the busy Memorial Day weekend, the Miramar Regional Beach Access reopened ahead of schedule.     Traffic along the section of Scenic Gulf Drive next to Pompano Joe's was disrupted during the eight-month ... Full story

Gator makes for ‘perfect day at beach’

Suzanne Preston, Florida Freedom Newspapers

SEACREST BEACH - A handful of tourists got some unexpected entertainment this week when a small, injured alligator was found on the beach in South Walton County.     "I saw him at the edge of the beach," said Brooke Regnier of Indiana.... Full story

Double drownings put spotlight on riptides, flags

Jennifer Rich and Wendy Victora, Florida Freedom Newspapers

DESTIN, FL - Rip currents claimed two more lives on Destin beaches over the weekend, once again drawing much needed attention to this fatal force of nature. "I've been here for five years now and we've rescued over 500 people on the beach in Destin,... Full story

Beach Wheelchairs Available on the Beaches of South Walton

SANTA ROSA BEACH, FL - The South Walton Fire District, in partnership with the Walton County Tourist Development Council, has developed a program that provides three beach wheelchairs, strategically located along the Beaches of South Walton, to impro... Full story

New Destin beach access opening

Fraser Sherman, Florida Freedom Newspapers

DESTIN, FL -- Five years after Destin bought 60 feet of beachfront along Scenic Highway 98, the property is now ready for prime time. The city's Shore at Crystal Beach public beach access officially open. The city began work last year to build ... Full story

Santa Rosa Beach business creates local craze

Jennifer Rich, Florida Freedom Newspapers

SANTA ROSA BEACH, FL - You Only Live Once. Meet two guys who believe that philosophy so much that they named their business after the acronym made by the statement - Yolo Board. Five years ago, Jeff Archer and Tom Losee were neighboring business own... Full story

Federal government considers helping Okaloosa beaches

Fraser Sherman, Florida Freedom Newspapers

DESTIN, FL - A federal decision this week could be a "pot of gold" at the end of the beach restoration rainbow, Okaloosa County Beach Projects Coordinator Jim Trifilio says. "It's not often I get to come up and give you really good news," Trifilio t... Full story

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