Guidebook for Santa Rosa Beach and Surrounding Areas
Food Scene
Open air place to eat. Great view of the Gulf on the top deck. Love the smoked tuna dip. Great salad. Live music.
162 locals recommend
Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar
1875 S Co Hwy 393Open air place to eat. Great view of the Gulf on the top deck. Love the smoked tuna dip. Great salad. Live music.
Don't let the name fool you. This place is the best for fresh seafood. Small and sometimes hard to get a table but well worth the wait. Brunch on Sunday with live music.
149 locals recommend
Stinky's Fish Camp
5960 W County Hwy 30ADon't let the name fool you. This place is the best for fresh seafood. Small and sometimes hard to get a table but well worth the wait. Brunch on Sunday with live music.
Very small menu because everything is fresh. Fresh seafood. Every dish is excellent. I have never had a bad meal here and the service is great. After dinner, take a walk on the beach. It's that close. Live music. Full bar.
257 locals recommend
The Red Bar
70 Hotz AveVery small menu because everything is fresh. Fresh seafood. Every dish is excellent. I have never had a bad meal here and the service is great. After dinner, take a walk on the beach. It's that close. Live music. Full bar.
Small and sometimes hard to get a table but so worth the wait. Fresh seafood and overall yummy food. My favorite are the crab cakes. Just delicious. Full bar.
56 locals recommend
Louis Louis
35 Mussett Bayou RdSmall and sometimes hard to get a table but so worth the wait. Fresh seafood and overall yummy food. My favorite are the crab cakes. Just delicious. Full bar.
This place is always full no matter the time of year. Fresh seafood. Full bar. Worth the wait. The grilled oysters are my favorite.
80 locals recommend
Bayou Bill's Crab House
23100 Front Beach RdThis place is always full no matter the time of year. Fresh seafood. Full bar. Worth the wait. The grilled oysters are my favorite.
Get place for live music and all around fun. Yummy sushi and fresh seafood. Real close to the beach in the tiny town of Grayton Beach. Eat and take a walk on the beach. Full bar. Large restaurant normally no wait.
58 locals recommend
AJ's Grayton Beach
63 Defuniak StGet place for live music and all around fun. Yummy sushi and fresh seafood. Real close to the beach in the tiny town of Grayton Beach. Eat and take a walk on the beach. Full bar. Large restaurant normally no wait.
Love this place. My favorite is the asparagus soup and the salmon dish. Small menu. Very fresh. Lunch and dinner.
49 locals recommend
Basmati's Asian Cuisine
3295 W County Hwy 30ALove this place. My favorite is the asparagus soup and the salmon dish. Small menu. Very fresh. Lunch and dinner.
Everything is so fresh and just delicious. They even bake their own cookies. Fresh soups, salads and sandwiches. Fresh seafood. Sometimes crowded but so worth the wait.
37 locals recommend
Chanticleer Eatery
55 Clayton LnEverything is so fresh and just delicious. They even bake their own cookies. Fresh soups, salads and sandwiches. Fresh seafood. Sometimes crowded but so worth the wait.
This is one of my favorites. Good selection of seafood and other goodies. Live music on certain nights. Full bar.
71 locals recommend
Local Catch Bar & Grill
3711 W County Hwy 30AThis is one of my favorites. Good selection of seafood and other goodies. Live music on certain nights. Full bar.
Love their southwest grilled chicken sandwich. The potato salad is the best. Best barbecue in town. Reasonable priced.
12 locals recommend
98 Bar-B-Que
5008 US-98Love their southwest grilled chicken sandwich. The potato salad is the best. Best barbecue in town. Reasonable priced.
Best Mexican food in town. They also serve breakfast. Closed on Sunday (I always forget and get disappointed when I arrive).
10 locals recommend
Don Pedros Mexican Restaurant
4942 US-98Best Mexican food in town. They also serve breakfast. Closed on Sunday (I always forget and get disappointed when I arrive).
Love this place. Promise you will have to wait in line to get through the door but the wait is worth it. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
99 locals recommend
Donut Hole
6745 US-98Love this place. Promise you will have to wait in line to get through the door but the wait is worth it. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Another Broken Egg Cafe
755 Grand BlvdEverything is just delicious. The wait is normally short.
Jimmy Buffet's sister's restaurant. Great bay view. Super yummy food.
90 locals recommend
LuLu's Destin
4607 Legendary Marina DrJimmy Buffet's sister's restaurant. Great bay view. Super yummy food.
One of my favorite places to eat. Fresh seafood straight off the boat. Sushi bar too. They serve breakfast as well.
125 locals recommend
Harbor Docks
538 Harbor BlvdOne of my favorite places to eat. Fresh seafood straight off the boat. Sushi bar too. They serve breakfast as well.
Fresh seafood. Yummy sushi. On the bay with a great view. Live music. Beach for the kids to play. Bon fires. Brunch on Sunday.
122 locals recommend
The Bay
Fresh seafood. Yummy sushi. On the bay with a great view. Live music. Beach for the kids to play. Bon fires. Brunch on Sunday.
Essentials
Can get crowded. Note, go as early as you can.
48 locals recommend
Publix Super Market at South Walton
2038 US-98Can get crowded. Note, go as early as you can.
Walmart Supercenter
6712 US-98Can get crowded so I go as early as I can,
Publix Super Market at Grand Boulevard
725 Grand BlvdCan get crowded so I go as early as I can.
Parks & Nature
Just stunning natural springs. Cold, clear water. Swings, diving cliff, and lots of things for the kids to do. Man made swimming hole beside the spring for those of us who can't tolerate super cold water.
Friends of Vortex
1517 Vortex Springs LnJust stunning natural springs. Cold, clear water. Swings, diving cliff, and lots of things for the kids to do. Man made swimming hole beside the spring for those of us who can't tolerate super cold water.
This is "our" beach access. If I can't find a place to park at the beach, the stores and restaurant across the street don't mind if we park in their lot.
33 locals recommend
Ed Walline Public Beach Access
4447 W County Hwy 30AThis is "our" beach access. If I can't find a place to park at the beach, the stores and restaurant across the street don't mind if we park in their lot.
Bay park with picnic tables, bathrooms, boat launch, docks, children's playground, wall ball wall and basketball court. My children grew up playing at this park. Good place to take the dogs to swim
Hog Town Bayou Lane
Hog Town Bayou LaneBay park with picnic tables, bathrooms, boat launch, docks, children's playground, wall ball wall and basketball court. My children grew up playing at this park. Good place to take the dogs to swim
Grayton Beach State Park
Beach park. Nothing but beautiful.
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
7525 W County Hwy 30ABeach park. Just beautiful.
A bit of a drive but so worth the trip. Canoe, tube and kayak rentals available.
39 locals recommend
Blackwater River State Park
7720 Deaton Bridge RdA bit of a drive but so worth the trip. Canoe, tube and kayak rentals available.
You need to rent a boat but what a fun place to go. You can rent a boat or jet skis all along the Harbor Walk in Destin.
138 locals recommend
Crab Island
You need to rent a boat but what a fun place to go. You can rent a boat or jet skis all along the Harbor Walk in Destin.
Fresh water springs. Blue and beautiful. The kids love it here.
42 locals recommend
Ponce De Leon Springs State Park
2860 Ponce De Leon Springs RdFresh water springs. Blue and beautiful. The kids love it here.
Nice little park to watch the sunset. If you drive north over the 331 bridge (Clyde B Wells), there is another park on the bay( left or west side). Great place to take young children (no waves, very shallow) and the dogs love it there.
10 locals recommend
Thomas Pilcher Park
21987 US-331Nice little park to watch the sunset. If you drive north over the 331 bridge (Clyde B Wells), there is another park on the bay( left or west side). Great place to take young children (no waves, very shallow) and the dogs love it there.
Shopping
Huge outlet mall. Love this place a little too much and so will you. A great place to go if it's raining and you can't go to the beach.
462 locals recommend
Silver Sands Premium Outlets
10562 Emerald Coast Pkwy WHuge outlet mall. Love this place a little too much and so will you. A great place to go if it's raining and you can't go to the beach.
Destin Commons
4100 Legendary DrMy favorite shopping mall. Lots of great shops and restaurants.
Grand Boulevard Farmer's Market
600 Grand BlvdShops and restaurants.
Pier Park
Very large shopping mall. I love this place. Ferris wheel.
Large selection of local artist work. Very large building. Be prepared to stay awhile.
9 locals recommend
Retail Therapy of Miramar Beach
4552 Emerald Coast PkwyLarge selection of local artist work. Very large building. Be prepared to stay awhile.
Entertainment & Activities
Fat Daddy's Arcade
20009 Emerald Coast PkwyKids love this place.
Go carts. Water bumpers boats. Very young kids park to ride carnival type miniature rides (so cute). Miniature golf. Arcade.
174 locals recommend
The Track - Destin
1125 US-98Go carts. Water bumpers boats. Very young kids park to ride carnival type miniature rides (so cute). Miniature golf. Arcade.
My kids loved this place. So much to do. Especially on a rainy day.
306 locals recommend
Ripley's Believe It Or Not
9907 Front Beach RdMy kids loved this place. So much to do. Especially on a rainy day.
Just Chute Me Parasail
500 Harbor BlvdI've never done it before but I hear it's great.
This is a "walking town" with many little local shops and restaurants. The Truman show was filmed here.
14 locals recommend
Seaside Ampitheater
Central SquareThis is a "walking town" with many little local shops and restaurants. The Truman show was filmed here.
You will love this boat ride. I think the cost is very reasonable and they have a sunset cruise.
35 locals recommend
Destin's Original Sea Blaster
10 Harbor BlvdYou will love this boat ride. I think the cost is very reasonable and they have a sunset cruise.
Southern Star Dolphin Cruises
100 Harbor BlvdEveryone loves dolphins. Nice boat ride.
Destin Dolphin Cruise
500 Harbor BlvdGo see the dolphins. A trip you will never forget.
The glass bottom boat is just the coolest. You can also rent pontoons and wave runners. Parasailing too.
29 locals recommend
Boogies Watersports
16 Harbor BlvdThe glass bottom boat is just the coolest. You can also rent pontoons and wave runners. Parasailing too.
Xtreme H20
7 Calhoun AveJet skis, pontoon boats, parasailing and dolphin tours.
Thrills Laser Tag and Arcade
90 Seascape DrKids love laser tag. Good for a rainy day.
Everyone loves this place. Great fun on a rainy or cold day.
15 locals recommend
Surge Trampoline Park
300 Mary Esther BlvdEveryone loves this place. Great fun on a rainy or cold day.
I've never been but I heard it was a lot of fun. Great rainy day activity.
6 locals recommend
Gulf Coast Escape Room Destin
34 Harbor BlvdI've never been but I heard it was a lot of fun. Great rainy day activity.
Escape Zone 60
1318 Miracle Strip Pkwy SEFun thing to try on a rainy day.
Big Kahuna's Water & Adventure Park
1007 US-98Everyone loves this place. So much fun.
Shipwreck Island Waterpark
12201 Hutchison BlvdSuper fun water park
Such fun for the kids. The seals are my favorite.
232 locals recommend
Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park
1010 Miracle Strip Pkwy SESuch fun for the kids. The seals are my favorite.
Gulf World Marine Park
15412 Front Beach RdGreat fun for the kids.
Drinks & Nightlife
Bar and restaurant. Good music. On the harbor. Walk the dock and see the charter fishing boat's catch of the day. Open until 4 am.
192 locals recommend
AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar
116 Harbor BlvdBar and restaurant. Good music. On the harbor. Walk the dock and see the charter fishing boat's catch of the day. Open until 4 am.
The Village Door Music Hall
60 Seascape DrNightclub and daytime restaurant.
Late night black light bowling to dance type music (last time I was there). Separate bar but drink are allowed in the bowling area. Big arcade. My kids loved this place.
23 locals recommend
Hurricane Lanes
34876 Emerald Coast PkwyLate night black light bowling to dance type music (last time I was there). Separate bar but drink are allowed in the bowling area. Big arcade. My kids loved this place.
Anything and everything you ever want to do. Walk the dock. See the catch of the day. Restaurants, local shops, live music (at various locations along the way), pontoon rentals, jet ski rentals, parasailing, fishing charter boats, zip line and just all kids of fun activities. Bars are open until the early morning (4am).
28 locals recommend
Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village
10 Harbor BlvdAnything and everything you ever want to do. Walk the dock. See the catch of the day. Restaurants, local shops, live music (at various locations along the way), pontoon rentals, jet ski rentals, parasailing, fishing charter boats, zip line and just all kids of fun activities. Bars are open until the early morning (4am).
Tiny local spot. Great live music. Yummy raw oysters and other great food. Great folks. Open late. Along the harbor in Destin. Many other shops and restaurants along the same dock. Great place to walk and watch the sunset. See the catch of the day.
65 locals recommend
Boathouse Oyster Bar
288 Harbor BlvdTiny local spot. Great live music. Yummy raw oysters and other great food. Great folks. Open late. Along the harbor in Destin. Many other shops and restaurants along the same dock. Great place to walk and watch the sunset. See the catch of the day.
Bar and restaurant. Great seafood. Let the kids see the alligators. Yes they have live alligators. Great night spot. Live music. Fat Daddy's arcade next door.
55 locals recommend
Fudpucker's Beachside Bar & Grill
20001 Emerald Coast PkwyBar and restaurant. Great seafood. Let the kids see the alligators. Yes they have live alligators. Great night spot. Live music. Fat Daddy's arcade next door.