Things to Do in Destin, Florida with Kids
Looking for things to do in Destin, Florida with kids? You’ve come to the right place!
Destin, Florida is one of those classic beach destinations families flock to. Our family lives on the east coast of Florida, so the Florida panhandle cities on the Emerald Coast appealed to us for their sugar sand beaches and calm Gulf of Mexico waters.
This fall, we planned a quick family road trip from our home near St. Augustine across the state to Destin. We were supposed to have a 3-day weekend, but we had to make up a day of school thanks to Hurricane Dorian, so we had to squeeze everything into a typical 2-day weekend.
Though we didn’t have time to fit in everything we wanted to do in Destin, we still managed to relax and experience some of the family fun that draws vacationers to the area year after year.
Destin is known as the world’s luckiest fishing village because it's home to some of the best fishing in the United States. The clear emerald water, white sand beaches, and laid-back atmosphere also make it a great spot to visit with kids.
Keep in mind, our children were 2, 4, and 6 when we went, so we’re dealing with the toddler and young child set. Because of that, this article contains the best things to do in Destin with toddlers as well as older kids and the entire family! Here are my recommendations for what to do in Destin, Florida with kids.
Disclosure: Our trip was hosted by Emerald Coast Visitors Bureau, which means our accommodations and entrance to most of our activities were covered. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Fun Things To Do In Destin, Florida with Kids
If I could give you only one piece of advice for visiting Destin, it would be to just relax and enjoy the beautiful weather and the beach.
But I also understand that with little kids there’s really no such thing as “relaxing” on vacation, and people get antsy and want to go out and DO something rather than just swimming and building sandcastles.
If that describes you or your family, don’t worry. There’s plenty to do in the Destin area. Some of it admittedly tends toward the kitschy or touristy, but my philosophy is to embrace the kitsch and enjoy it for what it is.
(It kind of reminds me of a beachy Gatlinburg in a way!)
Anyway, here are a few of our favorite things to do, plus a few we didn’t get around to that looked really fun. Maybe next time!
1. Enjoy the Beach
As I mentioned before, the beach is one of the main attractions on the Emerald Coast. Our home beach on the east coast of Florida has cinnamon-colored sand made from coquina shells. Destin has bright white sugary-soft sand that won’t burn your feet.
In addition, the Gulf Coast beaches are always more attractive to families because the waves are usually a lot calmer than the Atlantic Coast beaches. Kids can play in the shallow surf without getting knocked over by the waves.
The beach was our first stop on our first morning in Destin. We spent a few hours playing in the sand, swimming, and just enjoying the beautiful weather. We were there in October, and the weather was still nice and warm.
If you’re lucky enough to stay at a hotel or vacation rental with beach access, you’re all set! Simply roll out of bed, walk out your door, and enjoy Destin’s amazing beaches.
However, if you’re staying off the coast, you’ll need access to public beaches. Here is a list of beach parks open to the public:
Are you bringing a baby or toddler to the Destin beaches? Check out these articles to help you survive the beach with the youngest member of your family:
2. Stroll Harborwalk Village
This is another completely free activity in Destin that will occupy both the adults and the kids for a few hours.
Harborwalk Village has shops, restaurants, live music, and activities like rock climbing and zip-lining. We ducked in and out of shops until we got tired, then we found some snacks and a bench where we could relax.
There were some food trucks including the Kona Ice truck, which the kids were so excited about. True to form, we had packed our own sandwiches and snacks to save money, but we let the kids splurge on a Kona Ice to cool off and buy ourselves a few minutes of relaxation in the shade.
We also loved walking along the harbor looking at all the boats and searching for marine life in the shallow waters. Just beware that the docks have no railings, so I was stressed the entire time about our 2-year-old falling in.
3. Take A Dolphin Cruise
This was one of the most memorable family experiences we’ve had on our travels, and one of the top Destin kids activities. In fact, when I asked each family member to tell me their favorite travel experience this year for our Christmas letter, my 4-year-old said, “The Dolphin Cruise in Destin!” without hesitation.
I’ll admit, I was a little worried about going on a boat for 2 hours with a 2-, 4-, and 6-year-old, but it ended up being totally fine! You can take a seat on one of the benches around the boat, sit inside, up on top, or wander around looking over the side.
Because our 2-year-old is super active, we ended up standing by the bow of the ship almost the entire time looking for dolphins. The captain did an excellent job of narrating, giving fun facts, making jokes, and letting everyone know when and where dolphins were spotted.
We saw not just one or two, but DOZENS of dolphins during the 2-hour tour. And let me tell you, even as a 31-year-old who has seen plenty of dolphins in my time as a travel writer in Florida, it never gets any less exciting.
At the end of the cruise, the captain allows little kids to come up to take a picture “steering” the ship. Definitely one of the highlights of the cruise for all 3 of our little ones.
As the boat pulled into the harbor they played fun dance music, and it was such a great way to end the tour.
We did the Southern Star Dolphin Cruise, which was provided for us by the Emerald Coast Visitors Bureau. I would highly recommend it!
Adults: $29
Kids (ages 4-14): $15.50
Kids (3 and under): $1
The cruise boards in HarborWalk Village, so if you’re planning to do a cruise, you can explore the village either before or after, or grab dinner or lunch while you’re there!
We did bring snacks on board, but they also sell refreshments.
I would recommend booking your southern star dolphin cruises a few days ahead of time.
4. Eat at Fudpuckers
Our original plan was to eat here after our dolphin cruise, but when we called to see how long of a wait it would be, they said it was “slow” with around a 45-minute wait.
It was already around bedtime for our kids, and I didn’t have the energy to entertain them while we waited for a seat, then waited some more for our food, so we decided to grab a pizza instead.
BUT the next day we went just to walk around and see what it was all about, and it looked so cool! I wish we had an extra day in Destin to eat at Fudpuckers.
There are small live alligators basking in the sun at Gator Beach in front of the restaurant. It’s very kid-friendly with lots to see and do while you wait, like play arcade games or get a picture with a live alligator.
The food and setting are casual, so no need to dress up! I would just suggest getting there for an early dinner if you’re going with little kids, and eat a small snack before you go so the kids aren’t starving and whining while you wait.
5. Swim at The Hotel Pool
One of the draws of vacationing in a place like Destin is the beautiful weather. For some reason, no matter how many fun outings and activities I plan on vacation, my kids always say one of their highlights of the trip is swimming in the hotel pool.
It’s not a novel suggestion by any means, but there’s nothing better than enjoying Florida’s sunshine in an outdoor pool.
The hotel we stayed at (Hampton Inn & Suites Destin) even had a little fountain area for kids to splash under, plus a hot tub to warm up in if the weather was only in the 70s.
6. Play at The Track
Right across from our hotel was a family fun park called The Track. If your kids are at an age where they enjoy Go-Kart Tracks, arcade games, and fair-type rides, then you’ll love The Track. There is so much to do for kids of all ages, including Mini Golf and bumper boats.
We didn’t have time to enjoy The Track since our time in Destin was limited, but I think our kids would really love it if we’re ever able to go back to that area! This is definitely one of the best Destin, Florida attractions for families!
7. Road Trip Through 30A (Fort Walton Beach)
If you have an extended amount of time in Destin and feel like you’re running out of things to do, I would definitely recommend visiting nearby South Walton. You may also hear this area called 30A after Scenic Highway 30A that runs along the coast.
Some of the popular neighborhoods to visit would be Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, Henderson Beach State Park, and Sandestin, to name a few. You’ll find beautiful, pristine beaches, adorable marketplaces, ice cream and donut shops, restaurants, boutiques, and food trucks.
Many families love to rent bikes and ride from neighborhood to neighborhood enjoying the scenery as they go.
If you’re an outdoor-loving family, you’ll love hiking a nature trail through one of the 4 state parks in the area or fishing, paddle boarding, or kayaking.
We decided to explore South Walton on our way home from Destin, and since I’m pregnant with our 4th and had 3 little kids in tow, biking just didn’t sound appealing.
We decided to drive along 30A and stop in a few select neighborhoods. We were not disappointed! Read all the details in my 30A blog post!
8. Do Some Souvenir Shopping
Sometimes you need a break from the sun and sand and ACTIVITIES of a beach vacation. Destin has plenty of spots where you can wander around and shop if that appeals to you, or just window shop and people watch if you prefer.
Silver Sands Premium Outlets has tons of great apparel stores, while places like HarborWalk Village and Destin Commons in the Village of Baytowne Wharf have a bit more entertainment and places to eat in addition to shops. Head to South Walton for upscale beachy boutiques.
9. Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park
The Gulfarium is a spot designed to educate visitors about the marine life on the Gulf Coast as well as to provide animal encounters with dolphins, stingrays, alligators, penguins, seals, turtles, and more!
General Admission gets you access to shows, demonstrations, and training demonstrations, but you will have to pay extra for any animal encounter experiences you would like to do.
Adults: $23.95
Kids (ages 3-12): $15.95
Kids (2 and under): Free
There are discounts for Florida residents, too!
10. Destin History and Fishing Museum
Destin is known as the “Luckiest Fishing Village in the World” and this museum will give you lots of insight into why that is! You can learn lots about the fish found around Destin, plus read about the history of Destin and how it developed into the city it is today.
There are scavenger hunts for little kids, too, so every member of your family can get involved. This seems like the perfect activity for a rainy day in Destin!
Adults: $5
Kids (ages 7-college): $3
Kids (ages 6 and under): Free!
11. Pensacola Day Trip
Just over an hour’s drive from Destin is beautiful Pensacola. If you want to add a few educational activities to your beach trip, check out historic downtown Pensacola.
You’ll find out why it’s the city of 5 flags, see the Blue Angles practice, and visit the National Naval Aviation Museum which was my kids’ favorite!
>> Read the full blog post here: What to Do in Pensacola with Kids
12. Take a Buccaneer Pirate Cruise
Right next to our Destin dolphin cruise we saw many families boarding the Buccaneer Pirate Cruise. This giant pirate ship looked like a great activity for kids! There are water gun battles, a treasure hunt, and even cannons! Kids will have so much fun learning pirate banter and singing and dancing. This might be a little scary for very young children (which is why we chose the dolphin tour instead), but for grade school-age kids, this seems like a great time!
13. Visit Crab Island
We were only in Destin for a weekend, so we didn't have time to visit, but Crab Island is the perfect place to go for a day of fun in the sun.
It's a sandbar off the coast of Destin that you can only reach by boat. Rent a pontoon boat and head out to the shallow clear waters of Crab Island where floating bars and obstacle courses for kids await.
You can snorkel in the clear green water and search for sea turtles, go paddle boarding, rent jet skis, or play on the inflatable slides for kids.
If you don't want to rent a boat, book a Crab Island excursion where all the details will be taken care of for you. This looks like so much fun, and if we ever make it back to Destin, we're definitely spending a day here!
14. Go to Big Kahuna's Water Park
Can't get enough of the water? Take the kids to big kahuna’s water park for thrilling water slides, a splash pad, kiddie rides, a lazy river, wave pool, and more!
There's also an adventure park with a mini golf course if any of your family members need a break from the water.
15. Check out the Gulf Breeze Zoo
If you've rented a car and want to get out of the city for a day, take the kids to Gulf Breeze Zoo in Navarre, Florida, about 45 minutes away.
Of course, you can experience animal encounters and animal feedings, but Gulf Breeze Zoo also offers an elevated boardwalk over animal exhibits for some great photo opportunities, a safari train, and a farm with a petting zoo for little ones.
This is the ideal spot to spend the day if your kids need a break from swimming.
Where to Stay in Destin with Kids
Our family was hosted by Hampton Inn & Suites Destin for the 2 nights we stayed in Destin. It was perfect for us since it was just a few blocks from beach access, so we could easily walk there from the hotel. They also had a beautiful outdoor pool, free continental breakfast, and free parking.
The location was close to everything we wanted to visit, and we really enjoyed our time there!
If you’re looking for more of a resort feel, we’ve heard great things about the Emerald Grande Destin which is right by HarborWalk Village.
What to Pack For Destin
Swimsuits
Swim cover-ups
Flip Flops
Kids’ puddle jumpers and life jackets
Sunglasses
Sand-free weighted beach mat (We have this one and LOVE it! We get so much use out of it).
Hats for the beach
GoPro waterproof camera (I wrote a review of it here if you’re interested)
Sundresses, shorts, tank tops, sweaters for evenings when it gets cool
Destin Is A Great Place for the Whole Family!
As you can see, there are so many reasons to plan a family vacation to Destin, Florida. You can’t beat the white sand beaches and emerald ocean water, the gorgeous weather, and the variety of activities catered toward families.
If you’re looking for a break from winter weather, or just a spot where you can enjoy the coastlines of Florida, Destin Florida is the best place to go for loads of fun activities.
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Emily Krause is a Florida-based travel blogger who writes about exploring the world with kids. On A Mom Explores you’ll find best family travel destinations, Disney World tips, and how to make travel with babies and toddlers a little easier.
Emily believes that exploring starts in our own backyards, and adventure can happen anywhere with the right mindset.
