Home Care In Crystal Beach, FL

Florida is home to various unforgettable small towns, and there is no better way to start exploring than visiting the Emerald Coast. The coastal area along the Gulf of Mexico stretches for 100 miles through five Florida counties, including Pensacola Beach, Navarre Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, and Panama City Beach. If the beauty of the white powdery sand and still Gulf water isn't enticing enough, then be sure to check out these small towns and their quaint promenades, main streets, and low-key attractions for the perfect relaxing sun-bathed getaway. These nine small towns will take you on a journey highlighting Florida's beauty.

Grayton

Grayton is perhaps the best beach town on the Emerald Coast due to the variety of experiences you can have. You get everything from emerald green gulf waters to further inland, lush pine forest that hosts incredible sand dunes and lakes. You can try a variety of water sports, such as surfing or water skiing, or take a calm, leisurely swim in the inland lakes. There is great scenic hiking for the land lovers, bringing you up close to Florida's natural flora and fauna. Tired feet? Try horseback riding or rent an ATV for an additional thrill.

Seaside

Seaside is one of the most picturesque cities on the emerald coast, with its quaint brick streets, pastel-colored beach houses, iconic whitewashed post office, and architect-designed walkways leading to the sugar-white sand. In fact, the town inspired some Hollywood investment, becoming the setting for the 1998 film The Truman Show, starring Jim Carey. The beaches offer crystal clear views of the white sandy bottom and are a great place for relaxing in the sun or going for a laid-back swim. Don’t miss the incredible local art scene, shop at the quaint boutiques, and stroll through Central Square's record and books stores. For music lovers, check out The REP Theater, which boasts an open-air amphitheater and performing arts space. No wonder Seaside has become the number one retirement destination.

Mexico Beach, Florida

Are you looking for a lazy beach town to catch up on your rest and relaxation? Mexico Beach is the place for you. About an hour outside of Panama City, this small town is full of beaches and not many crowds.

This town is a well-guarded “secret” vacation spot for families that offer long, relaxing days on our uncrowded white-sand beaches, genuine mom-and-pop restaurants and shops, and some of the best sport-fishing in the world.

Crystal Beach, Florida

Located only minutes from Destin, Crystal Beach is a picturesque community boasting gorgeous beaches. It invites visitors to bike through its scenic neighborhoods adorned with pastel-colored homes and charming white picket fences. The dedicated bike path offers a serene journey amidst this beauty. On the shores, the allure of white powdery sand beckons for relaxation while a selection of romantic waterfront restaurants serves up local delicacies. With its blend of natural beauty and community charm, Crystal Beach is the ideal destination for both family-friendly day trips and intimate romantic getaways.

Navarre Beach

Navarre Beach is known for its white sand, stunning emerald green water, and a vibe many might call: relax! In fact, it is self-proclaimed as “Florida’s Most Relaxing Place.” Part of the Pensacola Metro area, Navarre Beach is the less crowded, less-known beach in the area and really is an incredibly relaxing town.

When the Navarre Pier was built, it became the longest pier along the Gulf of Mexico coastline, stretching 1545 feet long and 30 feet above the water.

From the pier to the east is Navarre Beach Marine Park, formerly a state park (before 2009). This naturally preserved coastline with dunes and a wide open beachfront is a perfect way to enjoy the natural beauty, a day of surf fishing, kayaking, walking, shelling, bird watching, or simply relaxing. The area beyond the Marine Park is Eglin Air Force Base.

Mom’s Beach is the first beach on the Soundside of Navarre Beach Marine Park. This beach has calmer waters and is popular for families with small children. It is also the spot for kayaking and canoeing on the island's sound side.

The Navarre Beach Marine Park is also home to The Navarre Beach Marine Science Center, The Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary, and the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center.

Blue Mountain Beach

Blue Mountain Beach Blue Mountain Beach routinely receives acclaim for its breathtaking shoreline, but this dune's size is truly incredible; it boasts the highest elevation in the entire Gulf of Mexico. This beach neighborhood draws its name from the blue lupine flowers that sway in the coastal breeze. The community has a laid-back bohemian atmosphere and is home to many local artists, restaurants, old-fashioned ice cream parlors, and delicious bakeries. The community also features two rare coastal dune lakes and connects to nature trails in the Point Washington State Forest and the bike path along Scenic 30-A.

Village of Rosemary Beach

The unforgettable Village of Rosemary Beach is at the far eastern end of Scenic 30A, about eighteen miles from Dune Allen Beach's western gateway. It is a beautiful colonial Dutch West Indies-styled coastal village. The town boasts a long, lush lawn that serves as a village green where outdoor concerts, old-fashioned Americana-styled family games, art shows, festivals, and seasonal fireworks are featured. Take a walk down towards the Western Green Village Beach Access, and you will find a quaint street filled with specialty shops, fashion boutiques, bistros, and homes.

Alys Beach

Nestled in the Florida Panhandle’s pristine white sands and sparkling blue water sits a seaside community that feels miles away from its surrounding cities. A typical day in Alys Beach could involve hiking the numerous nature trails, such as the Timpoochee Trail, or enjoying a leisurely stroll through the neighborhood nature preserve. The town definitely has a younger “hip” crowd feel, perfect for bachelorette groups, girls' trips, couples' trips, or an anniversary trip! It has a few great restaurants & coffee shops that are all walkable if you stay locally.

Niceville

Niceville is just as its name suggests, a nice town part of the Fort Walton Beach - Crestview - Destin Metropolitan Area, and located just northwest of Eglin Air Force Base. It is also home to Northwest Florida State College. It is best known for its natural landscape and two main state parks. The Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park has hiking trails, a boardwalk, and a more adventurous hike to Perdido Bay, which is a great spot for birding and wildlife viewing. The Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park boasts boating and fishing activities. The town has plenty of shops and restaurants, and the best restaurants often overlook the water. The Matty Kelly Arts Center at Florida State offers Broadway and theater shows, symphony performances, and art exhibits.

There is also a beautiful golf course in Niceville, the Rocky Bayou Country Club, which is open to the public.

Miramar Beach

Miramar Beach is one of the Emerald Coast's most fun and diverse beach neighborhoods. You can spend your days active and outside, playing beach volleyball, renting jet skis, going on parasail rides, or just relaxing and soaking in the sun. Those who love shopping will have a blast meandering through the town's antique shops and premiere outlets, and evenings can be spent at the many fine dining restaurants or the New Vision Theatres Boulevard 10 Cinema.

There are plenty of additional ways to stay active in Miramar Beach, where, in addition to golf, tennis, or swimming, you can take advantage of the weather by taking a run or bike along the 3-mile Scenic Highway 98 Trail.

St. George Island

St. George Island is a quiet barrier island located at the western end of Apalachicola Bay. The island is home to miles of white sand beaches and plenty of outdoor activities like fishing, kayaking, and bird-watching. You can also take a stroll down historic Apalachicola Avenue, explore nearby state parks, or just relax on your own stretch of beach. St. George Island is also one of the few pet-friendly beaches in Florida. Many of their vacation homes, stores, and restaurants welcome four-legged visitors with open arms. Additionally, St. George Island is every fisherman and fisherwoman’s wonderland. When you throw your line out, you can expect to land sheepshead, speckled trout, flounder, whiting, redfish, and tripletail. This is the ultimate family vacation destination, with bike paths, nature parks, paddleboard and kayak rentals, and family-friendly restaurants.

Towns of the Emerald Coast

Florida's Emerald Coast is more than just its famous beaches; it's a tapestry of history, culture, and natural beauty waiting to be explored. From Seaside's historic charm to Grayton's natural wonders, each town offers a unique experience. So, the next time you plan a trip to Florida, consider venturing off the beaten path and discovering the hidden gems of the Emerald Coast.

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Flanked by apartment buildings and restaurant-retail boardwalk venues, a future 5- to 7-acre Crystal Lagoon off NASA Boulevard will help the city's key employers retain and recruit young workers, Melbourne Orlando International Airport Executive Director Greg Donovan believes.

“Every single one of our aerospace companies that we do business with — most recently with Dassault Falcon — that recruit in, it's always about the lifestyle of the engineers in their workforce that are coming on board,” Donovan told the Melbourne City Council earlier this month.

“And while I might be really happy with cleaning the pool and mowing the lawn on the weekend, you might have 20-year-old, 30-year-old engineers that want to have a little more social," Donovan said.

"This was something that I think really opens up some opportunities for our community and helps our major employers — our biggest employers — actually retain and recruit. So it is very good use of the property."

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Named Lakoona Beach, the Melbourne manmade Crystal Lagoon project would be built across a wooded 56-acre tract that was conveyed from the federal government to the city in 1947 as part of the former Naval Air Station Melbourne. Managed by the airport, the site lies off the south side of NASA Boulevard, east of Broadband Drive, west of Woody Burke Drive, and north of Hibiscus Boulevard.

In October, the Melbourne Airport Authority unanimously authorized selling the land for $8.93 million to Adëlon Capital, a Hollywood developer, for the Crystal Lagoon plan. The City Council followed suit with a unanimous vote on Dec. 13, approving the land deal.

Adëlon Capital founder and co-chairman Jonathan Cohen has said the aquatic resort complex could create 2,600 direct and indirect jobs.

"This unique, multi-use development project will offer Class A residential housing units, retail, restaurants, and entertainment venues that will surround the signature Crystal Lagoon and its pristine beaches and family water play area," said an Adëlon Capital press release following the City Council vote.

"The Lagoon will be both open to public access with cost of admission and offered as an amenity for residents of Lakoona Beach," the press release said.

Next, per contract, Adëlon Capital will have a due diligence window through Aug. 23 to conduct an environmental study of the land, determine the project's feasibility, and close the deal.

"Airport staff reports that within this parcel is a former city-owned landfill site, which restricts the types of development on this property. A sale is being contemplated because there is no future operational need for this land, and it has garnered little developer interest," a City Council agenda memo said.

"The purchaser will be responsible for any remediation needed on the site. Airport staff believes that this type of development will be appealing to its growing international passenger traffic."

Lakoona Beach has also advanced to the design and permitting phase. The Federal Aviation Administration must ultimately approve the 56-acre land acquisition.

Council Member Yvonne Minus said she was “just tickled pink” to see Lakoona Beach expand the entertainment options in the airport vicinity.

“I'm very excited about it, because now we have TUI here. And you know, it's very disappointing to me to see them get off the airplane, get on buses (and) go to Orlando," she said.

Minus also cited the airport's five-story, 143-room Hyatt Place with rooftop bar and swimming pool in the final stages of construction just west of the passenger terminal, on Harry Sutton Road. Adëlon Capital is building the hotel, which Cohen said should open in early 2023.

Cohen said his company has been working with airport officials for nearly two years on the Lakoona Beach proposal.

Airport officials will earmark the $8.93 million in sale proceeds for future land purchases. Donovan said the 56-acre parcel off the south side of NASA Boulevard is not "airside," meaning it is not contiguous to the airfield.

"We've had substantial discussions at the airport authority level about making sure these funds are available for future land acquisition," Donovan told council members.

"We do have aspirations of finding land, and there is land available periodically that's adjacent to airside locations, which would serve the airport's purposes much better."

In October, Dassault Falcon unveiled plans to create 400 jobs at a future $115 million aviation maintenance facility on airport property off Apollo Boulevard. The project was previously labeled Project Vista, a code name assigned by the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office.

Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or [email protected]. Twitter: @RickNeale1

It looks like beachgoers in Destin's Crystal Beach neighborhood may soon have more public space to plant their umbrellas in the sand.

The city of Destin and the Okaloosa County Commission approved this week an inter-local agreement to purchase 336 feet of beachfront property adjacent to Destin's Tarpon Street public beach access on Scenic Highway 98.

The deal, negotiated by the nonprofit Trust for Public Land, calls for the purchase of three separate beachfront parcels for just over $14 million. All three parcels have the same owner and the trust currently has an agreement with an option to purchase in October and close in November.

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The total cost of the project, including property acquisition and demolition of the current structures, as well as designing, permitting and building a new park facility is estimated at $16.75 million.

The cost would be split 50/50 between the city of Destin and Okaloosa County, with the city taking over ownership of the new park and its future maintenance.

"Once we secure the property, then the city and the county will collaborate on a design for the park," said Catherine Card, public information manager with the city of Destin. Card, emphasizing the new park would operate under the same regulations and ordinances as the city's other parks with regards to beach vendors.

The Tarpon Beach park project is similar to a 2020 arrangement that Destin and Okaloosa County made to purchase three properties adjacent to Destin's Shore at Crystal Beach Park, located about a half-mile to the west on Scenic Highway 98.

"This initiative is one of the highest priorities for the city of Destin," said Destin Mayor Gary Jarvis during an April 2021 groundbreaking ceremony for the newly expanded Shore at Crystal Beach Park. "Our tourist tax dollars are being reinvested back into public beaches so that we can deliver on the promise of the Destin brand and meet the expectations of our residents and visitors."

The Crystal Beach neighborhood in east Destin is densely populated, both with full-time residents and with visitors. Card said the acquisition of these three new parcels will be a great help.

"It's really going to help with the pressure we've had on that end of the beach," said Card, noting the city's current 5-foot-wide beach access at Tarpon Street means visitors only have five feet of public space on the beach.

"Now that five feet will be extended to 340 feet," Card said.

DESTIN — Details on future parking upgrades and other possible improvements at the city-owned Shore at Crystal Beach Park will be determined during the design process for the expanded park site, city spokeswoman Catherine Card said Friday.

She said the cost of the improvements, how they will be paid for and when they will be completed also will be figured out during the design process, with the project being a collaboration between Destin and Okaloosa County.

“We do not have a timeline at this time” for the design work, Card said in an email.

County spokeswoman April Sarver said Thursday that while the park expansion project is a joint one between the county and city, Destin “is leading the charge.”

The Gulf-front park is at 2966 Scenic Highway 98 at the south end of Hutchinson Street.

In 2020, the city partnered with the county and the nonprofit Trust for Public Land to buy two parcels and expand the park.

One of the parcels is immediately west of the park and the other stands two lots east of the park. The purchases — which cost a total of $6.7 million and were paid for with county bed tax money and a portion of the city’s share of local option half-cent sales tax dollars — allowed the park to be expanded to a total of 184 linear feet.

As part of the project, a contractor demolished short-term rental housing units on the two new parcels last spring.

The park’s existing restrooms, showers and pavilion, as well as its original nine parking spots, remain open to the public.

Also, “All existing parking (spaces) on the new parcels were preserved and are currently being utilized for the park properties,” Card said. “The additional parking and beach space has provided an immediate relief valve for our visitors and residents.”

She said Destin officials continue to work to acquire a third parcel that stands immediately east of the park and contains a short-term rental house. The addition of that parcel, which is owned by entity in Miami-Dade County, would expand the park to a total of 251 linear feet.

The Trust for Public Land had offered to pay $3.9 million for the third parcel. But early last year the property owner terminated a voluntary purchase and sale agreement with the Trust without giving a reason, according to Destin officials.

Card said city staff plans to provide the City Council with an update on the expansion project in March.

DESTIN — A more than $10 million expansion of the Shore at Crystal Beach Park is anticipated to be completed this summer, possibly in June, and offer residents and visitors much more public beach to enjoy in tourist-heavy Destin.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the project is set for 10 a.m. Monday, April 12, at the Gulf-front park at 2964 Scenic Highway 98 at the south end of Hutchinson Street.

When completed, the project is expected to see 184 feet of beach added to the city-owned, 67-foot-wide park, for a new total of 251 feet. The park’s upland area also will be enlarged.

The project represents a partnership between Destin, Okaloosa County and the nonprofit Trust for Public Land.

“In Crystal Beach, there is not much public beach access compared to Okaloosa Island,” county Tourist Development Department Director Jennifer Adams said Friday. “To have more access for families is a win for us all.”

Local officials earlier earmarked about $6.28 million in county bed tax dollars and about $4.37 million from Destin's share of the local option half-cent sales tax to pay for three Crystal Beach parcels that will be used to expand the beach park.

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One of the parcels is immediately west of the Shore at Crystal Beach Park, one is immediately east of the park and one is a bit farther east.

The parcel west of the park contains the five-unit, short-term-rental Crystal Port Townhomes development. Both parcels east of the park contain short-term rental houses.

While the city has bought the property west of the park and the one farthest east, its purchase of the parcel immediately east of the park is pending.

After the April 12 groundbreaking ceremony, the town homes west of the park will be demolished and cleared away, Destin spokeswoman Catherine Card said.

That work could take about a week and a half. Demolition and removal of the structures to the east will follow.

Jobe’s Dirt Works of Baker will be paid $137,477 to raze and remove all the buildings.

Also:Destin votes to demolish short-term rental homes for more public beach access

The initiative to provide more public beach in Destin is one of the city’s top priorities, Destin Mayor Gary Jarvis said in a news release.

“Our tourist tax dollars are being reinvested back into public beach so that we can deliver on the promise of the Destin brand and meet the expectations of our residents and visitors,” Jarvis said.

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County Commission Chairwoman Carolyn Ketchel also praised the use of bed tax money to make much of the project possible.

“The bed tax dollars are brought in by outsiders who use our properties, and that money is used to benefit residents and visitors alike,” Ketchel said Friday. “We’ve really heard from the people that they want more beaches available to go swimming and recreate. More and more, our beaches are being taken away (or privatized) by those who have beach property in front of them.”