13 Family-friendly Things to Do in Destin

Oh.. Destin.. The famous white sugar sand beaches and brilliant emerald-green waters in Florida. I'm so looking forward to visiting there. Here are things we can do as a family in Destin. Of course, beach time will take up most of the time we will be spending there. But whenever we have a break, here are some of the things we can check out in this area.

1) Enjoy the beach - I mean why would we drive almost 7 hours there if we don't go to the beach, right? This will be my primary activity.. Beach time. Pick a spot, put down your towel and let the kids lost themselves in building the sandcastle while you soak in the sun. There are various public access beach areas. Then at night you can go crab hunting with your kids for the experience that they will cherish forever.

2) Check out Airforce Armament Museum - Kids can check out this extensive collection of weaponry and interactive displays including vintage military aircraft. Best of all it's FREE admission.

3) Gator Beach - Enjoy the fun family adventure and the opportunity to feed live alligators. They also offer educational alligator shows. You can take a stroll through the educational wildlife exhibit area that is FREE to public.

4) Emerald Coast Science Center - Take the kids to enjoy science at this science center. Kids will have fun and learn more about science at the same. The admission is also very reasonable. $5 for adults and $3.50 for kids (3-12). Also check out 2 for 1 price on Sunday.

5) Florida's Gulfarium - Explore this beachfront park and enjoy 3 live marine shows.

6) Village of Baytowne Wharf - Take a stroll in this quaint village in Sandestin and enjoy the live entertainment throughout the year.

7) Track Family Recreation Center - For the one stop family activities, the Track has something for everyone. You can enjoy mini-golf, bumper ride, go kart or kid town for your little one and thrill ride for the mom & dad.

8) A trip to Seaside and Beaches of South Walton - A short ride from Destin and you will be in the South Walton beach area including Seaside, the white picket fences town that is made famous by Jim Carrey's movie - The Truman Show.

9) Fishing at the Okaloosa Island Pier - There is no need to rent a boat to go out fishing. You can test your fishing skill at this pier at more afforadable price. Even if you are not a fisherman, you can still enjoy watching others catch a big one there.

10) Shop at the Silver Sands Outlet - Our trip won't be complete without a visit to at least one shopping mall. But if you have one of the best factory stores here, it will make the trip even better.

11) Visit Florida Caverns State Park - This is one of the few state parks with dry caves and is the only Florida state park that offer cave tours to the public. Cave tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and there are other outdoor activities for visitors like camping, swimming, fishing, picnicking, canoeing, boating, hiking and bicycling. Cave tour fees are $8 for age 13 and up and $5 for 3-12.

12) The Zoo - Northwest Florida - Get up close and personal at the Zoo with more than 1,300 animals. The best feature is you can take a ride on the Safari Line Limited Train which winds through more than 30 acres of free-roaming wildlife. The admission fees are $11.50 for adults and $8.25 for children (3-11).

13) Big Kahuna's Water and Adventure Park - For the day that you want to take a break from the beach, Big Kahuna is a perfect family adventure park suits for the whole family. Make sure to check the calendar as this park opens seasonally. I have seen mixed reviews on this park due to staffs and service. So do your research before buying tickets as it's not cheap.