A day of saltwater fishing can be a fun and exciting way to spend time with family and friends. A day of saltwater fishing on a Destin charter boat adds in abundant Florida sunshine, beautiful Gulf waters, and memories that last a lifetime. Whether you’re a total newcomer to the sport, or you’ve cast into a thousand freshwater streams, you will never forget your first-time fishing on a saltwater charter.
Saltwater Fishing vs. Freshwater Fishing
Even the most seasoned freshwater anglers find saltwater fishing an almost entirely new experience their first time out. Hooking a Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, or Walleye takes lots of patience and considerable finesse. Many freshwater fishermen have darned the waders looking forward to a day of quiet reflection and a few small Trout for the grill. On the other hand, saltwater fish come in a wide range of species and sizes. A day of saltwater fishing usually means much more action than fishing in fresh water, as well.
What Types of Fish Will I Catch?
The Destin, Florida area of the Gulf Coast features some of the world’s best fishing with too many species to list. Here are some of the most common saltwater fish you might hook on a typical day of angling:
Red Snapper – A variety of Snapper species make their home in the Gulf but, Red Snapper are the most popular with area fishermen. The largest Red Snapper ever caught in Florida – 46 pounds and 8 ounces – was hooked right off the coast of Destin.
Grouper – Grouper come in a variety of species including black grouper, gag grouper, and red grouper. These bottom dwellers come in large and larger sizes. They’re challenging and great fun to catch. The largest gag grouper (80 pounds and 6 ounces), and the biggest Warsaw grouper (436 pounds and 12 ounces) ever brought on board a boat in Florida were both caught off the Destin area of the Gulf.
Cobia – A.K.A. Lemonfish or Ling – Also called “Brown Torpedoes,” Cobia congregate close to shore around pilings, wrecks, and buoys. Cobia have long, slim bodies with dark lateral stripes, depressed heads, and white bellies. A record-setting 130-pound Cobia was caught right off the coast of Destin some years back.
Tarpon – Known as the “Silver King” of sportfish thanks to the fight they give, Tarpon are a favorite with sport fishermen looking for a challenge. Tarpons also grow quite large, some over 200-pounds.
Sharks – Florida regularly ranks as the state with the most sharks. Some of the more common varieties of shark found in the Gulf include Bull, Hammerhead, and Tiger. Destin also holds the record for the largest Thresher shark ever caught at a whopping 544-pounds, 8-ounces. Notice a pattern here?
An abundance of Mackerel, Gray Triggerfish, and Tilefish also make the Gulf waters near Destin their home.
If you’re looking to fish for a certain type of fish, remember that the fish has to be in season at the time of your saltwater fishing trip.
Do I Need to Bring My Own Rod and Bait?
Most Emerald Coast charter boats provide the bait, tackle, rods, ice, fishing licenses, and anything else needed for a great day of fishing. You should bring your own food, drink (bring extra water), sunscreen, and anything that might make you more comfortable throughout the day. And, don’t worry if it’s your first-time fishing. Gulf Coast charter boats have some of the friendliest and most experienced crews in the world who will guide you every step of the way, and clean your catch, too.
How Should I Dress for a Day of Saltwater Fishing?
Wear lightweight clothing – shorts and a t-shirt – or a light long sleeve shirt if you’re worried about getting too much sun. A straw hat or baseball cap provides shade as well as keep the sun out of your eyes. Polarized sunglasses also help protect your eyes against glare off the water. A windbreaker comes in handy on chilly mornings or in the event of wet weather. Most importantly, wear comfortable footwear with sufficient grip. Boat decks get wet, and flip-flops or sandals don’t offer enough traction, stability, or protection for a day on the water. More about what to wear.
What if I Get Seasick?
Luckily, only a small percentage of those who come aboard get seasick. If you have concerns, however, plan ahead, and you should be fine. Eat light, stomach-friendly foods for breakfast. Avoid greasy items like bacon, hash browns, and sausage. Also, stay away from foods that digest slowly – pancakes, waffles, and French toast, etc. Go easy on the alcohol the night before your trip. Why tempt fate by heading out to sea with a stomach in flux? Over the counter medications like Bonine and Dramamine work great for most people if you do start to feel nauseous.
What if it Rains or I Prefer Not to Fish?
Almost all Destin charter fishing boats have modern air-conditioned salons with all the comforts of home including satellite television, a restroom with a full shower, and a galley kitchen. But, of course, you can still fish if it rains, or soak up the sun if not.
How Long Will We Be Out?
Most Emerald Coast charter boats offer Half-Day, Three-Quarter-Day, Full-Day, and Overnight trips. Perfect for beginners, families with young children, or groups with limited time, Half-Day trips typically last four, to six hours. A choice of morning, midday, or afternoon departures makes it easy to squeeze a Half-Day tour into almost any vacation schedule. Three-Quarter-Day trips range from eight to ten hours. For the more adventurous, Full-Day trips run anywhere from twelve to eighteen hours and take guests offshore for some deep water bottom fishing. Overnight excursions usually run between twenty-four-hours and seventy-two hours. Think Tuna and Swordfish.
What Makes the Finest Kind Destin’s Most Popular Fishing Charter?
The Finest Kind specializes in bottom fishing, offshore trolling, and family outings. They charter groups sized from eight to twenty-two passengers. The captain, a fourth-generation fisherman with over 20-years of experience – Capt. Jason Mikel – knows the Gulf waters inside and out. Book your trip today and find out what makes the Finest Kind a TripAdvisor top-ranked charter boat on the Florida Panhandle.
Will I Have Fun and Make Memories that Will Last a Lifetime?
Destin, Florida features some of the world’s best saltwater fishing with numerous record setting catches across a wide range of species. Gulf Coast charter boats also boast some of the world’s friendliest and most seaworthy crews. Most boats offer trips that easily fit into any vacation schedule, as well. Even if you don’t catch anything, charter fishing trips are a great way to relax, enjoy a day of fun and excitement, and spend quality time with family and friends. Whether you take a three-day deep-sea adventure, or a half-day family outing, you will have fun and make memories that last a lifetime.
Choosing the best polarized saltwater fishing sunglasses is a little deeper than just jumping online and buying sunglasses with a polarized rating. In fact, it can be a bit tricky choosing the best fishing sunglasses. Let’s run through the process of finding the saltwater fishing sunglasses that best fit your style of fishing.
TIP: The best sunglasses go beyond just “you”, and they take into consideration many details about fishing that may not cross your mind. Let’s get started so you can find the best fishing sunglasses for you.
A little Transparency
We talk about a lot of aspects of sunglasses in this blog. However, none of what we discuss is about one brand or style of sunglasses. Our goal is not to sell you a pair of sunglasses, but to enable you to find and choose the best polarized sunglasses for fishing in Destin, Florida. The pair of sunglasses you want is most likely not going to be the same as those that other people choose, and that’s just fine with us.
Polarized sunglasses are an essential part of saltwater and freshwater fishing, and not all polarized saltwater fishing sunglasses are equal. That is not to say that there is a better brand; but instead, that the usefulness of polarized sunglasses changes based on many factors, including:
The color of the lens – Inner lens color vs. outer lens color, and the myriad of color combinations
The lens material – glass or poly – light vs. weight vs. comfort.
What are polarized Sunglasses
These are specialized sunglasses with a specialized film layer that blocks all refracted sunlight except those rays that are vertical. So, light hits the ocean, and it bounces back in many directions. This process produces what we call glare. Polarized sunglasses block most of those reflected rays and allow in only the vertical rays. That function removes the glare and helps you to see more clearly in situations where there is too much light coming from too many directions.
From this description, you might think that finding the perfect pair of sunglasses is easy – they just need to be polarized. Well, not so much. The problem is that polarized sunglasses come in a variety of colors, shapes, and materials. Each of those attributes changes how the glasses work. Pair this with the varying changes you encounter fishing, and you begin to see that choosing the best polarized sunglasses requires some thought. These issues are also why we don’t push one brand over another and want you to understand the process so that your Destin fishing expedition is the trip of a lifetime.
Why So Much Attention to Sunglasses?
Your eyes tie all the other tools of fishing together. Sure, you can drop a line and maybe get lucky, but with good vision, you can spot fish, read the current, etc. When you add polarized sunglasses into the mix, you remove the glare and can spot fish that you might otherwise never see. That little fact helps you better target big reef donkeys (greater amberjack), sharks, or groupers. The truth of the matter is that a great pair of sunglasses will help you become a better fisher, and they will make fishing more comfortable.
Don’t Buy Online
Sure, there are great deals online, but what is missing from an online shopping experience is the fit. Polarized sunglasses need to fit your face. Just like anything you’ll wear on a deep sea fishing trip, the perfect sunglasses for fishing must be comfortable, and they must fit so that there is little encroachment of glare through your peripheral vision. Poor-fitting sunglasses allow glare to seep into your field of view, and that defeats the purpose of having polarized glasses. The better fitting the glasses are, the better your vision, and the better your odds of battling big fish.
Which Type of Lens Fits Your Fishing Style?
Polarized sunglasses come with either polycarbonate or glass lenses. Which is best for you? There is no blanket answer here. Each type of lens has strengths and weaknesses. Here is a short overview of both lens types.
Polarized Glass Lenses – The plus here is durability. Glass is harder to damage than polycarbonate with one little flaw. Glass is easier to break. If you drop your sunglasses, the glass lenses may break, whereas polycarbonate will likely be okay. There are a couple of thoughts that glass lenses are clearer than are polycarbonate lenses and that they might improve the vision more so than polycarbonate. The school of thought seems to be more so in deeper water than on the flats. This is just another reason to try on glasses before you buy.
The downside of glass lenses is that they are heavier than the thinner polycarbonate lenses. If you can handle the added weight on a fishing charter – 4-12 hours – then this is not an issue. We do recommend a sunglass tether regardless of which type of lens you chose. This is because, during a battle with a big fish, you can drop your sunglasses. A tether keeps them on your chest and safe.
Polycarbonate lenses – There are a couple of plusses here. First, they are lighter, which can make them more comfortable to wear all day. Second, they are a little more durable than are glass lenses, but only if you drop them. The big downside to polycarbonate lenses is that they are softer and can scratch more easily. When it comes to durability, there is a real toss-up between glass and polycarbonate lenses.
So, which is best for you? It comes down to you. If you don’t mind the slight added weight from glass lenses and you use a sunglass tether, the odds of dropping and breaking the lenses are small. If you are someone who puts your sunglasses right into a case as soon as they come off your head, then the odds of scratching them is nearly nil.
In short, try on both and look at how you care for your tools. There may be a slight vision improvement with glass over polycarbonate, but again, this boils down to you. This is also another reason for trying on sunglasses before you buy.
How the Color of Polarized Lenses Impacts Fishing
Earlier we mentioned that how you fish is essential when you choose your sunglasses. It is different if you fish freshwater or saltwater. It is also a different light experience too. The same is true if you stay in the shallow waters or if you venture into the deep drop zones. The reason these factors are important is due to the differences in light and the color of the water.
In regular glasses, you see some detail, but the glare occludes most features. When you wear polarized sunglasses, the glare is mostly gone, and you see more. When you wear the right kind of polarized sunglasses, it is as though the water becomes clear and you see more details. In shallow water, this means you see the fish and the bottom much clearer. In mid-range depths, you see surface fish and fish that swim near the bottom, and maybe you see the features of the bottom. This is all dependent upon how deep the water is. In deeper water, you the clarity remains to certain depths, but you are still able to see some structures and surface fish.
It is also possible that you may see some mid-range fish in deeper water. All of these benefits improve if you choose the right color of polarized lenses based on the depth of the water. Below we make it simple to understand the color game with polarized glasses.
Note: Polarized sunglasses come with an outer lens color and an inner lens color.
TIP: Your goal is to match the color of the lens to the color of the water.
In-shore Fishing – Outer lens colors in greens are one of the best, and you want to find glasses that have a coppery or amber inner lens color. You might be thinking that none of these colors match the color of the water, especially when you are fishing on the flats. For this part of Florida fishing, we break the rule. The light is not as harsh inshore, usually. The trouble here comes from how the lenses affect the quality of light. Brighter and warmer tones of lenses make the day seem brighter. You could also opt for a mirror finish too. This suggestion is good for inshore saltwater fishing and most freshwater fishing situations. In deeper lakes, you might want to go more towards a blue outer tone, especially for lake trout which position themselves at different levels of the lake due to water temperature.
Green/copper/amber – perfect for those of you who love to sight fish or who fish from shore or near shore most of the time. These are wonderful for fishing the flats where you want to target bigger fish from a distance. If you tend to fish more in the morning or at dusk, then consider inner lens colors that range more towards yellow as they will make the low-light situations seem brighter.
Mid-range Fishing – Gray outer with a mirror finish or not is ideal for mid-range fishing. Pair this with a gray inner or a warmer color inner lens that helps to brighten the day. The Gray/Gray, Gray/Yellow, Gray/Amber, or Gray/Copper, are the most versatile options. These are ideal for fishers who hit all the zones while fishing. There will be some trade-off in deeper water, but if you have only one pair of glasses and you target inshore, offshore, and the deeper waters, these lenses with gray outer colors will serve you well.
Deep Water Fishing – Blue is king for lens color for deep water fishing. A blue outer lens color paired with an inner lens color that is gray is ideal for most anglers. Mirrored outers in blue tones are also good. The mirroring on lenses helps block even more of the glare. The quality of light in deeper water is more intense, and you want lenses that will combat the harsher glare so that you can enjoy a day of fishing without impact from glare.
Florida is the sunshine state and for a good reason. It is helpful to pair your polarized sunglasses with a hat that has a wide brim. The brim will help to block some glare from your peripheral vision and will keep your eyes shaded. Both will help your vision and reduce the strain from glare on your eyes. Destin also has its fair share of scattered showers and a hat helps. A full day of fishing takes in a lot of sun, and without eye protection, you will not only fight an uphill battle to target fish, but you will also wear down. Polarized sunglasses help reduce eyestrain and make the day more enjoyable. In closing, let’s reiterate a few points.
Try on your sunglasses in person as you will gain a better fit and better comfort.
Choose the lens color based on how you fish and where you fish.
Buy based on how the glasses work for you.
Come prepared to fish and dressed for a successful day of fishing.
Polarized sunglasses are a must for fishing the coastal waters of Destin, Florida. The light here changes by the minute, and we want everyone on board to enjoy the day by being able to accurately target and successfully battle big fish from the millions of red snappers to tuna, and snook. Your eyes are one of the top three tools used in fishing. Protect and enhance them with proper fitting polarized saltwater fishing sunglasses.
Florida is famous for its oranges and orange juice. And with orange juice, success is a simple proposition. You need:
Great oranges.
A great way to squeeze as much juice as possible out of said oranges.
Well, you can check #1 off if you’ve decided to vacation in Destin, FL. You’ve already got your great orange. This is an area ripe with opportunity for adventure, relaxation, and some of the best natural attractions around.
What about that pesky number 2 spot, though?
Squeezing the most out of your Destin vacation experience requires a little guidance. And since we’ve been in the area for several generations, we have a thing or six to say on the subject.
Step 1: Reconnaissance
Good news here: you’re already doing it. Before you take your trip, scope out the key places you want to see and the top adventures you’d like to have. Here are some Destin Vacation tips to make sure that goes as smoothly as possible:
Include a few activities you can do in rain/shine. Counting on great weather means sometimes you get lucky, but no one can promise that it will be cloudless outside when you need it to be cloudless.
Give yourself budgetary wiggle room. For example, you can do some “fixed” items in your budget like chartering “The Finest Kind” for a deep sea excursion, while giving yourself wiggle room for unforeseen expenses.
Step 2: Get Your Children involved with Planning
Ever go on vacation and see that your children just feel like they’re being dragged around? That’s not a good feeling. You don’t want to shell out thousands of dollars to bring your family to a new place just to have them feel like they’d rather be indoors.
That’s why it’s a good idea to get your children to pack for the trip and help plan the activities. For example, when chartering a deep sea fishing excursion, you might have them select the types of fish they’d like to see.
Step 3: Give Yourself Downtime
Hey, we’re just as in favor of squeezing as much juice from the orange as you can. But let’s be honest: you’re going to have downtime. Probably significant amounts of downtime. And if you can find great ways to enjoy Destin, FL during your downtime, you’re already ahead of the game.
For example, maybe you’ll decide to shop along the Destin Harbor Walk to make use of that downtime. Or maybe you’ll stay home and cool off. Point is, it helps to know your options for your downtime, which is why it’s a good idea to plan for that, as well.
Step 4: Be Spontaneous
You’re going to be tempted to plan your time in Destin, FL down to the minute. Can we speak from experience? Don’t. Yes, we do think that you should plan to show up ten minutes early when you come to your chartered deep sea boat experience. But that doesn’t mean we think you need to have all 24 hours of your day just as tightly planned. Allow flexible time for spontaneity. Do something you didn’t plan. Make sure that you check on cancellation policies with different events to make sure you have the flexibility you need to try something new.
Step 5: Pack some Healthy Snacks
Speaking of oranges, they make a great dose of some extra blood sugar if you’re feeling tired. Make sure you have enough food, water, and sunscreen to beat the heat—and that you have access to shelter nearby, too. Some people from cooler climates aren’t quite ready for the Florida heat during the daylight hours, which is why we recommend taking it slow at first.
Step 6: Enjoy Some Exercise
There’s nothing like a great meal from a restaurant in Destin, FL when you know you’ve earned it. Plan some time for exercise, like visiting the local fitness club.
One word of warning: make sure to try and exercise indoors when you can. The summer heat is especially tough on outdoor exercise, and you’ll want to avoid the peak daylight hours to ensure that your exercise doesn’t come with a side helping dehydration.
With these tips in mind, you’re ready to fully enjoy your vacation in Destin. But to make sure that you squeeze every bit of that orange, make sure to plan your biggest events well in advance. We recommend making your Fishing Reservations with us so there’s no confusion when it comes time to go out and enjoy everything that Destin and the Emerald Coast have to offer.
Destin, Florida is known for its exquisite sugar-white sandy beaches, emerald green water, and unrivaled deep sea fishing experiences. These factors, along with breathtaking scenery painted in every direction, keep Destin as the top spring break destination for families across the United States. This once sleepy fishing village has won its place in our hearts as the perfect location to breathe in the saltwater air and spend time with our loved ones in one of America’s most beautiful settings.
If you’re reading this post, chances are that you’re planning your Destin, Florida spring break vacation, and you’d like to know the best tips and tricks for getting the most out of your trip. First of all, I must say that you’ve chosen a magnificent venue and a wonderful time of year to visit Destin. The spring season holds the best weather for exploring the town with cooler breezes in the morning and warm sunny afternoons. You will most likely go home with a nice tan, but without suffering from the sometimes extreme heat that follows in the summer months.
Your Destin spring break vacation will definitely be the highlight of your year regardless of how you spend the week. However, these tips and tricks will help you to navigate Destin to make your stay in paradise even more amazing.
Book a Fishing Charter – If you’re going to spend time in Destin, deep-sea fishing is a must-do experience. Destin is known as the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village” for a reason. With the largest fishing fleet in the state of Florida, deep-sea fishing is kind of a big deal around these parts. With spring break holding one of the most popular times to visit, we recommend that you schedule your deep sea fishing trip well in advance. Never wait until you get into town to schedule your charter, because you may get stuck on a low-quality boat, or you may miss out on the experience all-together. To learn more about spring break deep sea fishing in Destin, CLICK HERE.
Schedule Your Charter Early – Always plan your deep sea fishing charter towards the beginning of your vacation. There are times when fishing charters must be canceled for inclement weather. Spring weather is most conducive to great fishing conditions, but there are always a few of those stormy days that roll in during the season. If the charter is canceled for weather reasons, you have the option to reschedule for a trip later in the week, granted there is availability on the charter boat for another day. If not, your captain will usually recommend another charter boat, or at least point you in the right direction for securing a great charter experience.
Do Your Homework – Destin is filled with a variety of water activity experiences. We recommend checking online to compare reviews between different companies offering the same experiences. From dolphin cruises to pontoon boats and wave runner rentals and parasailing, there’s plenty to keep the action going in Destin. These experiences can normally be scheduled when you get into town, but you’ll want to know the difference between each company’s reputations. As you walk along HarborWalk Village, you’ll see plenty of glass-bottom boats and sea blasters, but which one is right for your family? Considering reviews from previous guests may help you to decide. To learn about water activities offered along HarborWalk Village, CLICK HERE.
One Day at a Time -There really is so much to do in Destin, Florida that it could take you a few weeks to experience everything. But that’s okay since you can come back again and again until you’ve seen it all. The best way to get the most out of your Destin spring break vacation is to designate a day for each experience. For example, day one might be designated for deep-sea fishing and a nice cook your catch meal at one of the many world-famous local seafood restaurants. Day two might be your beach day, while day three is your shopping day, and day four is your go-cart track and golf day. Planning with designated days for the activities that you intend to enjoy will ensure that everyone in your family gets to experience their favorite part of Destin’s many attractions.
Make Sure to Pack Layers – Layers are your friend during your Destin spring break vacation. Make sure that you pack shorts and tanks or tees with your swimsuit for those warm sunny afternoons, but don’t forget those light jackets for mornings and evenings. You may witness temperature variances of 20-30 degrees each day, so make sure that you are packing enough to keep yourself comfortable during your vacation.
Pack for Your Deep Sea Fishing Charter – In addition to the items packed for your stay in Destin, consider the items that needed for your deep sea fishing charter. Of course, layers are your friend on the charter, but you will also want to bring quick-dry clothes, non-slip shoes, sun-protective gear, and motion-sickness prevention for the day of your deep sea fishing trip. For a list of everything that you’ll need to pack for your deep sea fishing trip, CLICK HERE.
Never Fear, Wal-Mart is Near – Families traveling to Destin for spring break often forget sunscreen, snacks for the beach, coolers, beach towels, and floats from home. That’s why most families make a designated stop by Wal-Mart as soon as they get into town to grab the necessities before starting their Destin spring break vacations. There are some advantages to holding off until you get to Destin’s Wal-Mart to buy some of these vacation necessities.
First of all, it’s Wal-Mart, so the prices of items are pretty close to the same as the products’ cost at your local store. Second, sales tax is only 6% in Destin. So, if taxes are higher where ever you live, you’re already saving money by shopping in Destin. Lastly, most food items are tax-free in Florida, as long as they are not pre-cooked items. Of course, you will pay tax at restaurants, or buy groceries from Destin’s Wal-Mart, or in your case, beach snacks, are non-taxable.
Traveling Tips
Top of Before You Get into Florida – If you’re driving into Destin from another state, you’ll want to stop for gas just before you get into Florida, as the gas prices tend to be a little more expensive in the state of Florida than other states in the Southeast. The price averages between 10-20 cents higher per gallon than Florida’s surrounding states. Though you are not saving a fortune, you will have a little extra pocket change for your next fill-up.
This photo of Mid-Bay Bridge is courtesy of TripAdvisor
Getting into Town Traffic – Traffic coming in and out of town during the weekends is always heavy. If you are taking the Mid-Bay Bridge, which is a cash-only toll bridge, or the HWY331 Bridge, and you plan to travel mid-day, plan on an hour or two of slow-moving traffic. Coming in from Fort Walton Beach over the Okaloosa Island on HWY 98, though usually steady moving, traffic can also become a challenge during mid-day on the weekends. If sitting in traffic drives you crazy, consider getting into town early on your check-in day, and leaving town early or late on your check-out day.
If check-in is 4:00 PM, then you can count on traffic getting heavy on the bridges by about 10:00 AM. Try to get into Destin by 7:00 AM, stop by Another Broken Egg Café or the Doughnut Hole for breakfast, swing into Wal-Mart for those items that you still need for your vacation, and then hang around somewhere close by your resort until check-in. The same consideration should be given to the day of check-out, and leaving by 7:00 AM or staying around town until after 7:00 PM are the best times to keep you moving and away from the bridge traffic.
Navigating HWY 98- Weekdays during Destin’s most popular tourist seasons can place you in the middle of HWY 98 traffic at a standstill, making you late for reservations and costing valuable time during your vacation. To avoid high traffic times, plan on leaving your resort early, and sticking around the locations where any reservations might be for that day. This goes back to great planning for your trip. For example, if you have a dolphin cruise scheduled for 6:00 PM, but you plan on getting some shopping in on the same day, designate that day as a HarborWalk Village exploration day. Get there in the morning, and spend the day shopping, dining, and experiencing the coastal life offered at HarborWalk, and then walk onto your cruise that evening. If you must travel during the day for reservations, consider the time, and for mornings, add an hour of travel time, and an hour and a half or two hours for late afternoon or evening travel times.
As far as finding your attraction’s location, everything in Destin is accessible by way of HWY 98. East HWY 98 will bring you towards San Destin and, eventually, Panama City, while West HWY 98 will bring you back towards Fort Walton Beach, and eventually Pensacola. The beach is on the South side of Destin, so once you leave your resort, just remember your cardinal directions when navigating your way around HWY 98.
Shopping Tips
Check Wal-Mart before Beach Shops – Now we’re loving on Wal-Mart a little too much, but only in the efforts to save you money on your Destin vacation. You’ll find that HWY 98 in Destin and Scenic HWY 98 are both lined with beach stores where we all love to stop in for a souvenir to remember our trip by. Most of these shops have great deals on t-shirts and trinkets, but for ordinary items like flip flops, sunglasses, beach towels, etc., you want to hold off until you get to Wal-Mart. You’ll find a significant price difference on the same quality items, so don’t just run into a beach shop for a quick pick-up on essential items. Save the beach stores for souvenirs, and keep Wal-Mart as your go-to for your every day, “Oops I forgot to grab my beach towel from home,” safety net.
Top Three Shop Till You Drop Locations – What goes better with coastal scenery and fishing experiences than shopping? If you love to shop for unique treasures and high-end goods, you have found paradise in Destin. With hundreds of shops and major retail outlets, you’ll find what you’re searching for in a number of locations. Here’s a list of must-visit locations around the Destin area where your family can experience something for everyone phenomenon that tends to sparkle around this coastal town.
1.HarborWalk Village –Bringing visitors into the heart of Destin where it all started, HarborWalk Village is the go-to shopping venue for nautical nic-nacs, coastal art, and sports fishing goods. A mixture of high-end boutiques is nestled along the harbor where your little ones can witness charters bringing in daily catches, zip line over the village, and witness true magic shows. Famous restaurants like AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar, Margaretville, Harry T’s, Crab Island Cantina, and Jackacuda’s Seafood and Sushi are all waiting for your lunch or dinner break from shopping.
2.The Destin Commons– This shopping mall has a ton of major brands that we Americans love, with a Bass Pro shops situated on end with Belk on the other, and over 70 other stores in between. Dining and entertainment are also found in the Destin Commons with fun places like Uncle Buck’s Fishbowl and Grill, Johnny Rockets, Fusion Bistro, and more. Sweet treats and a relaxing venue are to be found at the Destin Commons. This is the perfect shopping location for families with youngsters and teens.
3.Silver Sands Premium Outlets – Just west of Destin on HWY 98, you’ll find an area known as San Destin, where upscale coastal living is just the norm. There on the left coming from Destin, you’ll see a massive outdoor shopping mall with all of your favorite high-end brands. To make it even better, all of the stores have the brands at a discounted price. You’ll know it when you see it. With stores like Nautica, Merrell, the Gap, Osh Kosh, Gymboree, New Balance, Dooney & Burke, Columbia, Converse, Saks Fifth Avenue, Zales, and even the Disney Outlet Store, this is just heaven for serious shoppers who love to save on the best brands. You have to stop by Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for chocolate covered strawberries. They are the best!
Get the Book – Upon your arrival in Destin, you’ll want to stop by your resort lobby or the Destin Visitor’s Center to pick up a couple of attraction booklets like the See Emerald Coast Visitor Magazine that is filled with attraction information and coupons for fun activities all over the town of Destin. You’ll save a few dollars off of many attractions, dining, and shopping experiences that will add up pretty quickly. Also, look at the brochures found in your resort lobby and the Visitor’s center, as you will also find coupon information near the bottom, on the back of the card. Make sure to let the company know that you have coupons when you make the reservation.
Beach Tips
Avoiding College Students at the Beach – Destin has always been and will remain, a family spring break vacation destination. Some college students do choose to spend their spring break vacations in Destin, as well. Most of these college students are respectable young adults who plan to enjoy their spring break along the Emerald Coast without causing any kind of problems for families with young children at the beach. However, there are always those few in the group who forget their raising, and the Okaloosa Sheriff’s Department is quick to remind them. To learn how Okaloosa County plans to keep Destin a family first spring break destination, CLICK HERE.
In any case, you’re more likely to run into college students during spring break behind the Crab Trap on scenic HWY 98, and behind the Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island. If the thought of sharing the beach with a crowd of college students sounds unappealing, opt to visit the public beaches along Santa Rosa Boulevard on Okaloosa Island, the bay side of Okaloosa Island, Henderson Beach State Park, or stay at a resort with a private beach like the Emerald Grand. For a full list of great beaches in Destin, CLICK HERE.
Don’t Get Burned – As you probably know, Florida is nicknamed the “Sunshine State.” With Florida’s close proximity to the equator, the ultraviolet rays from the sun are very strong. You can get a nasty sunburn on a cloudy day in Destin. To prevent sunburns or any other injuries from the sun during your Destin spring break vacation, always use sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, hats, and UV ray blocking clothing, especially for young children. You may not realize that your child has sunburn until you are back at your resort room, and it may seem odd that you were only at the beach for an hour on a cloudy day. Always come to the Sunshine State prepared with protective gear to prevent harmful UV rays from wrecking your week.
Stay Hydrated – Another important factor to consider with the Florida sun is that you will need to keep yourself hydrated with plenty of fluids, even though the heat may not seem so bad. This again is especially important for children and also elderly family members. The beautiful scenery and exciting attractions can make many of us less in-tune with our body’s discomfort. Keeping a cooler in your vehicle with water and Gatorade or PowerAde during your Destin vacation can help to keep hydration a priority. When you arrive at the beach, make sure to have your cooler in tow. Avoid consuming too many sodas, since they can cause swelling when paired with Florida’s sun.
With these tips and tricks, you are sure to make the most of your 2019 Destin spring break vacation. Remember to plan ahead and do your homework, pack layers, and plan on a trip or two to Wal-Mart. Once you’ve visited Destin, Florida, you’ll want to go again. You have made a great decision to embark on an adventure in Destin, where you’ll witness the most beautiful scenery and encounter the friendliest locals. Get ready for the spring break vacation of a lifetime.
The short answer is no. Nobody is guaranteed to catch something on a fishing trip or a deep-sea charter. That goes for the most experienced fishers. It is also a common question that people who are new to fishing ask. The honest answer is that it is not difficult to catch something, but many factors go into making a successful fishing trip. Below we talk about those factors, so your fishing adventure is positive and hopefully full of trophy fish.
Our Honest Answer: If it were that easy, we would call it “Catching Fish!” Not “Fishing!”
Factors That Determine What You Catch!
Many factors go into making a successful fishing trip, and some of them are far outside of our control. An excellent example of that is the weather. Fish are heavily impacted by the weather, as is your fishing adventure. What else?
The time of year – if you are fishing for a specific type of fish, then the time of year plays a part. Fish migrate, and many of the big predatory fish follow the smaller baitfish. If your target is not around, then you will not catch them. Fishing is best with an open agenda. Take a couple of poles rigged for a variety of fish and fishing styles. If you are not having good luck with one type of fish, switch to a different target or location.
The condition of your equipment. Many big fish getaway because of equipment failure. If you are fishing with a charter, they may provide you with top of the line gear that is well-maintained and setup for what is in season. If you are bringing your equipment, make sure that it is the correct type of gear and that it is in prime condition for fishing. Catching ocean fish takes a little skill and always quality gear.
Bait Selection – Rigging and bait selection are big. If you don’t have the right lure, jig, or bait, you might never see a fish. What is more frustrating when this happens is the big fish you do see. They swim right up to your hook or lure and then just meander away. A good fishing captain will make sure this never happens.
Great Captain with Experience-Guaranteed to Put You Above Fish
Experience is golden when it comes to fishing, and a good captain and crew will always put you above the fish. That fact is about 1/2 knowledge of the local area, and 1/2 to do with quality technology, such as depth finders, sonar, radar, etc. Good captains know the local waters, even the deep waters for deep-sea fishing, and they know the fish. What that means is they know which fish are in the area, when they are there, and what they eat. The short of it is that a good captain helps you catch a lot of fish without ever touching your fishing rod.
What Fish Are in Season-Charters Have to Follow Regulations
We touched on this a little bit with the factors that impact fishing. It is also essential that charter boats follow the fishing regulations. While some fish may migrate, others stay put, and fishing regulations often determine when you can fish for one type of fish over another. That has a lot to do with conversation as fish are usually not legal to fish during mating season. Size limits and quantity of catch also play into what you can fish for and when.
The Angler’s Ability to Accept Guidance – All Fishers Need to be Ready to Try Something New
Even the most seasoned angler needs to be ready to change up their game plan. There is a lot that goes into catching fish, and even more so if you are trying to catch a specific type of fish. The food system changes weekly, if not daily, for some species of fish. What that means is what worked yesterday may not work at all today. Be ready to change tactics is essential, and your captain will give you solid advice as to how to rig the poles and how to fish. Also, the circumstances – environment, weather, location – also change quickly, and as they do, so do the criteria for catching fish.
While nobody is guaranteed to catch fish, it is pretty difficult not to catch something. If you come prepared for catching ocean fish and are willing to adapt to fishing, you most likely will not only catch fish but have a smashing good day catching a lot of fish.
So you’ve arrived in Destin, Florida and you’re happy to feel that warm sunshine and the ocean breeze. But then one question suddenly sinks in:
What next?
Hopefully, you’ve done a little more advanced planning than that. There’s only so much sunbathing you can do before you start to feel well-charred.
But whether you’ve just arrived or you’re planning your trip to Destin, I want to share five spectacular ways you can turn your vacation into a week-long adventure:
#1 Way to Enjoy Destin, FL: Fishing
Destin sits “on top” of the Gulf of Mexico, with nothing but open water and some of the finest deep sea fishing to its south. If you were to miss out on the deep sea fishing, you’d miss a major portion of what Destin’s all about.
Wondering whether it’s right for you? We’d argue it’s good for just about anyone. But don’t take our word for it; consider what you can accomplish during a deep sea fishing trip:
Travel in large groups: For example, our maximum capacity includes 22 passengers—big enough to handle big families and reunions.
Cater the trip to your skills: We provide different styles of fishing depending on your specific request; if you’re partial to sight fishing, for example, we can do that.
As far as we’re concerned, there’s only one way to do all of the above in style. That’s chartering “The Finest Kind” for 53 feet of prime gulf adventure.
#2 Way to Enjoy Destin, FL: Gulf-Based Entertainment
You’ll get plenty of entertainment during an offshore fishing excursion, sure, but if you want another excuse to go out on the water, there are plenty. Consider:
Dinner cruises: A dinner cruise might sound fancy, but the idea is simple: cruise the Gulf of Mexico at evening time for some of the most spectacular sunsets you’ll see anywhere.
Party boat cruises: The laid-back approach not your thing? No one said you couldn’t party. Party Boat Cruises are great for bachelor/bachelorette parties, birthdays, or simply for those young-at-heart souls who think—nay, know—that a vacation is the ideal time to kick back and have fun.
Dolphin cruises: If you never have an opportunity to see these amazing creatures at home, you’re missing out.
Parasailing: Scared of heights? Never saw yourself as a “parasailing” type person? Leave that old sense of self at home—you’re on vacation.
#3 Way to Enjoy Destin, FL: Spectacular Tours
What good is a vacation without a little exploration? Anyone can get a hotel and sit in their room; for that price, you might as well just sit at home. Tours are great excuses to get outdoors and see something completely new.
In the area around Destin, FL, you can find:
Helicopter Tours
Paddleboard Eco Tours
Kayak Eco Tours
Snorkeling Tours
If you want to make the Gulf of Mexico a focus of your trip—especially after your deep sea fishing excursion—we recommend the snorkeling tours. It’s the only way to get out and see the natural wildlife as up-close-and-personal as it can be.
#4 Way to Enjoy Destin, FL: Rentals
Maybe you don’t need a tour. You’re more like an Age of Discovery explorer—convince someone else to lend you their boats so you can do the exploring yourself. Luckily enough, there are plenty of opportunities here as well. You can rent pontoons for leisurely excursions, kayaks for exercise, wave runners and jet skis for fun, banana boats, bikes, sailboats, and paddleboards. However, we’d like to be on the record: we recommend that you use the bicycles away from the Gulf of Mexico as much as possible. They tend to get wet.
#5 Way to Enjoy Destin, FL: Hunting
Sure, most of you can do hunting from home.
But not hunting like this.
Hunting in Destin, FL is especially good for duck hunting. The estuaries that surround the coast provide a natural collection of puddlers and diving ducks that’s unlike anything else you’ll see along the Gulf.
Choose Your Own Adventure
You know those choose-your-own-adventure books you read when you were a kid? Well, Destin, FL is sort of like a grown-up version of that. There’s no end to the ways you can enjoy the Emerald Coast. Start by chartering “The Finest Kind.”
Destin, Florida is known for its exquisite sugar-white sandy beaches, emerald green water, and unrivaled deep sea fishing experiences. These factors, along with breathtaking scenery painted in every direction, keep Destin as the top spring break destination for families across the United States. This once sleepy fishing village has won its place in our hearts as the perfect location to breathe in the saltwater air and spend time with our loved ones in one of America’s most beautiful settings.
Book a Fishing Charter – If you’re going to spend time in Destin, deep-sea fishing is a must-do experience. Destin is known as the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village” for a reason. With the largest fishing fleet in the state of Florida, deep-sea fishing is kind of a big deal around these parts. With spring break holding one of the most popular times to visit, we recommend that you schedule your deep sea fishing trip well in advance. Never wait until you get into town to schedule your charter, because you may get stuck on a low-quality boat, or you may miss out on the experience all-together. To learn more about spring break deep sea fishing in Destin, 
With these tips and tricks, you are sure to make the most of your 2019 Destin spring break vacation. Remember to plan ahead and do your homework, pack layers, and plan on a trip or two to Wal-Mart. Once you’ve visited Destin, Florida, you’ll want to go again. You have made a great decision to embark on an adventure in Destin, where you’ll witness the most beautiful scenery and encounter the friendliest locals. Get ready for the spring break vacation of a lifetime.
