Time to Fall for the Emerald Coast

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The No. 11 hole of Shalimar Pointe Country Club on the Emerald Coast Golf Trail.

Photo Credit: Emerald Coast Golf Trail

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An aerial view of Destin.

Photo Credit: Emerald Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau

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A look at the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier, which reaches into the Gulf of Mexico.

Photo Credit: Emerald Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau

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Enjoy a blazing sunset on Fort Walton Beach

Photo Credit: Contributed Photo

A change of seasons blows in festivals, fishing and fun to Northwest Florida's Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island.

A cool breeze blows off the Gulf, gently creating new patterns in the sugar white sand. The summer crowds are gone, the beaches almost private for those who visit. Life is conducted at a more leisurely pace.

This is fall in Florida, the quiet season. But on the Emerald Coast – the area encompassing Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island – the festival season is just beginning, bringing with it anglers in search of the big one, foodies in search of a new temptation and beach-goers in search of an empty stretch of sand.

The Price Is Right

The best part of the quiet season may just be the deals to be found on accommodations. From October through March, nightly hotel rates and rental fees are reduced by as much as 30 percent, with many top attractions also lowering their prices for off-season savings.

Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island boast more than 1,000 holes of championship golf. And while golfers may find the greens at the courses around the Emerald Coast no less challenging, they will find themselves saving green with reduced fees for 18-holes of play. Fees range from $25 at Shalimar Pointe Golf & Country Club to $59 at Regatta Bay and Kelly Plantation.

Fish Tales

Destin’s known as the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village, and for the entire month of October, anglers will be casting lines in the hopes of a big catch during the annual Destin Fishing Rodeo.

About 30,000 top sport fishermen and amateur anglers compete for more than $100,000 in prize money throughout the month. Whether mackerel, marlin or red snapper catch a fisherman’s fancy, there are prizes for almost every game-fish category.  

Festival Time

Catch a fish, eat a fish – it is the circle of life, after all. And there’s no better place than the Emerald Coast for experiencing fresh seafood than at the Destin Seafood Festival, October 2-4, 2009, at Harborwalk Village on the Destin Harbor. Destin’s docks are the stage for the fun, with fresh seafood, live entertainment, and arts and crafts all part of the festive atmosphere.

Festa Italiana brings a taste of Italy right to Destin, October 9 and 10. Members of the Sons of Italy Lodge put on a traditional Italian street festival, with loads of family-friendly entertainment and heaps of home-cooked treats, from spaghetti and meatballs to sweet treats such as cannoli and pizzelles.

Beach Time

Sugar white sand and clear emerald water – a stunning combination any time of year, are a particular treasure during the fall, when the beaches of the Emerald Coast are wide open for exploration. While evening brings a certain chill to the water and sand that lasts through sunrise, once the day heats up, pleasant temperatures on land and sea offer a relaxing setting for sunning, reading or simply playing in the sand.

Fall may be quieter along the Emerald Coast, but there’s little doubt it is a time to be treasured in so many ways.

This article is brought to you by Emerald Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau. Plan your own getaway at www.destin-fwb.com.