By Frank Berte
About 12,000 years BC (Before Condos), a little place happened to catch the eye of wayward travelers. They found a magic land where crystal white sands are kissed by emerald green waters and the sky just seems to have prettier clouds than anyplace else on Earth. They were simply looking to stop and relax, but they found so much more. Here, in this little special little spot by the beach, Native Americans hunted and fished. They stopped to camp, trapped animals, harvested plants, and lived off the abundant wild resources, deep in the old-growth forest and along the precious shores of what we now call Northwest Florida.
Our story begins about 12 millennia or so later, on May 12, 1932. That’s when the War department sold two of the lots on the Destin Harbor to Mrs. Green of Pensacola. She had big plans for small houses.
The lots were located roughly where the parking lot for the Emerald Grand sits. She used her purchase to establish the first vacation rental cottages here in Destin. The concept of a rentable home isn’t a new idea, but with these humble beginnings, Mrs. Green has made a difference in the hearts of millions of visitors here over the years. People looking for a respite, a quiet getaway, a place to commune with nature, and a place so beautiful, it makes it easy to look inward. Destin is that place.
Early vacation rentals were simple concrete structures. Four walls, maybe a large bay window in the direction of the Gulf of Mexico, the very bare essentials of home. What these humble abodes lacked in grand splendor and luxury appointments, they made up for in unimaginable views of the dunes and the shore. Irreplaceable now, these amazing virgin views had a connection with nature that we can’t even begin to imagine. They helped families get a little closer to the beach and a little closer to each other, and that’s all they were required to do for the next 20 years. But, oh, what a time. Every place experiences popularity and its population increases differently. To say Destin is unusual is an understatement.
Though it’s a known fact that insects by far outnumber humans on the rest of the planet, here in Destin, maybe not. There are 11,500 permanent residents on our shores (on those occasional off weeks); that number jumps to more than 250,000 any given week in season. The loose math works out to over 2 million through the summer. So, if you come across a grumpy local, it could very well be because, at any given moment, each and every one of them is catering to the needs of roughly 21 giddy tourists.
Leonard Destin had the right idea over 150 years ago, setting up his fishing camp on these shores. Since then, the Harbor has grown exponentially with each condo skyscraper that goes up, retaining its charm in the people’s faces that are so happy to be here. It’s been said that to see Destin the way it used to be, simply look out at the Gulf, that view hasn’t changed a bit. This sleepy little fishing village had a long way to go. Over the last 73 years or so, word spread throughout the Southeast and eventually the world. Destin quickly became a household name, synonymous with its relaxing calm shores, warm waters and plentiful fishing.
Building on that rich history of fishing, an event sprung up back in 1948 that would forever help drive the local vacation rental market. The Fishing Rodeo got its name from the abundance of large fish, so many to round up and catch, you could practically ride them! Visitors have been flocking to Destin’s shores every year since. The sheer numbers make this the largest attended, longest-running (and ah’hem, luckiest) fishing tournament in the world. No other event even comes close to generating the room nights that the Rodeo draws in annually. Just like Destin, it has grown every year. Rodeo founders Howard Marler, Jewel Melvin and Willie Marler were so interested in promoting rentals that they decided to move the Rodeo to the entire month of October. This helped lengthen the tourist season. Vacation visionaries!
Off the west side of Mack Bayou, a large parcel of land, rich in natural beauty, came on the market. Among other ideas it was considered for a seaside racetrack for a short time, then for a spell as a potential location for a certain mouse-themed amusement park by the early 1970’s. Evans & Michell bought the land and started the concept of Sandestin.
Incorporating the “San” from nearby Santa Rosa Beach and the Destin from, um, well Destin, a master-planned resort community was born. In stark contrast to the over-development that was so popular at the time, Sandestin carefully incorporated its permanent residences and vacation rentals into the lush dune forests and marshes. It’s quite a wide area from the beach to the bay. From its inception, the community faced grounds and facility challenges.
It was around that time that a fresh face from the Pacific Ocean was making his way to our shores. After his time spent in the Marines, Tim Taylor landed in Waikiki. Little did he know that his early career in hospitality would lead him to such great heights. It was here that he would meet his wife. Soon the two moved to Maui to open a new boutique hotel. Before too long a call came in with an offer to work at the new beach community of Sandestin. Becky and Tim sold their Toyota FJ Land Cruiser and moved here from Hawaii. With little more than a commitment to excellent customer service to his name, they would go on to be leaders in the exploding vacation rental industry.
With the encouragement of his previous Director at Sandestin and a few close friends, a new idea started to take shape. In September of 1982, Tim had just enough operating capital to get his new company through the year. Ocean Reef was born.
Just before Christmas, a call came in from the Beachside One Condominium—they were looking for a company to manage their building. And as they say, the rest is history. They’ve been representing some of the best vacation rentals in Destin since. Ocean Reef now specializes in grand homes with beachfront pools, and the marketplace has come a long way from the humble concrete structures of the early days. Today they have three locations, Miramar Beach, Grayton Beach and Seacrest Beach. This company has inspired new entrepreneurs to establish operations of their own, championing the concept of short-term rentals all along the coast, culminating in Destin becoming one of the top vacation rental destinations in the country.
One thing is for sure, Destin has grown to be the mecca of beach vacation rentals. The Rodeo has been a part of that growth nearly every step of the way. So, as you plan your next trip to our shores to relax, or fish, or a little bit of both, know that you are taking part in a rich tradition—one that spans back millennia, and connects us all to the history of this very special place.
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