By Cali Hlavac For us locals, it’s time to begin getting ready for this year’s Fishing Rodeo season—a Destin tradition since 1948! And each year it gets better and better with several new events in the upcoming lineup. New for 2022: The Extended Voyage Division will get an expansion, adding five...
By Michelle Ruschman Foster parenting helps kids and enriches families. A common misunderstanding about fostering is that foster families are gatekeepers between children and biological parents. April Hight, the Foster Home Recruitment Specialist with FamiliesFirst Network for Okaloosa and Walton County, wants to clarify that a foster parent is more...
By Anna and Nathanael Fisher In a recent interview, we were asked if reaching our ten-year milestone felt like “We did it. Mission Accomplished!” Our response was that it feels more like “Mission ongoing, mission good start, mission we’ve so much more to do.” As we look back on the...
Thank you Destin community, businesses and loyal readers! You’ve continued to embrace your Destin Life each month, providing us the opportunity to represent the Destin community as a platform for your community voice. Each month is a celebration of success – telling your stories about people, businesses and organizations...

Living Hope

By Michelle Ruschman Cindy Smith has taught child abuse prevention in schools since the 1990s. This earlier work led her to become an advocate, author, speaker and founder of Living Hope for Today, whose mission is twofold: to teach our kids, even as young as age 3, how to deter...
The 10th Annual Paddle at the Park, a standup paddle board race event, is returning Saturday, Aug. 20, in our amazing, emerald-green Gulf waters at Henderson Beach State Park in Destin. Sponsored by HCA Florida Destin Emergency, it offers races for all ages and skill levels, with its Kids’...
Okaloosa County has launched new beach safety measures in partnership with Okaloosa County Beach Safety and Destin Fire Control District. The initiatives include a synchronized beach warning flag selection across all guarded beaches in Destin-Fort Walton Beach, a text alert system and GPS-mapped signage to help first responders reach...
Summer beach days are here, but what is there to do at night? (Especially for families!) PRESTO! at the Magic Parlor is bringing some of the best magical talent from around the world for a show filled with illusion, showmanship and outright hilarity. This 90-minute magical masterpiece is Inspired...
Destin’s 65th Annual Blessing of the Fleet will be held this year on Ascension Day, Thursday, May 26, 2022 at the docks behind Brotula’s Seafood House and Steamer Restaurant on the Destin Harbor. The event begins at 4 p.m. with a Captains’ Worship and Prayer Service to be held...
By Doug Stauffer Okaloosa County was privileged April 18 to host history in the making. Almost 2,000 of us were blessed to say, “I was there to witness this historic event.” This date marked the 80th anniversary of the World War II Doolittle Raiders bombing of Tokyo. Eighty men launched...