Destin is a popular northern Florida vacation destination known for its soft white sand beaches and emerald waters. Ah paradise! People flock to this area every year in March through October, but what’s it like during the rest of the year? Is it a good place for snowbirds to escape gray winter skies and wind chill? We went on a mission to find out.

Winter on the beach

We spent Dec and Jan in Destin in a pastel-colored vacation cottage one block from the beach. The weather was pleasant, with highs in the 50’s & 60’s and lots of sun. Our home had 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, a deck, 2 porches and its own pool. We spent many afternoons sunning outside, but we never did get in that pool. The water was just too cold (Most rental homes in the area have their own pools, but most aren’t heated.) Evenings and mornings called for light jackets or fleeces.

Destin’s soft sugary sand allows for easy beach strolls with sand between your toes most days, but the water was chilly, not penguins-on-icebergs cold, more like sea-lions-basking-on-the-beach-to-escape-the-cold cold (barking optional). About the same temperature as the air. As long as I stayed out of the water I was fine.

There is, however, another option for exercise if it’s too cold to build up your calf muscles walking in the sand: Destin has bike/walking paths all over town, including along Scenic 98, the road that runs along the coast.  We spent many a morning strolling along the coast.

No one was there

My favorite aspect of Destin this time of year is the lack of crowds. It is easy to see how crazy this place could get in the high season with the huge number of vacation rentals everywhere. In the winter, aside from a couple of holiday weeks, the vast majority of homes are eerily empty or under renovation, leaving uncrowded beaches, no traffic, and most importantly no line at Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, which is great any time year. The only line we experienced was at Bad Ass Coffee on the Sunday morning after Christmas (Dec. 27^th). We opened the door to find a line of 20 people crammed inside the small room, which we were used to having to ourselves. Yikes! Needlessly to say we bailed on the coffee with a side of COVID. 

Housing in the off season

Great deals abound for rental units during the low season, particularly for extended stays. It is not uncommon to find discounts of 40 – 50% off for monthly stays. These discounts may not always be advertised, so don’t be shy, ask if one’s available.

Also don’t assume Airbnb or VRBO are your only or best options. The local vacation rental companies typically have a greater variety of properties, and we found them to be a better value. There are a lot of these companies, and they can be hard to find with a general search. Below are some local companies you might consider.

Destin makes a great destination for snowbirds looking for a place to hang out for 1-3 months. Though you will undoubtedly experience some chilly weather, the warm sunny days will easily out number the chilly ones over the course of your stay. The lack of crowds means you’ll find great deals on your vacation rental, and there won’t be any lines at restaurants or challenges in getting tee times. The down side of visiting during winter are no ocean dips (unless you’re a polar bear!), and it can be a little monotonous, but no more than shoveling the drive way for 8th time in a week.

Hidden Gem

Conservation Park in Panama City Beach – free nature park with 12 main trails ranging from 0.6 miles to 11 miles. Absolutely gorgeous long boardwalks through lush swamps, and you might even see an alligator. Great for walks or bikes.

The BBC    beer | bakeries | coffee

The Craft Bar – Great selection of beers on tap with most 32 oz crowlers costing the same as a 16 oz draught. This gem won me over when we stopped in to get a Christmas beer crowler to go. The keg had just blown, leaving only about 14 oz remaining, which the bartender put in glass and gave me gratis. I sat down to enjoy the rich malty flavor, but decided it was in my best interest to invite Karen to join me, since she was sitting in the car waiting for me.

Grayton Beer Company Taproom – Halfway between Destin and Panama City, super friendly staff and great beer selection. Stopped here for lunch after a hike at Conservation Park and picking up yummy grub at Back Beach Barbeque. A great way to cap off an awesome winter’s day.

2 Birds Coffee + Café – Blackberry Lavender Scone… oh baby they’re good. Karen got this porridge stuff filled twigs, nuts, and berries. It didn’t look that appealing, but she ended up going back 3x, it was that good. Good coffee and locally owned.

Blue Mountain Bakery – Down to road a bit on 30A with yummy hot cinnamon rolls and sweet & savory scones. Tiny place but well worth a trip.

Good coffee on Scenic 98 is limited. Bad Ass Coffee has good Hawaiian brew but can be crazy busy on holiday weekends.  Camille’s is hit and miss though fine in a pinch.