The best things to do in Fort Walton Beach this fall are the dolphin and sea lion shows at Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, a free look at the SR-71 Blackbird outside the Air Force Armament Museum, a walk or a fishing session on the Okaloosa Island Pier, the history buildings at Heritage Park, and the free Friday concerts at the Fort Walton Beach Landing. Splash RV Resort sits about an hour west, near Navarre Beach and Pensacola, so every one of these works as an easy day trip.
Quick picks if you only have one day:
- Top pick for families: Gulfarium on Okaloosa Island, open daily 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Best free stop: the Air Force Armament Museum, where admission and parking cost nothing.
- Best for a slow afternoon: the Okaloosa Island Pier and The Boardwalk next door.
- Storm note: Hurricane Isaias came through on Oct. 9, 2026. Most of Fort Walton Beach is back to normal, but the Indian Temple Mound Museum is closed and both city golf courses are on a recovery schedule (details below).
Is Fort Walton Beach open after Hurricane Isaias?
Yes, Fort Walton Beach is open for visitors in late October 2026, with a couple of exceptions. Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin on the evening of Oct. 9 as a Category 2 storm, and debris crews are still working through town. Okaloosa Island’s big draws, including Gulfarium, are posting normal hours, while two city facilities are still recovering.
The National Weather Service storm summary for Isaias lists a 105 mph Category 2 landfall near Destin around 8:30 p.m. CDT on Oct. 9, with 11.20 inches of rain measured at a gauge just east of Fort Walton Beach. Two spots are still feeling it:
- The City of Fort Walton Beach museum page says the Indian Temple Mound Museum “had extensive damage during the recent hurricane” and is closed until further notice. The other Heritage Park buildings are open.
- The city’s golf club update cancels Pines Course tee times through Friday, Oct. 23, and blocks Oaks Course tee times through Sunday, Nov. 1. The driving range stays open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Local leaders sound upbeat. Shane Moody, president of the Destin Chamber, told Get the Coast on Oct. 19: “We always bounce back stronger, bigger, better, faster than we were before.” Hours can still shift during cleanup, so check a place’s own page before you drive over.
Which things to do in Fort Walton Beach come first?
Most things to do in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, cluster in two spots: Okaloosa Island across the Santa Rosa Sound, home to Gulfarium, the Okaloosa Island Pier and The Boardwalk, and the downtown waterfront along Miracle Strip Parkway, home to Heritage Park and the Landing. The Air Force Armament Museum sits a few miles north on SR 85.
Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park
Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park opened in August 1955, and the park calls itself “one of the world’s oldest marine animal parks.” Your day revolves around the dolphin presentation and the sea lion presentation, with keeper chats at the penguin, otter and harbor seal habitats in between. It’s at 1010 Miracle Strip Parkway SE on Okaloosa Island.
- Hours: open daily 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and admission closes at 3:30 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas), per the Gulfarium hours page.
- Tickets: the Gulfarium admission page lists adults (13 to 61) at $36.95 and kids 3 to 12 at $26.95, and kids under 3 get in free.
- This weekend only: during Gulfscarium on Oct. 24 and 25, 2026, kids ages 3 to 12 in costume get free admission, with a limit of two kids per paying adult.
Air Force Armament Museum
The Air Force Armament Museum is the best free thing to do near Fort Walton Beach, and it’s an easy one to fit in. The museum sits just outside the Eglin Air Force Base gate at 100 Museum Drive, so you don’t need base access. Its About page says “there are over 29 different aircraft” in the collection, and an SR-71A Blackbird anchors the outdoor airpark.
According to the museum’s plan-your-visit page, the indoor galleries are open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas), and the outdoor airpark is open from sunup to sundown. Admission is free, and so is parking. It pairs nicely with our Thank You Military & Veterans Weekend in November.
Okaloosa Island Pier and The Boardwalk
The Okaloosa Island Pier, which its operator calls The Island Pier, stretches 1,262 feet over the Gulf at 1030 Miracle Strip Parkway SE. It’s open 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the pier’s price list shows a $2 walking pass and an $8 adult fishing pass ($7 for seniors 65 and older, $5 for kids 6 to 12). The pier’s site says the “daily fishing pass includes license,” so you don’t need a separate Florida license on the pier.
The pier’s website lists normal hours with no storm notice, but give them a call at (850) 244-1023 before you pack the rods. Nearby, The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island has restaurants, gift and surf shops, a playground and a splash pad.
Heritage Park and Cultural Center
Heritage Park and Cultural Center, at 139 Miracle Strip Parkway SE in downtown Fort Walton Beach, is where the area’s history lives. The Fort Walton Mound on the grounds has been a National Historic Landmark since July 19, 1964. The Indian Temple Mound Museum is closed after storm damage, but the historic buildings are open.
The city’s museum page says the Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum and historic buildings (the Garnier Post Office Museum and the Civil War Exhibit Building) are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is $5 plus tax for adults, $4.50 plus tax for seniors and military, and $3 plus tax for kids 4 to 17, and kids 3 and younger get in free. The page also warns hours “may change with little or no notice” during repairs.
Are there free things to do in Fort Walton Beach, FL?
Free things to do in Fort Walton Beach, FL, this fall include the Air Force Armament Museum, the Friday night Concerts at the Landing, the Downtown FWB Saturday Market, and the Halloween party at The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island. Honestly, you could spend a whole Fort Walton Beach day and never pull out your wallet.
- Concerts at the Landing: free shows on Fridays from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Fort Walton Beach Landing, 139 Brooks Street SE. The city’s concert lineup has Rockstarfish on Oct. 23 and Cat Rhodes & The Truth on Oct. 30, a makeup date for the show Isaias bumped on Oct. 9.
- Downtown FWB Saturday Market: local produce and handmade goods at the Landing on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., all year.
- Tricks and Treasures at The Boardwalk: the 8th annual event runs Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, from 5 to 8 p.m. at 1450 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, and it’s free for everyone.
- The Landing itself: the city cut the ribbon on its rebuilt waterfront on April 24, 2026, with a 700-foot seawall, a concrete boardwalk, a covered round stage and a new fishing pier. It’s a great spot to watch the sun drop over the Santa Rosa Sound.
What can adults do in Fort Walton Beach?
Grown-up things to do in Fort Walton Beach for adults start with golf at the city-owned Fort Walton Beach Golf Club, an evening at the free Concerts at the Landing, a fishing session on the Okaloosa Island Pier, and dinner on Okaloosa Island. Golf comes with a storm caveat for the rest of October, so plan around the reopening dates.
The Fort Walton Beach Golf Club calls itself “the finest city-owned golf facility in Northwest Florida,” with two 18-hole courses, the Pines and the Oaks, at 1955 Lewis Turner Boulevard. After Isaias, the Pines comes back first (tee times are canceled through Oct. 23), and the Oaks reopens after Nov. 1. Until then, the driving range is open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where can you go in Fort Walton Beach when it rains?
Fun things to do in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, don’t stop when it rains. Head indoors to the Emerald Coast Science Center, the Air Force Armament Museum’s galleries, or the historic buildings at Heritage Park. All three sit within about 15 minutes of each other.
The Emerald Coast Science Center, at 31 SW Memorial Parkway, packs hands-on science exhibits and live animals into a downtown building. Its admission page lists $13 for adults and kids 3 and older, with kids 2 and under free. Fall and winter hours run Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and it’s closed Sunday through Tuesday, so don’t plan a Monday visit.
How long does the drive from Splash take?
Fort Walton Beach is roughly 50 to 60 minutes east of Splash RV Resort by car, and most of the trip runs along US-98 through Navarre and Mary Esther. Downtown Fort Walton Beach and the Okaloosa Island attractions are roughly 35 to 36 miles away, and the Air Force Armament Museum is about 45 miles. Leave by 9 a.m. and you’ll make Gulfarium’s 10 a.m. dolphin presentation.
What is Fort Walton Beach like in November?
November in Fort Walton Beach brings comfortable days in the low 70s and nights that dip into the low 50s. NOAA’s climate normals for the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport put the November average high at 72.1°F and the low at 53.0°F, so pack a light jacket for the evening drive back.
Days get short fast once daylight saving time ends on Nov. 1, 2026. The U.S. Naval Observatory puts sunset in Fort Walton Beach at 4:59 p.m. that day, so plan the outdoor stops early and save the museums for later. Atlantic hurricane season officially runs through Nov. 30.
Where should you stay for Fort Walton Beach day trips?
The best home base for Fort Walton Beach day trips gives you elbow room and a pool to cool off in after the drive. Splash RV Resort, near Navarre Beach and Pensacola, has more than 280 RV sites, each on a concrete pad with water, sewer and 50-amp electric, and if you’re not towing anything, there are 34 cottages plus eight covered Conestoga wagons for glamping.
Here’s why our guests like coming back to Splash after a long day on the island:
- Space: full-hookup RV sites near Pensacola on concrete pads, with pull-in and back-in options.
- Water attractions to come home to: the lazy river, water slides, heated pools, hot tub and splash pad, all detailed on our water features page. Through Nov. 1, you can swim or float from 8 a.m. until dusk.
- No RV needed: our luxury cottages sleep up to 6, and the Conestoga glamping wagons sleep up to 4, with heat and air conditioning.
- Calm evenings: mini golf, dog parks, a pickleball complex and complimentary high-speed WiFi, inland and away from the Okaloosa Island traffic.
Two Spooktober weekends are still ahead on our events calendar, Oct. 23 through 25, then Oct. 30 and 31, packed with costume contests, hayrides, campsite decorating, live music and plenty of trick-or-treating. Then, Nov. 6 to 8 is our Thank You Military & Veterans Weekend, with 50% off using code THANKYOU50. Spend Saturday at the Armament Museum and Sunday at the lazy river, and trust us, that’s a great weekend!
Frequently asked questions
No, they’re separate cities that share the Destin-Fort Walton Beach tourism name. Destin sits about 9 miles east of downtown Fort Walton Beach on US-98, across Okaloosa Island and the bridge over East Pass.
Two stand out. The Air Force Armament Museum shows off more than 29 aircraft, including an SR-71A Blackbird, for free. Heritage Park sits beside the Fort Walton Mound, a National Historic Landmark since 1964.
Catch a free Friday concert at the Fort Walton Beach Landing, then walk the Okaloosa Island Pier at sunset. Golfers can book the Pines Course once it reopens after Oct. 23, 2026.
Downtown Fort Walton Beach is about 39 miles east of Pensacola along US-98. Plan on a bit over an hour each way, depending on traffic through Navarre and Gulf Breeze.
You bet. About an hour west, near Navarre Beach, Splash RV Resort pairs its lazy river with the water slides, the heated pools and a hot tub. RVers get more than 280 concrete sites, every one wired for 50 amps.
Yes. Okaloosa County lifted its evacuation orders on Oct. 11, 2026, two days after landfall, and the free Friday concerts at the Landing resumed Oct. 16. The Indian Temple Mound Museum is still closed, so check each attraction’s website before you go.
Ready to plan your Fort Walton Beach day trip?
Splash RV Resort sits 36 miles from Gulfarium and the Okaloosa Island Pier, with Navarre right on the way, so you can be on the island in under an hour. Spend the day on the island, then come back for a float down the lazy river before dark. Pick your dates and grab a spot, or ring us at (850) 600-8500. We can’t wait to have you!
