5 Best Sights in Fort Walton Beach, The Panhandle

The collection at this museum just outside the Eglin Air Force Base's main gate contains interactive displays and more than 5,000 armaments from World Wars I and II and the Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf wars. Included are uniforms, engines, weapons, aircraft, and flight simulators. You can't miss the museum: there's a squadron of aircraft—including a B-17 Flying Fortress, an SR-71 Blackbird, a B-52, and a B-25—on the grounds in front. A continuously playing 32-minute movie, Arming the Future, features current weapons and Eglin's history and its role in their development. You can take a self-guided tour, and you're allowed to take photos.

Some of the 250,000 acres of the Eglin reservation are conditionally open to the public for hiking, mountain biking, swimming, canoeing, and fishing. To gain access, you must obtain a permit from the Natural Resource Division (also known locally as the Jackson Guard). The reservation has 21 ponds and plenty of challenging, twisting, wooded trails.

A beloved local attraction since 1955, this marine adventure park is home to dolphins, otters, penguins, alligators, harbor seals, and sharks. In addition to a range of exhibits, there are daily dolphin and sea lion shows, penguin and otter chats, and premium animal encounters including a VIP Trainer Experience and interactive swims or feedings. The Gulfarium is also home to the C.A.R.E. Center, which rescues and rehabilitates injured sea turtles and, when possible, releases them back into the wild.

Local Indigenous peoples built a large mound here that is one of the largest prehistoric earthworks on saltwater. The site, which was a center of religious, political, and social activity, is still considered a sacred burial ground. A small museum explains the mound and the people who built it; displays of artifacts and weaponry and hands-on exhibits shed more light on the area's inhabitants between AD 700 and 1500. Admission includes entry to the museum, as well as a restored post office and schoolhouse on the site.

This tranquil, seaside, county park rests among the rolling dunes on Okaloosa Island. Two dune walkovers lead to the beach, where there are a dozen covered picnic tables, pavilions, changing rooms, and freshwater showers—plus lifeguards in summer. The city's hottest nightlife is just down the road, but families can enjoy the scenic beauty. There is also an emphasis on wheelchair beach access. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking; showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.