Destin, Florida

Destin is a city located in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. It is a principal city of the Crestview–Fort Walton Beach–Destin, Florida metropolitan statistical area. Its population was 13,931 at the 2020 census, up from 12,305 at the 2010 census. Located on Florida's Emerald Coast, Destin is known for its white beaches and emerald green waters. Originating as a small fishing village, it is now a popular tourist destination. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, over 80% of the Emerald Coast's 4.5 million visitors each year visit Destin. The city styles itself "the World's Luckiest Fishing Village" and claims to have the largest fishing vessel fleet in Florida. The city is located on a peninsula separating the Gulf of Mexico from Choctawhatchee Bay. The peninsula was originally a barrier island. Hurricanes and sea-level changes gradually connected it to the mainland. In the 1940s, it technically became an island again with the completion of the Choctawhatchee-West Bay Canal.