4 Days in Fort Walton Beach, FL: Long Weekend Itinerary

It’s time for a beach vacation! This 4-day Fort Walton Beach itinerary is the perfect guide for your long weekend beach getaway.

We took a short family vacation to Fort Walton Beach, Florida and had an amazing time! My family used to vacation in Destin all the time when I was a kid, so it was nice to get back down to the Florida panhandle as an adult.

Get ready to spend 4 days in Fort Walton Beach with this fun beach itinerary!

Fort Walton Beach Itinerary

Day 1 in Fort Walton Beach

We drove to Fort Walton Beach because it’s only about a 5 hour drive from Atlanta. My family drove down from Huntsville, AL because it’s only about a 5.5 hour drive.

If you’re flying into Fort Walton Beach, you’ll fly into the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS). If you’re just visiting to chill at the beach, you don’t really need to rent a car. But in this itinerary, we do a little exploring, so I recommend renting a car.

Use your first day in Fort Walton Beach to get settled into your hotel and enjoy some time at the pool and beach.

Check-in at The Island Resort at Fort Walton Beach

For our 4 day beach vacation, we stayed at The Island Resort at Fort Walton Beach, which is a beachfront hotel with direct access to the sugar white sands.

The hotel rooms are pretty simple with a bed, a desk, some chairs, a refrigerator, and a microwave. Upgraded rooms have more space, private balconies, Gulf views, and pool views.

What really makes this place special are the amenities.

This hotel has a swim-up bar, outdoor pools, a hot tub, 3 bars, a bunch of dining options, and daily entertainment. It’s such a fun place! We spent a lot of time in their iconic Grotto Pool that has a swim-up bar hidden behind the waterfall.

I highly recommend staying at The Island Resort!

Hit the Pool

After checking-in, you might not feel like lugging all your stuff to the beach. But heading to the pool is usually much less maintenance. So that’s why I recommend a pool day for your first day at the beach.

The Island has two outdoor pools, plus a hot tub. One of their pools has a 5-story waterfall, and behind it is their Grotto Bar, a neat swim-up bar where you can get all their signature drinks (there’s also a walk-in way to access the bar if you don’t want to swim under the waterfall).

Spend some time relaxing by the pool before heading to dinner.

Dinner at The Crab Trap

The Crab Trap is a great spot for supper on your first night at the beach. This vibrant beachfront restaurant at The Boardwalk Okaloosa Island is a seafood restaurant with award-winning gumbo, wild Alaska crab legs, and other seafood favorites.

I recommend the Alaska Dungeness Crab, the Red Fish, or the Crab & Shrimp Linguine. To drink, get The Blue Heron.

Walk Along the Beach

A great way to end the day is to walk along the beach enjoying the sound of the ocean waves and looking for ghost crabs.

Be sure to bring along a red filtered flashlight during turtle season (March through October).

Day 2 in Fort Walton Beach

On our second day in Fort Walton Beach, we made plenty of time to soak up the sun at the beach and the pool.

Breakfast at Coastal Kitchen

Coastal Kitchen is the on-site restaurant at The Island Resort, and it’s a great place to start your day with breakfast.

They have a buffet and a menu of breakfast favorites from classic eggs and bacon to skillets to parfaits. Plus, you can start your day off with bottomless mimosas.

I recommend the buffet or the Avocado Toast.

Morning by the Pool

Take it easy on your first full day in Fort Walton Beach with a morning by the pool. I always like visiting the pool earlier in the day for a more relaxed atmosphere, before the party vibe in the afternoon.

Lunch at Rockin’ Tacos

Rockin’ Tacos is a beachfront Mexican restaurant at The Boardwalk Okaloosa Island. You can sit on the covered patio and enjoy Mexican classics, margaritas, and Gulf views.

I recommend the Taco De Pollo or the Gator Tacos.

Beach Day

There are 3 miles of beaches on Okaloosa Island where Fort Walton Beach is located. So there’s plenty of space to spread out and enjoy a beach day!

Set up a beach chair and umbrella, lay out a towel, and grab your sandcastle-building kit. Florida’s panhandle has some of the softest sugar-white sand to sink your toes into!

The water in the Gulf of Mexico is typically warmer here than in the ocean. There aren’t usually a lot of big waves, but you can get some small ones for bodysurfing by the shore.

Want to know what to pack for your beach vacation? Check out my beach packing guide here.

Dinner at Angler’s Beachside Grill

Angler’s Beachside Grill is a family-friendly beachfront seafood restaurant next to the Okaloosa Island Pier. On the menu, you’ll find combo baskets, sandwiches, and crab dips.

I recommend the Bacon Wrapped Scallops or the Grilled Mahi-Mahi. To drink, I recommend the Angler’s Rum Punch or The Islander Mojito.

Walk Along the Beach

Spend another night walking along the beach. As you walk, you’ll notice a lot of people searching for ghost crabs with their flashlights, fishing, and just relaxing with friends under the starry night sky.

Day 3 in Fort Walton Beach

On our third day in Fort Walton Beach, we decided to spend the morning exploring the town’s non-beach attractions before hitting the beach later in the day.

Breakfast at Coastal Kitchen

Start your day off right with another breakfast from Coastal Kitchen, whether you see what’s new at the buffet table or try a breakfast burrito from the menu. You can’t go wrong!

Visit the Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park & Cultural Center

The Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park & Cultural Center is 4 museums in one. You can see historic sites and buildings that are important to the Northwest Florida area from 12,000 B.C. through the 1950s.

Here’s a little about each museum you can visit (all for one price!):

– Indian Temple Mound and Museum

The Indian Temple Mound at Fort Walton Beach is a large platform mound that was built by Native Americans around 850 CE. It was built at the center of the village and served ceremonial, political, and religious purposes.

The Indian Temple Mound Museum houses stone, bone, clay, and shell artifacts; an impressive collection of prehistoric ceramics; and artifacts from European Explorers, local pirates, and early settlers.

This was the first municipally owned and operated museum in the state of Florida, opened in 1963.

– Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum

The Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum is a historic 2-room schoolhouse that covers the early history of Camp Walton (as the town was then known) and education from 1912 to 1936.

– Garnier Post Office Museum

The Garnier Post Office Museum is a historic post office building that was used from 1918 to the 1950s. The museum explores how mail was distributed during this time, with lots of fun postal facts.

– Civil War Exhibit

The Civil War Exhibit is housed in a recreated building behind the schoolhouse museum. The museum is set up like a Civil War tent, with exhibits that tell the story of the Walton Guard, the local Confederate volunteer infantry that was stationed here at the Temple Mound from 1861 to 1862.

Visit the Air Force Armament Museum

The Air Force Armament Museum is a free museum adjacent to Eglin Air Force Base that is open to the public.

It’s the only museum in the world dedicated to artifacts of Air Force weapons, equipment, and delivery platforms. You can walk among their 29 different aircraft on display outside (what my family affectionately calls “planes on sticks”), see aircraft from WWII to the present, learn about modern weapons, and more.

Lunch at Island Food Truck

The Island Food Truck is a permanent food truck on The Island Resort‘s Beach Patio. It’s the perfect place to grab a quick lunch and eat on the beach.

They serve tacos, burritos, nachos, and rice bowls as well as tequila cocktails.

Beach Day

It’s time for another day relaxing at the beach!

If sitting around in the sand isn’t your thing, you might try renting a jet ski or renting a private pontoon boat for a fun day out on the water.

Hit the Pool

Once you’ve had your fill of the beach, head to the pool (you’ve gotta take advantage of The Island Resort‘s Grotto Bar before it closes for the evening, after all!).

Not staying somewhere with a pool? No worries!

You can get a day pass to Fort Walton Beach pools with ResortPass. Just pay a fee for the day and you’ll get access to hotel pools like at The Island Resort, the Hampton Inn, and the Four Points by Sheraton. There’s no need to miss out on a pool day!

Dinner at Floyd’s Shrimp House

Floyd’s Shrimp House is a beachfront seafood restaurant that’s notorious for their all-you-can-eat fish and shrimp platters, offered every day.

I recommend the Floyd’s Surf & Turf or the Bay Shrimp Basket.

Walk Along the Beach

Round you trip out with another walk along the beach at night. It’s the perfect way to spend your last night at the beach!

Day 4 in Fort Walton Beach

On your last day in Fort Walton Beach, it’s time to say goodbye. Time to start planning another trip back!

Before you go, you still have some time for one last walk along the beach in the morning, another dip in the pool, or another coastal breakfast.

Where to Stay for 4 Days in Fort Walton Beach

The Island Resort at Fort Walton Beach

For our 4 days in Fort Walton Beach, we stayed at The Island Resort at Fort Walton Beach.

The rooms are pretty standard and aren’t really anything to write home about, but the hotel’s amenities are top-notch.

If you want to lounge by the pool, this hotel has two outdoor pools, one with a waterfall and a swim-up bar, and a hot tub. There’s a quick-serve restaurant and bar right on the pool deck and the hotel’s signature restaurant just inside the lobby.

When you’re ready for some waves, you have direct beach access, a beach bar, a taco truck, and chair and umbrella rentals so you can have the best beach day ever.

Book your stay at The Island Resort here.

4 Days in Fort Walton Beach Map

Ready to spend 4 days in Fort Walton Beach, Florida? Use the map below to plan out your vacation.

I hope you found this long weekend Fort Walton Beach itinerary helpful!

More Florida Tips

Check out the posts below to continue planning your Florida vacation.

• 5 Days in Fernandina Beach Itinerary
• 15 Fantastic Things To Do In Key West, FL
• 13 Fun Things to Do in Fernandina Beach, FL
• Why You Should Visit the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
• 5 Romantic Things to Do in Jacksonville, FL
• How to Spend a Weekend in Gainesville, FL
• 2 Days on Florida’s Space Coast: A Fun Itinerary
• Why Kennedy Space Center is Worth It for Adults, Too
• Visiting the Coral Castle in Miami, FL

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Ready to visit Fort Walton Beach, Florida? Plan your trip with these tips.

• Book Your Flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
• Find Accommodation: You can find top beach rentals in Fort Walton Beach on VRBO.
• Start Packing: Check out my packing list resources so you’re prepared for your trip.

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Cheers!

Paige

When are you planning to spend 4 days in Fort Walton Beach, Florida? Let me know in the comments!