Fort Walton Beach: This beautiful Okaloosa County resort community, home to approximately 22,000 residents, is located on the Santa Rosa Sound on the state’s western panhandle. Fort Walton Beach enjoys proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and the sugary white sand beaches of the Emerald Coast. Pensacola is about 40 miles away while Eglin Air Force Base is only about five miles away. The economy of Fort Walton Beach is based upon tourism, the high-tech industry and the military. Fort Walton Beach’s favorable climate, featuring very mild winters, is ideal for year-round outdoor recreation and beach fun. The city has approximately 20 parks, three recreational centers and 12 championship golf courses. Fort Walton Beach is also haven for water sports lovers. Residents journey to nearby Henderson Beach State Park and Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park for numerous recreational activities. A further trek to Blackwater River State Park, near the Alabama border, provides yet another recreational option. Fort Walton Beach is home to the Gulfarium – the nation’s second oldest marine park – which provides education and entertainment to a wide variety of ages. Okaloosa County Schools serve the community’s educational needs are some of the highest ranked schools in Florida. Students attend classes at approximately six elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools in town. Real estate is affordable, with single-family homes available along with a wide variety of low-maintenance condominiums and townhouses. The relaxing lifestyle, ideal climate and healthy economy of Fort Walton Beach make it an excellent place to call home.
Fort Walton Beach has a vibrant history of piracy, war and later, tourism. Pirates took advantage of its convenient location from the 16th through the 19th centuries. The Civil War later left its mark on the community. Fort Walton Beach was formally known as Brooks Landing in 1868. The area’s name was changed to Camp Walton for the Walton Guards, who had a Civil War encampment in the community. This encampment helped to establish the area’s long military tradition in addition to giving the town its name. In 1932, the town was renamed because of the discovery of a Civil War cannon in an Indian mound in what is now the community’s downtown area. Eglin Air Force Base was established in 1937 when Fort Walton Beach was incorporated as a municipality.
An exciting attraction in Fort Walton Beach is the Indian Temple Mound and Museum, located in historic downtown. The museum features tours and exhibits. It also houses the nation’s largest collection of prehistoric Southeastern Indian ceramics. The Emerald Coast Science Center and the skating center are favorite attractions as well. Residents enjoy shopping at historic downtown or at the indoor shopping mall that has more than 100 stores.
A gamut of marine animals performs at Fort Walton Beach’s Gulfarium. Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, Ridley turtles, California sea lions and Peruvian penguins are the park’s highlights. Fort Walton Beach also hosts many annual events including the Sprint Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival and a holiday Christmas parade.
The city’s Parks and Recreation Department offers many programs to residents. These include dance, cheerleading, martial arts, ceramics and sports. In addition to enjoying outdoor fun at the city’s many parks, residents also enjoy a variety of activities at nearby Henderson Beach State Park in Destin and Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park near Eglin Air Force Base. Locals fish, boat, hike and camp along the gorgeous white sand beaches of Henderson Beach State Park, which features approximately 6,000 feet of shoreline. Residents pursue similar activities at Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park. Blackwater River State Park, north of town, is another favorite recreational destination. Ideal for canoeing and hiking, the park boasts one of the world’s purest sandbottom rivers.
Post-secondary students can pursue higher education at a variety of colleges and universities in the surrounding area. Okaloosa-Walton Community College, Troy, and the University of West Florida at Fort Walton Beach are the closest schools. Pensacola Junior College and University of West Florida in Pensacola are about 40 miles away. Several Alabama schools like the University of South Alabama at Baldwin are about 80 miles away.
Coldwell Banker United Realtors and it's agents provide Fort Walton Beach, Eglin AFB, Baker, Defuniak Springs, Duke Field, Destin, Bluewater Bay, Crestview, Holt, Mary Esther, Milton, Niceville, Navarre, Santa Rosa Beach, Shalimar, & Valparaiso, Florida real estate and relocation information and resources to guide home sellers and home buyers through the process of selling and buying a house, condo, townhome or other real estate property. Coldwell Banker United Realtors has agents to help you find Fort Walton Beach, Crestview, Bluewater Bay, Destin, Mary Esther, Milton, Niceville, Navarre, Shalimar, or Valparaiso realty, get the value of your northwest Florida Emerald Coast home or real estate with a comparative market analysis (CMA), view northwest Florida Emerald Coast real estate and Emerald Coast MLS listings, prepare your home for sale, and more. Our real estate library contains articles to help anyone selling a home or buying a home learn more about Coldwell Banker real estate services and how to work with a Coldwell Banker Realtor. Through our partners we also provide real estate, relocation and financial services to consumers looking for homes for sale or selling their home, condo, townhouse or land in Ft Walton Beach, FL, such as mortgages, title companies, credit history, new homes, foreclosures, relocation assistance and other services. If you plan to do for sale by owner (FSBO), Coldwell Banker United Realtors can advertise your Fort Walton Beach property for free on this website. We can help you sell or buy a home in the Fort Walton Beach & Eglin Air Force Base area including Camp Rudder Ranger Training Camp, Crestview, Baker, Bluewater Bay, Destin, Eglin AFB, Freeport, Defuniak Springs, Duke Field, Hurlburt Field, Mary Esther, Milton, Holt, Niceville, Navarre, Santa Rosa Beach, San Destin, Shalimar, and Valparaiso, FL. We service the northwest Florida panhandle including Okaloosa county, Escambia county, Walton county, Santa Rosa county and Holmes county. Whether you say REALTOR®, "Realator" or "Realter", realty, "realety" or "reality", real estate or "realestate", our real estate agent speaks your language. Let our real estate agent help you find your new Fort Walton Beach, Florida home, townhome, condo, or land and make your home search easy.
Buying or selling, or just relocating in Northwest Florida and need a professional Coldwell Banker real estate agent (Realtor) to help you find your next new home or list your existing home for sale? Whether you are selling or buying property in Okaloosa County, Walton County, Escambia County or Holmes County, we can help you. If you are looking for a new home or property near Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Baker, Bluewater Bay, Crestview, Defuniak Springs, Duke Field, Freeport, Mary Esther, Navarre, Niceville, San Destin, Shalimar, Milton, Valparaiso, Eglin Air Force Base or Hurlburt Air Force Base then our real estate service for homes in Northwest Florida can help you find it. Search Emerald Coast homes in Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Camp Rudder, Bluewater Bay, Crestview ,Destin, Defuniak Springs, Duke Field, Freeport, Mary Esther, Navarre, Niceville, Eglin AFB, San Destin, Shalimar, Valparaiso, FL and all around northwest Florida. Our agents provide real estate services all along the Emerald Coast and throughout the northwest Florida panhandle. Let Coldwell Banker United Realtors help you find your new Emerald Coast home, townhome, condo, land, or residential lot.. Fort Walton Beach for sale by owner (fsbo) list your property and get it on the Emerald Coast MLS today! US Army 7th Special Forces Group Free relocation package available. |