Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Fort Walton Beach is a city of 21,025 people in Okaloosa County, Florida, founded in 1941.
Why visit Fort Walton Beach
Townapedia lists 9 museums and landmarks, 52 parks and trails, 97 places to eat, 26 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Regal Santa Rosa 10, Brooks Bridge, Camp Pinchot Historic District and Fort Walton Mound.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 91°F; January lows average 45°F.
Weather in Fort Walton Beach
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach, often referred to by the initialism FWB, is a city in southern Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, Fort Walton Beach had a population of 20,922. It is a principal city of the Crestview−Fort Walton Beach−Destin, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Fort Walton Beach, Florida (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Brooks Bridge
Bridge · 2.1 mi
Bridge in Florida, United States of America
Henderson Beach State Park
Beach · 3.1 mi
Florida State Park and beach located in northwestern Florida
Suds n Cinema
Cinema and theater · 1.8 mi
174 Miracle Strip Parkway, Fort Walton Beach
Museums and landmarks9
Camp Pinchot Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Historic district in Florida, United States
Fort Walton Mound
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Archaeological site in Florida, United States of America
Governor Stone
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Cargo freighter built in 1877
Gulfview Hotel Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Historic district in Florida, United States
Indian Temple Mound Museum
Museum · 1.7 mi
139 Miracle Strip Parkway Southeast, Fort Walton Beach
Tu-Sa 10:00-15:00; PH off
Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum
Museum · 1.7 mi
127 Miracle Strip Parkway Southeast, Fort Walton Beach
Parks, trails and playgrounds52
Fort Walton Beach Golf Club - Oaks Course
Golf course · 2.4 mi
1955 Lewis Turner Boulevard, Fort Walton Beach
Mo-Su 06:00-18:00
Fort Walton Beach Golf Club - Pines Course
Golf course · 2.5 mi
1955 Lewis Turner Boulevard, Fort Walton Beach
Mo-Su 06:00-18:00
Heritage Park and Cultural Center
Park · 1.7 mi
139 Miracle Strip Parkway Southeast, Fort Walton Beach
Doris Jordan Freeway Beachwalk
Park · 1.9 mi
700 Santa Rosa Boulevard, Fort Walton Beach
Emerald Promenade Beachwalk
Park · 1.9 mi
900 Santa Rosa Boulevard, Fort Walton Beach
Mike Mitchell Beachwalk
Park · 1.9 mi
820 Santa Rosa Boulevard, Fort Walton Beach
40 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes97
Baskin-Robbins
Ice cream · Ice Cream · 1.0 mi
91 Eglin Parkway Northeast, Fort Walton Beach
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 12:00-21:00
FUBAR Pizza Bar
Restaurant · Pizza · 2.2 mi
114 Amberjack Drive, Fort Walton Beach
Mo-Fr 11:00-01:00; Sa-Su 10:00-01:00
Holi Indian Cuisine
Restaurant · Indian · 1.2 mi
280 Eglin Parkway Northeast
Tu-Sa 11:00-14:30, 17:00-22:00; Su 11:00-15:00, 17:00-21:00
Pepito's Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.1 mi
67 Eglin Parkway Northeast
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Pepper's Mexican Grill and Cantina
Restaurant · Mexican · 2.7 mi
1176 Eglin Parkway North
Mo-Th 10:30-21:30; Fr-Sa 10:30-22:30; Su 11:00-21:00
Stewby's Seafood Shanty
Restaurant · Seafood · 1.8 mi
327 Racetrack Road Northwest, Fort Walton Beach
Su-Th 10:00-20:30, Fr-Sa 10:00-21:00
Stewby's Seafood Shanty
Restaurant · Seafood · 2.3 mi
235 Santa Rosa Boulevard, Fort Walton Beach
Su-Th 11:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Task Force Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 2.6 mi
1826 Lewis Turner Boulevard, Fort Walton Beach
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
2A Diner FWB
Restaurant · 1.3 mi
334 Eglin Parkway Northeast, Fort Walton Beach
Mo-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 11:00-19:00
Downtown Music Hall
Bar and pub · 1.8 mi
212 Miracle Strip Parkway Southeast
Mo-Th 16:00-04:00; Fr-Su 15:00-04:00
85 more on the map.
History
Prehistoric settlement of Fort Walton Beach is attributed to the mound building "Fort Walton Culture" that flourished from approximately 1100–1550 CE. It is believed that this culture evolved out of the Weeden Island culture. Fort Walton also appeared to come about due to contact with the major Mississippian centers to the north and west. It was the most complex in the north-west Florida region. The Fort Walton peoples put into practice mound building and intensive agriculture, made pottery in a variety of vessel shapes, and had hierarchical settlement patterns that reflected other Mississippian societies.
The first Europeans to set foot in what is now Okaloosa County and the Fort Walton Beach area were members of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca's party, who traveled by boat from what is now Panama City Beach, Florida, in 1528 to Texas: Then we set out to sea again, coasting towards the River of Palms. Every day our thirst and hunger increased because our supplies were giving out, as well as the water supply, for the pouches we had made from the legs of our horses soon became rotten and useless. From time to time we would enter some inlet or cove that reached very far inland, but we found them all shallow and dangerous, and so we navigated through them for thirty days, meeting sometimes Indians who fished and were poor and wretched people.
From the History section of Fort Walton Beach, Florida on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay26
Baymont Fort Walton Beach Mary Esther
Motel and hotel · 2.2 mi
480 East Miracle Strip Parkway, Mary Esther
Four Points by Sheraton Destin-Fort Walton Beach
Motel and hotel · 2.6 mi
1325 Miracle Strip Parkway, Fort Walton Beach
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Ft. Walton Bch - Hurlburt Area
Motel and hotel · 1.7 mi
522 Mary Esther Cut Off, Fort Walton Beach
Super 8 by Wyndham Ft Walton Beach
Motel and hotel · 1.5 mi
333 Miracle Strip Parkway Southwest, Fort Walton Beach
Churches and places of worship12
Saints Markella and Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
Church · Greek Orthodox · 1.9 mi
104 Bryn Mawr Boulevard, Mary Esther
Chapel of the Cross
Church · 1.6 mi
100 Jonquil Avenue Northwest, Fort Walton Beach
Shopping33
Gas and EV charging18
Schools, colleges and libraries34
Annette P. Edwins Elementary School
School · 1.3 mi
7 Wright Pkwy Sw, Fort Walton Beach
Choctawhatchee Senior High School
School · 1.8 mi
110 Racetrack Rd Nw, Fort Walton Beach
Liza Jackson Preparatory School
School · 2.4 mi
1123 Hospital Road, Fort Walton Beach
Healthcare6
Map of Fort Walton Beach
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63°F | 45°F | 4.5 in |
| Feb | 66°F | 48°F | 5.0 in |
| Mar | 71°F | 54°F | 4.7 in |
| Apr | 76°F | 60°F | 4.5 in |
| May | 84°F | 68°F | 3.2 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 74°F | 4.7 in |
| Jul | 91°F | 76°F | 5.8 in |
| Aug | 91°F | 76°F | 6.1 in |
| Sep | 88°F | 72°F | 5.2 in |
| Oct | 81°F | 63°F | 2.8 in |
| Nov | 72°F | 53°F | 4.1 in |
| Dec | 66°F | 48°F | 4.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Destin Ft Walton Ap (9 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Okaloosa County has had 30 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-10-27: Hurricane Isaias (Tropical Storm)
- 2026-10-09: Hurricane Isaias (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-28: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-24: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-10: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-03: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Eglin Air Force Base/Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Ocean City 1 mi northeast, about 2 min by car
- Wright 2 mi northwest, about 3 min by car
- Mary Esther 2 mi west, about 4 min by car
- Lake Lorraine 4 mi east, about 6 min by car
- Eglin AFB 5 mi northeast, about 8 min by car
- Hurlburt Field 6 mi west, about 9 min by car
- Valparaiso 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
- Destin 9 mi east, about 15 min by car
- Niceville 11 mi northeast, about 18 min by car
- Navarre 16 mi west, about 26 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Fort Walton Beach City Hall, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rent A Center - Fort Walton Beach, FL, Oltnilhn, CC BY-SA 4.0
- FortWaltonBeachTempleMound3, Infrogmation, CC BY 2.5
- FWB Gulfview Hotel01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Camp Pinchot Historic District pano, Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
- FWB Governor Stone01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cinco Bayou Town Hall, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Eudiagogus rosenschoeldi, iNaturalist user: lightbed, CC0
- Atlantoscia floridana, iNaturalist user: lightbed, CC0
- LibraryFWB, Snail98, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sun set okaloosa island fall 2008 from the summerlin ^ 405 - panoramio, fred&sue714, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fall 2008 okaloosa island from the summerlin - panoramio, fred&sue714, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Okaloosa Island, FL, USA - panoramio (2), logopop, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Okaloosa Island, FL, USA - panoramio (1), logopop, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Okaloosa Island, FL, USA - panoramio, logopop, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Okaloosa County, FL, USA - panoramio, logopop, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Okaloosa County, FL, USA - panoramio (2), logopop, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Okaloosa County, FL, USA - panoramio (1), logopop, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ISS012-E-16737 - View of Louisiana, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-50551 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS030-E-151582 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Okaloosa County, FL, USA - panoramio (3), logopop, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Woman diving into pool, Xrzt, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shalimar Town Hall, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chevron, Wright, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Task Force Pizza Co, Wright, Florida, The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0
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