Fort Walton Beach, Florida, with a population of less than 20,000 as of 2010, is a small, beach town in the Florida panhandle. Part of the Emerald Coast, there are numerous parks in and around Walton Beach that promote health and fitness activities for visitors, including theme parks, water parks, beach parks and historical parks.
Theme Parks
Located in Fort Walton Beach, near the Gulf of Mexico, Florida's Gulfarium is a theme park and aquarium. Otters, sea lions and dolphins swim and play at Gulfarium. Roam the exhibits and catch the live shows. Adventures Unlimited is a theme park filled with physical activities. Adventures Unlimited offers canoeing, kayaking, ropes courses and fishing. For those with moderate stamina, go on a kayaking trip. Adventures Unlimited offers 7-, 10-, 11- and 15-mile kayaking trips.
Waterfront Parks
Downtown Fort Walton Beach is on the water, and it includes several unnamed waterfront parks in front of businesses and organizations. Perhaps the largest of these is the one that holds The Emerald Coast Science Center. Located directly on the sound in Fort Walton Beach, the waterfront park has room for parties, picnics, and outdoor activities such as Frisbee and soccer.
Adventure Waterparks
Two adventure water parks are near Fort Walton Beach: Pleasure Island Waterpark and Big Kahuna's Water and Adventure Park, in Destin, Florida. The smaller of the two parks, Pleasure Island has wave runner rentals, jet boats, pontoon boats, parasailing and one big waterslide. Big Kahuna's has water activities for children and adults of all ages. Children under 48 inches are required to wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket in the wave pool and they are recommended on all water attractions. Big Kahuna's provides the life jackets on a first-come, first-served basis.
Beach Parks
Fort Walton Beach has 24 miles of gleaming beaches. Wayside Park, Beasley Park, Marler Memorial Park and James Lee Park, are the area's four beachfront. Play volleyball in the white sand, sculpted from Appalachian quartz, or take a swim in the Gulf of Mexico. Be careful when swimming and pay attention to the lifeguards since the rip current in the Gulf is very strong. Preservation is important to Fort Walton Beach. The city requests no excessive foot traffic through the natural vegetation. In addition to the four beachfront parks, there are six mini beach parks, with ADA accessible bathrooms and shower facilities.
Historical Parks
In addition to traditional, outdoor parks, Fort Walton Beach offers historical parks. The City of Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park & Cultural Center has three historical landmarks, all representative of Northwest Florida history. Heritage Park is home to the Fort Walton Temple Mound, a park dedicated to the memory and study of the Native Americans who lived in that area. The Indian Temple Mound Museum honors the artistic and technological achievements of the Native Americans and The Garnier Post Office Museums and Camp Walton Schoolhouse represent rural Northwest Florida in the early 20th century.
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