COVID-19 FAQs for Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Okaloosa County and Destin beaches are now open from dawn until dusk. This includes public and private beaches; restrooms; beach access ways; parking areas solely for accessing beaches; county and city beachfront parks; trails; Marler Park; and the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier. The Okaloosa area of the Gulf Islands National Seashore has also re-opened as has Henderson Beach State Park’s beach access and parking.

• Henderson Beach State Park's day-use areas are at 70% capacity, and camping sites are open to advance registrations - no walk-up reservation will be accepted. 

Eglin off-base beaches have also re-opened under the following guidelines, with the exception of the East Pass access point.

• ​Princess Beach, Matterhorn and White Point are open for normal operations from dawn to dusk.
• Eglin Beach Park will open at 10 a.m. Parking is $5 at the gate with credit card payments only. Beach park hours of operation are Monday-Sunday from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
• Beach park pavilion reservations will not be accepted at this time. Rental equipment will also not be available at this time.

Short-term vacation rentals are approved to welcome back guests. They can do so by following safety guidelines in favor of public health and safe vacations.

• At this time, there are no quarantine requirements for out of state visitors. 

Hotels, motels and inns remain open. For specifics on how an individual property may have modified procedures and operations in place we recommend contacting your accommodations directly. 

On August 6, the Governor rescinded all quarantine mandates for travelers from New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. At this time, there are no quarantine requirements for out of state visitors. 

To help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect toll collectors, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) will temporarily not accept cash as a form of payment for tolls including the Mid-Bay Toll Bridge. Tolls will still be required, but they will be collected either via SunPass or toll-by-plate. Administrative fees are waived at this time.

At this time, the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) is operating as normal. However, given COVID-19’s impact on the industry and individual carriers, we recommend you continue to check directly with the airline.

Yes, restaurants and bars in Destin-Fort Walton Beach are open. On September 25th, restaurants and bars are permitted to be open and operating at 100% capacity while following CDC approved guidelines. Many local restaurants are still offering outdoor seating with tables spaced 6-feet apart.

A number of local restaurants have been offering curbside pickup and delivery services and will continue to do so. For a list of area restaurant re-openings, click here. 

Local activities and attractions, such as fishing charters, dolphin tours, retail stores, and water sports rental locations are open. For a list of area attractions + activities that are re-opened, click here.