Summer, Fall Busy Tourist Season for Destin, Florida

DESTIN, FLORIDA -- Tuesday we learned Allegiant Airlines will be offering direct flights from St. Cloud to Destin, Florida starting in June.

Joe Godar is the CEO of the website DestinFlorida.com. He says the number one thing the area is known for is its white sandy beaches and emerald green water.

He says it was founded as a fishing village.

We have hundreds and hundreds of charter boats that go out in the bay and near shore and off shore, so getting a fishing charter any time of the year is very easy and accessible.

Godar says after you've spent the day on the water, Destin has a pretty active nightlife.

We have Harborwalk Village, it's a big area where all the boats are, there's a lot of shopping, there's restaurants available, bars and nightlife.  There's also Baytowne Warf, which is another shopping and restaurant district that's on the bay.

Destin is known for its seafood restaurants.

While it might seem strange to book a trip to Florida during the summer months, Godar says that's actually the height of their tourist season.

And our peak season is going to be July 4th, it ramps up in the spring and summer, July is definitely our peak and busiest time when most people are on vacation, and the fall is just gorgeous.

Godar says if you wait to go to Destin in October you will experience the annual fishing rodeo.

It runs for 31 days, it's a big event every day at the harbor when all the boats are bringing their catches in.  There is a tournament and prizes can be one.  It's just a big event every night down on the harbor.

Godar says this is actually their slow time.

Godar says the region is not highly populated with residents, but it's more of a tourist area, having become what is now one of the most visited areas on the Gulf Coast.

Destin gets its white sandy beaches from the Appalachian Mountains.  The sand is made up of bits of quartz crystals that have been washed off the mountains, carried down rivers, and settled along the Gulf of Mexico.

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