Okaloosa Island is an unincorporated community on Santa Rosa Island, Okaloosa County, Florida. The island community uses Fort Walton Beach as a mailing address but is not actually part of that city. It is part of Florida's Emerald Coast and features spectacular sugar-white sand beaches.
The Island is bordered on the north by the Santa Rosa Sound Narrows (plus the cities of Fort Walton Beach & Mary Esther.) Choctawhatchee Bay & the city of Destin are our immediate neighbors to the Northeast & East. Our big beautiful "neighbors" to the south are the pristine white sand beaches and emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Enjoy water sports of all sorts in the area: swimming, boogie boarding, parasailing, snorkeling, & charter boat trips.
The 1262 ft long Okaloosa Island fishing pier is two miles “down the street” from the condo. The pier includes a shade structure, bait & tackle shop, pole rentals & restrooms. Since the pier has a commercial fishing license, you DO NOT need to buy a separate Florida fishing license to fish from it . You do have to pay a small fee as a part of admission if you want to fish. Rods, reels, and bait also are available.
NOTE: You do need a current Florida license (visitor/shoreline 3-day, 7-day, or annual pass) to fish from other places such as surf, sound, or freshwater. Visitors' licenses are available online or at local sporting good stores, bait shops, Walmart, & more.
Gulf Coast life is enjoyable year round. There are activities & adventures, festivals & fun every season of the year.
A Tom Thumb convenience store is only a 5 minute walk east on Santa Rosa Blvd. Open 6 am - 11 pm, it has lots of essentials like snacks, milk, bread, eggs, soft drinks, sandwiches, beer, frozen foods, fresh brewed coffee, fresh fruit, fishing tackle & bait, bulk ice, beach supplies, sundries, plus an ATM. Need more? Publix Grocery is just 2 1/2 miles across the Brooks Bridge. Downtown Fort Walton Beach has numerous shops, & restaurants.