Destin Vacation rental w/ beach diving access Pipe dream or reality?

[RaginCajun]

Hey Yall,

I'm looking for a beach front or beach access rental in Destin for a week early this summer. Ideally, it would be near the Jetties so I could stumble out, or take a short walk and do all of the Jetty diving I want. I know this has to exist, but I can't seem to find it in my searches.

Here's the criteria that meets MrsScuba and the redneckcousins' demands: need a house that sleeps about 10 with beach access. On the beach would be great, but something close enough for the kids to walk over without getting squashed by traffic would be good. My last name isn't Gates and we're splitting this with the cousins/family so funding this isn't unlimited.

Any ideas? If this doesn't exist at or near the Destin Jetties, perhaps there may be some other vacation rental with any kind of shore diving out there? Navarre beach pier or something? If I can find something on the beach, it may also make for an interesting night dive, of course the open invitation exists to the SB family to join us for some burned hot dogs, diving and some home brew.

 

[Speargirl]

Try ..VRBO® is Vacation Rentals by Owner® Vacation Homes Rentals by Owner you might find something. Good luck
Becky

 

[Nemrod]

It does not exist, NO, not really. The beach is taken over by condos, cannot wait for global warming to turn them into dive sites.

We rent a house on the canals and then use our own boat to access the reefs, rocks, wrecks and jetty. We usually do this annually as part of a family get together for two weeks. I know the waters in that area better than many locals. The walk to the jetty from the road is quite a hike for us old people. I prefer to park to the other side and either cross in my kayak or just pull around in my boat and anchor inside the jetty. I don't know what it is about that darn jetty, I have dove exotic reefs and deep wrecks and here it is that one of my favorite dive sites is those stupid jettys, why, I cannot answer that.

The beach dives in the area consist of the Destin East Jetty, Navarre Beach Pier, Pensecola Beach rock/rubble and St Andrews Jetty, that is about it, everything else needs a boat. Most of the locaal dive shops rarely go further than the "Bridge Rubble" just east of the Destin Pass. That is an OK site but over and over---geeeeesh. We used to call that area Shark Alley.

In a few places, luck only, you can find a shell/rubble ridge in about 15-20 feet, the outside of the outer bar. I am not going to recommend you do this because you will be carried by the current and it can be a long swim.

I swear, if I have to walk the death march to the jetty again I am taking a 50cf tank and skip breath. Sorry that I cannot give you a hotel adjacent to the jetty, there are none.

N

 

[ReefHound]

OK, the answer to your question is not clear cut. Can it be done? Yes, mostly. Will it be economical? Depends on your budget. For reference, see the google map I stole from another thread courtesy of SeaYoda.

The jetties and the properties around it are in what is called "Holiday Isle" in Destin. This is basically everything along Gulf Shore Dr. Only a few places are what I'd consider walking distance.

We park along the road (parking is scarce if you don't get there early) or at a lot at the end of the road. Where the yellow line starts there is a shower head. Gear up at the car and walk to the jetties. It's tougher than it looks because the sand is soft until you get to the water. It's maybe 200 yards to the hard packed sand then another 400 yards along the edge but the first 200 yards is 90% of the effort.

Mostly there are condos but there are houses for rent in Destin Pointe, see where it says "Rosalie Dr" and the road below it. These would be walking distance but about the same length of soft sand to walk through so the only significant difference between renting here versus renting somewhere else and driving is the fight for parking.

Just to the left of the yellow line near the top are condos that would be perfect. They have a back gate that puts you on the hard packed shore and avoids all the hard work. Alas, they are non-rental condos not available to vacationers.

There are some beach front condos that you might be able to walk from but you'll have about twice the distance of hard packed sand to travel and at least as much soft sand along the jetty wall.

Bottom line, there are places nearby but there appears to be no easy way to avoid the hard work!

 

[ReefHound]

Oops, Nemrod is right. There is one easy way to avoid the hard work - get there by boat.

 

[ReefHound]

Here is the VRBO - Holiday Isles link.

Adjacent to the non-rental condos are places called Waterview Towers and East Pass Towers. IF they have passage along the back to the hard sand they would be ideal but I do not know if that is the case.

The closest beach front condos is Inlet Reef and Islander.

If you can afford the rent at the Destin Pointe houses, I'd contact some of them and ask about best access to the jetties.

Here is a neat map that is a google map with labels.

P.S. you are now obligated to report back if you find a solution, lol.

 

[RaginCajun]

Thanks everybody for the help. I'll start digging and will report what I find. Ahhh If only I could have convinced the Mrs to goto the Bay Islands, The Keys or Mexico...