Top Family Amusement in Destin, Florida
Destin, the popular tourist city along the Panhandle of Florida, has a lot to offer families. Kids, parents, and youth will have a blast even when they are not playing around on the white sandy beaches or swimming in the emerald-colored waters.
BIG KAHUNA’S
While you are here, you are likely to hear or see a commercial advertising Big Kahuna’s as “more fun than a day at the beach” because it has no sand and no seaweed like the beach. Open since 1986, Big Kahuna’s Lost Paradise is the most exciting and funn-filled water and amusement park on the Emerald Coast. You can relax and sun in the wave pool or get a thrill from one of the many water slides. The Water Park also features quiet pools, areas just for kids, and the biggest man-made waterfall in the world. The park now sprawls across 25 acres and has more than 40 water attractions!
If you rather stay dry and have fun, head over to Big Kahuna’s Adventure Park. Of if you rather, you can visit both parks! Big Kahuna’s mini golf has 54 challenging holes on three unique, picturesque courses. Enjoy the beautiful flowers, sculpted trees, and several waterfalls. The courses take you over wooden bridges, through caves, and under a floral canopy. Each course has its own creative obstacles and authentic wooden tiki heads (which guard the holes and protect golfers from a stroke of bad luck). After a round or two of golf, how about a bit of speed! The adventure park features two raceways for you to drive go-carts and race your friends around the winding track! The Cyclone is a very exhilarating attraction. You are strapped to the end of an 80-foot airplane propeller. The plane starts upâÂ?¦.and you go spinning around like a cyclone! There’s also a roller coaster at this park. It takes you up 100 feet in the air, and is sure to give you non-stop action and thrills. A little less on the heart-pumping side is the arcade where you can enjoy lots of challenging and fun games.
GULFARIUM
Take your family to the oldest marine show aquarium in the US. Since 1955, millions of people have visited Florida’s Gulfarium. When you visit this awesome park, you will definitely leave with a big smile on your face!
There are three live marine shows that you can see any day of the week, rain or shine. The shows are scheduled in half-hour series, back to back, so you won’t miss a performance.
To begin with, head over to the top deck for the amazing dolphin show. Trained Bottlenose Dolphins perform tricks, jump through hoops, and sing songs to the crowd. Immediately following this show is the Sea Lion Show, located a few steps away. These three animals mimic their trainers and are a real hoot! They will certainly make you laugh! The last of the series is the Multi-Species Show towards the side of the park. Here, Bottlenose Dolphins and a California Sea Lion perform together. There are also shark, penguin, and otter feed demonstrations between shows.
In addition to the marine shows, be sure to walk around the aquarium and view the animal exhibits. There are ducks, alligators, exotic birds, sharks, penquins, and seals to enjoy – just to name a few!
SOUTHERN STAR DOLPHIN CRUISE
In the afternoons is a great time to enjoy a cruise in the Gulf aboard the Southern Star. The Southern Star is a 76′ glass bottom boat that is family-owned and operated. It is docked at Harborwalk, behind the Lucky Snapper Restaurant. Enjoy a two hour relaxing trip with a fun, friendly crew. Look at the scenery, peer down through the clear waters, and feed the birds. Go below the boat to enjoy the “glass bottom”. You will be able to see lots of marine life, especially dolphins! These beautiful animals love to swim with the boat! On the Southern Star, there is a climate-controlled deck, and the crew lets kids actually steer the boat!
