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Spanning 27 miles from South Walton to Okaloosa, Choctawhatchee Bay is a favored spot among locals and tourists if you’re looking for a relaxing day on the water, whether boating or fishing. It connects to three rivers, six bayous, and eight lakes, so there’s plenty of bay to explore. It also offers stunning views if you’re looking for a little bit of variety beyond the beaches of 30A. Planning a visit to Choctawhatchee Bay? Here are a few of our favorite things that you could do while you’re here:

Visit the Air Force Armament Museum

It’s not all water and sunny skies to see at Choctawhatchee Bay. You can also check out the only museum in the United States dedicated to exhibitions of Air Force armament, the Air Force Armament Museum. You can find artifacts from the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the World Wars, as well as modern weaponry used by the air force. This is adjacent and works with the Eglin Air Force Base, as well as working with the Air Force Armament Museum Foundation.

Check Out Crab Island

A popular spot in Destin, Crab Island is a fun part of Choctawhatchee Bay, as well as a relatively recent one. The dredging of the Destin Pass in the 1960s led to a massive sand deposit in Choctawhatchee Bay that then formed a small island, circular with curled arms reaching out of it that seemed to be shaped like the pincers of a crab. You can boat out to Crab Island from the Destin shore along with hundreds of other boats to relax on the warm white sand, enjoy time with others, and just take in the view.

Go Fishing

Whether a solitary sport or one to enjoy with friends and family, Choctawhatchee Bay has 27 miles of beautiful fishing waters. You can rent a pontoon boat and get out there for yourself. In Choctawhatchee Bay, you’ll find not only gorgeous sun on vibrant blue waters, but a wide variety of fish like flounder, grouper, redfish, Spanish mackerel, speckled trout, and striped bass. Want to just observe rather than fish? You might even see dolphins or shark in Choctawhatchee Bay.

Rent a Paddleboard

The water at Choctawhatchee Bay is beautiful, colorful, and perfect for taking a day to paddleboard. Stand up paddleboards (SUP boards) look like a surfboard from a distance, with one long paddle so that you can steer it from a standing up position. With a paddleboard, you can take a leisurely paddle along Choctawhatchee Bay, taking your time to really see the sights, and maybe even bring a little one on board with you.

Planning a fun trip to Choctawhatchee Bay? Make sure you have the right resources to do everything you need to do, like pontoon boats, paddleboards, golf cars, and more. For that, turn to The Rental Shop on 30A. Call us today to learn more or schedule your rental: (850) 260-0001.