Crystal Beach

Crystal Beach is one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in Destin, running south of Scenic Highway 98 between the highway and the Gulf. It was here long before the mid-rise condominiums, and it still feels like a beach neighborhood rather than a resort: short streets, a mix of house sizes and ages, and a dozen public beach accesses within walking distance.

The housing mix is wide. Original single-storey cottages sit alongside three-storey rental homes built to take advantage of the walk-to-the-beach location, plus low-rise condominiums and townhomes. That range means Crystal Beach spans a broad price band, and there is usually something available at several levels.

Short-term rental demand here is among the strongest in Destin because guests can park once and walk to the sand. Owners should check the specifics for any given property, but as a category this is one of the more proven rental neighborhoods on the Emerald Coast — and one of the few in Destin where you can still buy a detached home close to the water.

See more of the area on our Destin community page.