Emerald Coast local guides
Emerald Coast Dispatch publishes 14 free local guides for Bay, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties, on Halloween, elections, holidays, books, fishing, golf, roads and safety and more. Latest data check: Oct. 31, 2026.
This season
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Halloween · in season
Halloween 2026
Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. Here are 2 Halloween events in Bay, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties through Nov. 1: trunk-or-treats, festivals and haunted attractions from official and organizer sources, plus trick-or-treat…
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Elections · in season
Early Voting 2026
Early voting dates for the Nov. 3, 2026, election: Bay Oct. 19-31, Okaloosa Oct. 19-31, Santa Rosa Oct. 19-31, Walton Oct. 19-31. Hours and sites from county election offices.
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Elections · in season
Election Results 2026
Live, unofficial Nov. 3, 2026, election results for Bay, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton counties, updated as officials report them.
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Holidays · in season
Christmas 2026
Christmas is Friday, Dec. 25, 2026. We track 17 holiday events in Destin, Panama City Beach & the Emerald Coast through Jan. 1, from official and organizer sources. Next up: Emerald Coast Christmas at The Dock (Fri., Nov. 20).
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Local services · in season
Hurricane prep
Guides
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Books
Beach Romance Reads
Beach romance books to read on the Emerald Coast, from Destin and 30A to Panama City Beach: shelves picked by our newsroom, holiday romance and the next big love story.
Checked Oct. 30, 2026
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Fishing
Emerald Coast Fishing
As of Sat., Oct. 31, 2026, 6 of the 8 fish we track on the Emerald Coast can be kept today: red snapper (through Sun., Nov. 1), redfish, speckled trout, sheepshead, gray triggerfish (through Thu., Dec. 31, 2026), and red grouper. Closed…
Checked Oct. 30, 2026
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Golf
Emerald Coast Golf Guide
We map 26 golf courses, 3 driving ranges and 7 mini golf courses on the Emerald Coast. Okaloosa County has 9, Walton County has 8 and Bay County has 5. The best months to play are October, May and April, with about 24–26 good golf days…
Checked Oct. 30, 2026
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Roads and safety
Car crashes & roads
From 2020–2024, 553 fatal crashes killed 594 people on the Emerald Coast, according to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System. In 2024 there were 106 fatal crashes and 107 deaths. The road with the most fatal crashes was US 98 (Bay)…
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Retirement
Retire on the Emerald Coast
We compare 25 towns on the Emerald Coast with U.S. Census data, the nearest hospital from our local directory and official state tax rules. The highest share of residents 65 and older is in Miramar Beach (38.3%) and Mexico Beach (38.1%)…
Checked Oct. 31, 2026
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Military and veterans
Emerald Coast Military Guide
The Emerald Coast has 6 military installations: Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field, Tyndall AFB, NAS Whiting Field, NAS Pensacola and NSA Panama City. About 82,600 veterans live in Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Bay counties (16.1% of adults)…
Checked Oct. 30, 2026
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Real estate and rentals
Invest on the Emerald Coast
A local short-term rental permit is required in Destin, Walton County and Panama City Beach. Lodging tax on a rental: Destin 13%; Okaloosa County 12% to 13%; Walton County 10% to 12%; Panama City Beach 13%; Panama City 13%; Bay County 7%…
Checked Oct. 30, 2026
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Small business
Emerald Coast small business
$2.2 billion in direct visitor spending in Okaloosa County, and visits outside summer grew 19% (Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council, 2025 research deck). People filed 14,459 applications to start a business in the 4 counties on…
Checked Oct. 31, 2026
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Visitor guides
Visitor guides
Our 94 free visitor guides cover beaches, water spots, parks, museums and festivals in Bay County, Okaloosa County, Santa Rosa County, and Walton County. As of 1:15 pm today, 37 places look good to go, 28 call for caution and 13 are not…