Urgent care or ER in Santa Rosa Beach: hours, costs and what is open on weekends
By the Health Desk, Emerald Coast Dispatch
If this is an emergency, call 911.
In Santa Rosa Beach, in Walton County, Florida, the closest 24-hour emergency room is Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach, which also has a separate pediatric ER. For non-emergency problems, Ascension Sacred Heart Primary Care & Urgent Care – South Walton, on US Highway 98 W in Santa Rosa Beach, takes walk-ins seven days a week. Hours below were last verified on Oct. 27, 2026; call ahead before you go.
When to go to the ER and when urgent care is enough
MedlinePlus, the health information service of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), says to go to the emergency room or call 911 for problems like these:
- Choking, or breathing that has stopped
- A head injury with fainting or confusion
- Severe chest pain or shortness of breath
- A seizure that lasts more than one minute
- Sudden weakness, or trouble speaking or seeing
- Heavy bleeding
- A severe allergic reaction
- Poisoning or an overdose
The same MedlinePlus guide lists problems that urgent care can usually handle: colds, flu, earaches, sore throats, low fevers, limited rashes, sprains, minor cuts and burns, and minor broken bones. MedlinePlus has a separate version of the guide for children.
This is general guidance from MedlinePlus, not medical advice. If you are not sure how serious a problem is, call 911 or your doctor.
Emergency rooms open 24 hours in Walton County
Walton County has two emergency rooms that list 24/7 care on their own websites, as of Oct. 27, 2026.
| Emergency room | Address | Phone | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast (hospital ER) | 7800 US Highway 98 W, Miramar Beach (mailing address: Destin, FL 32550) | (850) 278-3000 | 24/7 |
| Studer Family Children’s Hospital Pediatric Emergency Care – Emerald Coast | Same address as Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast | (850) 278-3000 | 24/7 |
| HCA Florida DeFuniak Springs Emergency (freestanding ER) | 160 Twin Springs Way, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435 | 850-389-6955 | 24/7 |
Ascension lists its Emerald Coast hospital under Miramar Beach, in Walton County, although its mailing address says Destin. A freestanding ER is an emergency room that is not inside a hospital building.
Urgent care and walk-in care in Santa Rosa Beach
Ascension Sacred Heart Primary Care & Urgent Care – South Walton is the walk-in option in Santa Rosa Beach, according to Ascension’s urgent care listing. Ascension called it the “first ever urgent care in Walton County” when it announced the center on March 10, 2026.
| Center | Address | Phone | Hours (last verified Oct. 27, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascension Sacred Heart Primary Care & Urgent Care – South Walton | 5551 US Highway 98 W, Suite A, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 | (850) 229-3720 | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; walk-ins seven days a week |
| Ascension Sacred Heart Medical Park and Walk-in Clinic – Destin (Okaloosa County) | 36500 Emerald Coast Parkway, Suite A-2, Destin, FL 32541 | (850) 837-0032 | Monday to Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed weekends |
Call ahead: hours can change on holidays such as Thanksgiving. Ascension’s urgent care pages do not list telehealth visits as of Oct. 27, 2026.
This guide lists only the centers whose hours appear on their own official websites. Other clinics may operate in South Walton.
What is open on weekends in South Walton
On Saturdays and Sundays, the South Walton urgent care in Santa Rosa Beach is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to Ascension. After 3 p.m. on weekends, and overnight every day, the emergency rooms in the table above are the options that list 24-hour care. The Ascension walk-in clinic in Destin is closed on weekends.
Cost: why the ER is more expensive
Care in an emergency room can cost two to three times as much as the same care at a provider’s office, or more, according to MedlinePlus. Your actual cost depends on your insurance plan; call the number on your insurance card to ask what an ER or urgent care visit costs you.
Finding a regular doctor in South Walton
Ascension Sacred Heart Primary Care – Mack Bayou opened in Santa Rosa Beach in February 2026 and takes appointments at 850-278-3932, according to Ascension’s March 2026 announcement. To check that any Florida doctor holds an active license, use the Florida Department of Health’s MQA License Check.
The Florida Department of Health in Walton County (DOH-Walton), also called the Walton Community Health Center, is at 362 State Hwy 83, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433, phone 850-892-8015. It is open Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., as of Oct. 27, 2026, and offers adult dental care Monday to Thursday (850-892-8686) and WIC (850-892-8020).
Other numbers to keep
- Emergencies: 911
- Florida Poison Information Center (poisonings, bites and stings): 1-800-222-1222, per Florida Poison Control Centers
- Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast: (850) 278-3000
- DOH-Walton: 850-892-8015
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Questions and answers
- Is there an urgent care in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida?
- Yes. Ascension Sacred Heart Primary Care & Urgent Care - South Walton, at 5551 US Highway 98 W, Suite A, Santa Rosa Beach, takes walk-ins seven days a week. As of Oct. 27, 2026, it is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Phone: (850) 229-3720. Call ahead.
- Where is the nearest 24-hour emergency room to Santa Rosa Beach?
- Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, at 7800 US Highway 98 W in Miramar Beach, Walton County, has a 24/7 emergency room and a separate 24/7 pediatric ER, Studer Family Children's Hospital Pediatric Emergency Care - Emerald Coast. Phone: (850) 278-3000.
- Is urgent care open on Sunday in South Walton?
- Yes. As of Oct. 27, 2026, Ascension Sacred Heart Primary Care & Urgent Care - South Walton in Santa Rosa Beach is open Sundays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to Ascension. Hours can change on holidays, so call (850) 229-3720 first.
- Is the ER more expensive than urgent care?
- Usually. MedlinePlus, from the National Institutes of Health, says emergency room care can cost two to three times as much as the same care at a provider's office, or more. Your insurer can tell you what each type of visit costs under your plan.
- What number do I call for poisoning or a jellyfish sting in Florida?
- Call the Florida Poison Information Center at 1-800-222-1222. If the person is not breathing, has a seizure or has a severe allergic reaction, call 911.
Sources
- Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, emergency room (Miramar Beach)
- Ascension, urgent care and walk-in clinics near Destin
- Ascension news: first-ever urgent care in Walton County and new primary care office (March 10, 2026)
- MedlinePlus (NIH): When to use the emergency room - adult
- MedlinePlus (NIH): When to use the emergency room - child
- Florida Department of Health in Walton County
- Florida Department of Health, MQA License Check
- Florida Poison Control Centers