Quality of Place

Arts and Culture

Performing arts, cultural and arts festivals, high-energy concerts, serene galleries and museums – they can all be found in Okaloosa County!  Mattie Kelly Arts Center (MKAC) at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville features two fine art galleries, a theater-in-the-round, a 3,500 capacity amphitheater, a music wing and a 1,650 seat mainstage theater that is home to the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.  MKAC is also the site for regular performances by renowned Broadway productions and legendary entertainers. 

The Northwest Florida Ballet in Fort Walton Beach has been a cultural mainstay for more than 50 years, providing artistic interpretations of beloved pieces such as The Nutcracker.  Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) operates the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village, providing a central location to celebrate cultural arts in Destin.  MKAF’s Concerts in the Village, cited as of the Top 10 Things to do in Northwest Florida by the Florida Travel Guide, consistently draws regional and national acts for a Thursday evening outdoor concert series held every Spring.  MKAF also hosts the annual Festival of the Arts every Fall.

For those who prefer the festival scene, Fort Walton Beach’s Billy Bowlegs Festival, held annually since 1953, is truly Okaloosa’s time to cut loose.  Other noteworthy festivals include the Destin Charity Wine Auction in April, Smoke on the Coast (barbecue festival) in July and the Destin Seafood Festival in October.

Healthcare

Excellent Healthcare choices with Quality Physicians, Private Practices, Medical Centers and Hospitals. Okaloosa  offers complete care in all branches of medical services from family medical, chiropractic, optical and dental services to specialty physicians and surge

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Recreation

From the Blackwater, Yellow and Shoal Rivers in northern Okaloosa County, to the Choctawhatchee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico in southern Okaloosa County, our 935 square miles encompass a diverse natural environment that provides an abundance of outdoor activities. Okaloosa County beaches are some of the most beautiful in the world, featuring sugar white crystalline sands and emerald green waters that draw visitors from near and far.

Fishing and boating enthusiasts enjoy direct access to freshwater rivers, the Gulf of Mexico, Santa Rosa Sound and Choctawhatchee Bay. Likewise, birdwatchers thrill to discover the variety of shore and inland species that call Okaloosa County home. With Florida state parks, state forests, county parks and city parks located throughout the county, opportunities.

Okaloosa County’s Parks Department, along with those operated by various local municipalities, are constantly seeking to improve park services that provide a better quality of life for residents and visitors alike. The community’s wide diversity of parks include small neighborhood parks, playground facilities, dog parks, beach access ways, serene nature trails, numerous free boat ramps, picnic and event pavilions as well as manicured multipurpose sports fields.

Real Estate

Okaloosa County provides vast opportunities in commercial and residential real estate. Its diversified characteristics meet the various needs of our growing community. Whether you are building, renovating, leasing, selling, or buying...Okaloosa can do it all!

The Emerald Coast Association of Realtors® (ECAR) serves as the county's primary source for real estate statistics generated from properties in the MLS system by ECAR MLS participants and subscribers. To view statistics for other years, please visit their portal.