Island Princess

Island Princess is a seven-story condominium building on the Gulf side of Okaloosa Island at 520 Santa Rosa Boulevard, close to the island’s main cluster of attractions. Built in 1999, it holds 136 units on a site with more than 490 feet of beachfront.

The building offers one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom floor plans from about 890 to about 1,350 square feet. Kitchens are larger than in many condos of the same size, and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors open to Gulf-front balconies. End units include private gated storage areas that are handy for beach chairs, bikes and fishing gear.

Shared amenities include a heated beachside pool of about 1,200 square feet, a hot tub, an exercise room, barbecue grills, a community room, and both covered and uncovered parking. Direct beach access leads from the pool deck to the sand. Many rental companies include seasonal beach chair service, but it varies by unit.

The beach in front of Island Princess is Okaloosa Island’s soft white sand and clear green water. The building is close to the Okaloosa Island Boardwalk, with restaurants such as The Crab Trap, and to the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier, which reaches about 1,260 feet into the Gulf. The Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park is nearby, and Old Bay Steamer and other local restaurants are a short drive away. Destin Harbor and its boardwalk are about six miles east across the East Pass bridge, and downtown Fort Walton Beach is a short drive across the Brooks Bridge. Its location between the quieter condo row to the west and the Boardwalk area to the east gives guests a choice of long beach walks in one direction and restaurants and the pier in the other.

Island Princess suits families and couples who want a mid-size, well-equipped beachfront building within easy reach of the pier, the Boardwalk and the Gulfarium. The range of one-bedroom to three-bedroom units makes it simple to find a condo that fits the group. Listings are offered by Brooks and Shorey, Vacasa and individual owners, among others, and each sets its own policies on beach gear, linens and parking passes. When comparing condos, check the floor and whether the unit is an end unit with storage.