Islander Beach Resort

Islander Beach Resort is a Gulf-front condominium complex at 790 Santa Rosa Boulevard on Okaloosa Island, the barrier island that sits between downtown Fort Walton Beach and Destin. Dating to around 1980, it is one of the island’s established vacation-rental addresses, with multiple floors of condos facing the Gulf and a renovated lobby, covered parking and elevators.

Unit sizes cover a wide range. Listings show compact one-bedroom units starting around 340 square feet, two-bedroom condos of roughly 1,000 to 1,070 square feet, and three-bedroom units of about 1,300 to 1,500 square feet. Many owners have renovated their units in recent years, and Gulf-facing balconies look straight over the beach.

Shared amenities include a heated pool beside the beach, a fitness room, a community room, shuffleboard, and barbecue grills with picnic areas. Owners and guests have deeded access to the beach in front of the building, and rental companies commonly include seasonal beach chair service with stays, though that depends on who manages the unit. Some units have their own washer and dryer, while others rely on shared laundry.

The beach at the Islander is the soft white sand and clear green water Okaloosa Island is known for, with a dune walkover leading from the pool deck. The Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier and the restaurants on the Boardwalk are a few minutes east by car or bike. Destin Harbor, its boat charters and HarborWalk Village are across the bridge over East Pass, and downtown Fort Walton Beach is a short drive across the Brooks Bridge. The island is narrow here, so the calm water of Santa Rosa Sound is only a few blocks north, where kayaks, paddleboards and pontoon boats can be rented for a change of pace from the Gulf surf.

With its range of unit sizes, Islander Beach Resort suits couples looking for a small beachfront base as well as families who need three bedrooms. Its central island location makes it an easy starting point for fishing, dolphin cruises and water sports on both sides of the bridge. Because the building has everything from compact efficiencies to three-bedroom condos, it pays to compare square footage, bed setup and whether a unit has its own washer and dryer. Parking is on site, and the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport is roughly a half-hour drive away.