The Palms

The Palms is a six-story, 23-unit condominium building on the Gulf side of Okaloosa Island, located on Nautilus Court just off Santa Rosa Boulevard. Built in 1999, the building completed a renovation project of more than two million dollars in 2022 that included structural work and high-impact windows, and it now has a new private boardwalk to the beach. It is not related to the larger Palms of Destin resort across the bridge.

Units are mostly two-bedroom, two-bath condos of about 970 to 1,175 square feet, with a few ground-level villa units of roughly 1,400 to 1,480 square feet that open toward the pool, and a small number of three-bedroom layouts. Private balconies face the Gulf. Many owners have renovated their kitchens and baths.

Shared amenities are straightforward: a community pool, a grilling area with picnic seating and the private walkover to the sand. The building’s small size keeps the pool deck quiet, and the short walk to the beach makes it easy to head back to the condo for lunch.

The beach at The Palms is central Okaloosa Island’s white sand, with emerald water that is often calm on summer mornings. Neighbors along Nautilus Court and Santa Rosa Boulevard include Gulfside, Island Echos, Sea Dunes and Dune Pointe. The Okaloosa Island Boardwalk, the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier and the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park are a few minutes east. Heritage Park and Cultural Center is in downtown Fort Walton Beach, and Destin’s shopping and harbor are across the East Pass bridge. Nautilus Court is a short side street off Santa Rosa Boulevard, which keeps traffic light and gives the building a tucked-away feel even though it sits in the middle of the island’s condo row.

The Palms suits couples, small families and friends who want a two-bedroom condo in a small, recently upgraded beachfront building. The ground-level villa units are a good option for travelers who prefer stepping straight out to the pool rather than riding an elevator. Because the building is small and was recently upgraded, the main differences between listings are floor level, decor and whether a unit is a standard condo or a ground-level villa. Parking is on site, and the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport is roughly a half-hour drive. Brooks and Shorey and independent owners both rent units here.