Crestview sits about an hour north of Destin, where Highway 85 crosses I-10, and it runs at a completely different pace than the coast. Locals call it the Hub City, because Interstate 10, U.S. 90, State Road 85 and the railroad all meet here. For visitors, it is the home of an award-winning grain-to-glass distillery on a family farm, a zoo where you can feed a giraffe, and some of the best barbecue, donuts and antique hunting in Okaloosa County. Here is what to do in Crestview, FL, and how to fit it into a day.
Quick answer
- For grown-ups: a Saturday at Timber Creek Distillery, or a booked tour.
- For kids: the Emerald Coast Zoo, with giraffe feedings and animal encounters.
- Dinner: Samuel’s Roadhouse for open-flame steaks, or The Wild Olive downtown.
- Antiques: Old Time Antiques & More and Rustic Reflections on Main Street.
- Drive time: about 50 to 60 minutes from Destin via State Road 85, and about an hour to an hour and a half from 30A.
Timber Creek Distillery
Timber Creek Distillery is the best reason to drive to Crestview. Founded in 2014 by Master Distiller Aaron Barnes and Camden Ford, it makes bourbon, whiskey, rum, vodka and gin from grain to glass on a 240-acre family farm outside town. Corn, wheat, rye and barley are fermented separately and run through copper pot stills, the farm is solar powered, and the water comes from an on-site well. The spirits have won more than 40 competition medals, and the full story is in our feature on Florida’s most-awarded distillery.
The simplest way to visit is on a Saturday, when the distillery is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with wood-fired pizza. Tours and tasting experiences on other days need to be booked in advance, and the distillery asks visitors to check its social media before heading out, since farm events can change the schedule. The farm’s own dogs usually come out to meet the car. See more in our breweries and distilleries guide.
Emerald Coast Zoo
The Emerald Coast Zoo began decades ago with a single spider monkey and has grown into the biggest family attraction inland from the beaches. It is small enough to see in a morning but packed with hands-on moments. Paid encounters, roughly $25 to $65, let visitors feed giraffes or meet sloths, kangaroos, penguins and bears up close.
- Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.
- Admission: $14.95 for adults and $9.95 for ages 2 to 12.
- This fall: the zoo hosts Trick or Treat events on October 24 and 31.
Book encounters ahead on busy weekends, since the popular ones fill up.
Where to eat
- Samuel’s Roadhouse: a Crestview steakhouse since 1989, grilling steaks, seafood and ribs over an open flame with a house basting sauce.
- The Wild Olive: Southern-leaning New American cooking on North Pearl Street for about 20 years, with lunch Tuesday through Friday and dinner Tuesday through Saturday.
- The Hub American Family Restaurant: open for three meals a day, seven days a week, with a 17-foot salad bar.
- Stick & Rudder Pub: lunch inside an aviation hangar at Bob Sikes Airport, where you can watch small planes come and go.
- Laurel Hill Grill: Southern comfort food and pie, a short drive north on Highway 85 in Laurel Hill.
Barbecue
Crestview takes barbecue seriously. BC’s Southern Paradise BBQ on North Ferdon Boulevard beat national chains at the 2015 Smoke on the Coast competition, and Matthews Real BBQ runs a food trailer with barbecue its owner has been perfecting since 2006.
Donuts
Good Things Donuts opens at 4 a.m. with fresh donuts and kolaches, and has a drive-through. Veteran-owned Annabel’s Donuts goes big on specialty flavors like Fruity Pebbles and Reese’s.
Antiques and shopping
- Old Time Antiques & More: a multi-dealer mall on South Main Street with more than 30 dealers and consignors.
- Rustic Reflections: a vendor mall on North Main Street with handmade jewelry, shabby-chic finds, repurposed furniture and specialty foods.
- Lou Lou Beans Gift Shop: a locally owned boutique for gifts, clothing and jewelry since 2012.
Parks, history and rainy-day fun
- Twin Hills Park: 24 acres in the middle of town, with a splash pad, playground and pickleball courts. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Crestview Farmers Market: local produce, honey and jams on Saturday mornings at Spanish Trail Park. Check the schedule before you go.
- Baker Block Museum: north Okaloosa County history in a 1907 brick mercantile building in Baker, a short drive north.
- Carver-Hill Museum: a small local history museum at 895 McClelland Street, run by the Carver-Hill Memorial and Historical Society.
- Exit 4 Escape Rooms and Tipsy Canvas Paint & Sip: good indoor options when the weather turns.
Fall and holiday events
Historic Downtown Crestview has a busy season coming up:
- Fall Festival and Trunk or Treat: Saturday, October 31, noon to 5 p.m. on Main Street.
- Holiday Market: Saturday, November 14.
- Christmas Parade: Saturday, December 5, billed as the largest in Okaloosa County.
A perfect Crestview Saturday
Grab donuts at Good Things on the way in, and be at the Emerald Coast Zoo when it opens at 10 so you can feed the giraffes before the crowds. Head out to Timber Creek Distillery for pizza and a tasting in the early afternoon, with a designated driver in the group. Browse Old Time Antiques on Main Street, let the kids burn off energy at Twin Hills Park, and finish with dinner at Samuel’s Roadhouse before the drive back to the beach.
Where to stay
Most visitors make Crestview a day trip, but it is also a handy, less expensive base for Eglin Air Force Base visits and I-10 road trips, with hotels clustered near the interstate. Browse them all on our Crestview area page.
Crestview FAQ
What is Crestview, FL known for? Its role as the Hub City, where major highways and the railroad meet, plus Timber Creek Distillery and the Emerald Coast Zoo.
How far is Crestview from Destin? About 50 to 60 minutes north via State Road 85, and about an hour to an hour and a half from 30A.
Can you visit Timber Creek Distillery without a reservation? Yes, on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tours and experiences on other days need to be booked ahead.
Is the Emerald Coast Zoo open every day? No. It is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Mondays.
Plan the rest of your time inland with our guide to the best day trips from Destin and 30A.
Featured photo: Timber Creek Distillery.