Situated on the Florida Panhandle, Destin is a popular family vacation destination for many a traveling family from the American South. With its Gulf of Mexico beaches, world-famous fishing and loads of activities for the entire family, it’s easy to see why Destin has become a household name for many planning a summer getaway. With a popular beach town like this, you can expect plenty of resorts and hotels along the waterfront, but what if you want something a little more private, with more amenities, for a better price?
This is where Destin’s many vacation condo rentals come in handy. The city offers quite a few, from cheap condo rentals on the beach to more expensive condo rentals in high rises around the city. Whatever your preference, here are some of the best places to find the Destin vacation rental of your family’s dreams.
(Photo by Luca Sartoni via Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0)
HOMEAWAY
HomeAway offers just over 100 vacation condo rentals in the Destin area, with most clustered to the west of Henderson Beach State Park. All are within easy access of the Destin Executive Airport and nearby some of the destination’s most popular attractions — the golf courses and Big Kahuna’s Water Adventure Park. Many are all along Emerald Coast Parkway, your main thoroughfare through the area. All of the vacation condo rentals available are rated either 3 or 4-star. You’ll find plenty of family-friendly options, as well as pet-friendly options, though there are none that are particularly “luxury” rentals, or any that allow smoking. Weekend rates range from $150 per night, up to around $500 per night, depending on the amenities you desire.
When using HomeAway, you do have to request the stay dates that you want ahead of time, and then the condo owner will approve or deny your request. There are a few properties in Destin available on HomeAway that do not require this process, and that have an “Instant Book” guarantee, which might be preferable to families looking for assurance and peace of mind.
SOUTHERN VACATION RENTALS
Southern Vacation Rentals offers a large variety of vacation properties for you to peruse, from cheap condo rentals to luxury homes. All, however, are along the beaches, from Holiday Isle to Miramar Beach, Crystal Beach to Frangista Beach. Whether you want something in downtown, something closer to dining, shopping and entertainment, or something right on the water, they’ve got it. Southern Vacation Rentals literally has dozens of options. Prices hover around per-night rates of $100–$400 and you can look for unique amenities, such as boat slips, tennis courts and on-site wedding venues.
Keep in mind that some properties do require a three-night minimum stay and service and cleaning fees are added on top of your nightly rates. Additionally, the provider automatically adds charitable donations to your total, so look out for those hidden fees before you book. A deposit is required at the time of booking, and all booking requests must be approved by the provider.
BOOKING.COM
Booking.com allows you to search for vacation homes, but don’t just assume when you log in to the site and search that you’ll automatically see these options. You’ll need to use the appropriate search filters to only see vacation condo rentals — not hotels or private homes. It’s important to understand how these options differ, as a condo rental will give you many more amenities versus a private home or hotel (such as, added privacy, usually a kitchen or kitchenette, public pools, dining, etc.).
Booking.com’s Destin cheap condo rental options include a few dozen and prices range from $55 to more than $600 per night, if you book a condo at a luxury property. However, the lower price point makes Booking.com a great choice if you’re specifically looking for cheap condo rentals, as the other two options above start at a higher per-night rate.