Posted on 9/22/2026By the Ocean Reef Editorial Team
A great beach day does not have to end when you leave the sand.
Sometimes, it simply shifts gears.
For many Ocean Reef Resorts guests, that means heading to Grand Boulevard at Sandestin, an upscale open-air shopping and dining destination in Miramar Beach, just east of Destin along Highway 98. With boutiques, restaurants, entertainment and inviting outdoor spaces all clustered together, it is the kind of place where a late lunch can easily turn into a few hours of shopping, a leisurely stroll, cocktails and, before you know it, dinner.
That is exactly how our recent afternoon unfolded.
We arrived hungry, stayed curious, and ended up making an evening of it — which, as it turns out, is one of the best ways to experience Grand Boulevard.
“Come for lunch, stay for the shopping, stroll through Grand Park, and before you know it, you’re making an evening of it.”Start With Lunch
Grand Boulevard is the kind of place where lunch can become the beginning of the itinerary rather than just a stop along the way.
We had already started our day with breakfast by the beach, so by the time we arrived at Grand Boulevard, lunch was the natural place to begin.
If you want an earlier start, Another Broken Egg Cafe serves breakfast and brunch, while newcomer Perla Baking Co. is a great stop for coffee and something freshly baked.
We started at Vin’tij Food & Wine, a locally owned favorite that has been part of the Miramar Beach dining scene since 1998. Vin’tij built its reputation around seasonally inspired cooking, fresh seafood and thoughtful food-and-wine pairings, and today it remains one of those places locals are just as likely to recommend as visitors are to discover.
The menu changes with the seasons, but expect creative takes on Gulf seafood alongside dishes such as shrimp and grits, pan-fried oysters, pecan chicken and seasonal fish preparations. Then there is the wine. Vin’tij has an impressive wine boutique filled with bottles personally selected from producers around the world, including harder-to-find and allocated wines. You can even choose a bottle from the shop to enjoy with lunch.
Not a wine drinker? The bar also mixes cocktails, so there is plenty of room to make lunch as casual — or celebratory — as the afternoon calls for.
Settle in, order something good, and take your time. One of the best parts of vacation is having nowhere you absolutely have to be next.
And if Vin’tij is not quite what you are in the mood for, Grand Boulevard gives you plenty of other ways to start. The Wine Bar is a natural choice for wine, cheese, and a leisurely lunch; The Craft Bar works well for burgers and craft beer; Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar brings a breezy coastal feel; Cantina Laredo is an easy option when Mexican sounds right; and Grimaldi’s makes a great stop for pizza.
Once lunch is over, there is no reason to get back in the car.
Step outside, and the rest of Grand Boulevard is waiting.
Take a Stroll
After lunch, simply start walking.
Grand Boulevard was made for wandering. Wide sidewalks, lush landscaping, and inviting public spaces give it a relaxed, almost neighborhood-like feel, with plenty to discover between the shops and restaurants.
At the heart of it all is Grand Park, the green space that gives the Boulevard much of its personality. Kids can burn off some energy with lawn games, families can linger around the water feature, and throughout the year the park becomes a gathering place for live music, seasonal events, and outdoor performances.
Emerald Coast Theatre Company is part of that experience, too. They present performances and special events in and around Grand Park, while also operating a full indoor theater tucked upstairs at Grand Boulevard. It is one of those features you could easily miss if you did not know it was there.
And live theater is not the only entertainment option. AMC Classic Boulevard 10 is right here, too, with 10 screens and premium-format options, making Grand Boulevard an easy place to add a movie to the afternoon or keep the evening going after dinner.
With concerts, theater, festivals, farmers markets, shopping events, and seasonal celebrations happening throughout the year, it is worth checking Grand Boulevard’s event calendar before you go. You may discover there is even more happening than you planned for.
Some of the bigger annual events are destinations in their own right, including the 30A Songwriters Festival, ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival, South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival and Destin Charity Wine Auction.
But some of the fun is in the smaller discoveries, too. Keep an eye out for colorful murals, photo-worthy corners, and unexpected little spots tucked around the Boulevard. You might set out for one store, stop to watch the kids play, hear music drifting across the park, snap a few photos, and realize an hour has disappeared.
That is part of the appeal.
There is plenty to see, but no real need to rush through any of it. On a beautiful Northwest Florida afternoon, sometimes the best plan is simply to wander and see where Grand Boulevard takes you.
Do a Little Shopping
Vacation shopping has its own rhythm.
On our afternoon, we stopped into Anthropologie, Altar’d State and KREWE — three very different shops that give a good sense of the variety you will find around Grand Boulevard.
Anthropologie is always an easy place to linger, with women’s fashion, home décor, beauty and gifts all under one roof. Altar’d State brings another fashion-forward stop into the mix, while KREWE adds something completely different with its distinctive eyewear and sunglasses.
And that is really the appeal of shopping here. Grand Boulevard combines recognizable national names with regional and specialty retailers, so one minute you may be browsing clothing and accessories and the next you are looking at home furnishings, jewelry, beauty products, or something you did not expect to find at all.
Beyond the places we visited, you will find everything from Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines and Lululemon to Kendra Scott, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma and Bluemercury. For something a little more eclectic, The Zoo Gallery is a longtime local favorite filled with colorful art, gifts, jewelry, home décor and plenty of unexpected finds.
The best way to do it is not to over-plan it.
Browse for twenty minutes or lose a couple of hours. Duck into somewhere familiar, try somewhere new, and keep wandering until something catches your eye.
And when you are finished, dinner is still only a short walk away.
Stay for Dinner
By this point, heading home almost feels premature.
Besides, a few hours of walking, browsing and shopping has a way of working up an appetite.
We ended our afternoon at BrickTop’s, an easy choice when you want dinner to feel polished without becoming overly formal. The menu leans classic American steakhouse with seafood, steaks, chops, and comfort-food favorites, with options ranging from crab cakes and salmon to filet mignon, prime rib, and sea bass.
It is the kind of place that works equally well for a relaxed dinner after shopping or a more celebratory night out — which makes it a natural fit for Grand Boulevard.
But dinner here can go in plenty of directions.
For a true steakhouse evening, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is another standout, with prime steaks, seafood, an extensive wine program, and handcrafted cocktails. It is especially well suited for anniversaries, birthdays, or those vacation dinners where you want to dress up a little and make a night of it.
Other nearby options range from P.F. Chang’s and Cantina Laredo to Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar, The Craft Bar, Grimaldi’s and several other spots scattered around the Boulevard.
That variety is one of Grand Boulevard’s biggest advantages. You can keep dinner casual, turn it into a special occasion, sit outside with a cocktail, or settle in for steak and wine — all without moving the car.
Lunch.
A little wandering.
Some shopping.
Dinner.
And if you still have room, there is one more stop worth making.
Save Room for Dessert
Dinner may be the finale, but Grand Boulevard makes a pretty convincing case for one more stop.
We finished our evening at Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar, where dessert comes with a little island flair. Their sweets lean tropical and indulgent, with favorites like Piña Colada Cake and Key Lime Pie, and the bar makes it just as easy to finish the night with one of its signature cocktails instead.
Tommy Bahama also features live music daily from 4 to 8 p.m., which makes it an especially easy place to linger once the sun goes down.
Another sit-down favorite is The Wine Bar. If you have never had their flourless chocolate cake, this is the time to fix that. Pair it with a glass of red wine and you have one of our favorite ways to put a richer, more grown-up finish on the evening.
For something easy to grab and go, Kilwins offers plenty to choose from, including ice cream, fudge, handcrafted chocolates, caramel apples, brittles, and other classic confections. It is an easy stop when everyone wants something a little different — or when you would rather take dessert with you and keep strolling.
Tropical cake and cocktails. Flourless chocolate cake and wine. Ice cream, fudge, and chocolates to go.
There really is no wrong way to end the night.
An Easy Escape From the Beach
We love the beach as much as anyone.
But one of the things that makes a vacation along the Emerald Coast so enjoyable is how easily you can change the pace without going very far.
Grand Boulevard gives Ocean Reef Resorts guests an easy way to trade a few hours of sand and sunshine for a leisurely lunch, a little shopping, a stroll through the park, dinner and maybe even dessert before heading back to the beach.
You do not necessarily need to plan an entire day around it.
Just go for lunch.
You may find yourself staying for dinner.
And probably dessert.
Planning your next Destin, Miramar Beach or 30A vacation? Explore Ocean Reef Resorts vacation rentals and discover just how much there is to enjoy beyond the beach.
The Ocean Reef Editorial Team leads the market in vacation rental, real estate, and coastal lifestyle content, with decades of Destin & 30A expertise behind every story. As the area's largest locally owned and longest continually operating vacation rental company, we welcome over 200,000 guests each year and reach millions who dream of the beach. Our guides serve travelers, homeowners, and locals alike, sharing authentic knowledge you can trust-because this coast isn't just where we work, it's where our story began, and where we'll continue to welcome generations to come.
