Posted on 12/7/2012By the Ocean Reef Editorial Team

If you are looking for a fun family destination, Ocean Reef has some fine vacation rentals at three popular resorts in Miramar Beach, just east of Destin. They include Sandestin Resort, Edgewater Resort and The Amalfi Coast. These are "all inclusive" resorts meaning that once you and your family arrive you may find that there is no need or desire to go anywhere else! Amenities, entertainment venues and restaurants are all on the resort grounds or just minutes away.

Related article: 5 Best Destin Condos For Young Families

The prestigious Sandestin Resort is famous for its 2,400 acre paradise which extends across the peninsula from the beaches of the gulf to the south, all the way to the Choctawhatchee Bay toward the north. Sandestin has four award winning golf courses which meander across the entire resort. There is also a world class tennis club with clay courts and professional instructors. A big marina is located on the bay side near the relatively new Village of Baytowne Wharf. Deliberately designed to look like a southern colonial harbor town, some call Baytowne a "Nouveau" New Orleans due to the architectural inspiration from the original. This charming family friendly village is on the bay with covered parking on site near its main entrance. However, if you have the kids with you be sure to park at the marina instead. Two pet Parrots are located near the docks and are always talking to everyone who passes by. Kids love it! Going this route allows you to walk alongside the water's edge on a raised wood walkway through a park like forest that includes a couple of tree houses along the way. It's great fun for the children and provides a wonderful photo op for adults. A bridge crosses a pristine marsh area at the end so that you walk from the forest right into the village itself. Here you will find a lot of activities for the youngsters including an old fashioned merry go round carousel, a zip line tower that has rides across a lagoon, bubble balls, trampolines, a state of the art arcade, and all sorts of other fun filled amusements. During the Spring and Summer season there are Children's Movie Nights on the Village Green, numerous outdoor musical concerts and weekly fireworks over the harbor. A long wharf at the end of the village juts out into the bay towards the west where you can view awesome sunsets over the water during the summer. Many take their family out on the long dock to catch some fish which is always an adventure unto itself. The Village of Baytowne Wharf also has a lot of restaurants which include everything from yummy burgers and pizza to fresh seafood. The marina has water sports available along with a floating plastic island water park in the bay and slides to play on. Another wonderful family adventure can be had at nearby "Jolee Island". It is indeed an island since you can only get there on an arching pedestrian bridge that spans a wide creek that wraps around it connected to the bay. Here you will also find Tree Houses and pirate themed playground equipment with paths that meander through the woods along the sandy shore. Another fun adventure for adults and children can be had at Grand Boulevard which is the Sandestin Town Center on the Emerald Coast Parkway. The kids can tumble around the green at the little Grand Park which also has an ever changing, interactive geyser fountain that encourages fun and frolic on a hot day. An assortment of fine restaurants and upscale shops provide delicious food and shopping diversions.

Sandestin Resort

Of course the main attraction of this family friendly resort is the shimmering quartz crystal beach on the gulf side. Emerald green waters beckon you to dive in, view the dolphin swimming in the distance or build a sandcastle in the sugar white sands. We have wonderful, private rental vacation rental accommodations here for one, two and three bedroom properties. These include Beachside I and II as well as at Westwinds. These luxury high residences include multiple pools, hot tubs, kiddie pools, miniature golf, shuffle board, water sports and fitness facilities. Nearby we have more rental offerings at Beachwalk, an enchanting Mediterranean styled community of two story town homes that wrap around a five pronged, pristine coastal dune lake (ideal for fishing) and as the name suggests, it is within walking distance of the beach.

Another choice for your Destin family vacation includes the Edgewater Beach Resort at the far eastern edge of Scenic Gulf Drive which was formerly Highway 98. Towering above the ever changing, jewel toned Gulf water's edge, this monumental landmark was inspired by the design of a luxury hotel that is situated on the French Riviera. Our "Southern" Riviera duplicate is a stunning piece of work and an architectural treasure. Edgewater Resort's design rises up in step like form at each level, going from three stories tall at one end to nineteen stories in height at the other. At the end of each tier is a vacation rental that includes a large, open, uncovered terraced balcony complete with vines that cascade over the sides. The entire crescent shaped building, curves around the tropical, lagoon type swimming pools nestled beside it. On the other side when you view the curvature of this splendid structure from Scenic Gulf Drive, it looks like a large luxury ocean liner has just arrived and decided to dock at this particularly beautiful part of the beach.

The resort grounds extend away from the building towards the sugar white beach, with expansive green lawns that are accented with clustered islands of tropical palms and other plantings. The kids will love the reflection pool that contains big, multicolored Japanese Koi fish that glide leisurely below the surface. The two large lagoon shaped swimming pools sit side by side each other but on two different levels. Both of the pools are right next to the beach so that you can enjoy swimming action and the shimmering Gulf of Mexico simultaneously. One of the pools has a refreshing waterfall which is particularly soothing and wonderful on a hot, sunny day. The other pool is heated for use during the cooler times of the year. An arc of lounge chairs frames the side terrace, usually pointing towards the sun. There is also a bubbling over-sized adult hot tub and a kid's wading pool so there is relaxing fun for everyone. The beach itself has a long row of vibrant blue umbrellas with rental chairs that extends ribbon like across the bright, white sand. The Gulf front boundaries of this private oasis extend from east to west with over 420 linear feet of beach. This provides an unobstructed view of the sun splattered waters that spread out in jewel toned emerald hues towards the southern horizon. Numerous water sports are offered for excitement which includes activities like para sailing, jet skiing and surfing. We have one, two and three bedroom luxury condos here at Edgewater Resort.  All are beautifully furnished with dazzling views of the gulf from upper level balconies or ground floor patios.

One more popular destination for families who visit the Emerald Coast is called the Amalfi Coast. Named after the Italian original due to its scenic beauty, it is no wonder that the Amalfi Coast Resort, on the Emerald Coast, shares this distinction. It is located across from a towering, old sand dune on Scenic Gulf Drive which also marks one of the highest points of elevation on the Gulf of Mexico. The panoramic vista views extend from Sandestin towards the east to the towers of Destin towards the far west. An old fashioned gazebo takes optimum advantage of these views with a stairway that extends down to the beach below. This provides the perfect spot for a relaxing view of the coastal scenery as well as experiencing some really spectacular sunsets which occur over the Gulf from late fall until early spring. The entire family friendly resort sits on over eight and one half beautifully landscaped acres with over 120 yards of private, gated beach frontage. The complex includes two large, adjacent swimming pools in front, one of which is seasonally heated. The expansive palm studded pool decks are nestled next to a landscaped lagoon with Gulf views. This is accentuated by a long bridge which takes you with ease, to the gazebo's private beach access point.  Spacious suites, from one to three bedrooms, can sleep up to ten guests. Each one comes with a fully equipped kitchen, open dining-living room areas with nine foot ceilings, a hallway alcove (in select properties) that includes bunk beds for the kids, full size washer/dryers, Cable TV as well as big breezy balconies which provide gorgeous views of the Gulf, the lagoon and the adjoining swimming pools. There is a conference center on site for large gatherings, lighted tennis courts for comfortable night play and BBQ grills for a fun family cookout.

As with all our Ocean Reef Resort vacation rentals, free or discounted amenities abound. Within walking distance of the Amalfi Coast Resort is the eighteen hole Seascape Golf Club where our guests receive a nice discount. This Joe Lee designed, 71 par course, is bordered by lush pine forests as well as a myriad of tranquil lagoons with "water, water everywhere". Fifteen of the eighteen fairways have landscaped, picturesque water features, many of which have breath taking views of the shimmering Gulf beyond. Guest discounts are also available at La Dolce Vita Water Sports for kayaking, bike rentals, paddle boarding, wave running and a para-sailing.

Due to the coastal, centralized location in Miramar Beach for all of these resorts, there are many venues available to suit your desires. Beach-side restaurants, located along Scenic Gulf Drive, include Kenny D's, The Whale's Tail, Pompano Joe's and Captain Dave's. Many of our family visitors make it over to Silver Sands Premium Outlets which is the nation's largest designer outlet. With substantial discounts on name brand clothing, including multiple stores for kid's clothes, it proves to be a bonanza of savings and has become a true shopping mecca.

Ocean Reef Resorts is proud to include Sandestin, Edgewater and the Amalfi Coast Resort among our popular Destin vacation rentals. Be sure to check out the individual photos, property descriptions, rental rates and availability on our user friendly website. Each one may offer you and yours the kind of place that may become your favorite family vacation destination year after wonderful year!

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.