Ross Marler Park Beach

Located on Okaloosa Island along Choctawhatchee Bay, Ross Marler Park Beach is a small beach with light brown sand. Many kinds of plants are present near the beach including sea oats, sea grapes, palm trees, and pine trees. 

Although the Ross Marler Park Beach does not have lifeguards, it has many other amenities including a playground, fire pits, barbecue grill facility, picnic tables, covered pavilions, restrooms, boat ramps, fishing pier, and a walking trail. Dogs are not allowed on the Ross Marler Park Beach, and the beach is open from 6 am until sunset.

Ross Marler Park Beach offers many fun activities including fishing, picnicking, hiking, boating, sailing, beachcombing, bird watching, and swimming. If you are planning to go into the water near Ross Marler Park Beach, please note that the beach has shallow wading a roped-off swimming area. Visitors can spot many birds resting and foraging along the shoreline including sandpipers, white egrets, ospreys, pelicans, great blue herons, and wood stocks. In addition, the beach is a popular boating spot to rent a boat or bring your own.  This beach is also ideal for visitors looking for a quieter beach experience as it sees fewer visitors than other nearby beaches.

Getting to Ross Marler Park Beach is easy – the access trail to the beach is present on the eastern end of Santa Rosa Boulevard in Oskaloosa Island, and you can easily get to this access trail from United States Highway 98. A free parking lot is also available near the access trail leading to the beach.

There are many attractions near Ross Marler Park Beach. Air Force Armament Museum offers an interesting collection of artifacts and memorabilia associated with Air Force armaments including a gun collection, bombs, missiles, and over 29 aircraft. In addition, a 32-minute film about the history of Eglin Air Force Base is also screened continuously throughout the day. HarborWalk Village is a waterfront entertainment center that offers many fun activities including paddle boarding, kayaking, jet-ski, parasailing, glass-bottom boat tours, pirate-ship excursions, and dolphin cruises. In addition, HarborWalk Village hosts live music shows, and firework shows - and also has a shopping arcade and many restaurants. If you are looking for another attraction near Ross Marler Park Beach, Seville Square is a small park that has many amenities including a playground with swings, a gazebo, picnic shelters, and walking trails. It hosts many festivals and fairs on weekends.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Ross Marler Park Beach. Old Bay Steamer is an upscale restaurant that serves amazing steamed seafood, steaks, clams, mussels, oysters, ribs, pasta, and desserts. Floyd’s Shrimp House offers light-filled views and serves delicious seafood, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, quesadillas, and tacos. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Ross Marler Park Beach, modestly priced Burrito del Sol serves incredible Mexican dishes including burritos, tacos, nachos, quesadillas, salads, and steak.

If you are looking for a hotel near Ross Marler Park Beach, there are many great nearby options. If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 4-Star Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village is nine minutes away by car and offers many amenities including an outdoor pool, a hot tub, a spa, a fitness center, a saloon, an Italian restaurant, a coffee shop, and free boat shuttle to nearby beaches. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Wyndham Garden Fort Walton Beach - Destin Hotel, FL is a beachfront hotel that offers many amenities including a fitness center, two outdoor pools, a hot tub, a games room, a restaurant, and complimentary breakfasts. In addition, the hotel also provides complimentary loaner bikes and beach gear. As another moderately priced option, the 3-Star Hilton Garden Inn Fort Walton Beach offers many amenities including a fitness center, an outdoor and indoor pool, and a restaurant. In addition, the hotel has a courtyard with a lazy river and fire pits. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Ross Marler Park Beach, the modestly priced 2-Star La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Fort Walton Beach offers many amenities including