Bonfire on the Beach Destin Miramar Beach Florida

As a small family-owned business, we rarely get to take a break from work and enjoy beautiful Destin (our town) from the visitors’ perspective.  This week, we were fortunate to have family and friends in town, so we took time to do a little research on your behalf.  Over the next few blogs, I will highlight our favorite experiences and where you can find them.

If you have a large group or are celebrating a special occasion, like a beach wedding, consider calling to set up a beach bonfire (www.bonfireguy.com).  Bonfires are allowed on public beach access in Walton County by permit.  The closest public access for our guests is Pompano Joes.  At the time of this blog, a basic setup, including your permit, fire pit, wood, table, smores kit, set up, and break, costs around $350. We rented 10 extra chairs for $5 apiece and made the children bring extras.

What a terrific experience for all of us!  With 24 of us in the group, this was the perfect way to spend some low-stress, quality time with one another. Our family and friends were spread out amongst so many different condos. This was a perfect way to get everyone together without the hassle of waiting for a spot at a restaurant or cramming uncomfortably into a condo. 

For the adults in our group, it was all about the ambiance of watching the sunset, listening to the waves and mingling.  For the kids, it was all about smores, fire side ghost stories and touch football.  It was one of those magical memory making nights, the ones where you have the mental snapshot of how tall the children were, what the sunset looked like and how great it felt to just press pause on the real world.

Be sure to call Steve at www.beachbonfireguy.com to get the most up-to-date rates and pricing, and then call me and tell me what time to show up.   -Laura

Laura Co-Owner

Hi, I’m Laura Clayton — co-owner of Beach Condos in Destin, Realtor with World Impact Real Estate, full-time vacation rental nerd, and full-time mom-on-the-go. When I’m not helping guests find the perfect beachfront condo in Destin or Miramar Beach, I’m usually taking care of my two dogs, Lily (my terrier mix) and Ziggy (my standard Goldendoodle), or sitting at what feels like my 1,000th sporting event cheering on my kids, Reece and Liam. If you’ve ever tried answering emails from the bleachers, you’ll understand my life perfectly. I’ve spent nearly two decades in the vacation rental world, helping thousands of families make memories along the Emerald Coast — from first-time beach trips to traditions that bring guests back year after year. I love creating welcoming, pet-friendly spaces, coming up with slightly ridiculous beachy condo names, and making sure our homes feel comfortable, clean, and genuinely cared for. As a Realtor with World Impact Real Estate, I also help buyers and owners navigate the real estate side of beach living — whether that means purchasing an investment property, selling a condo, or maximizing rental potential while still keeping a place that feels like home. At the end of the day, I’m just someone who loves the beach, loves people, and believes vacations should feel easy, personal, and a little bit special. If you’re planning a stay — or thinking about owning a piece of the beach yourself — I’d love to help. Let’s get your flip-flops in the sand and make it a great one 🌊👣

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