The Island Resort at Fort Walton Beach will launch Winter WonderIsland, a holiday-themed event running from November 28, 2025, to January 5, 2026. The resort will be transformed into a coastal winter setting featuring chalets, a curling rink, themed cocktails, and entertainment by the Gulf of Mexico.
Guests can rent Coastal Winter Chalets that accommodate up to eight people. Each chalet comes with seating, a tabletop fire pit with s’mores and hot cocoa kits, cocktail service, and one hour of access to the curling rink.
April Sarver, Director of Sales and Marketing at The Island Resort at Fort Walton Beach, said: “The holidays are a special time along the Emerald Coast, and we wanted to create something that truly captures the coastal magic. Winter WonderIsland brings together everything we love about the season – community, connection and celebration – all with the beauty of the Gulf as the backdrop.”
The event includes signature drinks such as the Island Exclusive Old Fashioned and Mistletoe Margarita. Food trucks will be present alongside live entertainment. Families can drop letters for Santa in a mailbox located in the lobby.
Weekly activities throughout December include movie nights, gingerbread house decorating sessions, and hot chocolate Fridays. Notable events are Breakfast with Santa on December 13; Cookies & Crafts with The Grump on December 20–21; Christmas dinner buffet on December 25; Noon Kids’ Eve Ball Drop on December 31; and an adult midnight champagne toast in Coastal Kitchen.
A key feature is The Island’s fifth annual Beachy Little Christmas: A Sandcastle Spectacular scheduled for Saturday, December 13. This public event features live music, local vendors, crafts for children, a meet-and-greet with Misty the Mermaid—a recurring character at the resort—and Christmas-themed sandcastle building.
Winter WonderIsland aims to offer both locals and visitors an opportunity to celebrate by combining traditional holiday elements with beachside experiences unique to Okaloosa Island.
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About The Island Resort at Fort Walton Beach
Founded in 1966 on Okaloosa Island’s shoreline along the Gulf of Mexico, The Island Resort provides guests access to private beaches spanning 600 feet. It offers three pools—including what it describes as “the only swim-up bar on the Emerald Coast”—and more than five dining venues onsite. Facilities also include over 24,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space overlooking either the Gulf or Bay areas.
