10 things you may not know about Destin, Florida

So you're visiting Destin huh? Although we are known for some of the best beaches in the world, there is more to our sleepy little town... Check these facts out!

1) Did you know that the movie Jaws and Truman Show were filmed in the Destin area? To be honest, Seaside which is 20 miles east of Destin should get the credit since it was filed there, but it's close enough for me! Next time you're in Destin, take a drive over to Seaside and it will bring back memories of the movie (it did for me!).

2) Did you know that the white sandy beaches is due to the Appalachian mountains? The rivers and streams carry over sentiments of rock out to the Gulf of Mexico causing white sand to travel along the beaches. This is a big reason why we get that beautiful emerald green hue to our waters.

3) Did you know that Destin only has about 10,000 permanent residents? It's hard to believe that when nearly 4 million people visit the emerald coast each year!

4) Did you know that Fort Walton Beach has the oldest restaurant in the state of Florida? Staff's restaurant was established in 1913 and is almost at 100 years!

5) Did you know that the Destin East Pass, which allows people to go from the Gulf of Mexico to the Choctwatchee bay, was created when 4 men spent days building a trench. The trench eventually filled up and formed a waterway due to a bad storm in the early 1900's. This area is known as the famous (or infamous) crab island now.

6) Did you know that the Destin fishing fleet is one of the largest recreation fishing fleet in the State of Florida? Not bad for a small little town!

7) Did you know that the Hilton in Sandestin is one of the busiest Hilton properties in the World?

8) Did you know that Destin is a preferred spot for many celebrities such as Morgan Freeman, Britany Spears, Tom Cruise, Jerry Jones, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and many more.

9) Did you know that the Peak Destin Tourist Season is from May 28th-August 15th.

10) Did you know that Destin was voted by Frommers as one of the best beaches in the world?