There is plenty to do around Rosemary Beach. Within a 20 to 30 minutes driving radius, you can be at Sandestin, Destin, or Panama City, which have marine parks, amusement and water parks, amongst other attractions. You can also rent bicycles, baby joggers, scooters and enjoy the fun at Rosemary Beach.
Big Kahuna Water Park is located in Destin along US Highway 98 East, which is a 20-30 minute drive from Rosemary beach and features some of the most thrilling rides with more than 40 water attractions and an Adventure Park. Big Kahuna's offers guests three rushing rivers, speed slides, body flumes, white-water tubing, leisurely lagoons, two wave pools, four children's areas with kid-sized slides and variable-depth pools, as well as other exciting wet and wild attractions for kids of all ages.
The Adventure Park offers picturesque tropical mini golf, which boasts of 54 challenging holes on three unique courses. Each course has creative obstacles and authentic wooden-tiki heads, which guard the holes and protect golfers from a stroke of bad luck. There is a Grand Prix race way and a sky coaster which puts you 100 feet in the air. The water park season pass costs $135 with extra taxes per person and the Adventure pass ticket costs $ 44.25 which includes all day Water Park admission, one round of mini-golf and two go-kart tickets. Children aged 2 and under are free. Prices vary from location to location and are subject to change without notice. Discounts are available for tickets purchased at the park.
Camp Helen State Park
Camp Helen State Park, which is located just east of Rosemary Beach on Highway-98 at Inlet Beach, is surrounded on three sides by the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Powell, and Phillips Inlet. These three water bodies provide the park with enough diversity to create a habitat for wildlife that includes rare shorebirds and bald eagles. The 183.5-acre park contains maritime hammocks, freshwater wetlands, sand pine scrub, coastal dunes, as well as a salt marsh. To really enjoy the many natural wonders the park offer, explore it on foot.
Apart from the flora and fauna, the park also has a bit of history to offer—the Camp Helen lodge and its cottages have a ‘40s look that tourists can experience.
Fishing for both fresh and saltwater species has traditionally been popular at Camp Helen. The park opens from 8 AM until sunset daily. The daily entrance fee is $4 per carload up to 8 people; for pedestrians and bicyclists it is $1 and free for children less than 6 years. Discounts are available and have to be enquired for at the park. Pets are welcome in designated areas if they are kept on a 6-foot, hand-held leash and are well behaved.
Junior Museum of Bay County
There is a special treat for children in Panama City, just 20-30 minutes from Rosemary Beach — Junior Museum of Bay County. Junior Museum is a fun way for the whole family to spend a few hours together. In the indoors, it has exhibits relating to science, imagination and nature, while the outdoor offers a 1500-feet nature walk to a real-size replica of a pioneer homestead. The Museum is open from 9 AM to 4:30 PM from Monday to Friday. Saturday timings are from 10 AM to 4 PM and it is closed on Sundays. Entry to the Museum is free.
