On the northern shores of the Choctawhatchee Bay, tucked away by the Boggy Bayou, sits one
of the most friendly and welcoming communities in northwestern Florida: Niceville. Along with
the neighboring community of Valparaiso, Niceville is a part of the metropolitan region known
as the Twin Cities of Okaloosa County.
While many communities around the Choctawhatchee Bay are typically resort areas with high
tourism rates, Niceville offers a charming small town atmosphere. The city is only about a 15-
minute drive to all of the fabulous amenities, including the white sandy beaches and vibrant
resort life offered in Destin and throughout South Walton; however, Niceville residents have
the opportunity to leave all of that activity behind at the end of the day to return to their idyllic
community on the Bayou.
A Hometown Atmosphere
Centrally located between Eglin AFB and Duke Field and just a 20 minute drive to Hurlburt Field,
Niceville, is where a lot of military families chose to call home. It’s location to the bases and the
beaches are not the only reason people choose to live here. Top-rated schools, low cost of
living index, family oriented events and activities are contributing factors. Niceville was named
“Best Place to Raise Kids in Florida” by Bloomberg Business in 2012. In 2014, Movado ranked it
as one of the 10 safest places in Florida.
Though Niceville might be considered a small town, it has a lot to offer. Being attached to a 30
mile long Bay and having an exorbitant amount of bayous, water activities are endless. It is not
uncommon to see the water full of boaters, kayakers and paddle boarders. The land lovers can
spend the day exploring one of the many nature trails in the area or the children might enjoy
the one acre children’s park that is centered in the city. There are three golf courses in the
greater Niceville area with many more within a few minutes’ drive. Niceville also has several
soccer and baseball fields, a skate park, and for a little more refined entertainment, the Mattie
Kelly Fine Arts Performing Center, where you can watch concerts, Broadway plays, and more.
The city welcomes those from all over the region and beyond every year with its Boggy Bayou
Mullet Festival. This annual seafood and arts festival is held for three days in late October and
host residents and visitors with delicious local fare, music, carnival rides and a wide variety of
arts and crafts. Famous headliners of the festival have included Florida Georgia Line, Kenny
Rogers, and The Charlie Daniels Band.
Niceville also has easy access to interstate 10 and is adjacent to the Destin-Fort Walton Beach
airport which offers 50 non-stop flights to primary hub cities across the nation making travelling
in and out of Northwest Florida easy.