Hotel and Travel - Special Air Warfare Symposium

Hotel Complex

By booking at one of our host hotels, you’ll be supporting the well-being of active-duty service members and their families. Both hotels are located on Eglin AFB federal land, and as a result, a portion of the tax revenue directly benefits Eglin AFB’s Morale and Welfare (MWR) program. These funds are invested in projects that improve life experiences and strengthen the overall well-being of active-duty service members and their families, making your stay not only convenient but also impactful. We have selected two adjacent hotels to serve as our “hotel complex” for SAWS 2025–located conveniently across the street from the Destin / Ft. Walton Beach Conference Center.

HOTEL BLOCKS ARE NOW CLOSED

Holiday Inn Resort Fort Walton Beach, an IHG Hotel

Located conveniently across the street from the Destin / Ft. Walton Beach Convention Center and next to the Hilton Garden Inn.

1299 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
Check-in: 4:00 PM
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Cancellation Policy: 3 days

Booking Deadline: February 2nd 2025

Hilton Garden Inn Fort Walton Beach

Located conveniently across the street from the Destin / Ft. Walton Beach Convention Center and the Holiday Inn Resort.

1297 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
Check-in: 4:00 PM
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Cancellation Policy: 3 days

Booking Deadline: February 2nd 2025

Questions about hotels and travel? Contact Kaitlyn Geercken

Travel

Getting Here

By land, sea, or air, there are various ways to get to Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

Drive: Destin-Ft. Walton Beach is a short road trip away from many major southern cities.

Fly: There are some direct flights to the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (DSI), and new routes are being added via major carriers such as American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, SunCountry, and Allegiant Airlines.

Other nearby airports include Valparaiso (VPS) (6.6 miles), Pensacola International Airport (PNS) (34.8 miles) and Panama City Airport (ECP) (49.2 miles).

Airport Transfer: Hotel shuttles, taxis, and rideshares are available to pick you up and bring you directly to your accommodations. There are also many rental car companies available.

Event Shuttle

We are excited to offer a convenient event shuttle service for our guests! On the morning of each event day, the shuttle will be available to transport attendees from the hotel to the event venue. In the evening, the shuttle will return guests to the hotel after the day’s activities. This service is designed to make your experience as seamless and stress-free as possible, ensuring that you can focus on enjoying the event without worrying about transportation.

The Shuttle will run between the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Walton Beach to the Destin Fort Walton Beach Convention Center.

Shuttle Schedule
Tuesday 2/25 0845 – 0945 & 1630 – 1730

Wednesday 2/26 0745 – 0845 & 1800 – 1900

Thursday 2/27 0745 – 0845 & 1600 – 1700

Local Transportation

If you arrive to Destin-Fort Walton Beach and did not drive your own car, you have a variety of methods of transportation to choose from.

Rental Cars: There are six rental car providers in Destin-Fort Walton Beach, including Enterprise and Hertz.
Taxis: With over ten taxi providers, you will have no issue calling a taxi during your stay. Taxi service is call only.
Shuttles: There are over 40 shuttle providers in the area. Most of them offer 24-hour service, perfect for late-night or early-morning flights.
Uber + Lyft: With many Uber and Lyft drivers available in the area, it’s as simple as opening your app and ordering a ride.