Crestview Real Estate Listings of Houses and Homes for Sale in Okaloosa County, Florida

Crestview

Crestview was incorporated in 1916 and is the county seat for Okaloosa County. Location provided the city’s name as Crestview is situated on a long woodland range between the Yellow and Shoal Rivers. Crestview is one of the highest places in Florida at 235 feet above sea level, and the city receives an average of 65 inches of rain per year, the most in Florida.

The nearby Gulf of Mexico provides Crestview citizens with many recreational opportunities. Fishing is a popular activity and artificial reefs attract sailfish, kingfish, Spanish mackerel, barracuda, mutton snapper and cobia. Boating, swimming, wind surfing and snorkeling are also popular. Blackwater River State Forest, just northwest of Crestview, is the largest state forest in Florida. The Blackwater River, with a sandy bottom, dark tannin water and white sandbars, cuts through the forest. Visitors might see white tail deer, turkeys and bobcats along with rare plants on the State Forest’s two nature trails. Other activities include picnicking, hiking, hunting, fishing and camping.

The history of Northwest Florida is waiting for discovery at the Heritage Museum in Valparaiso. Displays, exhibits and educational programs offer insights into the relationship between man and nature. The Baker Block Museum in Baker provides genealogy information and artifacts.