About Bluewater Bay Florida
Bluewater Bay is an unincorporated development within Okaloosa County, located 5 minutes southeast of Niceville FL and 15 minutes north of Destin. There are other residential and commercial properties closeby that consider themselves a part of the informally titled ‘Bluewater Bay area’ but are within the actual BWB development. Property owners in the BWB Development, both residential and commercial, pay an annual tax assessment used to fund the work approved by the BWB MSBU that helps maintain the public grounds of Bluewater Bay.
Many lucky people come to Bluewater Bay due to a job transfer to Eglin AFB, Duke Field or Hurlburt Field — and then stay or return once retired. Others find their way to Bluewater Bay after loving their vacations in Destin and ultimately deciding its time to vacation year round. There are many reasons to choose Bluewater Bay. Our master-planned development offers many activities including 3 swimming pools, a tennis center, golf, a bayfront marina, lakes, walking paths, parks, and playgrounds. Bluewater Bay is home to Bluewater Elementary, office parks, shopping centers, restaurants and other businesses. Each neighborhood within our community has plenty of greenbelts, open space, and miles of walking paths that connect the community and residents seamlessly.
Bluewater Bay is located close to Destin without the summer crowds and the schools that our children attend can’t be beat. Living in Bluewater Bay has other advantages including easy Bay-front access for boating and fishing, the cultural shows brought to the area by Mattie Kelley Arts Center, living only 15 minutes from the Destin (VPS) airport and no state income tax, compliments of living in Florida.
Historical Highlights
The 2,000 acres of land on rural Choctawhatchee Bay that became Bluewater Bay, which currently has more than 10,000 residents, was purchased by land developer Raimund Herden who had financial backing from European investors in 1975. The development was created in 1978 and with the first homes sold in the early 1980s.
In 1992, the Destin Mid-Bay Bridge was constructed, providing a quick path between Bluewater Bay and Destin.
On 1 Jan 2004, responsibility for BWB Maintenance and Common Areas passed to the BWB Municipal Services Benefit Unit (MSBU). The purpose of the MSBU is to provide certain community services supplemental to and not intended as replacement of services which Okaloosa County or the State of Florida has responsibility to provide. These supplemental community services include improvement, repair and maintenance of grounds, landscaped areas including irrigation, signage and streetlights in common areas.