Winter is a great time to visit Destin and the Beaches of South Walton; the weather can be warm enough to spend some time on the beach, the restaurants are festive but not crowded, and the shopping and golf is fantastic. Best of all, some of the area's most popular attractions offer deep off season discounts and there's little or no wait. If you're heading to The Emerald Coast for the holidays, there are a number of things you can do to keep your kids unplugged from their new gadgets and connected with the entire family. You can ice skate at the Village of Baytown Wharf until the end of January. The Gulfarium is open all year round, and is a fun place to explore on warmer days. Check out the nationally-ranked Northwest Florida State's men's basketball team. Wonderworks and the Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum make for fun day trips to Panama City. Story time at the Destin Library is free and open to both visitors and guests. Check out the Laser Maze and the 7D Ride in HarborWalk Village. Abrakadoodle in Destin offers budget friendly art classes for kids of all ages. A visit to the Emerald Coast Science Center will make sure their brains don't turn to mush over the holidays. Many area golf clubs offer deep discounts during the off season, so hit the links and see if all those hours spent on the Wii paid off. Head over to Gulf Side Stables in Santa Rosa Beach and spend some time riding horses on their beautiful grounds.