The Community of Bluewater Bay
Bluewater Bay (BWB), Florida, is an unincorporated development within Okaloosa County, located 5 minutes southeast of Niceville FL and 15 minutes north of Destin. Property owners in the BWB Development pay an annual tax assessment used to fund the work approved by the BWB Municipal Services Benefit Unit (MSBU).
Many lucky people come to Bluewater Bay due to a military 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 amenities and activities including 3 swimming pools, a tennis center, an 18-hole golf course, 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. There is a county maintained park in the Woodlands subdivision of BWB and a second park, Abram’s Park, will open west of Southwind Dr in April 2021,
Bluewater Bay is located close to Destin without the summer crowds. The schools that our children attend can’t be beat. Living in Bluewater Bay has other advantages including easy bayfront access for boating and fishing, the cultural shows brought to the area by Mattie Kelley Arts Center, living only 20 minutes from the Destin (VPS) airport and no state income tax, compliments of living in Florida.
For more information about Bluewater Bay, Florida, visit the Bluewater Bay website.
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, with the first homes sold in the early 1980s.
The Mid-Bay Bridge, a 3.6-mile two lane toll bridge spanning the Choctawhatchee Bay that was built in 1993, makes the trip between Bluewater Bay and Destin / Miramar Beach about 20 minutes.
On 1 Jan 2004, responsibility for BWB Maintenance and Common Areas passed to the BWB 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 and landscaped areas including irrigation, signage and streetlights in common areas.