Pool swim season in Destin, FL
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Destin, FL?
An unheated pool in Destin reaches 78°F in Jun to Sep, about 4 months a year. The air allows up to 9 swimmable months with a heater (Mar to Nov).
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What each heater buys you in Destin
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 8 | Apr to Nov | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $219 | $769 |
| Gas heater + cover | 9 | Mar to Nov | $719 | $1,144 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at FL prices of 15.3¢/kWh electricity and $25/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Destin
Solar panels + cover: 8 of 9 possible months for about $283 a year all-in, which works out near $71 for each month it adds.
Before you pay for any heater, buy a solar cover: on its own it adds 2 months here for about $50 a year (why a cover comes first). If you get quotes, ask for a heat pump sized to your pool's surface area; here it beats gas all-in (heat pump or gas).
Weather station: Destin Ft Walton Beach Airport, 0.8 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Destin month by month: air, sun and pool water
| Month | Air high | Air avg | Sun kWh/m²/day | Water, unheated | Water, covered | Heat pump $ | Gas $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63° | 54° | 3.1 | 56° | 62° | – | – |
| Feb | 66° | 57° | 3.7 | 56° | 62° | – | – |
| Mar | 71° | 62° | 5.0 | 62° | 68° | $114 | $367 |
| Apr | 76° | 68° | 6.0 | 68° | 74° | $49 | $172 |
| May | 84° | 76° | 6.7 | 76° | 82° | – | – |
| Jun | 89° | 82° | 6.3 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Jul | 91° | 84° | 6.0 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Aug | 91° | 83° | 5.5 | 86° | 92° | – | – |
| Sep | 89° | 81° | 5.2 | 84° | 90° | – | – |
| Oct | 81° | 72° | 4.5 | 78° | 84° | – | – |
| Nov | 72° | 63° | 3.6 | 68° | 74° | $56 | $180 |
| Dec | 66° | 57° | 2.7 | 59° | 65° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Mar (about $114 with a heat pump, $367 with gas). Sunshine peaks in May at 6.7 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 11.0 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Destin compares with nearby cities
Destin ranks 156 of 173 Florida cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niceville, FL | 9 mi | 4 | 9 | $360 |
| Fort Walton Beach, FL | 9 mi | 4 | 9 | $219 |
| Crestview, FL | 25 mi | 4 | 9 | $316 |
| Panama City Beach, FL | 37 mi | 4 | 9 | $263 |
| Milton, FL | 38 mi | 4 | 9 | $232 |
| Pensacola, FL | 43 mi | 4 | 9 | $228 |