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Diverse Architectural Designs
Nestled along the sugar-white sands of Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast are the 15 distinctive communities of Beaches of South Walton. Rosemary Beach, inspired by the small, waterfront towns of the Caribbean, incorporates a rich palette of colors with Dutch- and West Indies-style homes and innovative designs. WaterSound introduces styles from the northeast with a “Cape Cod” feel. WaterColor reveals elegant Florida cracker-style cottages with well-appointed amenities. Seaside, a town that pioneered the new urbanism movement, showcases pastel homes with narrow streets and white picket fences.
Communities under development include Alys Beach, which unites English and Spanish architecture. With a white stucco walls and white-ridged roofs, Alys Beach’s look was born from styles of Bermuda, Antigua, and Guatemala. These are just a few of the dynamic Beaches of South Walton communities.
Natural Wonders
Beaches of South Walton is home to the largest concentration of rare coastal dune lakes in the world. The area’s 15 coastal dune lakes are so rare that similar ecosystems can only be found in Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, and the Northwest Pacific Coast of the United States. These fragile ecosystems are an important source of freshwater to migrating birds and other beach organisms and are ideal for canoeing, kayaking and fishing.
Forty percent of Beaches of South Walton is preserved through state parks and forests, creating a variety of diverse ecological communities, including beach dunes, mesic flatwoods, scrub, and depression marshes.
New Recreational Activities are Trend Setting
Local entrepreneurs Jeff Archer and Tom Losee developed the YOLO Board, a hybrid stand-up paddle board. Their newest invention is the YOLO Yak, a hybrid kayak that is great for beginners. With the beautiful bodies of water in Beaches of South Walton, and an increasing momentum in this segment of the water sports market, YOLO was born. YOLO (an acronym for You Only Live Once) involves standing up and paddling on a big, safe, comfortable long-board, offering a whole new point of view—from paddling with dolphins or sneaking up on blue crabs to dropping in at your favorite surf-break or just enjoying the view towards the beach.
At the other end of the beach, local resident Joe Moore is the owner and operator of Blu Fusion Kayaks, a kayak tour and rental company that specializes in clear kayaks. The kayaks are made from the same polymer used for jet fighter canopies, making them durable and crystal clear. The kayaks give you a 360-degree viewing angle of the ocean bottom. At Blu Fusion Kayaks they call it snorkeling without the mask. With the goal of educating travelers about marine ecosystem, Moore donates a portion of the proceeds from his tours and rentals to the Save Our Seas Foundation.
The State of the Arts
This region celebrates art and culture. An art tour through the destination showcases an array of art and home-grown artists. Each beach community is home to galleries featuring colorful art, unique sculpture and fascinating furniture. Beaches of South Walton celebrates an artist each year through its “Artist of the Year” program. Michael McCarty, “2009 Artist of the Year,” produces contemporary, modern art work and traditionally works with acrylic on canvas. His styles range from abstract to figurative to botanical and everything in between.
Culinary Excitement is Always on the Menu
Along the Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, the selection of locally grown foods is bountiful, and area restaurants partner with the region’s farmers and fishermen. Menus change on a daily basis, depending on what’s fresh and what can be obtained within a 100-mile radius, resulting in a culinary culture that celebrates simplicity. In Beaches of South Walton, highly-skilled and talented chefs are creating recipes that bring out the natural flavors of these fresh ingredients, while experimenting with the new programs such as farm dinners, cooking classes, and in-home demonstrations. At the same time, local products such as Bad Byron’s Butt Rub seasoning and Geaux Jus are being used by locals as well as everyone from professional chefs to backyard cooks across the nation.
Tee Time
With 207 challenging holes on nine of the gulf’s top-rated courses, Beaches of South Walton is a golf enthusiasts’ dream. Among the area’s many accolades, The Raven at Sandestin’s Golf and Beach Resort was recognized as the region’s first marquee resort course by Golf Magazine. Other must play courses including Tom Fazio-designed Camp Creek Golf Club and the area’s newest course, Origins Course, a Davis Love Golf Design that's a six-hole regulation course that alternatively plays as a nine-hole executive course and a 10-hole par-3 layout through the use of alternate tee boxes and auxiliary greens.
Relaxation and Rejuvenation
According to a recent survey by Experian Simmons, Americans’ No. 1 priority on vacation is to relax at a beachside destination. Travelers are looking for a place to unwind and rejuvenate for a good value. For many visitors, simply lounging on the white-sand beaches with a good book is the ultimate in relaxation; others prefer full spa treatments, including massages and body wraps. Spas such as Serenity by the sea at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa offer a full range of specialized services in private treatment rooms. A range of certified massage therapists are also available to stop by vacation rentals for in-home or in-room treatments. Still others like to participate in organized yoga classes to help unwind and ease the mind, body and spirit. In Beaches of South Walton such opportunities are abundant such as Vinyasa Flow Yoga at Balance Health Studio and Hatha Yoga at Grayton Beach Fitness or Rosemary Beach Fitness Center and Iyengar Yoga at Yoga on 30A, which all offer regular sessions for all levels of ability. Weekend retreats, which combine yoga, YOLO Boarding and healthy cuisine, are also gaining popularity in communities such as Seagrove and Grayton Beach.
Shopping
Shopping is one of the top activities travelers enjoy while on vacation. The destination offers an abundance of shopping, from designer and name brands to hand-made art and boutiques of every kind. Silver Sands Factory Stores is the nation’s largest designer outlet center with more than 100 stores filled with designer merchandise. Grayton Beach offers an array of shops from galleries to boutiques. With 50 shops to choose from, Seaside’s boutiques and galleries are all within walking distance. The finest resort shops and boutiques are located in the Village of Baytowne Wharf and Market Shops at Sandestin in Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.
Family
Beaches of South Walton is a destination for children to enjoy the beach, explore new activities, and learn new skills. At Camp WaterColor, designed for children age five to 12, activities range from scavenger hunts, sailing, tennis, snorkeling, canoeing, and arts and crafts. Children can learn new skills, such as culinary arts, planting vegetables, gardening, and hiking.
At Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, families can enjoy new experiences together. Families can play golf, tennis, or sail together. Five pristine state parks offer hands-on learning experiences, either independently or through guided-tours and special programs. Most Saturdays Topsail Hill State Preserve offers programs ranging from shore birds to snakes in your backyard to turpentine demonstrations.
Preserving a Way of Life
Each beach community strikes a unique balance between on-going development and careful preservation of the environment. Since the development plan for Walton County includes strict building codes that ban buildings over four stories high, drivers can meander down Scenic Highway 30A and experience a generous view of the destination’s pristine coastline. Many of the beach communities are designed to fit, rather than intrude, into the coastal environment respecting the delicate balance with nature.
Weddings
More couples are opting for romantic “destination weddings” at extraordinary beach locations. Hotels, resorts, and businesses are offering wedding packages and services to make the planning process easier. From small, elegant ceremonies to large, elaborate receptions, Beaches of South Walton offers locations to fit every size and budget. In Seaside, couples can choose from a number of places, including the Seaside Chapel, a beach pavilion, barefoot on the sand, or one of the lavish greens. In Sandestin, 2400-acre Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort as well as the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa provide soon-to-be brides all the services and amenities needed without ever leaving the property.
