STORY IDEAS
Diverse Architectural Designs
Nestled along the sugar white sands of Florida’s panhandle are the 14 distinctive communities of Beaches of South Walton. This collection of diverse architectural styles found in Beaches of South Walton’s makes travelers feel as though they’ve traveled the world without ever leaving the area’s 26-miles of coastline. 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, while WaterColor reveals elegant Florida cracker-style cottages with well-appointed amenities. Seaside, a town which pioneered the new urbanism movement, showcases pastel homes with narrow streets and white picket fences. Leon Krier and Andres Duany are just two renowned architects that contributed to the Seaside style. Communities under development create anticipation of new styles to come including Alys Beach, which brings of a union of 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.
Natural Wonders
More than 40 percent of the destination is preserved through state parks, creating a variety of diverse ecological communities, including beach dunes, mesic flatwoods, scrub, depression marshes and coastal dune lakes. The area’s 17 coastal dune lakes are so rare that they are only found in Beaches of South Walton and remote portions of Africa and Australia. The Choctawhatchee Bay shares a direct connection with the Gulf of Mexico, which allows the bay to maintain varying levels of salinity creating a great biodiversity of wildlife species. These waterways have the highest occurrences of rare wildlife species in the state, some of which are found no where else in the world.
The State of the Arts
This region celebrates a richly diverse palette of art and culture. An art tour through the destination unleashes a diverse array of art and home-grown artists. Each beach community is home to a variety of galleries that showcase colorful art, unique sculpture and fascinating furniture. Artists at Gulf Place in Santa Rosa Beach is an unique art community featuring nine local artist who present an array of artwork and invite visitors to meet the creator behind each piece. Walton County celebrates an artist each year through its “Artist of the Year” program. Phil Kiser, “Artist of the Year 2006,” dedicated his life to glass art and creates works of art by using recycled materials including antique plates, mason jars, recycled mirrors and vintage glass.
Culinary Excitement is Always on the Menu
A meal at the beach usually starts with a dozen raw oysters and follows with a fish sandwich or hearty shrimp po boy. However, Beaches of South Walton boasts a large concentration of award-winning restaurants and classically trained chefs along the gulf coast. Chef-owner Johnny Earles is renowned for passionately-inspired Creole/Caribbean cuisine at Criolla’s. One of the finest New York-style steakhouses in the country, Seagar’s, is located at the Hilton Sandestin, and the ever popular Café 30-A is renowned for its innovative southern favorites including quail with grits. Fish Out of Water’s casual chic, elegance is complemented by the chef’s use of freshest local fish and meats, and eclectic approach to traditional ways of preparing and serving food.
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 and is the new home of the PGA Champions Tour, The Boeing Championship at Sandestin. Other must play courses including Tom Fazio-designed Camp Creek Golf Club and the area’s newest course, Windswept Dunes Golf Club, rated in Golf Magazine’s Top 10 list.
Spas
Beaches of South Walton, known as a pure and simple vacation experience, is catering to visitors in entirely new ways by offering the latest in luxurious day spas offering a range of treatments sure to pamper and revitalize guests. Solace Day Spa in Rosemary Beach pampers guests with signature services such as the Marine Firming Facial and Rosemary Body Scrub. WaterColor’s Innspa provides coastal blues and green mixes with seaside textures while introducing special services for men, including an “Old Fashioned Rub Down” and a conditioning pedicure especially for guys. Since today’s traveler is looking for even more personalized services, there is a variety of certified massage therapists available to come directly to the vacation home or condo for visitors who do not want to leave the comfort of their own sanctuary.
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 abundance of shops from galleries to boutiques. With 50 shops to choose from, Seaside offers an abundance of boutiques and galleries 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 & Beach Resort.
Family
Beaches of South Walton is a destination for children of all ages to enjoy the beach, explore new activities and learn new skills and about the world around them. 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 a variety of activities that allow children and parents the opportunity to discover new experiences together. Families can play golf, tennis or sailing together while the children learn the basics of the sport. 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 30-A 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 planning services to make the planning process easier. From small, elegant ceremonies to large and elaborate receptions, Beaches of South Walton offers locations to fit every size and need. 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 Miramar Beach, Embassy Suites provides elegant facilities, professional services and talented culinary team, to make each wedding unique and special.
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