The beach neighborhoods of Northwest Florida surprise with unexpected natural beauty-Gulf waters, coastal dune lakes, forested rivers-and the sophisticated accommodations here give it a style you won’t find elsewhere in Florida. Book a two-story beach house for a week, choose sun-bleached Mediterranean-style accommodations or reserve a room at a SoBe-style boutique hotel. Tucked in these fashionable beach communities are buzzy bars and restaurants, along with art galleries and trendy boutiques all run by some of the friendliest folks around.
1 No. 1 Reason: The Beach
The Gulf beaches in Northwest Florida are carved out of the whitest sand and when the sunlight hits them just right, they look like glistening snow drifts. Together with crystal-clear calm waters, transparent enough to see the soft bottom of the sea, the South Walton beaches will quickly become your favorite stretch after one visit. These are the ideal shores for walking, building sand castles and having a beach picnic. And when ready, take a plunge in the warm waters or rent a paddleboard and work out your muscles.
2 Beach Communities
Scenic Highway 30-A is a two-lane road that hugs the beachside as it zips through a collection of very cool beach communities, 16 in total and each with its own personality. Sand dunes and sea oats surround the eclectic houses that rise up. You’ll be hard pressed to pick your favorite neighborhood, so to start, check out our favorites: Seaside, Santa Rosa Beach, Alys Beach and Grayton Beach.
3 Vacation Rental, the Optimum Way to Go
Yes, you can come for the weekend, but with a huge selection of beach homes for rent it would be a shame not to stay longer. Two-story houses, with rooftop balconies perfect for cocktail hour and beach watching, line the Gulf. Smaller bungalows are tucked behind picket fences a couple of blocks from the shore, and homes with a bleached- white Mediterranean vibe pepper the offerings. Inside designers have perked up interiors with nautical decors, rustic country looks and colors that make you feel as if it’s summer year-round. Bonus: All are within walking distance of the shore and all worthy of a spot in Architectural Digest.
4 Taste of the Beach
When the summer crowds are gone, South Walton hosts Taste of the Beach, a full-blown foodie fest, in November when days are warm and nights are cool. With events from tastings to wine-paired dinners held throughout the area, you have your pick. Saturday’s Seeing Red tasting sprawls throughout Seaside with music on stage and hundreds of booths for sampling the latest vintages. A retail tent is brimming with cases of wine, so when you find your favorite vino, you can stock up right there.
5 YOLO Boarding
They say the sport of stand-up paddleboarding was introduced to Florida here by Jeff Archer and Tom Losee, who created the company YOLO Board (yes, you got it: “you only live once”)—and the perfectly designed paddleboard. These guys know the waterways well and happily direct vacationers to the best coastal dune lakes, forested rivers and of course the Gulf of Mexico for a super SUP experience.
6 Southern Vibe
Everything Southern—accents, hospitality, sweet tea and barbecue— can be found in South Walton. With its proximity to Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, South Walton is a big draw for vacationers from the U.S. South in search of a beach town with style.
7 Teeing Off
For some, a vacation is never complete without a game of golf. The area boasts 207 holes of golf, and some of the prettiest courses sit near the Gulf. Camp Creek Golf Club blends nature’s blues and greens with watery scenes and plenty of native plants. There are even signs to identify the saw palmetto, marsh hay cordgrass, muhly grass, Gulf cordgrass and live oak that made this course so pleasant to play.
8 Seaside Stroll
One of the most popular neighborhoods is Seaside, where beach and commerce blend. Stop for lunch at Airstream Row, a line of silver trailers with food vendors serving everything from oozing grilled cheese sandwiches to fluffy cupcakes. Poke into the shops on Central Square and then meander over to Ruskin Artists Colony, where the first Friday of every month an art walk takes place. A Gulf-side open-air market is another fun stop where shoppers find sun hats and beach gear. At dusk join the sunset gazers on Bud & Alley’s deck for a cold beer, try the local brew Grayton IPA.
9 Eco Exploring
Forty percent of the land in South Walton is preserved for state parks, dune lakes and coastal forest. Topsail Hill Preserve State Park has three miles of white quartz sand beaches with majestic dunes standing more than 25 feet tall; its trails are ideal for walking and biking. Morris Springs Park has a spring pool with cavities that lead to an underground chamber and is the area’s most popular dive spot. Grayton Beach State Park, with its sugar sands nestled between the Gulf’s emerald waters and rolling dunes covered with sea oats, is picturesque, but it’s also home to the Western Lake and a salt marsh ecosystem, making it a favorite spot with boaters.
10 Where to Sleep
WaterColor Inn & Resort may be the only mega property on Scenic Highway 30-A, but it certainly doesn’t feel big. As part of the WaterColor community, guests can bicycle the neighborhood, launch a kayak from the boathouse and find plenty of dining and shopping options steps from their room. In neighboring Grayton Beach, one of the first communities, Hibiscus Coffee & Guesthouse is a real find. Enjoy cozy Old Florida-style rooms and breakfast in the garden. Those looking for a cool SoBe-style vibe find it at the Pearl, a stunning boutique hotel tucked in Rosemary Beach. The second level overlooks the swimming pool, and its cabanas are comfy spots from which to admire the seashore and surrounding architecture.
