Tag Archives: South Walton

Florida, Florida Keys, Key West, Palm Beach, South Walton, St. Pete Beach

Florida Fall Beach Resort Specials

August 22, 2017

Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa

Escape to Florida’s Emerald Coast with the Beauty & The Beach package and you’ll enjoy special rates and complimentary perks such as daily breakfasts and spa treatments. This 2,100-acre property is located on one of the Gulf of Mexico’s best powder- soft sand beaches, and includes a championship golf course, three pools, award-winning dining and the Serenity by the Sea Spa. There, you can indulge in signature treatments that incorporate sea salts and seawater pearls. In addition to a complimentary spa session, the package also provides 20 percent discounts on additional treatments. Experience the Serenity Sea Escape Facial, Seawater Tonic Wrap or splurge on the Tranquility half-day spa journey. Afterward, enjoy some retail therapy with a special shopping pass to the Silver Sands Premium Outlets. The package is available from September 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018. Minimum night stay is two nights and the package must be booked at least three days in advance. Rates start at $289 for a two or more night stay. www.hiltonsandestinbeach.com; use code PB; 800-559-1805

An admiral suite at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa rewards guests with panoramic views of Destin Beach and the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Photo: Hilton Sandestin

Sirata Beach Resort

The all-inclusive lifestyle comes to St. Petersburg Beach, where the Sirata Beach Resort is offering luxury accommodations, fine dining, libations and a full range of resort amenities at special all- in-one rates. This family friendly hotel in St. Petersburg sits directly on the Gulf of Mexico surrounded by 13 acres of palm- shaded tropical landscape. Each luxury appointed guest suite features a separate bedroom, spacious living and dining area and a fully equipped kitchen; suites include garden, ocean or pool views. Amenities include three beachfront pools, two whirlpools, three award-winning restaurants, a fitness center, premier game room, bike share service, live music, family activities, water sports and more. All inclusive package rates include all taxes and gratuities, and will be available all year. Packages start at $399 per night for two guests in a one-bedroom king, with a four night minimum stay. Additional adult guests are $150 per night per person. Children 12 and under are an additional $75 per person per night. www.sirata.com; 877-214-0421

Sirata Beach Resort sits in a prime section of St. Petersburg Beach. This location combines ocean views with easy access to area attractions such as shops, galleries and museums. Photo: Sirata Beach

Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa

This fall, you can vacation like the other half for a third less. The Eau Palm Beach Resort is one of only two Forbes Five-Star resorts on this upscale island, situated on a private beach with seven acres of oceanfront with lush tropical gardens, breathtaking ocean views and cooling tropical breezes. All guest rooms and suites offer private balconies with ocean, pool and gardens views. Suites have separate bedroom, living room and two bathrooms. Club level rooms include a personal concierge, four indulgent meal periods in the Eric Villency designed Club Lounge, unlimited featured beer and wine selections, and daily pressing service. The resort features five restaurants, a fitness center with, spinning, yoga and Pilates classes, three Har-try clay courts, two pools, a range of child and youth programs and a 42,000-square- foot spa. Stay a minimum of three nights through October 31, 2017 and get the third night on the house. Enjoy! www.eaupalmbeach.com; 844-482-1788

The Eau Palm Beach Resort is an upscale oceanfront enclave of luxury. A recent redesign of the property’s 309 rooms and suites showcase the design work and furnishings of Johnathan Alder. Photo: Eau Palm Beach

Hawks Cay Resort

It’s a tropical island you can drive to. Hawks Cay sits on the small island of Duck Key, half way between Key Largo and Key West, and just a short causeway away from the Overseas Highway. The resort’s 60-acre grounds face a private lagoon with direct access to coral reefs and the aquamarine water of the Atlantic Ocean. Guests enjoy offshore, flats and backcountry fishing, diving, kayaking, kite boarding and standup paddle boarding programs. The resort boasts 177 guestrooms and 250 two- and three- bedroom villas, a full-service marina, six restaurants, saltwater lagoon, five swimming pools, kid and teen clubs and the award- winning Calm Waters Spa. During the fall, the resort is offering the Fall into the Keys activities special that includes a $50 dining credit, half-hour kayak rental for two, half-hour paddleboard rental for two and one-hour bicycle rental for two. The package is available when two or more guests book a three night or more stay. Bookings must be prepaid and travel completed by December 21, 2017. www.hawkscay.com

Hawk’s Cay is a small slice of the Caribbean set in the heart of the Florida Keys. Its waterfront location makes it a favorite with divers, fishermen and boaters. Photo: Jason Stemple/Hawks Cay

Amelia Island, Florida Keys, Key West, Miami Beach, Orlando, South Walton, Stay, Trip Ideas

Family Style Easter Escapes in Florida

March 21, 2017

Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, Destin

In addition to their regular range of family friendly activities and amenities, this popular beach resort hosts an annual “Eggstravaganza” celebration over the Easter weekend. Children receive treat baskets delivered by the big bunny, and can take part in coloring contests and an egg hunt. There’s a special Sunday brunch and the on-site Serenity by the Sea Spa is offering Easter spa baskets for mom, and golden eggs with a prize or discount inside.

The Hilton Sandestin Beach offers Easter extras for the entire family. Children receive treat baskets, adults can indulge in spa specials and the entire family can enjoy a holiday brunch. Photo: Hilton Sandestin Beach

Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

Centrally located just minutes from the Disney parks, the Bonnet Creek resort is an ideal home base for taking in a number of Easter centric events staged by the theme parks. In addition, the resort is the site of the Give Kids the World Easter Village, which is presided over by Mayor Clayton. A six-foot tall rabbit is available to pose for photos, and share gingerbread bunny cookies as a thank you for those who support this charity.

While area theme parks offer a wide range of Easter activities, families staying at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek can also meet the big bunny at the property’s on-site Easter Village. Photo: Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

Omni Amelia Island Plantation

Easter themed fun kicks off with the resort sponsored Bunny Hop 5K and a children’s fun run on Saturday. Next comes the annual Easter Parade, where visitors are encouraged to decorate a rental bike and join the locals in a festive pedal. The rest of the day is devoted to the Easter Carnival, with egg relay races, beach fires, magic shows, and an Easter Bunny tuck-in at bedtime. Sunday begins with a non-denominational sunrise service, followed by an Easter egg hunt and a special brunch.

On Easter weekend, the pool deck and grounds of the Omni Amelia Island Plantation will host a variety of special activities, including egg hunts, magic shows and appearances by the Easter Bunny. Photo: Omni Amelia Island Plantation

Newport Beachside Hotel & Resort, Miami Beach

The two-bedroom suites at this oceanfront property give families plenty of space, and easy access to area Easter events. Jungle Island’s Mega Eggs features 50,000 eggs, 800 pounds of candy, and visits with the Easter Bunny. The Miami Zoo adds egg safaris, a petting zoo and special treats for the animals, while Bunny Palooza returns to the Miami Seaquarium with continuous egg hunting, South Florida’s largest Easter Parade and five acres of rides, slides and bounce houses.

The spacious suites of the Newport Beachside Hotel and Resort provide families with a comfortable base for excursions to a number of Easter- themed events in the Miami area. Photo: Newport Beachside

Parrot Key Hotel & Resort, Key West

If the kids have outgrown the Easter Bunny, but are still part of a family Easter break, a good alternative is a Keys getaway for water sports fun. Parrot Key Resort is a five-acre waterfront oasis away from the revelry of Duval Street, but is still close to Key West’s prime attractions. For a unique and memorable Easter tradition, book passage with Fury Catamarans for their Easter Sunday Ultimate Adventure to a private island for PWC, parasailing, kayaking and waterpark fun, plus a special holiday lunch menu.

Family-friendly Parrot Key Resort is ideally located in the heart of Key West, conveniently located to attractions, but away from the crowds and late- night revelry of Duval Street. Photo: Parrot Key Resort

Florida, Florida Keys, Key West, Miami, Miami Beach, South Walton

Florida’s Best New Year’s Eve Parties

December 12, 2016

Funky Key West Traditions

Forget the lighted ball and check out Key West’s unique New Year’s Eve Drops. Watch the famous giant conch shell drop from the roof of Sloppy Joe’s Bar, or count down as famous drag queen “Sushi” descends onto Duval Street in a huge red high heel shoe. A third drop takes place at the harbor where a costumed pirate wench is lowered from a ship’s mast at Schooner’s Wharf. Wherever you start the countdown, there is never a dull moment in Key West on New Year’s Eve, where the party lasts all night long.

A crowd of thousands gathers on Key West’s Duval Street to watch a giant shoe drop from the balcony of the New Orleans House on December 31st. Photo: Flickr

Party on the Bay

Miami’s Bayfront Park will once again host its famous and free New Year’s Eve Happening, which includes live music from top musicians. This year, the star attraction will be Mr. 305 himself, Pitbull. The hometown rapper’s New Year’s Eve Revolution will even be televised live on Fox. Expect a star- studded lineup of live music; enjoy an array of food, amazing fireworks with the beautiful bay as a backdrop and nonstop Latin dancing. It’s no wonder USA Today names South Florida one of the best places in the world to ring in the New Year.

Miami Bayfront Park New Years Eve Fireworks

Midnight fireworks light up the Miami skyline and the waters of Biscayne Bay during the city’s New Year’s Eve celebration. Photo: Lonny Paul/Flickr

Dropping the Beach Ball

Say goodbye to 2016 with the family friendly event on Panama City Beach, where a giant beach ball drops at midnight. The streets of Pier Park are closed off for the evening, and revelers can enjoy free live music and entertainment. For the young crowd, there’s an 8 p.m. countdown when more than 10,000 beach balls are dropped from nets, followed by fireworks. For the midnight countdown, there is live music during the much anticipated lowering of the 800-pound beach ball, which is lit by thousands of glowing LED lights. The drop is followed by a second round of fireworks. Who wouldn’t want to celebrate the New Year with your toes in the sand?

New Years Eve Fireworks Panama City Florida

Panama City Beach doubles up on the fireworks, with an early show for youngsters and families with an early bedtime. Photo: Chris MacLeod/Flickr

Florida, Florida Keys, Key West, Miami Beach, South Beach, South Walton

Best Places to Paddleboard in Florida

October 8, 2014

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With 1,197 miles of coastal waters, plus numerous rivers, lakes and an Intracoastal Waterway, Florida is a mecca for stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) enthusiasts who want to hone their skills in various types of water. But even with so many options, outfitters are coming up with new ways to enjoy the sport. How about gliding the seas on a clear- bottom paddleboard, doing yoga moves on a board, yes, on the board, or engaging in a full workout while balancing? You can even join a group for Nightboarding—and don’t tell me you never heard of Nightboarding.

Key West

Day or night the waters around Key West are nature’s playground for both man and fish. Backcountry guided tours on a stand-up paddleboard offer a different perspective—and viewing—from that of a traditional kayak. Quietly glide along the edges of mangrove islands and spy into the prop roots of the red mangrove trees, which serve as rookeries to ibis, herons, pelican and their fledglings. For underwater viewing, rent one of the clear-bottom boards and observe fish in the sea grass below. The mangroves happen to be the perfect setting for a yoga session because the area is protected from wind and tides. Using breathing techniques and an om or two, you can work at improving your balance, gaining core strength and connecting with nature during a yoga SUP session offered by several area outfitters. Those up for an after-dark adventure can go Nightboarding with Ibis Bay Paddle Sports. The group sets out for the open ocean 20 minutes after sunset on paddleboards equipped with the NOCQUA 2000, a white LED light system that attaches to the board. The powerful LED lights shine into the crystal-clear water below, illuminating the ocean floor where at night you’ll see nocturnal creatures and activity you normally don’t see in the daytime. Lobsters, crabs, colorful sponges and tropical fish are among the sea life to keep an eye out for.

Miami Beach

If you enjoy the sport but want a more urban experience, paddleboarding Miami’s Intracoastal Waterway and Biscayne Bay is a great way to sightsee. From a stand-up paddleboard, you can admire downtown Miami’s skyline of swooping steel and glass towers and the million-dollar manses that sprout up on the Intracoastal islands nestled between Miami Beach and the Miami mainland. You can even take in the slow-moving boat traffic, which usually includes sleek yachts and powerboats. At dusk, Miami Beach Paddleboard offers Neon Tours that depart from South Beach on boards outfitted with those dazzling purple, green and orange neon lights that not only scream SoBe, but actually allow you to see 5 feet underwater and 15 feet around the board. If you want to venture into Biscayne Bay, you can join TKS Miami on a tour and glide past the waterfront of Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, where industrialist James Deering’s historic 1922 mansion and boat dock are in clear view.

South Walton

Paddleboarders hit the jackpot when they visit South Walton in Northwest Florida. Here you can choose from the Gulf of Mexico’s flat waters and a chance to see dolphins, the protected Choctawhatchee Bay, crystal-clear springs, flowing rivers and placid 6,000-year-old dune lakes that blend fresh water and saltwater. Does it get any better? In fact of all the Florida destinations, the beach communities skirting the panhandle and the Gulf may be among the best spots in the state for a SUP adventure. Several outfitters rent boards for the day and deliver them free of charge. A great spot for beginners to get out on a board is at the Watercolor Inn & Resort’s Boathouse, where the YOLO Board company rents the equipment. Here you can launch into protected waters to practice and then venture into the Western Lake. Yoga SUP and Run SUP, which involves a mile run followed by a paddle, are regularly scheduled events at the Boathouse.

Florida, Plan, South Walton, Trip Ideas

South Walton: 10 Reasons to Go

July 2, 2014

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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.