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Places to See & Things to Do - Seaside,Rosemary,Grayton & Watercolor
Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Grayton Beach and WaterColor
Some of Florida’s newest communities are its most old fashioned. Along the 26-mile strip of Northwest Florida quartz-sand coastline known as the Beaches of South Walton, Sandestin, Seaside, WaterColor and Rosemary Beach are attractive, groundbreaking towns where people live and vacation, and the emphasis is on neighborly and pedestrian-friendly. You don’t have to live or stay at the resorts, however, to explore, shop and dine along their charming walkways.
Where walking leaves off, a bike path supplements your pledge to stay out of the car and enjoy your visit without gas sticker-shock and traffic woes. The area’s Scenic 30-A, a back road that weaves through communities and countryside, is very inviting to cyclists, while trails run through the area’s state forest and parks. Bike rentals are readily available in the resort communities.
 For culture and heritage of a modern sort, head to Seaside, on County Road 30-A. A planned community patterned after quintessential American towns, it is brimming with cracker-style houses in Easter-egg colors. So postcard-perfect is this trendy beach village that it set the stage for Jim Carey's "The Truman Show". A drive-by will give you an overview of the area, but if you want a taste of the town, rent a bike and pedal about the brick-paved roads, stopping to shop in the open-air market or to catch a concert under the stars in the town's grassy amphitheater. Phone: (800) 277-8696 or (888)-732-7433.
Seaside gave birth to the new-urban model of the ideal pedestrian-safe communities. Wander its 80 acres of brick-paved, car-free streets to marvel at the beautiful cottages and Victorian homes. Don’t miss Modica Market for deli goodies, produce and gourmet items. Other shops sell local art, books and silver jewelry. Across 30-A, Perspicacity purveys clothing in a Caribbean market setting and dune boardwalks take you to a gorgeous beach with sand so white it makes sunglasses a necessity, not just an accessory. Stay for dinner at Bud & Alley’s.
How about a romantic getaway in a romantic village! Pastel-painted cottages wrapped in white picket fences, brick streets and tin-roofed buildings – the village of Seaside (800-822-6877, www.beachesofsouthwalton.com) looks like a watercolor painting come to life. This picture-perfect little town is where couples can stroll or bicycle to the market, shops, galleries and restaurants, and enjoy an occasional outdoor concert or wine tasting. It’s where white pavilions and walkways lead to emerald green gulf waters fringed with powder-soft sand.
For a special getaway, check into Josephine’s Bed & Breakfast (800-848-1840, www.josephinesinn.com), an elegant B&B also known for its intimate fine dining. Alternately, rent a colorful storybook cottage. Guest Services can arrange to fill it with fresh flowers, stock it with your favorite market foods and even have a licensed massage therapist appear at your door. Let your imagination be their guide… have breakfast delivered or a beach picnic packed for two.
The 499-acre WaterColor is walking distance from Seaside and, like it, showcases knockout architecture and fronts the Gulf of Mexico. Winding roads pass pools, green lawns, a kids’ club, recreational facilities, a coastal dune lake and lakeside restaurant and Town Center’s cluster of shops. Beachside, the design-forward WaterColor Inn is home to a beautiful spa and the newest dining sensation on the South Walton landscape, Fish Out of Water. On the beach, walk west a few paces to reach Grayton Beach State Park, one of America’s top-rated beaches.
Rosemary Beach, 107 acres, opened in 1995 as an architectural wonder combining styles from St. Augustine, the West Indies, New Orleans and Charleston. It expands its Dutch Caribbean-style Town Square with a new day spa, fitness center and Hotel Saba. Pedestrian lanes and secret pathways travel through neighborhoods of homes and rental carriage houses, to one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants and the beach – everything within a five-minute walk. For dinner, try Onano’s brand of inventive Italian at The Pensione, Rosemary’s budget lodging. Rent a bike and head to Deer Lake State Park to walk through towering dunes, about three miles away.
Visit www.beachesofsouthwalton.com to learn more about exploring South Walton County.
For more information on the listings mentioned in this article, click here: Seaside Cottage Rental Agency, Silver Lining Charter Fishing Service, Silver Sands Factory Stores - Destin, Sailing Schooner Daniel Webster Clements
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