About the Beaches of South Walton
South Walton has five beautiful state parks, bike trails, five-star restaurants, beachfront cottages, campgrounds, art galleries, golfing, outdoor amphitheater, white picket fences, upscale and down to earth local boutique shops, all on family oriented beaches snuggled away from the more crowded beach communities of Destin and Panama City Beach. What you will not find are fast food restaurants, tacky tourist traps, chain hotels or an overabundance of grocery stores or gas stations. Be sure to stock up before entering our area of paradise.
Bonfires
Bonfires on the beach are only permissible with a permit. To obtain one, call the sheriff’s office at 267-2000 on the day you wish to build the bonfire. Calling ahead will not help because a judgment of conditions on the actual day of the fire must be made. Go to the sheriff’s office (on Hwy 331 about 0.5 mile from intersection with Hwy 98) and provide a driver’s license or other photo identification. The fee is $50 and must be paid in exact cash. Provided conditions are favorable, you will be issued a permit and provided a burn barrel.
Flag System/Beach Safety
There is a flag warning system in place on the beaches of South Walton. To find the current conditions, check the web site at www.swfd.org. Double red flags indicate the water is closed to the public. Red flag indicates high hazard, yellow is medium, green is low, and purple indicates the presence of marine pests. For more on the flag system, visit www.seemoresafetycrab.com.
Lifeguards
Lifeguards are stationed at the following regional accesses from mid-March through September: Inlet Beach, Santa Clara, Gulf View Heights, Ed Walline Park, Dune Allen, and Miramar Beach. Please visit www.seemoresafetycrab.com for current information.
Driving on the beach is not allowed.
Hwy 30A is crossed frequently by pedestrians of all ages headed to the beach, often burdened with beach chairs and gear. Extreme caution and adherence to speed limits is required. Please also be aware that speed limits vary on Hwy 98 through Santa Rosa Beach from 45 mph to 65 mph.
Blue Mountain Beach
Blue Mountain Beach is located between Santa Rosa Beach and Grayton Beach and is the highest point on the Gulf of Mexico in the United States. Accommodations include a wide variety of homes and condominiums with spectacular views of the coastline.
Dune Allen Beach
Dune Allen Beach is the first beach community you will encounter when entering South Walton's beaches heading south/east along 30A from the Destin/Sandestin® area. Upon entering Dune Allen, you will notice a quaint and quiet beach community two miles long with mostly wood-sided beach houses, homes on a lake, and smaller sized condo buildings. There is one gas station with a mini mart, two restaurants and an antique store. Next to Dune Allen Beach is Santa Rosa Beach with a quality golf course, new shopping complex, cafes, and a seafood market.
Dune Allen is the beginning of South Walton's eight-feet-wide, off-road bike path that winds along beaches, freshwater lakes, and undeveloped woodlands all the way to Inlet Beach.
Grayton Beach
Grayton Beach is the oldest town between Pensacola and Apalachicola. Settled in the early 1900, it is a tree lined beach community of the past with old beach cottages and small narrow streets. Nationally and Internationally recognized Interior and home decorating stores, entertainment at the Red Bar on Hotz avenue, fine dining, and quality boutiques.
Inlet Beach
Inlet Beach is also home to some of the most beautiful residential communities along the Emerald Coast. These communities offer lake side homes with natural wooded scenery and easy access to shopping and restaurants.
Inlet Beach is just west of Panama City Beach (over the bridge) and next to Rosemary Beach. Named for the large lagoon on its eastern shore, Phillips Inlet, this peaceful community is known for its secluded areas.
Rosemary Beach
Rosemary Beach's unique architecture is what first captures your attention, with its Dutch and West Indies-inspired homes and commercial buildings.
Santa Rosa Beach
Santa Rosa Beach is only one mile long and is the most developed beach of the three western beaches. You will find a "NEW" large quality outdoor stucco mall with upscale clothing boutiques, stucco houses and condos, bike rentals, golfing, medical office, pharmacy, five restaurants, antique store, pub and seafood market. This picturesque beach community consists of mostly new and semi-new beach houses with a few small condo/townhome complexes.
Seacrest Beach
Seacrest Beach is a new beach community made up of cottages and condominiums hidden behind natural dunes. and is located on the south end of the Beaches of South Walton, between Seagrove Beach and Rosemary Beach.
Seagrove Beach
Seagrove Beach is located next door to it's younger upscale sister beach Seaside. Everything you need is in Seagrove and for a change of pace stroll, bike or run to Seaside where you will find more stores, restaurants and entertainment.
This peaceful beach town is tucked between the coast's natural sand dunes and pine trees. Guest can choose from charming beach houses, cottages and condominiums that range in size from one to four bedroom.
Seaside Beach
Seaside Beach is located in South Walton -- halfway between Destin Florida and Panama City Beach.
Seaside is an up-scaled, planned beach community with 200 Victorian/Post-Modernist architecture homes and cottages that are situated around a town square with an outdoor amphitheater, art and clothing boutiques. Seaside is perhaps best know as the location for the filming of the "Truman Show" movie that featured Jim Carey.
Once in Seaside, simply park your car as everything is easily accessible by foot or bike.
State Parks Located in South Walton
Approximately 40% of the Beaches of South Walton is state owned and features five state parks with miles of nature trails, 17 fresh and saltwater lakes, Choctawhatchee Bay, Gulf of Mexico beaches, dunes, flatwoods and salt marshes, and white sand beaches.
Activities include: hiking, biking, swimming, sunbathing, bird watching, fishing, boating, camping and kayaking.
Topsail Hill State Preserve
156 Campsites with Electric and Water, 14 Fully Furnished 
Cabins
A three-mile span of undeveloped beachfront property that has been identified as the most pristine and environmentally protected piece of coastal property in Florida. Identified as the most pristine piece of coastal property in the state of Florida, this undeveloped area features 1,600 acres of stunning Gulf-front pine forests, nature trails over mountainous sand dunes and two freshwater coastal dune lakes. Admission is free.
Grayton Beach State Park
35 Campsites with Electric and Water, 30 Fully Furnished Cabins
Hailed as the "Best Beach in the U.S.," Grayton features pristine landscapes, camping, self-guided nature trails and picnic areas. A boat ramp is located on Western Lake. You'll find this park off Scenic Highway 30-A.
Point Washington State Forest
Eastern Lake Bike/ Hike Trail
A ten-mile loop in the Point Washington State Forest winds through a variety of natural vegetation and wildlife habitat.
Dear Lake State Park
Located just east of Seagrove Beach off Scenic Highway 30-A, the south side of the park offers 172 acres of pristine beach and lake areas. North of Scenic Highway 30-A, you'll find 1,700 acres of hiking trails meandering through unspoiled native vegetation.
Eden State Gardens - Santa Rosa Beach
Tucked away in historic Point Washington on the shore of Tucker Bayou is a beautiful turn-of-the-century mansion surrounded by azaleas, camellias and towering Spanish mossdraped live oaks, some dating back more than 600 years. Eden State Gardens is also home to ArtsQuest, an award-winning fine arts festival held in May. Guided mansion tours are offered Thursday through Monday. Look for Eden State Gardens one mile north of US 98 on County Rd. 395.
Year-round Destination
When you hear the word "beach" you think of summer. And, naturally, summer is the peak season along Beaches of South Walton. However, fall and winter are quickly becoming popular due to the many "perks" this time of year offers. Rates drop, sunsets are spectacular, temperatures are mild, crowds are few, and festivals are plentiful.
Fun In The Sun
Beaches of South Walton offers 145 holes of championship golf all concentrated along a 12-mile stretch of the Gulf of Mexico, including Sandestin's® Burnt Pine Golf Club, Links, and Baytowne -- all named as Golf Digest's "Best Places to Play." Sandestin® opened its fourth course, The Raven Golf Course, in 2000 and it has already been voted best new course in the state.
World Class Lodging
Accommodations are endless. From campsites and cozy bed & breakfasts to beachside cottages and penthouse suites, Beaches of South Walton offers over 8,000 accommodation options within its 13 communities that stretch over 26 miles. Here you will find the famous town of Seaside where the movie The Truman Show was filmed, the world-class Sandestin® Resort and the Sandestin® Hilton, Rosemary Beach and Tops'l Beach & Racquet Club, among your overnight options.
Photo's and text provided by the Walton County TDC.
