Beaches of South Walton: Sophisticated, relaxed and charming
“I love the area because of its pristine environment. We have so much green space and a four-story height restriction. South Walton is being a good steward of the land and the destination.”
— Pamela Watkins, Director of Sales & Special Events, Beaches of South Walton
Want sustainable meetings?
The Florida Green Lodging Program bestows Green Palm certification on hotels with eco-friendly initiatives. Certified hotels include the WaterColor Inn & Resort (Two Palms) and the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa (One Palm), the largest beachfront resort hotel in Northwest Florida, which has 600 rooms, 32,000 square feet of meeting space and reception capacity for up to 2,000 people. The communities are tied together with bike paths, which offer an active alternative to shuttles. Many of the beach towns, such as Rosemary Beach and Seaside, are pedestrian-friendly and have been designed and landscaped with sustainability in mind.
Want to take advantage of the natural setting?
The mantra here is: “You don’t have to have a meeting within four walls.” The Rosemary Beach Town Hall can hold up to 100 with outdoor space, and there are several other outdoor venues in the community. Groups can charter boats for meetings, or fishing and dolphin watching outings; dinner cruises aboard the Solaris, dockside or out on the bay, can accommodate 150. WaterColor Inn & Resort has 4,000 square feet of meeting space, including a gulf-front Beach Club venue and meeting rooms that open out onto the beach. Other amenities include 60 beach-view guest rooms and a coastal dune lake. Embassy Suites Hotel Destin at Miramar Beach has 155 suites and 6,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space across the street from the beach.
Want popular group activities?
At the Green Palm-certified Hilton Sandestin, beach bowling, build your own boat and mullet tossing are popular team events. The Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort offers cardboard boat regattas, photo scavenger hunts and wacky Olympics (including balloon chase, aqua blast, night golf and sandcastle building activities). An 18-mile biking/walking trail on 30A connects several beach communities; bike rentals are available. For spousal programs, there is shopping at Seaside boutiques, the galleries at Grayton Beach and the Silver Sands Factory Stores, as well as cooking classes in Sandestin.
Want group dining?
Grand Boulevard is a walking community of restaurants, including Tommy Bahamas and Fleming Steakhouse. Baytowne Wharf in Sandestin Resort has informal, island-themed restaurants, many with outdoor seating. Seaside’s Bud & Alley’s (which has sweeping views from its roof bar), WaterColor’s elegant Fish Out of Water, and Stinky’s Fish Camp overlooking Oyster Lake, a coastal dune lake, are all outstanding local restaurants.
Want locally made items for gift baskets?
Seaside’s artist colony at Ruskin Village features jewelry and glassware from local artists. Route 30A, which runs close to the beaches, has a lot of artist shops. Slightly off the beaten track but worth the stop is Big Mama’s Hula Girl Gallery, a fun emporium of funky outsider art, jewelry, home and garden décor in Santa Rosa Beach. The Zoo Gallery, a contemporary American craft gallery at The Market Shops at Sandestin and Grayton Beach, has furniture, jewelry, ceramics, sculpture and blown glass. Frill Seekers Gifts in Baytowne Village can personalize any of its little luxuries, from beach towels to stationery.
Want nightlife and entertainment?
The Red Bar in Grayton Beach cranks it up a notch with its own jazz band after the dinner crowd thins. At Grand Boulevard, your group can restaurant/bar hop, and mingle in the little park next to Tommy Bahamas.
