Reviews & Comments
Destin, FL
Beaches of South Walton (not really Destin ...) -
9/21/2007First, I'm not talking about Destin, per se, but that's the closest city I could select from the pull-down menu.
Second, I respectfully disagree with the two postings that came before mine. 1. Every great "city" has a traffic problem. 2. Tourists do not flock to undesirable places. 3. The glut of high-rise condos can be found in Panama City Beach to our east and/or Destin to our west - but not here.
The "Beaches of South Walton" include no one "city", but rather a collection of beach towns such as Seagrove, Seaside, Grayton, Seacrest, Dune Allen, Rosemary, Blue Mountain, most with the official post office designation of "Santa Rosa Beach" (not to be confused with Santa Rose County.) (And, no, Fort Walton Beach is not in Walton County. A little confusing, huh?!)
The Beaches of South Walton are connected by 18 mile "Scenic Highway 30A".
A broad range of factors make South Walton County one of the most unique and desirable places in all of Florida ... or the world for that matter:
Natural Resources. This area offers what many consider to be the most beautiful landscape & seascape to be found anywhere. From the sugar white sand beaches on the Gulf of Mexico northward to the Spanish Moss & towering oaks on the meandering bayous & Choctawhachee Bay, the area is reputed to be one of the most "biodiverse" in North America. (That means a whole lot of different animal and plant species.) The aqua blue Gulf water here is second only to the Caribbean in clarity.
Elevated Coastline. South Walton communities rest atop the highest elevations on the entire Gulf of Mexico, with some bluffs rising above 30 feet. This affords the area not only incredible beauty, but also invaluable protection against surging Gulf waters during tropical storms.
Coastal Dune Lakes. Along the 18 miles of Highway 30A are no fewer than 14 pristine coastal lakes, fingers of which periodically open to the Gulf, creating continual variation in salinity - from fresh to brackish water. Similar lakes apparently exist only in Africa, but try driving there for a 3 day weekend.
Protected Lands. Vast acreage (well over 60% of all land) in South Walton and several of the above mentioned coastal lakes will never be developed due to extensive land designation as State Park, Forest, Wildlife Management and Recreation areas.
Premier Quality Communities. Seaside, Rosemary Beach, WaterColor, WaterSound, Alys Beach and numerous smaller developments implement design codes