The Guide For South Walton Beaches - Message Board Forums, Calendar, Festivals, Blogs, Virtual Tours, Beach Vacation Rentals, Real Estate, Dining, Shopping, Golf, Fishing, Biking, News, Maps, Reviews, Opinions, SoWal Beach Gear, and More.

SoWal.com stats for August 2008 - 7,008,639 page views!
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Order #1 Grade Fraser Fir Holiday Trees, Wreaths, and Roping online from the kids at The South Walton Montessori Academy (SWMA) at www.SouthWaltonMontessori.com (local delivery available). SWMA is a nonprofit school that relies on fundraising for operations and scholarships to local students in need.

SoWal Beaches Coastal Dune Lakes Documentary

Featured Blog by Lori Ceier - Sharp-shinned hawk and flying squirrels released at Hammock Bay: Joe Wyatt, naturalist at Hammock Bay in Freeport shared a recent morning with me to witness the release of a rehabilitated sharp-shinned hawk and four juvenile flying squirrels. Lisa Miller of Wildlife Rehabilitators in Niceville recently rehabilitated the animals. When the animals were healed, Lisa handed them off to Joe for release back into the wild. Read more with photos and videos...

Looking for a long term rental in SoWal? Need a roommate or looking for one? Check out the Long Term Rental Forum. Looking for a vacation rental or need help renting yours? Check out the Vacation Rental Forum and our database of vacation rentals with photos and virtual tours.

          Who has SoWal’s best pizza? See the poll results and comments from the voters.

Telluride MountainFilm on Tour returned to WaterColor November 7th and 8th on the big screen under the stars in the WaterColor amphitheater. This year’s festival celebrates the 30th anniversary of Telluride MountainFilm.
photos | discuss

Featured Blog - introducing our newest featured blogger, 30A Radio: Hello all sowal friends, I just want to thank all of you who support our community radio station. We have made big strides in the past couple of years to be the "Voice of 30A" because of people like you! We strive to improve our local programming, content, and community involvement. As one of our founding fathers said, "remember the television show Northern Exposure? That’s the kind of community radio we want to be for the 30-A Area". I don't think we will get to report on a Moose wondering around Central Square. However, when one of our own makes it big, or protects a sea turtle nest, or paints a masterpiece, or writes music, or organizes an important event to help children or someone in need. 30-A Radio will be there to tell the story of our unique beach community. Join us for our annual Radiothon Dec. 5th-6th. Help keep us on air as we are 30A's only community radio station. Visit www.30ARadio.org or locally 107.1FM more...

Cottages for Kids is a unique fundraising event sponsored by Children's Volunteer Health Network to benefit local children by providing eligible children free access to the medical, dental and mental healthcare they so badly need. Architects and builders design and construct fantasy playhouses that are auctioned off for the benefit of these kids. Playhouses are on display each weekend in November, beginning Nov. 8, and during Thanksgiving week on the East Long Green at Rosemary Beach. photos | discuss.

Noche De Los Muertos Costume Party featuring DJ Harry in Alys Beach - discuss |photos | video

The Big Blue Bash at Seaside, Florida - a full day of music on October 19th in support of Barack Obama and the Walton County Democratic Party. more info... | more photos

Featured Blog “September Real Estate Sales Summary” by Murray Balkcom - “Compiling the sales numbers for the month of September 2008, I find some mildly-surprising results. It looks like sales volume didn’t decrease from August to September, as it has most of the past ten years. Looking specifically at all areas of South Walton....” more...

Back To Nature Festival 2008 - The beaches, forests, and waterways of South Walton County were the setting for the 7th annual South Walton Community Council Back to Nature Festival on October 17, 18 & 19. Nature lovers from Florida and around the southeast flock to the festival each year to enjoy the unique natural beauty of Northwest Florida. read more... | see more photos from family fun day at the Seaside Lyceum

Gulf Sturgeon Adventure on the Choctawhatchee River - “This is Tiffany, a college Senior from Pensacola who is studying Marine Biology holding that 40 pounder. In the background to left is fellow volunteer Ricky and to the right is Frank Parauka with US Fish and Wildlife. I just live in an area that makes me feel very blessed and am always trying to find ways to give back. I wish I didn't need to work at all and could spend all my time shifting from one volunteer crew to another. Always learning something new, meeting new people and never boring” - more from ASH...

Introducing a new website called Walton Outdoors by Lori Ceier, a SoWal resident for more than 16 years. Her new site and her Featured Blog on SoWal.com is a great resource where people can go and find out everything there is to do in Walton County outdoors. Upcoming events are posted along with a weekly feature column about destinations, called Venture Walton. We’re excited about Lori’s new venture and look forward to her entertaining and educating SoWal.com visitors about all things outdoors in and around SoWal Beaches!
Lori’s first blog posting On SoWal.com is titled “Take a journey to Lost Lake” and paints a beautiful picture of hidden gem in Walton County on the Choctawhatchee River. Lori’s stories will also feature her fantastic photos and videos.

Dog flies are one of our natural wonders in SoWal. They come and go along the beaches depending on prevailing winds during the Fall. While usually only a minor annoyance, they are occasionally present in large numbers and can ruin a day at the beach. Spraying poison from a low-flying plane has been discontinued in the county and the program continues to generate controversy. more...

WaterSound Beach Boardwalks

What are your SoWal favorites? -Here’s your chance to get into the next Beaches Of South Walton Visitor Guide.
What’s your favorite meal in SoWal?
What’s the most family-friendly activity in SoWal?
Where’s your favorite place to unwind?
Which art gallery most inspires you?
Where’s the best place to find an interesting handmade accessory?

Alys Beach hosted a unique festival on Labor Day weekend. “Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach” was created to celebrate and promote the world’s most talented and innovative digital artists. But the event has a very unusual twist. “We’re inviting digital artists from around the world to project their original artwork onto our town’s famous white walls,” said Kelli Arnold, Alys Beach’s Events Coordinator. “Our entire town will literally become their blank canvas.” see submissions / discuss / photos

Traditions!? What things do you do each time you come to SoWal Beaches for vacation?

A recent Fall day at Seaside, Florida

Tourists in SoWal - welcome or not? My family has been vacationing along the Gulf, from PCB to Destin since the late 1950's. Primarily in SoWal, starting with the Butler Cabins at Grayton Beach, and most recently at Orange Beach, Alabama. We’re always, always, always looking for a rental place that is not jammed up with umbrellas, massed people, associated beach trash, loud radio's, etc etc. more...

A sudden squall rushes Alys Beach

A children’s charity event may seem the last place to recreate an eerie underwater scene … but then again, what’s more fun than sliding down the tentacle of the giant octopus that is eating your submarine?
Architecture firm Archiscapes LLC and builder CJB Construction have partnered to create “Fury from the Deep,” a playhouse for the 2008 Cottages for Kids charity event. more...

Lake Marilyn Bridge at Alys Beach, Florida

Read a firsthand account of the sudden dangerous beach breach of Draper Lake outfall (with photos) - I happened to be walking on the beach and came upon the breach at Draper Lake shortly after it started. Apparently a few children were digging a trench between the lake and the Gulf when all of a sudden the lake breached. The pictures I have enclosed show the force of the break. more...

An image from the YOLO Board Stand Up Paddle Series - see more photos from the event.

My son and I were in my kayak, while my brother and his son and step son were in another at the beach at Grayton Beach State Park. People on the beach were pointing, and someone shouted and warned us that 'an animal' was in the water. My first thought was that describing anything in the water as 'an animal' was quite peculiar. I mean 'fish' would seem more appropriate. I saw a shadow under the water and suspected it to be a large manta ray, but when the nose of a Manatee surfaced for air, I knew that an unexpected pleasure was found. more...

Local Blog - This afternoon I got to enjoy one of those great simple pleasures of living in SoWal. I dropped by the beach to get some fresh sea air, chat with some friends, and watch the sunset. It was one of those afternoons that makes me cognizant of how lucky I am to live here.
It was a good evening, which is why the first twinge of a not immediately identifiable emotion took me by surprise. Walking on the beach, I saw three tourists excitedly setting up chairs, opening a bottle of wine, and getting set to watch the sunset. They were at rapt attention, not glancing over as we had been. I envied them a little bit, but I wasn't sure why. more...

Looking for free SoWal stickers? If you’re not lucky enough to be at the beach, send us the number of stickers you want and a self-addressed stamped envelope to SoWal.com, 174 WaterColor Way #114, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459.

30A on $30/Day Ideas - with the high cost of gas, rising food prices, high rental rates, and expensive restaurants, what are some of the best ways to stretch a dollar in SoWal? more ...

Why we visit SoWal - Less crowded beaches. Sometimes, during the week, you can sit on your blanket, with only one 'row' of beach goers and each family might be 10 feet apart. We went to Myrtle Beach with family a couple of times. You can barely lie down. Can't believe how crowded the east coast is. more...

What is your take on the public/private beach issue? I understand the point of the landowners. They purchased, in good faith, and were sold, what they felt is a private beach. They paid very good money for that land and continue to pay way too much money in taxes, if you ask me for the land. Now most of the beach has been sold to one concern or another and access is starting to be an issue. more ...