Top Ten Things to do in SoWal

This list is from some folks I e-mailed a couple of years ago. Feel free to add to this post. Describe your favorite things to do or see. You don't have to have ten - one will do. 😀


1. Fishing in the Gulf or the Bay
2. Scuba Diving
3. Scuba Diving for Lobsters & Stone Crabs in season
4. Watching the Stars & Moon on the beach on a clear night
5. Bonfires on the Beach with Friends
6. Camping
7. Cooking Classes
8. Fine Dining
9. Sunbathing on the beach with a good book
10. Shopping Art Galleries

Diving East ( Grayton Beach Area ) is the best for lobsters & less
crowded.
Diving the Jetties in Destin for stone crabs ( Around October 3 - 6
season begins ) .
Diving Pt. St. Joe Bay for scallops is a blast.
Vortex Springs is fun to dive ( caves ).
You can find out from any dive shop in the area all the different seasons
( I can't remember them all ) .
My favorite restaurants are Basmati's , Fish Out of Water for sushi , Cafe
30 A, Seagrove Village Market for lunch , Smiling Fish Cafe , Capos for
pizza , D & K's in Grayton for raw oysters , Tango's ( fine dining ) , Lake
Place, Pepitos for Mexican food, Cuvee Beach....to name a few.
Favorite place to camp is Port St. Joe & Mexico Beach.


Eat at Cancun's
Sunset at the beach
Sunrise at the beach with coffee
Festivals at Eden State Park
Sit on my porch and take in Peach Creek and its mullet and ducks and pelicans and herons and gators and dolphins.
Spend a whole day in and out of local antique and junk shops.
Drink wine and smoke cigarettes at Borago's bar.
Hike through the dunes at Deer Park.
Shop at Seaside.

1. Have a wine tasting at Fermentations
2. Go to performances by the Seaside Rep theatre
3. Go to a potluck dinner with friends in the winter
4. Have a picnic at Eden State Gardens
5. Ride bikes along the 30A bike path
6. Canoe on Eastern Lake
7. Have margaritas at Borago
8. Plan trips to Europe with the ?group?.
9. Since I can?t say ?go to the beach?, I?ll say investigate the geologic formations located along the coastal boundary of Walton County with drink in hand
10. Eat at Bloom?s Cafe

Do an early morning 2-mile walk-jog along the bike path in Seagrove Beach.
Walk on the beach at dawn or sunset.
Hike the Eastern Lake trail from 395 to Cassine Garden.
Go kayaking when my grandson visits from Hawaii.
Drive south over the 331 bridge and see the vast Choctawhatchee Bay on either side.
Ride the little Marsh Hen skiff along the Choctawhatchee River while listening to Richard Davis's commentary.
Eat Sunday brunch at the Blue Luna restaurant with my honey.
Meet friends for lunch at any of a dozen restaurants along 30-A.
Explore trails in the state forest I have not been on before.
Hold or attend meetings in the library's beautiful meeting room.

1. Ride my bicycle down 30-A
2. Go eat Thai Food
3. Walk to Seaside from Grayton, get a Key Lime Soda, and walk back
4. Browse in SunDog Books in Seaside
5. Sit on the screen porch at the beach house
6. See all my friend's babies I never met.
7. Stick my feet in Econfina

I enjoy:
Our warm sunny days in Jan/Feb.
Playing golf.
Eating and drinking w/friends in "our" establishments along 30A.
Driving 30A and seeking out new developments (public walkovers, art
centers, hospitals, etc.).
Window shopping in new merchandise and novelty stores.
My favorite: I love the idea raising three children in the area with a 0
crime rate and knowing my grandchild will be raised in the same
environment. This allows me to feel blessed and fortunate in which I
appreciate every single day.

-People watching at Seaside. Or go during one of the larger events like Via Colori, or the Wine Fests and observe the crowds.
-An early morning kayak along the coast . If you're out before 9am you can expect to see dolphins, turtles or even a shark.
-Walk through Rosemary Beach and peek into courtyards.
-Walk along the beach on the Fourth of July or any other time there are fireworks and enjoy the reflections in the water.
-Hop on you bike and go from place to place along 30-A. The local shop owners love it when you stop in and chat with them. You will spend more time socializing than riding.
-In Autumn; grab a blanket, some food wine and some friends and sit out under the stars to watch foreign movies at Seaside's Ruskin Place.
-Don't miss the Fourth of July Grayton parade. Better yet -be in the parade! All it takes are some vehicles, roudy people and a few super soakers.
-Go to the Eglin Open House airshow. Don't miss the F-15 flight demonstration.
-Go to Panama City with the goal of finding the tackiest souvenir. Revel in the charms of the Redneck Riviera.
-Canoe the Econfina river.
-Dance to cheesy disco hits of the 70's at the Red Bar. Be sure to order Panne Chicken first.

-visit all the area art galleries
-eat and listen to Pt Washington Folk Lore at James Foley's
-Drive/bike the length of 30A at sunrise and/or sunset
-boatride through black creek in the afternoon ending in the bay for sunset
-picnic and pictures at Eden
-Tuesday concerts in summer with wine, friends, kids @ Seaside
-Go see the thesbians @ Seaside Theatre bunch
-kayak/canoe Peach Creek @ sunrise or Tucker Bayou @ sunset

surf
canoeing western lake
mountain bike the state forest
bicycling the bike path
bon fire on the beach, any beach
surf fishing for pompano
free concerts in the summer
solitude of winter time
picnic at Eden State Park
Sunday brunch at Red Bar