Do you say SoWal? If not, what?

[buster]

I posted this on another thread and with all the talk lately about signs, and "The tm Beach" campaign I've been discussing this with a friend.

We were talking about how we notice when we hear or see the term "SoWal". I always say SoWal in conversation now instead of South Walton or whatever but at first it seemed strange. Now it seems strange when I read "South Walton" instead of "SoWal".

In the Walton Sun the other week Kris Titus was quoted about a tourism conference they held at Sandestin and she referred to the area as "SoWal". That ought to tell you something. I have seen it in print a lot - places like SoWal High School, The Fire Department and others have SoWal on some of their shirts.

I just find it interesting, especially since there has been no single term that has quite worked - The "Beaches Of South Walton" doesn't. And "near Destin" is lame - isn't it?

What do y'all think?

 

[Smiling JOe]

I think they should pay Kurt a licensing fee and use it. It's simple, and it works.

 

[Matt J]

I sometimes refer to 30-A as the "A". I always use sowal unless I am talking with someone who is not familiar with the area.

 

[buster]

While we're at it - it's "30A" or "Scenic 30A" with no dash. Although I have seen it as CR-30A, maybe that's where people get confused.

 

[pmd8]

I've never heard a local say SoWal, just like I've never hear a local in Miami say SoBe.

 

[NoHall]

Clearly I'm not a local, because I say that I'm headed back to SoWal next weekend. It's simpler than saying that I'm going to stay in Watersound so that I can run the Seaside Half through Watercolor, Grayton Beach, and Blue Mountain and then visit my peeps in Dune Allen...they're all in SoWal.

Up until a few years ago we said we were going to "the Destin area," but I don't ever go anywhere near Destin anymore when I'm there.

 

[Jdarg]

I've never heard a local say SoWal, just like I've never hear a local in Miami say SoBe.

I hear it at Publix, the elementary school, the high school, Seaside, Grayton, Starbucks, both pizza places, Armavida, and on and on. I hear SoWal at least twice a day.

If you Google it you will find that half the real estate agents and others have borrowed it for their websites.

 

[Teresa]

yes, SoWal has become a household word around here and is used in print and many ways, and that is the whole idea.