Full time in WaterColor

No personal experience... but there's one little girl in my son's first grade class at Bay Elementary that lives in Watercolor. Her mother told my wife that it gets mighty lonely during the winter; they're the only year round residents on their street. I'm not sure if their experience is "typical" for the development.

I will add that many of the Bay Elementary students, which will be your children's classmates/friends, live right in Point Washington (around the school). From Watercolor it's maybe 3 miles to the school which is next door in SoWal terms.

I was wondering what it is like to live full time in WaterColor with school age children (grade school). Is it hard for kids to make friends with all the temporary renters? Do you end up knowing your neighbors? Dreaming of moving there full time...

We have the same dreams and concerns. We have three school age children. My oldest has already said all the friends she would make would leave after a week. I "think" there is around 50 families that are full time residents in Watercolor right now. I've heard of a new family that moved in recently with three little ones (well school age)... supposedly quite happy.

It would be an adjustment , no doubt. I think it's a lifestyle your getting in SoWal that you just can't get anywhere else. Just imagine your kids saying, "I'm headed to the pool, or the beach, to meet some friends.".... pretty cool way to grow up. And that's not even scratching the surface. We haven't been brave enough yet, but good luck in your decision.

I'm anxiously awaiting local reply to your question.

I was wondering what it is like to live full time in WaterColor with school age children (grade school). Is it hard for kids to make friends with all the temporary renters? Do you end up knowing your neighbors? Dreaming of moving there full time...

We're wondering exactly the same thing - we're considering what you are w/ 3 young children under 6, we're trying to figure out the balance between realism and fantasy, and we're of course worried that Watercolor or Seagrove etc. is too much fantasy and will essentially screw our kids up or not.. (OK screw them up more than we're already doing by worrying about them so much)
Wouldn't it be cool if there was some kind of support group for folks who have made the move we're both contemplating - and perhaps for those who recently have done so too.

Aside from the drawback of many friends being transient (but many also being annual/frequent visitors), I would think it would be a great place to be a kid. I know of several families w/ multiple kids who are full time residents and I think more will move there.

I don't think it's too much fantasy - it's just another OCD suburb unless you buy into the hype.

And if you move there and they start getting snotty I am sure some Sowaller has a horse or large dog they can clean up after!

Go ahead, make the move! We don't live in Watercolor, but know people that do. Watercolor has quite a few full time residents and most of them have small children that go to school at Bay Elemenatary. Many of the neighborhoods in the area don't have all full time residents, so Watercolor isn't that different from Seagrove or Dune Allen, or where ever along 30A. But there are more of us every day. Our children are now in middle/high school and, we believe, have had the best environment possible to grow up in (been here since K and 2nd grade). The kids and their friends will love the amenities at Watercolor so they'll always have lots of friends around.

As the kids get older, they'll be in a great location. Biking to friends' houses via the bike path will be the norm. Being on 30A as a teenager is a great thing. Being in the middle of 30A, will just add to the greatness! When it's time for them to get a summer job, they'll be able to walk or bike to it, since many of the jobs for teens are in Seaside/Watercolor.

Take the plunge!

I was wondering what it is like to live full time in WaterColor with school age children (grade school). Is it hard for kids to make friends with all the temporary renters? Do you end up knowing your neighbors? Dreaming of moving there full time...

Looks like there are at least three of us on this thread alone dreaming the same thing. I say if one or all of us do pull the trigger we can start having play dates with the kids through the association. You know, meet at the camp pool for some fun and getting to know the other full time residents. I moved around a bit as a child and my success in a given area was due to my mother jumping right in and making things happen.

There was a good point made about returning vacationers. We have made friends with residents there and look forward to visiting them each time we go down. I'm sure the kids would do the same.

We're wondering exactly the same thing - we're considering what you are w/ 3 young children under 6, we're trying to figure out the balance between realism and fantasy, and we're of course worried that Watercolor or Seagrove etc. is too much fantasy and will essentially screw our kids up or not.. (OK screw them up more than we're already doing by worrying about them so much)

There are plenty of places and ways you can keep them grounded. Volunteer as a family with any number of groups that help people in the area, or the state parks or Alaqua animal shelter. Set up clear expectations for chores and such and create a home environment where they understand how to budget their allowance so they might have to save up a little to get what they want.

I grew up down the street from the son of a major Midwestern grocery store baron who could buy Sandestin with the family pocket change. The people in the family were some of the most grounded, least snobby people I've known, and it all comes down to the grown ups in the family keeping a realistic and centered perspective on the world, and doing their best to treat everyone they come in contact with over the course of a day with dignity and respect.

I'd think most of the concerns would be similar living anywhere in SoWal, not just in Watercolor. About 40% of the houses on my street, near Eastern Lake, are full-time occupied, and just 2 of them have kids, 1 pre-school and 1 pre-teen. They both engage their kids away from the house.

I'd think most of the concerns would be similar living anywhere in SoWal, not just in Watercolor. About 40% of the houses on my street, near Eastern Lake, are full-time occupied, and just 2 of them have kids, 1 pre-school and 1 pre-teen. They both engage their kids away from the house.

The biggest adjustment you will have to make is living in a resort area, if you have never done it before. It's very different than living in a small town, suburb, urban area, or in the country. Depending on your situation now, you may have to adjust to different commutes to "necessities" like the doctor, vet, school or shopping. We have everything you need, of course, but if you have special needs, like a specialized doctor or surgeon, you might have to drive a little farther to get to one.

I think everyone who lives here now is used to the cycle of the tourist season, but it takes some getting used to - for instance, we are in a down time right now between spring break and summer but the weather is warm, so we are seeing a lot of weekenders. It's the time of year when you might want to dine out on a Wednesday instead of a Saturday, and get your grocery shopping done before the weekend. In the dead of summer, you eat out less, or only at certain places. In the winter, you go to restaurants constantly, because they have winter specials and it's so nice to go when it's not crowded.

It's not bad, it's just different. Just like in the suburbs, you know you have to wait until 7:00 to go out to eat or you will still be stuck in the "going home from work" traffic, or you can count on a faster commute in the summer when the kids are out of school, and that if it's raining on a Friday afternoon in Atlanta, everyone will forget how to drive and your trip home will take twice as long.

The biggest adjustment you will have to make is living in a resort area, if you have never done it before. It's very different than living in a small town, suburb, urban area, or in the country. Depending on your situation now, you may have to adjust to different commutes to "necessities" like the doctor, vet, school or shopping. We have everything you need, of course, but if you have special needs, like a specialized doctor or surgeon, you might have to drive a little farther to get to one.

I think everyone who lives here now is used to the cycle of the tourist season, but it takes some getting used to - for instance, we are in a down time right now between spring break and summer but the weather is warm, so we are seeing a lot of weekenders. It's the time of year when you might want to dine out on a Wednesday instead of a Saturday, and get your grocery shopping done before the weekend. In the dead of summer, you eat out less, or only at certain places. In the winter, you go to restaurants constantly, because they have winter specials and it's so nice to go when it's not crowded.

It's not bad, it's just different. Just like in the suburbs, you know you have to wait until 7:00 to go out to eat or you will still be stuck in the "going home from work" traffic, or you can count on a faster commute in the summer when the kids are out of school, and that if it's raining on a Friday afternoon in Atlanta, everyone will forget how to drive and your trip home will take twice as long.

So it sounds like you've made the jump from the Atlanta area to South Walton. Thank you for your insight.

So it sounds like you've made the jump from the Atlanta area to South Walton. Thank you for your insight.

We are legion, us ex-Atlantans.

The biggest adjustment you will have to make is living in a resort area, if you have never done it before.

Here4good, have you moved full time to another resort area before?? If so can you comment on your experiences between the two. That's pretty cool stuff.

It's basically learning the stuff mentioned - you learn the standard "busy" vacation times, when to go to the grocery, get used to a lot of people w/ out of state plates not knowing how to drive or find things, and have homes nearby rented out.

Living in Watercolor is the same as living on most of 30-A in those respects, which is the same as living in many tourist destinations.

The biggest adjustment you will have to make is living in a resort area, if you have never done it before.

Here4good, have you moved full time to another resort area before?? If so can you comment on your experiences between the two. That's pretty cool stuff.

Yes, this is the second time we've done this. We lived on Pensacola Beach about 20 years ago, for about 4 years. It was very different than Sowal, in that you are on an island, and you have to cross a bridge (that all of the tourists are using to get to and from their condos) if you want to go to the store, etc.

Sowal is MUCH easier to get around, even on the 4th of July - there are multiple "escapes" to 98, and this section of 98 NEVER gets bogged down. I know people complain about the traffic here, but it doesn't compare to sitting at a dead stop while 1,000 visitors ahead of you pay their toll and get onto the island! Here, I was even able to do an end-around to get to the pharmacy at Sandestin during the madness of the Dennis evacuation.

On the island, you were truly surrounded by tourists - they would walk by the townhouse, and look in your windows like you were an animal in a zoo! In the busy season, you were trapped in the neighborhood - we didn't care, because we'd get our refrigerator filled and park the car until Monday (and you can ALWAYS find a beer store within biking distance) . In the winter, they took down the traffic light and didn't put it back up until March.

On the other hand, Pensacola is a pretty big town and was only like 6 miles away, so you had more access to things like specialty repair shops, doctors, etc.

You have to look at the entire picture - what your needs are, and whether or not you will be able to live your entire life in this place - not just your beachgoing life.

There is one advantage to living in a resort area- you can always tell your relatives to come and visit you, since you live in such a nice place, and that cuts down on your trips to those places you would only ever visit to see family!

We're wondering exactly the same thing - we're considering what you are w/ 3 young children under 6, we're trying to figure out the balance between realism and fantasy, and we're of course worried that Watercolor or Seagrove etc. is too much fantasy and will essentially screw our kids up or not.. (OK screw them up more than we're already doing by worrying about them so much)
Wouldn't it be cool if there was some kind of support group for folks who have made the move we're both contemplating - and perhaps for those who recently have done so too.

Although I admit I have never tried it, it seems to me raising a kid in a city suburb is the way to "screw one up", as you put it.

If SoWal is paradise for you, it is paradise for your kids, but even more so. Kids should be close to nature. Free to experience the rhythm and balance of life - the moon, the stars, the tide, the seasons of change for plants and animals.

This coming from someone who sees being a beach bum as a a position of honor.

I wish every kid was lucky enough to be raised here.

Although I admit I have never tried it, it seems to me raising a kid in a city suburb is the way to "screw one up", as you put it.

If SoWal is paradise for you, it is paradise for your kids, but even more so. Kids should be close to nature. Free to experience the rhythm and balance of life - the moon, the stars, the tide, the seasons of change for plants and animals.

This coming from someone who sees being a beach bum as a a position of honor.

I wish every kid was lucky enough to be raised here.

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Kurt, good points. I have no reservations about the childrens exposure to the natural environment, the tides, etc. yes, suburbs can in theory screw kids up, as can inner cities, or vacation areas no?? I guess I'm overstating my question, by saying 'screwed up'... i'm just a bit concerned that SOWal is so perfect a place, that my kids may lack some intangible collection of experiences necessary to compete or endure the harshness of the world outside of the movie set. Maybe I'm the only potential refugee to South Walton that ponders that point - I guess I'll just enroll my children in day labor camps during the summer in stead of Camp Watercolor - Does St. Joe Co. offer any hard labor for children summer camps? lol

While we all love Sowal, there is still more than enough "not so perfect" to go around - that's just life anywhere on the planet. No matter where you choose to live and raise your kids there are going to be alot of things they are exposed to that burst the "perfect" bubble. Divorce, bullying, child abuse, illness, self-esteem issues, stereotypes, death, and tragedy will find them wherever you live.

Kids have it rough these days - living at the beach and getting to enjoy nature is a good antidote to all the negatives they are bombarded with 24/7. They'll get plenty of harshness and reality checks, but life at the beach also gives them a respite and great memories.

SoWal is a more diverse place than most short term visitors realize. Get north of 98, and you can find some real pockets of poverty not too far from the million dollar houses on the south shore of Choctaw Bay.

Also once they hit high school, they're going to be wanting to go to Panama City Beach on a regular basis, which is many things but none of what I'd call perfect. :shock:

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Kurt, good points. I have no reservations about the childrens exposure to the natural environment, the tides, etc. yes, suburbs can in theory screw kids up, as can inner cities, or vacation areas no?? I guess I'm overstating my question, by saying 'screwed up'... i'm just a bit concerned that SOWal is so perfect a place, that my kids may lack some intangible collection of experiences necessary to compete or endure the harshness of the world outside of the movie set. Maybe I'm the only potential refugee to South Walton that ponders that point - I guess I'll just enroll my children in day labor camps during the summer in stead of Camp Watercolor - Does St. Joe Co. offer any hard labor for children summer camps? lol

As someone else said, it is very diverse here. The people are diverse, the areas are diverse, the experiences are diverse, the incomes are diverse. When you live here you're more aware of the non-perfect parts of living here. Just remember, that when you live here, it's different then when you vacation here. Your life will be filled with much of the same stuff it is elsewhere - Work, school, doing the laundry, paying the bills, taking care of the house, etc. Sometimes you have to remind yourself that you live in an environment that is paradise and take advantage of it.

We still try to travel to other places and experience other places and people, but we're ALWAYS glad to get back home to where it's less crowded, you see people you know at Publix every trip, the local restaurants know you by name, and you wave at people you know as they drive/bike/run by you on 30A.

The biggest adjustment you will have to make is living in a resort area, if you have never done it before.

Here4good, have you moved full time to another resort area before?? If so can you comment on your experiences between the two. That's pretty cool stuff.

we just moved here, so i can't make an assessment just yet, but here are some of my observations as a family with a small child we are still struggling trying to find resources and community. but it may be easier to do with a school aged child (don't know much about the quality of the schools here and that's something that is relative anyway, also we are having difficulty finding pre-k classes & activities). i don't know what it's like in a suburb, because we're coming from a big city, but some adjustments are medical resources, arts & culture and a lack of diversity in the local population. we can't purchase many of the things we need here, but that's the beauty of the internet! (beware though, you can't do priority fedex in this area!)

also, the transience of the neighborhoods is not ideal especially when you have kids...however, having said that, if you three all have the same idea and more folks follow, you could be on the crest of creating a more full-time community every family that comes here and moves full-time will help create a less resorty kind of feel and bring with it the population size that can sustain more family-friendly full-time infrastructure

i don't know what it's like in a suburb, because we're coming from a big city, but some adjustments are medical resources, arts & culture and a lack of diversity in the local population. we can't purchase many of the things we need here, but that's the beauty of the internet! (beware though, you can't do priority fedex in this area!)

Just curious... what are some of the purchases you need that you are having trouble locating? Perhaps this could help expose new business opportunities to fill unmet needs in the area.

Also, thanks for the FedEx tip. Had not heard that one before. Has anyone else encountered the same issue?

Not teamc, but what we normally buy online: furniture (Room and Board) spices (Penzey's) running shoes (Zappo's- hard to find the mister's exact brand in his size down here) assorted stuff from Amazon.

Add Us to The List

We are a family with three boys: 13, 8, and 4. Just bought in Watercolor and planning on relocating from the Memphis area in June 2010. We can't wait. Oh, and I'm sure that there are already one or a thousand Memphians who have found their place at the beach.

For what it's worth, we have been told really positive things from those with families who live in WC currently.

Yes, but only getting Fed-ex or UPS once a business day is something I manage to live with. :roll:

Thanks to growth over the last couple years, I can get most essential services w/in a 15-20 minute drive - which is less for some things than when I lived in a more urban area, so I think that's pretty darn good.

ER, dentist, doctor, library, grocery, bank, pharmacy, plant nursery, liquor store, art museum, hair salon, stock broker, post office, accountant, courthouse misc., wide variety of shops and restaurants are all within 20 minutes.

I do go further for special doctors, massages, airport, trips to target when I can't find it here on 30-A, but those are exceptions rather than the rule.