The Gulf Coast community of Rosemary Beach is the place to go if you’re looking for a vacation home that offers more than the standard Sunshine State resort or golf-centric lifestyle.
An hour and a half from the Alabama border, the luxury community “is like a small European-style seaside village,” said Elizabeth Wells, global real estate adviser at Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty. “The walkable village setting” is attractive for those “who value lifestyle and design over car-dependent living.”
Nancy Abraham of Corcoran Reverie added that “it offers a more cultured beach experience. It has a distinctive vibe that’s relaxed yet refined, making it one of the most beloved spots along Scenic Highway 30A on the Emerald Coast.”
Established in 1995, Rosemary Beach is the second of a trio of New Urbanism communities on Florida’s Gulf Coast that were designed from 1981 to 2004 by architects Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk.
Rosemary Beach and its sister cities, Alys Beach and Seaside, are characterized by their walkability, mix of commercial and residential elements and public spaces, including a central hub.
The community is named for Rosemary Milligan, a longtime real estate agent and entrepreneur who owned most of the land that became Rosemary Beach, and for the rosemary plants that are native to the area.
By design, it’s a quaint place that channels old-world charm with narrow cobblestone lanes illuminated by gas lanterns, homes painted in pastel hues, classical arched passageways and cozy courtyards. Golf carts are not allowed.
“Biking is the preferred way to get around,” Abraham said, “and you’ll see lots of people cruising on two wheels, whether to the beach, boardwalk or to nearby towns along the scenic Timpoochee Trail,” an 18-mile path.
shake accents, plus porches, courtyards and water features. Private pools, one- to two-car garages, and gates to access community walkways and amenities are common.
The architecture, Wells said, is reminiscent of that in St. Augustine, New Orleans and Charleston, South Carolina.
The rare larger lots are a quarter to a half acre, but most of the properties are significantly smaller.
“Although most homes are close in proximity, they are typically separated by lush, mature landscaping and courtyard walls to create privacy,” Wells said.
An hour and a half from the Alabama border, the luxury community “is like a small European-style seaside village,” said Elizabeth Wells, global real estate adviser at Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty. “The walkable village setting” is attractive for those “who value lifestyle and design over car-dependent living.”
Nancy Abraham of Corcoran Reverie added that “it offers a more cultured beach experience. It has a distinctive vibe that’s relaxed yet refined, making it one of the most beloved spots along Scenic Highway 30A on the Emerald Coast.”
Established in 1995, Rosemary Beach is the second of a trio of New Urbanism communities on Florida’s Gulf Coast that were designed from 1981 to 2004 by architects Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk.
Rosemary Beach and its sister cities, Alys Beach and Seaside, are characterized by their walkability, mix of commercial and residential elements and public spaces, including a central hub.
The community is named for Rosemary Milligan, a longtime real estate agent and entrepreneur who owned most of the land that became Rosemary Beach, and for the rosemary plants that are native to the area.
By design, it’s a quaint place that channels old-world charm with narrow cobblestone lanes illuminated by gas lanterns, homes painted in pastel hues, classical arched passageways and cozy courtyards. Golf carts are not allowed.
“Biking is the preferred way to get around,” Abraham said, “and you’ll see lots of people cruising on two wheels, whether to the beach, boardwalk or to nearby towns along the scenic Timpoochee Trail,” an 18-mile path.
shake accents, plus porches, courtyards and water features. Private pools, one- to two-car garages, and gates to access community walkways and amenities are common.
The architecture, Wells said, is reminiscent of that in St. Augustine, New Orleans and Charleston, South Carolina.
The rare larger lots are a quarter to a half acre, but most of the properties are significantly smaller.
“Although most homes are close in proximity, they are typically separated by lush, mature landscaping and courtyard walls to create privacy,” Wells said.