Best Palce for us to visit?

[Scooter]

Go to Seaside. It's a great girls trip!

 

[Smiling JOe]

Just to clarify, Fort Walton Beach is a city about 40 miles east of South Walton. South Walton refers to the southern part of Walton County, specifically the beach communities that fall along the 18 or so miles of Highway 30A from east to west.

Fort Walton Beach is not in Walton County ... but Walton County (SoWal) is where you will find Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Grayton Beach, Seagrove, Etc. And yes, SoWal is where you will want to go.

To further clarify, South Walton is actually east of Ft Walton.

Oh, and not to confuse you more, blyons, but Santa Rosa County (Pensacola area) has nothing to do with Santa Rosa Beach.

As everyone else stated, you are looking for SoWal, not Ft Walton. ;-)

 

[TooFarTampa]

To further clarify, South Walton is actually east of Ft Walton.

Oh, and not to confuse you more, blyons, but Santa Rosa County (Pensacola area) has nothing to do with Santa Rosa Beach.

As everyone else stated, you are looking for SoWal, not Ft Walton. ;-)

Thank you SJ.

 

[cherijean]

Book your stay at www.hibiscusflorida.com where you not only get the best breakfast in town, you will have bicycles to ride, your in the middle of everything that's happening and you will more than likely get a hug!

 

[seaside2]

And get yourselves some of the National Drink of the South (that's right, Bourbon and Coke) at the RED BAR. Well, sweeet tea does have itrs following, but were talking road trip here, not momma and fried chicken!!!

And then stumble,,,,,,,, er I mean walk, across the street to D&K for dinner and then skip across the street to RED BAR for some more refreshments and FUNN.

Sit on the beach until sun rise, take a shower, start all over again.


Don't you just love this place??????????

 

[Paula]

Definitely come to SoWal for a girls trip. You'll want to decide whether you want to stay East end (Rosemary Beach/Seacrest area - closer to Panama City Beach so you'd fly into Panama City airport), middle (Seaside/Watercolor/Grayton), or West side (other people know more about this than I do but you'd fly into Fort Walton Beach airport, which is sometimes cheapter than Panama City airport). I'd recommend something within walking distance of some nice things -- e.g, coffee shops, shops, restaurants, whatever. Seaside would have all of that in one place, but it will be busiest that time of year so it depends whether you like that or not. Rosemary Beach and Watercolor also have restaurants, etc., within walking distance, all in their community with Rosemary Beach having more.

Then there are many smaller communities near and far from these communities which may be within walking distance or just a few miles from plenty of places to go. The farther away you are from the bigger communities and public beach accesses, the quieter the beach will be.

Go to VRBO and check out the different communities - just type in "Rosemary Beach", Seacrest, Seagrove (also a nice community with lots going on within walking distance), Seaside, Watercolor, Grayton, Gulf Place (and others can tell you more about the west end of 30A), Sandestin. Though not right on 30A, I've heard Sandestin is really nice and spa-like.

I'd rent a home/condo with 3 nice bedrooms rather than have separate rooms.

For a girls-get-away I would:

Go to a spa for a day and definitely get massages, manicure, pedicure
Eat out at nice places
Shop
Try to do healthy things like walk, bike, etc. - find out about yoga on the beach
Go to the free outdoor movies/concerts at Seaside, Rosemary Beach, and Gulf Place (probably Sandestin, too)
Hang out in breakfast places in the morning - I love Fonville Press at Alys Beach (east end) and people are saying great things about Flip Flops in Seagrove.
Watch an awesome sunset every evening
Sit on your porch/deck (get a place with a porch/deck) and have breakfast, read, take-out meals, etc.

If you come to 30A, I'd plan to stay on 30A (SoWal) because the Destin traffic can be nasty during peak times, as can the Panama City traffic (though I think Destin traffic is worse)

Another trade-off would be money. the more you spend on the place, the less you have to spend on some of the extras (spa things, restaurants, etc.). On the other hand, if you love the place, you may not want to leave it much.

Enjoy your girls get-away.

 

[JUL]

You must make time for The Red Bar, Rosemary Beach Wild Olives and the boutiques and wine bar.Zoo Gallery and I love Seagrove Market....grayt fish and chips. Rosemary Beach has a girls getaway in February

 

[Paula]

All great ideas, JUL. How could I have forgotten to mention those - I stayed away from the restaurants I guess -- there are so many good ones along 30A. The girls will have to come back again for several get-aways to get through the different spas and restaurants and shops. I haven't gotten through them all and we've been coming to SoWal 2-4 X year for 5 years! But then again, I get lazy and stay close to the cottage on the porch, beach, Fonville Press, pool...

 

[NotnKansas]

I can see them from Texas.

I have nightmares about those big blue signes.

 

[tsutcli]

You have to stay at Watercolor Inn ( watercolorvacations.com ). It's right on the beach and is a small 60 room boutique hotel. It is in a 500 acre resort called Watercolor and has all the amenities - Spa, work out, restraunts, pools, beach club, bicycles, boats ( resort includes a large lake ), golf course etc. They also have a large selection of houses and condos on property and since the resort is only 5 yrs. old everything is still new. You are only a short walk from Seaside which has lots of galleries, restraunts, etc. and was where they filmed The Truman Show movie.
Lots of good eateries in the area and entertainment with a laid back atmosphere.