Listen up, beach lovers! It's that special time of year again in South Walton – Sea Turtle Season is officially underway, running from May 1st all the way through October 31st.
These ancient mariners, our flippered friends who've been gracing our shores for millions of years, need our extra TLC during this crucial nesting period.
Red Tide can ruin a day at the beach in Walton County, Florida. Luckily, Red Tide is pretty rare in South Walton. The 30A beaches rarely get Red Tide, but when it come it is no fun. Red Tide can ruin a vacation if it is present in the Gulf of Mexico. Although sometimes it is mild and people think it is an allergy irritation or a mild cold. Sometimes it is severe and makes you feel like you have the flu.
Red Tide affects people differently. If Red Tide is heavy, you definitely want to stay out of the water. And it may be difficult to be on the beach or even near the beach.
There are so many ways to make a difference for our planet on Earth Day, April 22, and every day. Join millions worldwide in Earth Day 2025 activities, attend a local event here in Souht Walton.
Keep Walton County Beautiful Cleanups:
Forget the sugar-white sands for a moment, SoWal beach lovers. There is so much more to Northwest Florida and it is all around us ready to be discovered.
Spring is here and Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) is hopping all around our watershed!
The CBA has a robust agenda of activities for the spring season, dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of our watershed. There are upcoming field trips with local children, extensive water monitoring, and new outreach programs and events for you to be a part of. Time spent outdoors, giving back, supporting our local environment - it doesn't get any better!
Everyone wants to know where to park at the beach in South Walton. What features do our beach accesses have? Which 30A beach accesses have restrooms. Which beach accesses have lifeguards, ADA accessibility, wheelchairs available for public use, beach chair rentals, etc. We have all the locations and details about public beach accesses in South Walton, Florida.
New for Spring 2025: the South Walton Lifeguard locations and team members continue to grow - lifeguard towers have recently been added to ALys Beach and Seaside.
Everyone in our SoWal community wants locals and visitors to enjoy our beaches safely and to respect our wonderful natural areas. Please follow beach safety rules and guidelines.
We are committed to Beach Safety Every Day - For Gulf conditions and flag updates, text "SAFETY" to 31279.
South Walton Beach Safety Flag information
Ever wonder how the town of Seaside, Florida began? It's become an extremely popular place to visit and served as a model that many new small towns have followed. Read on to learn about the history of Seaside.
Time was, families coming to the beach stayed in simple cottages…in beach towns where porch-sitting and strolling were activities at least as important as swimming and sunbathing.
If you’ve ever driven down Scenic 30A through Seaside, then chances are you've seen one or more of the Seaside pavilions on the Gulf.
They are beautiful and enticing. They may be the most photographed architecture in South Walton, and they are also quite significant to SoWal’s history and architectural story. The nine pavilions help make our community stand out from other beach destinations, and each structure is unique in appearance and designed by a different architect.
In addition to the Gulf of Mexico, South Walton is home to 17 fresh and brackish coastal dune lakes as well as the Choctawhatchee Bay & River, and its many tributaries including Black Creek.
There is great fishing on the Emerald Coast. You can easily outfit yourself, get a guide or charter a boat, or show up at the dock and go with a group. If you’re on a boat with a pro - they’ll have all the gear and licenses for you.
