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As is true with any location fortunate enough to be by a large body of water – the beach is by far the number one reason eager travelers head to our corner of paradise.

Granted, South Walton is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the country – or the world for that matter – but the most precious souvenir any departing guest ventures home with is not sandy feet or a sun-kissed tan. Explorers who arrive seeking fun in the sun find this in abundance, but perhaps the most valuable keepsake of all found on our shores is inspiration.

The next day we woke up around six in the morning and headed down to Nelson Bay, roughly a 45-minute drive south from the farmhouse. Here we planned to take a helicopter and fly over the lakes to get some aerial shots.

It was a sweltering summer day with little to no cloud coverage, and we were filming a tour of South Walton with the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance. The tour started in Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, where Park Services Specialist Jeff Talbert and Dr. Sarah Schindele pointed out a plethora of unique plants, explaining the ecology of the park, as well as the steps that are taken to maintain such a distinct and fragile natural area.

The crew at Local Catch Bar and Grill invited the SoWal Staff to sample their amazing new Fall menu and we were not disappointed! Local Catch is one of our favorite spots in South Walton for great food and service, and locals know it’s the place to go for good eats, tasty drinks and homegrown music in a fun-loving atmosphere.

In 1958 there was only one house resting on the south side of Scenic 30A on Dune Allen Beach - only one. Bo Rentrop and her late husband Billy Rentrop were there, and Bo remembers that single house very well.