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What better way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon than kayak fishing on the calm waters of one of South Walton's hidden gems.

Peach Creek flows north from the wetlands of Point Washington State Forest, on the north side of Seagrove Beach, Florida. It's just a short distance from the Gulf of Mexico and Scenic Highway 30A.

What begins as a trickle, widens to SoWal's largest freshwater creek, opening up to a beautiful bayou flowing into the Intracoastal Waterway and the Choctawhatchee (Chock-tuh-hatch-ee) Bay.

Santa arrives in a one-horse, open sleigh and lights up children's eyes and turns on the massive Christmas tree in the middle of town, as carolers stroll in and around the merchants' open houses.

The next morning is breakfast and photos with Santa, an open-air Holiday market, Christmas trees for sale, and a Bocce Ball tournament on Western Green by the gulf.

The SoWal-sponsored, annual Flutterby Festival is returned to Rosemary Beach, Nov. 12-13, 2011, celebrating the arts and the migration of the Monarch Butterfly in SoWal. Hosted by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA), the event also featured interactive adventures by the Seaside Repertory Theatre.

Cottages for Kids is a SoWal-sponsored, unique fundraising event that benefits Children's Volunteer Health Network, Inc., a faith based, 501(c) 3 non-profit organization that seeks to enhance the lives of uninsured and under-insured children by facilitating free immediate access to medical, dental and mental health care.

With tremendous imagination and craftsmanship, builder's and architects come together to create, construct and decorate whimsical cottages that look like they have popped out from the pages of a fairytale to modern creations brimming with creativity.

The Annual Seeing Red Wine Festival in Seaside, Florida is always one of the SoWal's best events. Decades of southern tradition in our charming beach town sets the stage for a wonderful weekend of wine, food, and music.

The wine festival offers an extensive array of tasting tents with wines sampled from around the world and a retail wine tent so you can buy your favorites to take home.

Often it's referred to simply as "Noche", and it gets more fun, more creative, and more thrilling every year. It's a SoWal-sponsored Halloween tradition that has to be seen (and felt) to be believed. The setting at Alys Beach's Caliza Pool is world class, and it's an amazing setting for lights, camera, and plenty of ACTION during the annual Noche de los Muertos costume party.

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon at fire station number two at WaterColor on Scenic 395. The firefighters of the South Walton Fire District opened their doors to fun, food, and education for SoWal families.

Rosemary Beach Florida was the postcard-perfect scene for the 2nd annual Rosemary Beach Uncorked Festival. During the SoWal-sponsored, sold-out event, the nine fine restaurants in Rosemary Beach laid out food and wines as folks strolled up and down the cobblestone streets on a perfect SoWal day in October.

October may be the most enjoyable month in SoWal and the South Walton Community Council's Back to Nature Festival is a treasured event every year. It kicked off Friday, October 14, 2011 with a party at Hibiscus House in Grayton Beach with food, friends, and live music from Chris Alvarado.

Saturday October 15, 2011 featured a slew of outdoor events all over SoWal. Perfect weather set the stage for coordinated activities at Grayton Beach State Park and Seaside with fun for kids, education, animals, and hands-on exhibits from local nature and wildlife experts.