Nature

Walton County's Coastal Dune Lake Advisory Board (CDLAB) is hosting a celebration of South Walton area coastal dune lakes on Saturday, June 4, 2016. The event will be held at Grayton Beach State park from 10:00 a.m. til 3:00 p.m. 

Meet CDLA members, friends and community groups at the boat launch parking lot for an exciting day in the park. It's a celebration of our beautiful coastal dune lakes including education and activities planned on the shores and in the water at Western Lake which lies within Grayton Beach State Park.

Just a few years ago, starting a scuba company wasn’t even on Andy McAlexander's radar, much less his bucket list. Funny what time will do, and Andy is all smiles now as he kicks back outside his new shop in Grayton Beach.
 

Andy and his partner Laurie Schmitz Janowski opened Grayton Scuba Co. on March at 26 Logan Lane at the Shops of Grayton in the old Shooz of Grayton location. The former shoe selections have been replaced by the latest in scuba/snorkeling gear.

The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) and Northwest Florida State College (NFSC) announces the 2016 spring season of its eco-tourism initiative, Discover Roads Less Traveled: Eco-Adventures of Walton County. The perfect time of year to get outdoors and experience nature-based tours in South Walton and the surrounding area led by local experts and naturalists.

The Friends of Eden Gardens are hosting the annual Camellia Festival on Saturday, Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Eden Gardens State Park in Point Washington. Floral demonstrations and presentations will be held throughout the day, and live music will be provided by local bluegrass band Dismal Creek (live music from noon til 2pm)!
 

South Walton is beautiful in ways that challenge the imagination. Word has gotten out about our sleepy collection of sophisticated-yet-casual communities whose prominent allure is the pristine white-sand beach and its complement – the glistening emerald-hued Gulf. While the shore whets travelers’ appetites, it’s what’s off the beach that may be most deserving of our attention.
 
 

Satisfy the urge to connect with nature, and meet some seriously cute-yet-fierce bobcats, at E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center, January 23 from 10 am- 3 pm. Members will get exclusive access at the free event, and a full day of activities is slated to keep them busy all day long. 
 
Activities Include:
Meet & Greet the new bobcats
World of Wonder Exhibit
Guided Hikes
Birds of Prey Program with Hawk Flight

Ever wonder what it's like to fly private? Well a few lucky sea turtles could fill you in...if you can catch them in the waves. On December 30, Gulf World Marine Institute received 50 endangered Kemps Ridley sea turtles from the New England Aquarium.    

In our area, we are fortunate to have two premier beach destinations that merge almost seamlessly together. While they are neighbors, each offers a unique experience. The remarkable communities of which we speak are, of course, South Walton and Destin. 
 
South Walton is comprised of a varied collection of “towns” that nestle predominantly along Scenic Highway 30A. Each offers their own interpretation of a life well lived by the beach.