By Jennifer Garrett
Some people may think the beach is best enjoyed in the summer, but a refreshing trip to the beach is just what I need as a break in the middle of the cooler winter months. Fun abounds in and out of all the laidback, beachside towns up and down sunny Highway 30A no matter what season it is. Even if I never set foot on the region’s 26 miles of sandy beaches, I love that each of the 15 towns that comprise the
Beaches of South Walton has its own personality. The stark white buildings of the sustainable, New Urbanist, Bermuda and Antigua-inspired Alys Beach have a completely different feel from the colorful, family-friendly Sandestin. I could spend all day hopping around the village towns dotting the coast visiting the boutiques, galleries and local restaurants seemingly outfitted purely for those looking for an authentic beach experience.
I don’t even have to come up with an itinerary thanks to all the festivals and events that fill the calendar year-round. Sandestin’s Baytowne Wharf is known for its special events, and the holidays are no different. Whoever thought you could go ice-skating at the beach? The festivities kick off at Baytowne and all over the area Thanksgiving weekend as entire towns light up from Seaside to Rosemary Beach.
All this activity is sure to work up an appetite, so any trip I take to the area is incomplete without seafood at the casual, beachfront
Bud and Alley’s in Seaside, a Cajun breakfast feast at
Another Broken Egg (my first ever Eggs Benedict from their list of signature variations has made me a traitor to omelets for life), and dinner at
Fish Out of Water at Watercolor Inn and Resort is the perfect way to end an evening looking out over the ocean.