SOUTH WALTON BEACHES: Beaches of South Walton is a collection of 14 eclectic beach communities, characterized by dazzling sugar-white sands, sea oats, sand dunes, and brilliant emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

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More than 14,000 lodging units are available ranging from world class resorts and hotels, charming B&B's and cozy beachside cottages to modern inns and penthouse suites. Landmarks such as Seaside, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, WaterColor, Rosemary Beach, and Tops'l Beach & Racquet Resort offer diverse accommodations. From award-winning fine dining to casual fare, South Walton is home to more than 120 restaurants serving dishes to satisfy any taste from fresh gulf seafood to Caribbean Creole cuisine. Silver Sands Factory Stores, the largest designer factory outlet center in the nation, calls Beaches of South Walton home with high-end fashion stores. Unique shops such as Seaside's open-air market and artist colony, The Market Shops at Sandestin, and the new Village of Baytowne Wharf provide exciting options for everyone. Beaches of South Walton offers 207 holes of championship golf, all concentrated along a 12-mile stretch of the Gulf of Mexico, including Sandestin's Burnt Pine Golf Club, The Links Course, and Baytowne Golf Club – all named as Golf Digest's "Best Places to Play". Also offered at Sandestin is the highly acclaimed Raven Golf Club and the Burnt Pine Golf Club was ranked #83 by Golfweek’s “America’s Best Resort Golf Courses 2006”. The Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club was named the "purest golf on the Panhandle" by Golf Magazine. Featuring 18 holes of challenging golf winding through pure white sands, pristine ponds and lush vegetation, this course offers the area's only gulf-front holes. Tennis is also a popular sport in Beaches of South Walton with over 50 courts open to the public. Whether a seasoned tennis pro or just learning the game, all levels of play are available on hard, clay, and grass style courts. Throughout Beaches of South Walton you can find a variety of outdoor activities. Convenient and helpful outfitters can serve your exploration needs from repairs to daily or weekly rentals of kayaks and canoes, boogie boards and surf boards, bicycles and aqua-cycles, and snorkeling gear. About 25,000 acres, 40% of the total acreage that makes up Beaches of South Walton, is state-owned. The acreage includes five state parks perfect for hiking, biking, camping, picnicking, canoeing or kayaking. South Walton is also home to 17 fresh and saltwater lakes as well as the Choctawhatchee Bay. The Gulf of Mexico along with these freshwater lakes and rivers provides a multitude of sites for both freshwater and saltwater fishing year-round. Beaches of South Walton continues to grow as an arts mecca. Exquisite art and antiques can be found throughout the area. During the fall, a sense of electricity flows through the air as Autumn Tides, a seasonal celebration of arts and culture, brings unique festivals and major events to the area. Revitalize your spirit, be entertained, and learn at the Florida Chautauqua Assembly held annually in February in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. It offers classes, lectures, workshops, craft activities, and fun for all ages. The destination's annual ArtsQuest is a week-long celebration including a fashion show, garden party and tours of art galleries, as well as a two-day, juried fine arts festival that is ranked as one of the top 200 in the country. CRESTVIEW DESTIN SANTA ROSA SEASIDE DEFUNIAK SPRINGS

Getting there: The Beaches of South Walton are along the Gulf of Mexico in Florida's Panhandle, 25 miles south of I-10 along Emerald Coast Parkway. Major Corridors in close proximity to Beaches of South Walton include: I-65, I-55, I-10, and US Hwy. 331. Airports serving the area are at Destin, DeFuniak Springs, Crestview, and Panama City.

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