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Imagine a place where time stands still and the brush of waves against the shore is the only sound for miles. Where loggerhead sea turtles nest among dunes while visitors bask on white sand. Where cypress marshes and freshwater lakes are framed by the shade of century-old live oaks. This place exists. And it's closer than you think. It's SoWal Beaches in Northwest Florida's panhandle. While it may be tempting to spend all of your time stretched out on the clean, sugar white beaches, what lies beyond the dunes is just as treasured by visitors. South Walton (SoWal) County’s 13 beach communities are recognized for their pristine, unspoiled beauty.  Approximately 40 percent of SoWal's 56,000 acres is owned by the State of Florida and thus is protected from future development. That's an amazing 25,000 acres of untouched property where native wildlife such as deer and fox and endangered species like the Gopher Tortoise and the Red Cockaded Woodpecker call home. This easygoing region celebrates a richly diverse palette of art and culture. That's because people of many interests live side by side, their traditions merging to create an artistic community of neighborhoods that offer incredible energy and fascinating contrasts. SoWal also holds the designation as the only destination in the country to have all 26 miles of coastline certified as "Blue Wave," an environmental seal of approval from the Clean Beaches Council. Helpful Links SoWal.com - The Guide to South Walton Beaches along Scenic 30A including activities, events calendar, festivals, photos, virtual tours, real estate sales, dining, shopping, golf, news, maps, reviews, articles, commentary, and more. Be sure to check out the very active message board forums for quick answers to any question. BeachesOfSouthWalton.com - the site of the Beaches Of South Walton Tourist Development Council - Visitor Guide - Arts, Nature & Cultural Guide - Activities Video - General Video - Nature Video Beach flag system - seemoresafetycrab.com Current flag conditions - swfd.org Click here for beach safety info, and beach access map. Click here for State Park info and maps. Grayton Beach Grayton Beach has been ranked the number one beach in America, according to the well-known coastal geomorphologist Stephen Leatherman, a.k.a. “Dr. Beach". Sugar-white dunes roll to clear, emerald gulf waters, Dolphins frolic, Seagulls and Pelicans share the sky. Silver fish flash in the gentle surf, and waves wash ashore delicate Sand Dollars. Grayton Beach is as rich in history as beauty. On a stroll down one of its shady streets, you may hear stories about the roaring '20s at Grayton's Grand Hotel or the time the Coast guard was stationed here during WWII. The historic town of Grayton Beach is a tranquil, eclectic place filled with quaint cottages, bordered on three sides by state sanctuary, and the gulf to the south. Halfway between Destin and Panama City in the Florida panhandle, Grayton Beach is part of a coastal community that includes Seaside, Seagrove Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, WaterColor, Alys Beach, WaterSound Beach, Rosemary Beach, and more. These villages nuzzle the coast, connected by Scenic Highway 30A, which winds 18 miles among towering dunes and freshwater lakes. The Florida sun warms all, and all is well. Bordering town is Grayton Beach State Park. A short scenic drive will take you to Camp Helen, Deer Lake, or Topsail Hill State Preserves; or Eden State Gardens. Come if you can, but be warned, you may never want to leave. The weather is fine, and the living is easy. Just don't tell too many people about Florida’s best kept secret - Grayton Beach. Be sure to visit the popular Red Bar, across from The Zoo Gallery. Check out a brief history of Grayton Beach, and read one local’s remembrances.   Seaside Seaside made a giant splash in the architectural world when developer Robert Davis achieved the most astonishing design achievement of its era, according to Time magazine. The new movement in land planning, known as New Urbanism contains narrow streets, unique picket fences and homes tightly knit to encourage walking and a community feel. It was the first of its kind, creating the model for towns across America. Seaside's "walk-to-anywhere" design works to bring necessary shops and services to its residents and guests, including a post office and a school. Seaside, Florida is home to a gourmet food market, multiple art galleries, and small boutiques all centered around a town square with an outdoor amphitheater. Park the car and rent bicycles to explore this wildly successful pioneering town, featured in the 1997 motion picture The Truman Show. For the cultural minded visit the Seaside Repertory Theatre. Hailed as Northwest Florida’s premier professional theatre company, in six short seasons to date, the Rep has built itself into a first-rate regional theatre, attracting some of the finest talent from around the country.   Rosemary Beach With calm gulf waters, soothing rays of sunshine, and silky sand beaches, Rosemary Beach is a great place to unwind and soak up the scenery. Rosemary Beach's unique architecture is what first captures your attention, with its Dutch and West Indies-inspired homes and commercial buildings. Building palettes run to colors found in nature-mostly shades of rust, tan, green and brown, with Bermuda shutters, wide second floor porches, and arched garage doors. Gates and fences open in Rosemary Beach with a latchkey, with steps leading to entrances on the second floor. Walls line both sides of the solid entryway steps, a feature right out of the Caribbean. Footpaths and boardwalks in Rosemary lead to large decks over the dunes and, of course, to the beach below. The results create a unique look which is classical and inspiring. Established in 1995 and named for the dune rosemary plant, Rosemary Beach is still growing, adding not only homes, but also new places to shop and dine in the Town Center.   WaterColor Towering sand dunes, pristine coastal dune lakes and pine forests create a natural backdrop for the town of WaterColor, a 499-acre southern coastal resort and residential community nestled between the shores of Florida’s fabled Emerald Coast and the banks of Western Lake. From its founding in 2001 by St. Joe Company, WaterColor has been host to many events and festivals, including Telluride Mountainfilm on Tour in November. Fish Out of Water is a spectacular restaurant in the WaterColor Inn overlooking the gulf. Enjoy shopping and dining in the town center. At Old Florida outfitters you can book a fishing trip in the gulf or the bay.   Seagrove Beach Back in the 1940s and 1950s, families came to Seagrove Beach, Florida to rent modest one-story cottages with paddle fans instead of air conditioning and wide screened porches (perfect for sleeping). The same families returned to Seagrove Beach year after year, and now second and third generations make the journey. Many of those charming Seagrove cottages still exist, although they've been updated for today's travelers and are now thoroughly shaded by mature scrub trees and plants. Swimming and sandcastle building were once the popular pastimes at Seagrove Beach, since there weren't many commercial ventures in the Seagrove area. Now Seagrove Beach, Florida visitors have numerous options for recreation as well as dining. Eastern and Deer Lakes provide wonderful spots for quiet reflection.   Blue Mountain Beach "Mountain" is somewhat of a misnomer for a Florida landscape that is only 345 feet above sea level at its highest point (northern Walton County), but the first European settlers may have mistaken the Blue Mountain community’s towering dunes for mountains after being at sea for months. They may also have been impressed by the lush vegetation covering the dunes, especially the spiky shape of the Gulf Coast lupine, which lives in the dune scrub along Florida's Emerald Coast. With its fuzzy blue leaves and purplish blue flowers that look like tiny sweet peas, it is easy to speculate that blue flowers covering tall dunes gave Blue Mountain its unusual name. The 19-mile paved Timpoochee Trail ambles along Scenic Highway 30A providing hikers and bikers an opportunity to enjoy the scenic beauty of the coastal dune lakes, dense woodlands and architecturally stunning communities that make up the Blue Mountain area. Be sure to get your organic and whole foods, and book a massage at our favorite store - For The health Of It.   Dune Allen South of Emerald Coast Parkway on Scenic Highway 30-A lies the heart of this coastal hideaway. Dune Allen is an established community that surrounds Stallworth Lake, one of 17 coastal dune lakes, which are unique to this part of the world. The area’s 17 coastal dune lakes are so rare that they are only found in Beaches of South Walton and remote portions of Africa and Australia. These waterways have the highest occurrences of rare wildlife species in the state, some of which are found no where else in the world. Dune Allen's other coastal dune lake, Oyster Lake, is actually shaped like an oyster shell, and was once filled with oysters. Families who visited Dune Allen for holidays would picnic on its shores, and if the water in the lake was high, the men would dig a trench from the lake to the gulf to lower the water level making it easier to catch fish and gather oysters. Be sure to have lunch at Smiling Fish Cafe in Gulf Place. Enjoy pizza with a view at Amore Pizzeria.   Sandestin Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast scenic beauty is defined by Sandestin, an upscale-yet-casual coastal community that offers something for everyone: from golfing, shopping, fine dining and spas, to simply lounging on the beach with a good book, a cold drink and some SPF 30. With more than seven miles of sugar-white sand beaches, sparkling clear Gulf waters and beautiful bay frontage. Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort has carved its own town out of the coastline. Hotels and condominiums accommodate visitors on the beach, at the marina, near the tennis courts, and around its four championship golf courses. Like a town, it offers shopping centers and restaurants of vast variety. Marina-side, it owes greatly to the area’s sailing reputation with a rental fleet and classes for kids. Beautiful Choctawatchee Bay and River lure watersports enthusiasts of every ilk, from anglers and bird-watchers to kayakers and jet-skiers. Overlooking the bay is Sandestin’s new Village of Baytowne Wharf, which features specialty shops, restaurants and nightclubs. Check their calendar online for free weekly outdoor concerts. Please stay off the dunes. Our fragile dune system provides habitat for animals, and protects our natural environment and our homes. Careless feet can destroy decades of hard work by mother nature.