New in South Walton

WALTON COUNTY, Fla.—July 27, 2017 – There’s a lot more than sugar white sand and turquoise waters in South Walton. From waterfront restaurants to art galleries, boutique shops to eco-adventures in the four state parks, South Walton has plenty to offer any type of visitor.

Although the beauty of the beach is timeless, throughout the 16 beach communities of South Walton, there’s a lot of excitement centered around new activities, accommodations, restaurants and options for shopping.

Take a look at what’s new:

Restaurants

• Famous chef and proprietor Emeril Lagasse is opening a restaurant in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin. Emeril’s Coastal Italian will offer a traditional Italian cuisine while using local ingredients. 

Website: http://emerilsrestaurants.com/emerils-coastal-italian  

Address: 435 Grand Boulevard, Suite 104, Sandestin, FL
 

• Baytowne Provisions has opened in The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin. Owned by award-winning chef Jim Shirley, Baytowne Provisions offers specialty grilled cheese sandwiches and a panoramic view of the marina.
  Website: http://www.baytowneprovisions.com/
  Address: 109 Cannery Ln, Sandestin, FL
  Phone: (850) 460-7866
   
• Head over to Borago restaurant’s new 331 Beach Bar and Grill in Santa Rosa Beach for their new “Can’t Check-In yet” party each Saturday. Guests can enjoy live music, drink specials, southern food and a beautiful view of the Choctawhatchee Bay.
  Website: www.boragorestaurant.com/
  Address: 24200 US 331, Santa Rosa Beach, FL
  Phone: (850) 231-9167
  
   
• Abrazo Latin Kitchen is now featuring Happy Hour from 5-6 PM every day. Specials include $5 Margaritas, $4 fish tacos, and $3 pork, chicken or chorizo tacos. Tucked away on 30A in Grayton Beach, Abrazo is a Latin inspired restaurant with a twist.
  Website: https://abrazo30a.com/
  Address: 80 East Highway 30A, Grayton Beach, FL
  Phone: (850) 213-4156
   
• Black Bear Bread Company is a new bakery, coffee shop and seasonal cafe at The Shops of Grayton in Grayton Beach. Guests can enjoy artisan breads, baked goods, seasonal breakfast and lunch and much more. They are open Monday through Saturday.
  Website: http://blackbearbreadco.com/
   
• James Beard award winner chef John Currence has opened a new restaurant in Inlet Beach. Big Bad Breakfast boasts a variety of meals on the menu ranging from Shrimp and Grits to Skillets with eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, potatoes and a biscuit. Open daily from 7 AM until 3 PM.
  Website: https://citygroceryonline.com/big-bad-breakfast-inlet-beach/
  Address: 10711 E County Highway 30A, Inlet Beach, FL
  Phone: (850) 532-6952
   
• From 7 – 10:30 AM each day, you can grab breakfast at the new restaurant Grits & Grind in Seacrest Beach. Grits & Grind offers a traditional breakfast menu with choices such as omelets, waffles and Huevos Rancheros.
  Website: http://www.gritsandgrindbreakfast.com/
  Address: 10343 E County Highway 30A, Seacrest Beach, FL
  Phone: (850) 231-4021
   
• Everkrisp has opened in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin. The restaurants prides itself on using fresh ingredients from local farmers. The menu offers a variety of salads, grain bowls and a “build your own” bowl. The owners, Brendan and Ashley McMahon describe their menu as “where farm meets fast food.”
  Website: http://www.everkrisp.com/
  Address: 625 Grand Boulevard, Suite 107E, Sandestin, FL
  Phone: (850) 842-4504

Shops and Boutiques

• Seascape’s Towne Centre offers a one-stop shop for restaurants, shopping and more. Guests can now grab a bite to eat at Acme Oyster House or Mezcal Mexican Grill while the kids enjoy a new arcade and laser tag arena at Thrills or a ropes course or golf chipping over the pond with Aerial Entertainment.
  Website: https://www.seascape-resort.com/towne-centre
  Address: 556 Seascape Drive, Seascape, FL
  Phone: (800) 874-9106. 
   
• Ophelia Swimwear has opened its third store in South Walton. The new location is at Grand Boulevard in Sandestin. The clothing shop features dresses, rompers, premiere swimwear and much more. Vitamin A and Beach Riot are just a few of the designer brands offered.
  Website: https://www.opheliaswimwear.com/
  Address: 440 Grand Boulevard, Suite 103, Sandestin, FL
  Phone: (850) 837-3099
   
• Kinnucan’s Specialty Outfitter has opened in Grand Boulevard at Sandestin. Known for their outdoor lifestyle, the Alabama-based store features popular brands such as Costa, Chaco, Patagonia and Southern Marsh, plus much more. Kinnucan’s also offers sporting accessories such as tents, kayaks, and anything you may need while boating, hiking or camping.
  Website: http://www.kinnucans.com
  Address: 400 Grand Boulevard, Sandestin, FL
  Phone: (850) 837-3099
   
• Chroma Art Gallery in Santa Rosa Beach has opened its doors. Owned by Kathleen Broaderick, the art gallery and studio hosts painting classes and art for sale.
  Website: https://chroma30a.com/
  Address: 3925 West County Highway 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, FL
  Phone: 1-844-524-7662
   
• B-Modern Art Gallery has announced a new event, “Epic Wednesday’s,” a series of monthly art shows taking place the second Wednesday of every month. Located at Seacrest Beach, the gallery will feature a collection of art with a different theme each month.
  Website: https://www.b-modernartgallery.com/  
  Address: 10343 E County Highway 30A Suite 111, Seacrest Beach, FL
  Phone: (850) 708-2521
   
• Destin Ice Market 30A, located in Inlet Beach, is now offering a monthly cooking demo with area chefs. The new cooking demo will be a “come-and-go” style demonstration, allowing guests to casually watch and leave as they please. On Saturday, Aug. 19, from 12-5pm, Chef Christopher Holbrook from Signature Catering of 30A will prepare a special themed menu while Sommelier Pamela Wellborn prepares wines paired to the cuisine, which will be available to taste.
  Website: http://destinicemarket30a.com/   
  13063 Hwy 98 East, Suite M, Inlet Beach, FL
  Phone: (850) 502-4100

Accommodations

• A new hotel is coming to Grand Boulevard at Sandestin. The Hyatt Place will be developed by the Howard Group and will be five stories with 84 rooms. The hotel will be managed by Howard Hospitality and is anticipated to bring 100 construction and hotel operations jobs to Walton County. The Howard Group projects an opening in late 2018.
  Website: www.howardhsp.com   
  Phone: (850) 837-1886 x237
   
• Just west of Alys beach, Jason Romair and John Pinkerton are leading the effort to build Kaiya, a new resort. The mixed use development will feature a resort spa, a boutique Inn with 25 rooms, a formal town square with shopping and dining and 148 homes. Nearly 40 percent of the land will be used for parks, wetlands and natural scrub oak.
  Website: https://www.kaiyabeachresort.com/30a

Festivals and Markets

• A new wine and food festival is coming to the South Walton Area this November. The Harvest Wine & Food Festival in WaterColor Beach is a three-day event hosting some of the world’s finest wine and culinary selections. Additionally, there will be a silent auction featuring rare wines, staycations and much more. The festival will be Nov. 2-5.
  Website: http://www.dcwaf.org/events/2017/11/harvest-wine-food-festival   
  Address: Various locations including WaterColor Beach Club and Cerulean Park
  Phone: (850) 650-3732
   
• There is a new farmer’s market at Inlet Beach. 30A Farmer’s Market, located at 30Avenue is open each Thursday from 9 AM until 1 PM. Guests will find farm fresh produce, dairy, seafood and proteins along with local sauces, homemade pastas and more. The market also offers foods from around the world.
  Website: https://www.facebook.com/30A-Farmers-Market-237197823089814/
  Address: 12805 US-98, Inlet Beach, FL
  Phone: (850) 499-4697

Outdoors

• The McQuage Bayou Multi-Use Trail has reopened. The trail has been closed for four years but following refurbishments, two bridges have been rebuilt. The trail was originally established as equestrian-use only but is now open for biking, hiking and horse-back riding.  The trail is located off of County Road 283 North in Santa Rosa Beach and winds through the Point Washington State Forest.
   
• The South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA) is deploying several new snorkel reefs in South Walton. The snorkel reef in Miramar Beach will be shaped like a dolphin. Right off the coast at Topsail Hill State Park in Dune Allen, there will be a reef shaped like a seahorse. Over at Inlet Beach, a cobia shaped reef will be deployed. Currently, there is a snorkel reef off the coast of Grayton Beach shaped like a turtle. The snorkel reefs create a marine habitat and increase environmental awareness and sustainability through eco-tourism. Additionally, SWARA is now offering Memorial Reefs to the public. These reefs will allow families, groups and organizations to personalize and name an individual commemorative reef. A marble plaque and other personalized items can be permanently embedded into the reef module. SWARA is also now offering GPS Pin naming rights to individuals or businesses for reef grouping locations in 12 nearshore and offshore sites in the Gulf. The reef coordinates can be found using Google Maps and GPS devices.
  Website: https://swarareefs.org/​ 
• Day use entrance fees at Grayton Beach and Topsail Hill Preserve State Parks have been waived until Sept. 4. The State Parks, Florida Department of Environmental Protection – Division of Recreation and Parks and Walton County teamed up to provide parking to visitors at no cost. The parks are open from 8 AM until sunset.
  Website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Grayton-Beach; https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/Topsail-Hill
  Phone: (850) 267-8300
   
• This year is the highest number of sea turtle nests in South Walton. According to the South Walton Turtle Watch, 104 nests have been located so far. Six nests are Green Turtles and the rest are Loggerheads. At Topsail Hill State Park there are 14 nests with one nest being the rare Kemp’s Ridley turtle. At Grayton Beach State Park there are nine active nests and two more at Deer Lake State Park.
  Website: http://www.southwaltonturtlewatch.org/
  Phone: (850) 897-5228

About South Walton:

Located along a 26-mile stretch of white sandy beaches in Northwest Florida, South Walton encompasses 16 distinct beach neighborhoods, each with its own visual style, amenities and charm. South Walton is home to four state parks, one state forest, and more than 200 miles of hiking and biking trails. Renowned for natural scenic beauty, turquoise waters and sugar sand beaches, South Walton was named one of the “Secret Florida Beaches” by Travel + Leisure, but is easily accessible as a drive to destination or by flying to nearby airports Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) or the Destin – Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS). An upscale, yet casual place to unwind, South Walton is the place to recharge and build lasting memories. Learn more at VisitSouthWalton.com or follow Visit South Walton on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

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