Best Walton County Beaches: 5 Places You Won’t Want To Miss

Nestled against Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, Walton County beaches boast 26 miles of brilliant white sand beaches, emerald waters, and 16 vibrant beach communities, all of them with their own personality and architecture. Each of the communities within South Walton Beaches offers luxe accommodations, trendy art galleries, award-winning dining, and electric shops.  Check out what is happening using out Fort Walton Beach cam page.

It hosts outdoor activities within the four state parks, 15 rare coastal dune lakes, a state forest, and the Gulf of Mexico. South Walton Beaches also happen to be some of the best on earth, ample affairs that boast empty sweeps of sand, ideal for clearing the mind and tickling the toes.

We have compiled a catalog of South Walton Beaches, listed geographically from west to east.

Miramar Beach

Located next to Destin, Miramar Beach takes on much of that city’s look and feel, with an abundance of high-rise condominiums and shopping along US 98. It boasts scenic beach roads, classic surf shops, and fabulous restaurants like Bistro Bijoux, a hidden gem with top-class cuisine. Despite its nostalgic vibe, Miramar Beach features ultra-modern amenities. Beachfront homes, resorts, and condos are all options for accommodations.

Activities within the neighborhood include Jet Ski rentals, parasailing, and shopping galore at one of the nation’s largest designer outlet centers, Silver Sands Premium Outlets.

If you want to see a live feed of the beautiful Miramar Beach, you can check this Miramar BeachCam.

Seascape

Seascape, another Walton County beach, is perfect for outdoor lovers and active vacationers. This upscale getaway offers tennis courts, swimming pools, bike and walking trails, a full-scale fitness facility, and a championship golf course. Seascape also hosts two top-rated restaurants, Whale’s Tail and Cabana Cafe. Above all, guests enjoy more than 2,000 feet of sugar-white sand along the Gulf of Mexico.

Sandestin

Sandestin is the largest resort destination in South Walton. It features miles of pristine beaches and a number of championship golf courses, high-rise condos, rental homes, as well as a vast array of dining, retail, and entertainment options. It offers approximately 1,600 accommodations to choose from. This 2,400-acre property is also home to 15 world-class tennis courts, 19 swimming pools, and a 113-slip marina. With golf as a top attraction, golf courses in Sandestin stretch from the Gulf to the Bay.

If you want to see a live feed of the beautiful Sandestin, you can check this Sandestin BeachCam.

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is named for the tallest dune in the preserve. Its dunes rise like a ship’s sails over soft sand beaches and the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It park boasts 1,640 acres of the coastal ecosystem, making it a nature lover’s paradise. You can discover rare coastal dune lakes, quiet beaches, old-growth longleaf pines, sand pine scrub, and lots of wetlands within the preserve.

Topsail Hill also offers three miles of pristine beaches and is a bird-watching and hiking paradise.

Dune Allen Beach

Dune Allen is a place where lake and beach unite. Dune Allen surrounds Lake Allen and Oyster Lake, two of South Walton’s rare coastal dune lakes. These coastal dune lakes are so rare that they are only found on the South Walton Beaches and remote portions of Africa and Australia.

The history of Dune Allen is apparent in its architecture. Among the towering new beach homes are little concrete cottages tucked amid the dunes. These harken back to the days when Dune Allen was a popular holiday spot. Dune Allen is also home to walking trails and numerous beach access points.

If you want to see a live feed of the beautiful Dune Allen Beach, you can check this Dune Allen BeachCam.

Gulf Place in South Walton Beach

Gulf Place boasts a vibrant artist colony and three beach walkways. Splashing fountains, park benches, tree-lined streets, footpaths, and an amphitheater complement the town center’s location directly across from the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, Gulf Place is a short stroll away from community pools, golf, shops, and diners. The area often hosts live music and other events throughout the week for your entertainment. It also offers 200 options for vacation rentals, perfect for your whole gang or a romantic escape.

Santa Rosa Beach

Santa Rosa Beach is geographically the largest beach neighborhood in South Walton, touching both the Choctawhatchee Bay to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south and stretching from Sandestin to Inlet Beach. Whether you want to shop, eat, lounge on the beach, or paddleboard and bike, a stay in this beach neighborhood has you covered.

Not only is this beach neighborhood bustling with activity, but it’s also full of history. Originally founded in 1910 along Hogtown Bayou, Santa Rosa Beach is home to the historic community of Point Washington where you’ll find the Wesley Mansion, built in the 1890s in what is now Eden Gardens State Park.

Blue Mountain Beach

With an elevation of 65 feet above sea level, Blue Mountain Beach is the highest point in all of South Walton. This quiet beach paradise was named for the Lupin flowers that bloom along its coast, which create a stunning contrast to the sugary white beach. Two rare coastal dune lakes, Draper Lake and Big Red Fish Lake, complete this heavenly setting.

Blue Mountain Beach is one of the least populated beaches along Scenic Highway 30A, and it radiates a low-key and laid-back atmosphere. The small-town atmosphere fuses with the elegance and luxury of the Emerald Coast. For this reason, it beckons to visitors searching for peace and quiet, as well as adventurers, artsy types, and beach lovers.

Grayton Beach

Grayton Beach is the first beach community established in South Walton, sometime in the late 19th-century. The town has been able to maintain the cozy character with narrow tree-lined streets and friendly people with funky art galleries, antique and specialty shops, a general store, and the infamous Red Bar.

The Grayton Beach dune trail is one of the most scenic in the area, circling sand dunes, skirting the coastal dune lake, and cutting right through a dense scrub hammock. With the public dock on scenic Western Lake, kayaking or canoeing offers great exploring opportunities.  A list of Walton County beaches would not be complete without it.

If you want to see a live feed of the beautiful Grayton Beach, you can check this Grayton BeachCam.

Grayton Beach State Park

Grayton Beach State Park is one of the the most popular parks in Florida, with massive dunes, winding trails, abundant wildlife, and shimmering Western Lake.

This 2,228-acre coastal park boasts a coastal dune lake that you can explore via kayak or YOLO board. It has trails that wind through the dunes, that wind through and then disappear behind a hump of sand, begging to be explored. It also boasts a sweet shore, a seemingly endless expanse of powdery, pure-white-sand bordered by clear, emerald colored waters.

WaterColor Walton County Beaches

Watercolor is one of a handful of planned “New Urban” communities that define Scenic 30A. The picturesque neighborhoods and storefronts integrate with our beautiful natural landscape. Elegant homes line the beach next to the stately WaterColor Inn, and residential streets fan out into the beautiful coastal forest of oaks, pines, magnolias, cypress and palmetto.

The Town Center extends north and south of Scenic 30A. It’s a lively area that hosts all types of events, from art shows, to wine tastings, to kid-centered fun. Here, you can rent a bike, visit a gallery, do some shopping or grab a delicious meal.

Seaside

Seaside is the picture-perfect little town and one of the lesser known Walton County beaches where you can reach every shop, restaurant, art gallery, and more by foot or bicycle. You’ll delight in discovering the unique shops, beachfront accommodations, galleries, and more in Seaside. This South Walton beach is the most famous of them all. Park the car and rent bicycles to explore this wildly successful pioneering town, featured in the 1997 motion picture The Truman Show.

If you want to see a live feed of the beautiful Seaside Beach, you can check this Seaside BeachCam.

Seagrove

Seagrove Beach is perfect for nature lovers seeking a pristine retreat and uncrowded environment. Enjoy canoeing, kayaking, swimming, and more in this quaint town with Old Florida charm. Swimming and sandcastle building were once the most popular pastimes at Seagrove Beach since there weren’t many commercial ventures in the Seagrove Beach area. It also offers unique restaurants and shops, as well as a pristine mile-and-a-half long beach that encircles a small cove.  Another Walton County beach find.

If you want to see a live feed of the beautiful Seagrove Beach, you can check this Seagrove BeachCam.

Deer Lake State Park

Deer Lake State Park is a 1,920-acre park that shares its name with the coastal dune lake within its boundaries. This park features easy access to the beach via a boardwalk across the dunes. Picnicking, swimming, and fishing are popular activities. Visitors may see splashes of color from wildflowers or some of the many species of resident or migratory birds and butterflies.

WaterSound

WaterSound Beach is a thoughtfully planned town that responds to its unique geography and climate. Each residence within gated WaterSound Beach has access to a distinctively designed swimming pool and gathering area, as well as direct access to the beach via paths, boardwalks, and bridges.

The trails and pedestrian bridges linking the various neighborhoods of WaterSound Beach were built to protect the dunes, while still allowing visitors to appreciate the delicate beauty of the wetlands and conservation areas.

If you want to see a live feed of the beautiful WaterSound Beach, you can check this WaterSound BeachCam.

Seacrest

Seacrest is a true getaway, featuring sugar-white sand and turquoise waters. With tranquil beach views, boutique shopping, and upscale dining, this community offers a central gathering space. Grab a bite to eat and a cup of coffee at Seacrest Sundries, the local grocery store, before spending the day wandering through Seacrest’s shops and riding bikes along the Timpoochee Trail.

Alys Beach

Alys Beach is a groundbreaking community located on the Gulf of Mexico. It exudes romance, beauty, and charm.  Clean, white sands bathed by gentle waves and clear blue waters. The beach at Alys offers opportunity for relaxation, sport, or play surrounded by the most spectacular views in the Gulf of Mexico. Its iconic white walls, lush greenery, and intimate walkways are the very height of luxury.

If you want to see a live feed of the beautiful Alys Beach, you can check this Alys BeachCam.

Rosemary Beach

The expansive greens of Rosemary Beach welcome groups of family and friends, and are adorned with public art as well as host to a weekly farmer’s market. Exploring deeper along the winding streets of Rosemary Beach will reveal a treasure trove of inspired architecture, as well as a scattered and delightful collection of sculptures from artists around the world.

This neo-traditional beach community mixes New Urbanism and West Indies style with pristine beaches, a bustling town square, and award-winning restaurants. Rosemary Beach was named one of “America’s Most Romantic Small Towns” by CNN, which comes as no surprise to anyone who’s wandered its winding paths and cobblestone streets, or dined al fresco in its welcoming patios and courtyards.

Walton County Beach Permit

Walton County issues a variety of Beach Driving Permits, Charter Fishing Permits and Dogs on the Beach Permits for Walton County landowners and/or residents.  Rules for applying for and receiving a permit are outlined and dictated by the Walton County Beach Activities Ordinance 2019-05.

If you wish to receive a permit, each permitting processes has its own set of qualification and procedures that must be followed. For detailed information, view the Walton County Beach Activities Ordinance 2019 26 page.

Additionally, each permitting process comes with it own set of application opening dates and deadlines for applying.  As these dates arise, the links to the online applications and printable applications will be available under the headings below.

For a high-level overview, please see the Beach Driving and Charter Fishing Permits 2019 fact sheet.

BEACH FLAG REMINDERS

Double Red Flag: Water Closed, all water activity is prohibited
Red Flag: High Hazard, knee-deep limitation
Yellow Flag: Moderate Surf/Currents
Green Flag: Calm Conditions
Purple Flag: Dangerous Marine Life
White/Blue Flag: Temporary Technical Issues – Text SAFETY to 31279 for updates when this occurs.
For current conditions and flag status, you can text FLAG to 31279 at any time.

For more information about safety measures during this time of the pandemic, visit South Walton’s COVID-19 Travel Updates. This site is regularly updated.