Florida

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‘Paddle for Prevention’ Suicide Awareness Event Moves to Gulf Place

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Florida Panhandle Chapter announces the return of its event, Paddle for Prevention. The second annual event will be held on May 6 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Gulf Place Beach Access in Santa Rosa Beach. Paddle for prevention is an effort to expose the community to […] Read More

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Celebrate New Year’s Eve Twice in One Night!

Amid a sea of New Year’s Eve parties, countdowns, and champagne, there’s a celebration that stands out from the crowd. Celebrate Twice in Mexico Beach, Florida, is back for another spectacular day and night of fireworks, live music and great food, and ringing in the new year — twice! What does ‘Celebrate Twice’ mean? The […] Read More

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Point Washington State Forest

Over 40 percent of South Walton’s land is protected, and the majority of that acreage is part of the Point Washington State Forest system. A popular access point is the Eastern Lake Trail System, located along S. County Road 395. Over 40 percent of South Walton’s land is protected, and the majority of that acreage is part of the Point Washington State Forest system. A popular access point is the Eastern Lake Trail System, located along S. County Road 395. This particular trail system offers 3.5, 5 and 10-mile loops, ideal for both hikers and bicyclists. Pets are also allowed, if on a leash. The 15,400-acre forest is home to ten natural communities, including sandhill, cypress swamps, basin swamps, wet flatwoods and wet prairie. Overnight camping is allowed in special primitive areas of Point Washington State Forest. You can get more info and reserve a spot for only $10 by calling 850-373-1801. Check out this 30A Facebook Live video of the primitive camping sites: South Walton Campinga secret spot in South Walton for only $10/night?? 30A.com/camping Posted by 30A on Monday, November 7, 2016 You can also find wonderful (and affordable) camp sites nearby at Grayton Beach State Park and in Topsail Hill State Preserve‘s higher end RV Park. If you don’t mind getting your car a little dusty, feel free to turn down one of those little sandy roads and take a casual drive through the forest. But unless you’re in a 4-wheel drive, it’s probably best not to turn off the main corridors, as some of the smaller roads get pretty tight, pretty fast. For official information, visit Point Washington State Forest. Truman explores Point Washington State Forest: Best places to go off-roading: Read More

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Camping in South Walton

Whether you’re in a $1 million RV with flat-screen TVs and granite kitchen counter tops, or a 2-person pup-tent with a gas lantern and mosquito net, South Walton is truly a camper’s paradise. Routinely voted one of the best campgrounds in America, the Gregory E. Moore RV Resort at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park has gorgeous shaded lots, full hook-ups, cabins, exceptional amenities, vast miles of hiking and biking trails to explore and access to over 3 miles of state-protected beaches. Although the campground at Grayton Beach State Park features fewer amenities than Topsail, the waterfront sites on Western Lake are spectacular and the crashing waves of Grayton Beach are within easy earshot. This is also South Walton’s most affordable camping option (unless you’re camping in your backyard, which works just fine too). In the 15,400-acre Point Washington State Forest, primitive camping sites are available for only $10 a night. Enjoy over 10 miles of trails for hiking and biking and many miles of off-road paths perfect for your four-wheel drive. Call 850-373-1801 for more information and to reserve a spot. Just north across Choctawhatchee Bay, Live Oak Landing offers campsites, quaint cottages, guided fishing excursions and more, all along the gorgeous Black River. The mouth of the river is a gorgeous and untouched habitat, home to bald eagles, ospreys, alligators, dolphins and more. If you venture out here, you’re seeing something quite special that even most South Walton locals never get to enjoy! But perhaps the most unique camping experience in South Walton is found just a few miles west of 30A, in Miramar Beach. Just across the street from the largest designer outlet mall in the nation, you’ll find Camping on the Gulf, where you can not only camp close to the beach… you can camp on it. There’s not much shade here, but that direct Gulf breeze will certainly keep you cool on those long, hot summer days! Or you can have a beach bonfire on a cool, winter night.   Read More

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THIS WEEKEND: 30A Craft Beer & Spirits Fest at Gulf Place

Beer here! Thanks to a collaborative partnership between Wine World, The Craft Bar and ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals, this Oktoberfest season, suds lovers can fill the last weekend of September — and a stein or two — with craft beer, along with spirits, cocktails, wine, flavorful local food and toe-tapping live music. 30A Craft Beer & Spirits Festival will be held Friday, September 30, and Saturday, October 1, at Gulf Place. If you’re in the mood for wine, we’ll be pouring our new 30A Chardonnay and 30A Red Blend as part of the festival. Stop by and see us at the 30A Radio Airstream on the southwest side of the Gulf Place green. “We are thrilled to host this collaborative event for the first time at Gulf Place in the heart of 30A,” said Wine World and Craft Bar founder Chan Cox. “There is a real excitement around the craft beer and fine spirits movement and this event really embraces all of it. We hope everyone turns out to taste and learn about some of the most exciting brands being tapped and poured anywhere.” Proceeds from the event benefit the Seaside School Foundation. The two-day event kicks off Friday, September 30, with the Destin’s own Heritage Band performing an energized show of reggae, surf and rock-infused music from 6 – 9 p.m. The party continues on Saturday, October 1, with old-school funk rhythms and classic rock riffs from Charleston, S.C.’s hottest band, Dead 27s, who will be performing cuts from their newly released album, “The Ghosts are Calling Out.” General admission is from 2 to 5 p.m. VIP package passes are available and provide early entry beginning at 1 p.m. Festival goers can stroll through the culinary village, enjoy the live entertainment, browse the merchandise booth, or hang out at the VIP tent featuring speciality brews and cocktails by some of the biggest names in the industry. Nearly 20 local, regional and national brewers and master distillers will be pouring and sampling some of their finest craft beers and spirits. Many of the finest area restaurants and catering companies are being showcased as well including Aegean Restaurant, Bijoux, Bud & Alley’s Waterfront Restaurant, The Bay, The Craft Bar, Emerald Coast Catering, Inc., Great Southern Café, Trebeaché, Wine World, Signature Catering of 30-A and Sweet Henrietta’s. Advance purchase prices are $45 per person for Friday or Saturday and $80 per person for a two-day pass. The day of the event, admission to Friday or Saturday will be $55, and two-day general admission will be $100. VIP packages provide early entry on Saturday (only) and exclusive access to the VIP Tent. VIP admission is $65 per person on Saturday and a two-day VIP package pass is $100. Tickets are limited and will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Advance ticket purchase is recommended. Click here to book your tickets. For visitors traveling to the area for a fun fall weekend or for locals looking for an end-of-season “staycation,” ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals is offering special event packages that bundle Festival admission and accommodations. Festivalgoers can save 10 percent off three or more nights. The more bedrooms you reserve, the more tickets you receive. Tickets booked through this promotion can be picked up on Saturday, Oct. 1, at the ResortQuest office in Gulf Place. To reserve a package, call 844-872-2484 or book online using Promo Code ‘BEERFEST’ to take advantage of this deal. The Seaside School Foundation will benefit from 100 percent of the net proceeds from this event. The Seaside School Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization established in 2008 to benefit and support The Seaside School, Inc., a public charter school located in Seaside, Florida. The school receives some state funding to cover basic operational costs, however, it depends on outside financial contributions to finance capital building and renovation initiatives; to fund robotics, art, music, gardening, and technology and other elective programs; to purchase library books and technology equipment; and to maintain smaller class sizes in math. It is governed by a board of directors comprised of community and business members along with educators. One hundred percent of all donations directly benefit The Seaside School, Inc. “We are honored to be the beneficiary of this exciting first ever event on 30A,” said Alicia Butler, executive director of The Seaside School Foundation. “We owe a toast of gratitude to everyone who plays a part in this event, which will help our school continue its mission to provide students in Walton County with individualized and innovative instruction, delivered by quality teachers in a community-based, community-school setting.” Tickets are limited and the event is expected to sell out. For a schedule of events and to purchase tickets, visit www.xorbia.com/events/wineworld/30ACraftBeerFest. Tickets are also available for purchase at all Wine World locations. For more info, follow the event page on Facebook or call 850-269-2909. Read More

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Everything You Need to Know About Fishing in South Walton

Clear and deep sea or brackish and shallow, however you like your fishing conditions, South Walton offers almost too many options. Whether you’re an amateur or a passionate professional, you’ll quickly find that we have some of the best fishing in the world. Although the bustling harbors of Destin and Panama City Beach are better known for deep-sea fishing excursions (mainly because their harbors have direct access to the Gulf), that certainly doesn’t mean that you need to drive to either place to get your fishing fix. Book your fishing trip now. South Walton is home to some of the most experienced and successful fishing guides, who host captivating charter trips. With a little help, they’ll have you saying, “I got one!” as soon as you’re out in the water. The water in the Choctawhatchee Bay and the connecting river runs from a few feet deep to over 50 feet. Out fishing, you can catch anything from redfish and speckled trout to jack crevalle and flounder. And of course, the dolphins will be out there to cheer you on as they do their own fishing. The best part? You can take whatever you catch home with you to cook your very own “Bay-to-table” dinner. A few fishing charters launch directly from the sand at Grayton Beach, returning a few hours later with grouper, cobia, wahoo, red snapper, king mackerel, flounder, pompano and more, depending on the season. Pretty soon you’ll be fishing like a local! The next step is to get a vintage cast-net and have a good old-fashioned mullet-fry. Hey, don’t knock it ’til you fried it, folks. Watch this video to learn more about fishing in South Walton: For a list of our local fishing guides, visit 30Afishingcharters.com. The 30A Company interns, Caroline Giddis and Lindsey Rogers, contributed to this article.  Read More

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It’s Not Too Late! Here’s How to Train for the 30A Half Marathon

By Caroline Giddis This fall’s inaugural 30A Half Marathon and 5K on October 23 is coming up fast, but now’s the perfect time to sign up and start training for this beautiful race along Scenic Highway 30A. Whether you’re a couch-to-5K beginner or a regular triathlete, we know training and preparing is what will get you through to the finish line. So we asked Donna Harris, owner of Run With It, a running and fitness store in nearby Fort Walton Beach, for some tips for how to prepare for this great fall race. 1.  Get fitted in proper running shoes to help prevent injury. The right shoes will keep you from suffering from shin splints, knee pain or lower back pain. 2.  Pick the right program. Choose a half marathon training program that fits your schedule and stick with it. If you’re starting at the end of August, you will need an eight-week program or less. Try to train on a course similar to the one you will be racing on. The 30A Half Marathon will run from Gulf Place to Watercolor and back, along the beautiful Gulf of Mexico, past several pristine coastal dune lakes and, yes, over a few slight hills. Review the course map and try to train under similar conditions. 3.  Incorporate cross training into your schedule. Cycling, yoga, swimming and walking are all great ways to cross train. The best thing to do is keep challenging your muscles in different ways. 4.  Hydration is vital, especially in the Florida heat and humidity. While the weather should cool off by late October, highs can still be in the upper 70s and low 80s and the Florida humidity can rear its head pretty much through any season. Drinking plenty of water and electrolyte drinks will ensure that you don’t get dehydrated.  We recommend Nuun hydration tablets and coconut water as low-sugar options. 5.  Don’t forget nutrition. We suggest eating something before your run to help sustain energy so you won’t “bonk” or feel drained.  Toast, bananas or an english muffin with a little peanut butter seem to work for a lot of people. Try some different foods before several of your training runs and see what works for you. Other forms of nutrition are gels, gummies, energy beans and waffles.  You can find these at your local running store.  Practice with some of these products before race day, there’s nothing worse than a “gut bomb” at mile 10! 6.  Socks matter. Remember, cotton socks are the enemy because they trap moisture and don’t dry out, leaving your foot vulnerable to hot spots. Moisture-wicking synthetic-blend socks will help you rock the half blister-free! 8.  Don’t forget to stretch. Always warm up with walking or light stretching, but post-run stretching and foam rolling your muscles are the most important steps in preventing injury. Don’t forget to take rest days, either. Giving your body a break is just as necessary as running. 7.  Protect your skin too! Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses are a must in our area. You don’t want to end up sunburned AND sore. 9. Plan ahead to prevent race day jitters. The night before, set out everything you will need: your race number, safety pins, your outfit, shoes, socks, water belt, sunglasses and nutrition. Run through your morning routine in advance. Remember, nothing new on race day! 10. Enjoy your run! This race’s route goes by some of the most beautiful scenery in our part of the world. Take time to enjoy it and be proud of your accomplishment. It’s a gorgeous spot to run a half marathon, so don’t forget to look around and have some fun! Donna Harris is the co-owner of Run With It in Fort Walton Beach and a proud sponsor of the 30A Half Marathon and 5K, which will be October 23 in Santa Rosa Beach. Sign up now at 30AHalf.com! Read More

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Gulf Place: One of South Walton’s Most Colorful Communities

With wonderful restaurants and numerous boutiques, including the 30A Store at Gulf Place, there’s something for just about everyone at the colorful Gulf Place development. In addition to great meals and drinks, Gulf Place features live music almost every night of the week. The music can be enjoyed on La Playa‘s open-air patio overlooking the Gulf of Mexico or while unwinding in Perfect Pig‘s quaint bar. And don’t miss the summer concert series on the Gulf Place lawn. The series runs every Sunday evening June through August. Bring your chair and grab some 30A Wine and 30A Beach Blonde Ale from the 30A Store at Gulf Place. The Artists of Gulf Place find plenty of inspiration in this artistic community and the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. Hang out and shop for local art in the unique colorful huts or check out Gulf Place’s First Friday Artwalk. Your furry friend is always welcome at Gulf Place to enjoy the music and events with their people. Gulf Place has specialty shops, groomers and even a Veterinarian. You can get your 30A-branded dog tags and merchandise at Furry Fanatics. Whether you are shopping, eating or just strolling through Gulf Place, don’t miss the three sea turtles sculptures, spread throughout the colorful community. The turtles serve as a figure of the community’s commitment to environmental conservation and dedication to the protection of South Walton natural beauty. Take a 360° video tour of Gulf Place using your computer or smartphone. To interact with this video, either use the controls on your computer or tilt your phone. Enjoy! And, check out this 30A Radio interview with Gulf Place’s manager, Erin Chekaoui: For more info, visit gulfplacefl.com. Read More

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Unique 30A: Hit the Water for a Dinner Cruise

Cruising every week from Sandestin‘s Baytowne Marina, Sunquest Cruise’s SOLARIS yacht is a truly unique 30A experience, and it happens to be one of the very best places to enjoy a South Walton sunset. (In the summer months, the sun sets over Choctawhatchee Bay, not the Gulf). The family-owned 5,300-square-foot fine dining and dancing yacht (built right here in Walton County) features two dining salons, a full-service gourmet galley and a full-service bar. Enjoy an afternoon or evening cruising around the Bay, hanging out on one of the yacht’s open-air decks, dining on a gourmet meal, kicking up your heels to a live band and dancing under the stars. Book your cruise now. Learn more about the story behind the SOLARIS in this interview with owner James Murray: After the cruise, hop on the boardwalk that leads away from the marina and meander through moss-draped oak trees over to The Village of Baytowne Wharf. There you’ll find some seriously fun and funky blues, a dueling piano bar and tons of other nightlife options. It’s the perfect way to wrap up an evening on the bay. The Solaris is also a perfect venue for special occasions, including banquets, corporate retreats, V.I.P. functions, and of course, weddings and rehearsal dinners. Learn more at 30aweddings.com. Check out this 30A Video Tours episode, featuring the Solaris: Book your cruise now. Read More

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Silver Sands Premium Outlets

Just a stone’s throw from the white sands of Sandestin and Miramar Beach, Silver Sands Premium Outlets is a shop-a-holic’s paradise. Silver Sands Premium Outlets is home to 110 designer and name brand outlet stores with 465,200 square feet of retail space. You’ll find impressive savings of 25% to 65% every day at Banana Republic Factory Store, Calvin Klein, Coach, Cole Haan Outlet, Columbia Sportswear, Gap Outlet, J.Crew Factory, Kate Spade New York, Lacoste, Michael Kors, Nike Factory Store, Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, Swarovski, Vera Bradley and more. Silver Sands Premium Outlets is visited by over 7 million shoppers each year in search of those deeply discounted bargains and the annual “After Thanksgiving Weekend Sale” hosts over 60,000 shoppers burning the midnight oil in search of unheard-of deals. Silver Sands Premium Outlets is also home to a few great restaurant chains, including Panera Bread, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Cheeseburger in Paradise. Click here to visit Silver Sands Premium Outlets website. Read More