Most visitors traveling to South Walton appreciate the area’s natural beauty. They know that the Emerald waters, sugar-white sands, and charming beach towns set 30A apart from other Florida locations. Still, many miss the experiences that are uniquely South Walton. These experiences are not only rare within the state of Florida but throughout the world.
1. An Underwater Art Museum
The Underwater Museum of Art in South Walton is the first permanent underwater sculpture garden in the U.S. It lives about 60 feet below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico.
The Museum is filled with hand-selected pieces, including a 10,000-pound concrete skull by Vince Tatum, an eight-foot-tall bumblebee on top of a rabbit on top of a deer by Santa Rosa’s own Justin Gaffrey, and if you’ve ever wanted to see a pineapple under the sea, Rachel Herring’s “The Grayt Pineapple” might just quench your thirst. Unique? I’d say so.
While the Museum is a uniquely South Walton experience, it’s also functional. The sculptures, in time, serve as habitats for local wildlife, making the dive an incredible experience for those who want to interact with nature and art.
Admission to the Underwater Art Museum is free, but Grayton Beach State Park has the best access. The Park charges a nominal admission fee that will cost most guests less than $5.
If you’re interested in visiting, you can view a map of the museum here.
2. Beach Bonfires
While the movies make it seem like beach and bonfires are synonymous, not all counties across the U.S. allow bonfires to be built on the beach. For example, our neighbors in Destin (Okaloosa County) are prohibited from building beach bonfires, making the experience uniquely South Walton.
To get the fire started, you can acquire a bonfire permit from the South Walton Fire Department. The fire department has rules and regulations listed on its website. Permits can be obtained for most of the public beach accesses along 30A.
If lugging firewood and a fire pit down to the beach doesn’t sound appealing, you can hire a local company to create a bonfire experience for you. Companies like Good Times and Live Well 30A, all offer bonfire experiences. They will acquire the proper permits on your behalf, make sure to follow all local regulations, set up your fire pit (some will even bring S’mores if you ask), and clean up when you’re done.
3. Coastal Dune Lakes
When my son was little, we took a trip to Puerto Rico. When we got to the beach, he turned to me and asked, “Mom, where’s the lake?” For those who’ve only visited 30A, it might come as a shock to hear that our dune lakes are a treasure. Coastal dune lakes are found in only four countries including: the United States (Oregon and Walton County), New Zealand, Australia, and Madagascar.
Walton County has 15 coastal lakes scattered from Dune Allen to Inlet Beach. 30A.com has an excellent map of our coastal lakes here and the latest printing of the 30A Coloring Book has an illustration of the iconic “umbrella trees” that dot Western Lake.
The lakes are home to indigenous plants and animals, including cattails, water lilies, mosquitofish, and the American alligator, but don’t worry, the lakes are still considered safe for recreation and are a popular place for paddle boarding and kayaking.
Of course, it’s hard for me to stop at naming just three things that are uniquely South Walton. There’s so much about the area that makes it shine: remnants of The Truman Show, sugar-white sand, a breakfast place created by a James Beard Award winner, and of course, the fact that we have access to “big city amenities” in our tiny beach town is mindblowing. 30A truly is unlike any other place on Earth.
Photo Credit: swarareefs.org