Everyone in our SoWal community wants locals and visitors to enjoy our beaches safely and to respect our wonderful natural areas. Please follow beach safety rules and guidelines.
We are committed to Beach Safety Every Day - For Gulf conditions and flag updates, text "SAFETY" to 31279.
See current beach conditions on the live SoWal BeachCams.
South Walton Beach Safety Flag information
Walton County Tourism (WCT) rebranded the free Beach Tram program, along with its website and two county paid parking lots to make beach access information easier for visitors to find. Formerly known as Walton County Transportation, the service is now operating as Walton County Beach Park and Ride. The updated name better reflects the program's purpose: helping visitors park their car, ride the tram and reach the beach with less stress.
The South Walton Fire District Junior Lifeguard Program returns this summer with more than 200 participants preparing to dive into a season of beach safety education, lifesaving skills, and hands-on surf rescue training along the Emerald Coast.
The program kicks off Tuesday, June 2, and once again features both Foundations and Advanced curriculum tracks, allowing first-time and returning Junior Lifeguards to learn at a pace tailored to their experience level.
Planning and Construction has taken years, but now we have an official opening date of June 15th for The Grayton Beach Community Center, a new building, tram stop, and boardwalks in "downtown" Grayton Beach just west of the Red Bar.
Read more about the Grayton Beach Community Center on the SoWal Forum Post & Discussion.
Walton County will expand the existing Beach Tram service connecting visitors to Grayton Beach State Park and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, beginning Friday, May 22.
Summer visitors to Walton County will once again be able to enjoy complimentary day-use admission to Grayton Beach State Park and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Walton County Tourism is expanding its free Beach Tram service on March 1, with routes running to and from regional beach accesses from the new 393 Municipal Parking Facility, which is 4 blocks north of 30A on Hwy 393 at Gulf Place, and Grayton Beach Municipal Parking Facility, which is 4 blocks north of 30A on Hwy 283.
Note that these large public parking lots have covered waiting areas with seating and restrooms, as well as inside air-conditioned waiting areas with local art.
The heart of Seagrove has gotten a whole lot more accessible. Construction is complete and the Seagrove Regional Beach Access is open!
Listen up, beach lovers! It's that special time of year again in South Walton – Sea Turtle Season is officially underway, running from May 1st all the way through October 31st.
These ancient mariners, our flippered friends who've been gracing our shores for millions of years, need our extra TLC during this crucial nesting period.
Walton County is officially shifting gears on its beach-access strategy with the launch of its first paid parking program. Set to take effect on April 3, 2026, the initiative aims to fund public services and maintain infrastructure while encouraging a "park once" approach through an expanded tram system.
