SoWal Beach Town Spots Where We Love to Rise & Shine
SoWal Mornings are made for breakfast outside, people watching, and exploring. Each of our truly unique beach towns has their own way of showing you their best bright and early.
Nature
SoWal Fishing Guide
In addition to the Gulf of Mexico, South Walton is home to 17 fresh and brackish coastal dune lakes as well as the Choctawhatchee Bay & River, and its many tributaries including Black Creek.
There is great fishing on the Emerald Coast. You can easily outfit yourself, get a guide or charter a boat, or show up at the dock and go with a group. If you’re on a boat with a pro - they’ll have all the gear and licenses for you.
State Parks & Forests in South Walton, Florida
The State Parks and State Forest Lands in South Walton are spectacular. Protected lands make up about 40% of the land south of the bay.
We are so blessed to have such treasure all around us. The lakes, bayous, creeks, forests, dunes and beaches in our parks make SoWal a very special place. Incredible landscapes with coastal dune lakes, lake outfalls kissing the Gulf, flowering dune magnolias, soaring pelicans, dancing dolphins, flower-covered dunes - the wonders of coastal nature are everywhere you turn.
The Magnificent Monarch Art Trail in South Walton Florida
The Monarch Art Trail (MAT) is an outdoor sculpture project created by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) with support from The St. Joe Community Foundation (StJCF). The art trail honors the magnificent Monarch Butterfly and it's amazing flight ability of up to 2,700 miles and its generational migratory pattern route through SoWal.
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is a South Walton Wonder
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park on the western end of Scenic 30A should be at the top of your must do list. No visit to South Walton is complete without seeing our masterpiece of a park, where wild coastal forest and serene dune lakes meet the glorious Gulf.
Crystal Clear Waters Welcome Home Seven Sea Turtles
The Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center recently released seven rehabilitated sea turtles back into the crystal-clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico after having spent time at the CARE Center.
The turtles were returned home to the Gulf at Topsail Hill State Preserve State Park, where several hundred locals and tourists gathered and cheered. Even a group of dolphins joined in the celebration, swimming alongside the turtles as they made their way back into the Gulf.
Keep Walton County Beautiful Encourages Action Every Day
To further our community's commitment to protecting and preserving our quality of life and environment, the Walton County Tourism Department established Keep Walton County Beautiful in 2024 as an official affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. The preservation of Walton County’s natural landscapes allows residents and visitors to enjoy the area for generations to come.
Bears In Unexpected Places In Walton County, Florida
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is sharing the annual reminder that juvenile black bears might be seen in unexpected areas as they leave their mothers’ home ranges in search of new locations of their own to settle down. Spring also marks a general increase in activity for bears after limited movements in winter.
South Walton Sea Turtle Season Underway
The South Walton Turtle Watch team is hard at work each and every day protecting and assisting our sea turtles for another successful sea turtle season!
Sea Turtle nesting season in South Walton is May 1st through Oct 31st each year. One of the most extraordinary things about South Walton beaches are the sea turtles that nest here. They need our help and protection to survive.
Dolphins Dance in South Walton Florida
March 25, 2024 by admin
Two dolphins dance around a lucky paddler in the Gulf of Mexico in South Walton on a perfect morning.
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