photo courtesy visit south walton
Check out the miles of hiking trails, or simply stroll along South Walton’s white sand beaches.
As more folks get vaccinated each day, travel plans may be moving from your daydreams and onto your calendar. Luckily, paradise isn’t too far away. An eight-hour drive from Memphis leads straight to South Walton, Florida, a bustling hive of beach resort communities that has grown exponentially over the last couple of decades, and has proven to be a haven for Southern tourists seeking some fun in the sun. But sun, sand, and seafood just scratch the surface of what South Walton has to offer visitors and residents alike.
Travel plans have been all over the map during the pandemic. Tourism in general is down, international travel remains mostly halted, and destination hotspots have had to get creative to drum up business. But try telling that to South Walton. While other locales have been struggling, the stretch of beaches along state road 30A has seen a huge bump in traffic. Who knew that wide, sunlit beaches — spread out so far that they’re ideal for social distancing — would be the perfect solution for a quick, yet safe, getaway?
photo courtesy visit south walton
There’s plenty of clear water – and fish – at the beaches of South Walton.
For David Demarest, director of communications for Visit South Walton, the area’s amenities, plus an elusive feeling of normalcy, made it many people’s first choice for pandemic travel. “With the pandemic, people were not going on cruises, or going to Europe, or going to the Caribbean,” he explains. “They wanted a place that was more drivable and where they could get a little more of a relaxed experience with social distancing. While a lot of Florida this year has really been hurting in terms of empty accommodations, we’ve stayed busy. And you’ve seen almost an approximation of normal life, where people are out riding their bikes, playing in the parks, and everything’s set up in a way where they can feel safe doing so.”
South Walton has been a sought-after destination for a couple of decades now. So what’s the secret for the area’s continued success? Visitors are spoiled for choice, with 16 unique beachfront communities. Readers of Memphis should be familiar with a couple of them, from Jesse Davis’ dive into the arts scene of Alys Beach (September 2019), to Chris McCoy’s journey to the fantasy land of Rosemary Beach (January 2021).
“Seaside, Rosemary, Alys, Grayton, Sandestin, and Miramar are probably the ones that pop into people’s minds first,” says Demarest. “Those are the classics, within the eastern inlet of the beach, and they’re growing quickly. But you’ve also got places like Dune Allen, probably the quietest of the little towns, and then Gulf Place, which is the center for entertainment.”
“It grew up kind of as a hippie artist colony-slash-fishing village,” laughs Demarest. “So it’s always been a very funky, very artistic town. And a lot of that is still there.”
Grayton Beach, in particular, has made waves within the past year thanks to a prestigious beach-ranking publication. Geoscientist and coastal ecologist Dr. Stephen Leatherman — known by his nickname, Dr. Beach — reviews and evaluates beaches around the country through a set of strict criteria and compiles them into an annual top-ten ranking. For 2020, Dr. Beach selected Grayton Beach State Park as his number-one destination. In his summary, he wrote: “This beach boasts of its sugar-white sand and emerald-green water where development has been restrained so big sand dunes still dominate the landscape. At the same time, all the amenities of great restaurants and accommodations are close by in the old town of Grayton Beach or Seaside.”
White sand and emerald water aside, Grayton Beach has managed to hold on to its identity over the past couple of decades, despite a heavy influx of tourists as 30A grew in popularity. “It grew up kind of as a hippie artist colony-slash-fishing village,” laughs Demarest. “So it’s always been a very funky, very artistic town. And a lot of that is still there.” Some big names in Grayton’s art scene are former South Walton artists of the year, Andy Saczynski and Mary Hong. Each owns a gallery in town, while Hong’s Shard Shop holds interactive art classes on a regular basis.
photo courtesy niccolo pontigia / dreamstime
It’s swimming, sunsets, and seafood galore along 30A.
If visitors find themselves in Grayton, the trip won’t be complete without a visit to the Red Bar, an iconic restaurant that’s been around since before South Walton went through its development boom. Run by Belgian-born owner Oli Petit, the Red Bar has been around more than 25 years, and is a staple for both tourists and locals. There’s plenty of fresh seafood to go around — think blackened grouper, shrimp and crawfish, or the uber-popular crab cakes (Friday and Saturday only) — but a key draw is the Red Bar Jazz Band, which plays Tuesday through Saturday nights. The building burned down last year, but was rebuilt to the exact same specs.
Each beachside town has its own distinctive charm, so there’s no wrong choice when it comes to picking a place to stay. But settling on one destination doesn’t mean visitors have to miss out on the others. Every spot along 30A rests upon the same 28-mile stretch, so a quick car ride can yield plenty of new sights. Plus, when in Florida, do as the Floridians do: South Walton boasts 200 total miles of bike trails that connect each community. “We’ve got two trails in particular that have just about everything covered,” says Demarest.
The allure of the outdoors in summer is what initially kickstarted South Walton’s development and attracted more visitors, businesses, and hotels. But before that, it was just stretches of water and sand.
photo courtesy visit south walton
In the distance, the Timpoochee Trail crosses West Lake in Grayton Beach.
First is the Timpochee Trail — named for influential Euchee tribe chief Timpoochee Kinnard — that runs parallel to Scenic Highway 30A. “A paved trail covers a lot of the state parks and crosses a lot of coastal dune lakes,” says Demarest. The 19-mile trail links 12 of the beachfront communities, but doesn’t reach the four easternmost towns. That might seem like a lot of mileage, but it can be done. Take it from this writer, who made the sun-soaked pilgrimage some 15 years ago, as a teenager.
The path, for the most part, is flat, making it a smooth ride from end to end, with plenty of shops and cafes to stop at along the way, too. I remember grabbing an iced coffee and sitting on a bench overlooking the ocean, all the while soaking up the sunlight before resuming the journey. Meanwhile, folks staying in Miramar Beach can tackle the much shorter three-mile Scenic Highway 98 Trail.
The bike trails offer entry to the region’s natural splendor, and also serve as a reminder of the area’s history, before its big development boom. Some 40 percent of the land of South Walton is preserved, encompassing three beachfront state parks, an inland state park, and the 15,000-acre Point Washington State Forest. To maintain the natural feel of the area, South Walton imposed a building height restriction. The absence of highrises means unimpeded views wherever the trail leads, and a chance to disconnect from reminders of societal or business obligations.
The allure of the outdoors in summer is what initially kickstarted South Walton’s development and attracted more visitors, businesses, and hotels. But before that, it was just stretches of water and sand.
“I moved here when I was about 6 years old,” says Demarest, “and sure, there was some development, but when I arrived, there was no Alys Beach, no Rosemary Beach. There was nobody around in those days. Any restaurants would only be open in the summer months, and then they were shuttered for the rest of the year.
“Now, everything has changed. We’ve got so many people coming during the summer months. Our goal now is to let people know how nice the area is during the fall and winter, too. People are starting to realize that now, and because of the increased traffic, we’ve got some of the best restaurants around.”
One restaurateur who has been around since the early days is Jim Richard, who arrived in South Walton in 2002 as the latest stop on his culinary journey, and now runs the popular Stinky’s Fish Camp. The area’s transformation from sleepy seaside towns to a tourist hotspot still surprises him sometimes. “There was a time during the offseason in 30A where we used to laugh,” he muses, “because you could lie down in the middle of the road and not get hit. No cars would come by. For restaurants and the hospitality industry, you’d do 75 percent of your volume for the year in about six months. So workers would work through the summer, but then a lot of people would get laid off during the winter. That’s changed, and you’re seeing businesses be intentional about retaining their staff. Now you’ve got a lot of people coming down from Nashville, Atlanta, many parts of the Southeast.”
Richard, an avid sailor and frequent beachgoer, says South Walton provides plenty of benefits for full-time residents. And a huge draw, setting the area apart from some other tourism hotbeds, is the communal feel. “You know, we’ve got the 50-foot moratorium on buildings,” explains Richard. “So besides big hotels, families are very likely to rent a house in one of our neighborhoods.” For travelers, that means a very family-oriented experience, with many staying for a week or two at a time. It’s easy to run into other vacationers and strike up a bond. While parents sip cocktails on the patio, kids out for a bike ride might encounter other kids to play with and really hit it off. Close-knit bonds are easy to forge in South Walton because, well, it feels like you’re living there.
Those relationships are one of the main reasons Richard enjoys living in South Walton. As a restaurant owner, he sees plenty of people come and go. But many people also come back, summer after summer. And over time, those friendships grow.
photo courtesy visit south walton
With 40 percent of the land preserved, there’s a good chance of running into some local wildlife out stretching its wings.
“I see a lot of people having a great time in our community,” he says. “For me, being in this place for so long, or for others who visit frequently, you meet people, you meet their kids. Then everybody grows up, they get married, and then they bring their kids along with them. And it’s a gift to get to know families that much. They might only come back one week every year, but they come back and you’re excited to see them. I’ve made great friends that I only see once a year.”
Beyond visitors, Richard has seen plenty of people move to South Walton full-time, especially during the pandemic. That includes people who want to work remotely, or even those who wanted to get their kids back into school (Florida’s schools have mostly been open during the pandemic). And that continues to feed into the growth of the communities, with an abundance of art festivals, wine festivals, and other events that delight both residents and visitors alike.
But a trip to the beach, of course, wouldn’t be complete without thinking about what’s for dinner. And Stinky’s Fish Camp in Santa Rosa Beach (named for an inside joke from Richard’s days as a sous chef), which regularly has huge lines of customers, provides a perfect snapshot of what the area has to offer.
“Like my peers, I wanted to design a restaurant that really fits in with the area,” says Richard. “So Stinky’s focuses on a fresh local fish program, making good use of the resources we have here. All year round we have five options, plus different fresh local fish on our board. And it’s all stuff that comes from the gulf. So rather than farm to table, think gulf to table.”
Stinky’s Stew is an amalgam of seafood, mixing fresh fish, shrimp, oysters, and mussels together into a mouthwatering broth alongside roasted corn, roasted potatoes, and tomatoes. The dish also includes a pressed crabmeat po’boy, which Richard encourages diners to dunk into the broth. From the family playbook, Richard calls upon his grandfather’s old recipes to whip up a catfish meunière, served with smoked tomato tartar.
photo courtesy word of mouth restaurant group
The oyster log at Stinky’s Fish Camp has six varieties, as well as fried oysters and frog legs.
Diners shouldn’t miss out on Stinky’s excellent oyster selections. There’s the raw bar, but Richard prepares oysters six other ways, all of them either baked or broiled in the oven. And if deciding proves challenging, Stinky’s has a solution. “When we were initially setting up a taste test in our early days, one of my chefs grabbed literally a piece of pecky cypress for the presentation,” laughs Richard. “And it stuck. So we serve our oyster log, which includes all of our varieties. We also throw on some fried oysters, and some fried frog legs, too. You’ll see people out there, even for lunch, enjoying the oyster log and sipping on champagne.”
While fish composes a big part of Stinky’s menu, Richard wants fishing to be part of his diners’ vacation experience as well. The main restaurant is connected by a dock to Stinky’s Bait Shack, which sells bait and tackle. “We want people to have something to do while they’re waiting, so we’ve got live shrimp and frozen bait,” says Richard. “We specialize in surf fishing, which is fishing from the beach, or bay fishing, which is normally done by boat. People will primarily catch speckled trout and red fish in this area.” Meanwhile, kids can feed sea turtles just off the dock, and it’s likely that a band will be playing live music.
photo courtesy visit south walton
Sea turtles and other species of fish live near artificial reefs off the coast of Grayton Beach.
Stinky’s also hosts two fishing tournaments per year. Spring’s Pompano tournament is great for beginners, usually requiring only one catch for participants to place. The fall brings the Beach to Bay Grand Slam, a test for more serious anglers that requires winners to catch a speckled trout, a red fish, and a flounder.
If it weren’t for the pandemic, Richard would have started a barbecue and boil event at the restaurant. That harkens back to his Louisiana roots: crawfish, crabs, shrimp, andouille sausage, brisket, and pork butt. Stinky’s menu offers plenty of variety, but that’s just part of the South Walton experience.
“Once you get used to the weather, the water — really everything about this part of the country — it’s hard to be anywhere else.” — William Demarest
While South Walton has seen heavy development over the years, Richard still thinks visitors will find plenty of surprises off the beaten path. “The South County does really well with the beaches, but we’ve got a lot more to do,” he says. “There are the trails, the large national forest, national rivers, the Bay, and even the North County that doesn’t get a lot of use by tourists.”
photo courtesy visit south walton
Lifeguards are constantly on duty at the many beaches of 30A to ensure visitors can have fun in safety.
So while lounging on the beach is a perfectly fine way to spend a vacation, you’d be remiss not to get the full Walton experience. And with so much to do, it might be hard to leave. “I love the water, being outdoors,” says Demarest. “You can paddleboard, scuba dive, swim. I spend as much time in the water as I can. The white sand underwater makes it look like a desert when you’re snorkeling. We’ve got these great offshore reefs in the shape of animals while you’re snorkeling or scuba diving, and there’s also the Underwater Museum of Art, which is an underwater sculpture garden. It’s a mile offshore, and it was the first of its kind in the country.
“It’s all great,” he continues, “but my wife is a foodie, and she’s into the excellent restaurant scene we have around here. So South Walton is a happy compromise for us,” he laughs. “Once you get used to the weather, the water — really everything about this part of the country — it’s hard to be anywhere else.”
