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Santa Rosa Beach
attractions begin with the gorgeous, silky, white sand beaches. Located in the area known as “The Emerald Coast,” Santa Rosa Beach is one of the “Beaches of South Walton,” which includes 26 miles of beaches, sand dunes and Gulf Coast waters. Vast stands of pine forests, cool springs and marshlands, bays and backwater bayous also surround the Santa Rosa Beach area. Just a few of the recreational activities available include swimming, sunning, shelling, fishing, boating, sailing, snorkeling and off-shore charter boats. Kayaking and canoeing on the coastal dune lakes and river tours offer a rare glimpse of the area's natural beauty. A spectacular paved bike path runs for 18.6 miles along scenic 30-A through the seaside villages and alongside the coastal lakes. If golf is your game, the Beaches of South Walton contain some of the best courses in the state. Golf Digest Magazine rated the area “One of the Best Places to Play” in Florida. Santa Rosa Beach has its own 18-hole, challenging course, and many other top-rated, professionally designed courses abound in the area. Also, Florida's great weather and Gulf breezes makes golf available year round.
Santa Rosa Beach offers several entrances to Point Washington State Forest, which is available to the public for various types of recreation. Point Washington contains one of the trails that is included in the Florida Division of Forestry's Trailwalker Hiking Program. It is also widely used for off-road bicycling and hunting. A greenway trail is also being developed in the State Forest that will connect Grayton State Park, Deer Lake State Park, Topsail Hill Preserve, Butler Elementary School and residential developments. No overnight camping is available in Point Washington State Forest, but camping is permitted at Grayton Beach State Park and Topsail Hill State Preserve RV park, both are adjacent to the Forest. Topsail Hill State Preserve has been identified as the most pristine piece of coastal property in the whole state of Florida. Over 1,600 acres of pine forests, nature trails over hilly sand dunes and two freshwater coastal dune lakes are contained in the preserve. Fishing, hiking, biking, scuba diving, camping and picnicking area available at Topsail Hill Preserve.
The Santa Rosa Beach area is not all about outdoor recreation, however. It's also known for its incredible restaurants, historic towns and antiquing, small town festivals and interesting shops. Santa Rosa Beach is also home to Eden Gardens State Park. Visitors can enjoy the grounds, gardens and picnic area daily from 8:00 a.m. To sunset. The highlight of the park is the renovated, two-story home known as The Wesley House. The home and park is part of the estate owned by the Wesleys (a wealthy Florida timber family) in the 1800s. The house is surrounded by beautiful, moss-draped oaks and ornamental gardens. Guided tours of the home are offered hourly Thursday through Monday (including holidays.) The home is filled with antiques, including the second largest collection of Louis XVI furniture in the United States.
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