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When it comes time to choose your next stunning beach getaway, most often you’ll narrow it down to cities or small towns, but not an entire region.
Well, as you surely know, Florida likes to stand out from the crowd (for better or worse). In this case, for the better…
How could you turn down a marathon’s distance of sugary white sand, vibrant waters, and affordable hotels?
That’s right. South Walton beholds 26 miles of paradisal beaches, and best of all, they won’t break the bank like Miami and Palm Beach.
In fact, South Walton was just featured by Reader’s Digest as one of the most affordable ‘Warm Winter Vacations‘.
Florida’s Paradise Between Destin And Panama City
Perhaps you know Destin and Panama City, two incredible beach towns along the Florida Panhandle.
Between these popular beach getaways lies South Walton, a 26-mile-long coast boasting stunning beach towns, each with its own unique appeal.
While it’s common in the South for your only worry tis if ‘the tide will reach your chair’, next up is how to choose between 16 distinct beach neighborhoods.
As great as it would be to clone yourself and experience them all, we’re just not quite there yet, especially since Gemini can’t give me a direct answer about, well, anything.
You have some phenomenal options, and none will disappoint. Like Destin and Panama City, you can expect gleaming waters, perfect white sand, and wonderful stays overlooking the best side of the Gulf (no offense, Galveston).
To make your decision on which beaches to visit easier, TripAdvisor has done the work for you. These are the top 5 beaches to visit sorted by Traveler Favorites:
- Santa Rosa
- Grayton Beach State Park
- Rosemary Beach
- Blue Mountain Beach
- Seaside Beach
The Perfect Family Vacation, But All Types Of Travelers Will Love It!
If Disney World’s oversized rodents with permanent smiles aren’t your jam, Florida’s next best family-friendly vacation spot may be South Walton, again backed by Reader’s Digest.
According to them, there are over 300 vacation rentals dotting the region perfect for fitting the whole crew with extra space than a traditional hotel room.
Along with extra space to keep the kiddos happy, there are fun attractions for all ages like Baytowne Adventure Zone, Peddler’s Pavilion, and even surf lessons at Adventure 30A.
For the ‘of age’ crowd, there’s also 30A Axe Throwing Company and a variety of thrilling water activities ranging from jet skis to boat rentals.
Whatever you do though, don’t become too mesmerized by the Gulf as there are other bodies of water well worth exploring.
Speckled throughout the area is a global unicorn. In very few places around the world will you find coastal dune lakes, a rare mix of saltwater and rainwater formations well worth exploring through the areas State Parks (Topsail Hill Preserve and Grayton beach).
You can kayak, fish, canoe, paddleboard or book a tour letting the pros guide you through this uncommon phenomenon.
South Walton’s Vast Array Of Affordable Stays
Booking a trip is one of the most exciting parts of anyone’s year, but the question we all have to ask ourselves is “what’s our budget?”.
Reader’s Digest helped us out here too by highlighting Miramar Beach’s Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort as their top choice for a premiere, yet affordable, stay with rates hovering around $100 per night.
But let’s dive deeper metaphorically just as you may want to physically deep dive The Underwater Museum of Art, the first underwater permanent sculpture park in North America.
Scouring deals through the other 15 districts, these are the 5 best stays for overall value this winter:
- Pineapple Villas on Laguna Beach
- Cottages Christian Retreat
- Home2 Suites by Hilton Santa Rosa Beach
- The Grand Sandestin
- The Village of South Walton Beach
While it doesn’t fit the ‘affordable’ category, if you’re down to splurge then check out Rosemary Beach’s The Pearl Hotel, an eye-popping beachfront hotel with rave reviews.
And don’t forget to check out the region’s 300 vacation rentals!
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.