Family Fun and Natural Beauty Along the Emerald Coast

If you've lived in Montgomery for more than about a year, you've probably had the opportunity to take a vacation to the Gulf Coast with your family. Those of us who were fortunate enough to grow up within driving distance of the Emerald Coast have made dozens of trips to the beach with our families and friends, and for good reasons.

The coasts of Northwest Florida offer beautiful white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, and an abundance of accommodations, activities and eateries to choose from. It's hard to beat lazy days tanning on the beach or splashing in the sun with the kids in the pool, but the Gulf Coast has many other exciting activities to consider when planning your next beach vacation.

From Seascape, Miramar, Sandestin and Dune Allen through Santa Rosa, Blue Mountain, Grayton Beach, WaterColor, Seaside, Seagrove, and WaterSound east to Seacrest, Rosemary Beach and Inlet Beach, Beaches of South Walton includes a vast array of communities and lifestyles, from contemporary to nostalgic. From any of these distinct villages along the beach, Destin and Panama City Beach are only a short 30-minute drive away.

Outdoor Adventures

Exploring the outdoors can make for unforgettable family fun, and you can find plenty of wilderness and wildlife to explore around the Beaches of South Walton. There are five state parks and recreation areas, 17 freshwater and saltwater lakes to fish, swim or boat, and more than 200 miles of bike and hiking trails to explore. Eden State Gardens features a beautiful turn-of-the-century mansion surrounded by towering oaks and an amazing rose garden, all of which provide a relaxing afternoon in the shade.

Deer Lake State Park, located just east of Seagrove Beach, showcases 172 acres of untouched beaches and coastal lakes where the whole family can wander through the unspoiled natural beauty of undeveloped coastline or hike in some of the 1700 acres of undisturbed woodlands north of highway 30-A. There's also a boardwalk across the dunes for easy beach access where families can picnic, swim, and fish. For an interesting view of nature from the water, you can book a nature cruise with Captain Bill of American Star Nature Encounters at Baytowne Marina in Sandestin. Captain Bill will point out the various wildlife, natural beauty and interesting points around Choctawhatchee Bay, and he'll even let the kids steer the ship!

For families who enjoy biking together, there are plenty of places to ride around the Beaches of South Walton. The miles of smooth pavement and very few hills along highway 30-A make exploring by bike an easy ride for both adults and kids. It's also fun to ride through Seaside or Watercolor and look at the variety of architecture and colors found in the eclectic homes there. In Blue Mountain Beach, Big Daddy's Bikes & Beach Sport offers guided eco bike tours along highway 30-A and through the state forest. If you'd prefer to explore the area on your own, Big Daddy's and other bike rentals offer hourly, daily, or even weekly rates. Most of the bike rentals also have tag-along carriers for toddlers not old enough to ride. Some businesses will even deliver and pick up their rented bikes at no extra cost.

Rowing, Cruising, Casting - and Hunting of a Different Sort

Kids of all ages love a boat ride, and along the beaches there are a variety of boating opportunities to choose from. You can always find sailboat rentals along the beach just by taking a short walk, and most of the renters offer free sailing lessons as a part of hourly, half-day or full-day rentals. Another sailing option is to take a sailing cruise with a charter company like Island Winds Sailing in Seaside.

If paddling is more your speed, Blue Sky Kayak Tours leads guided kayak tours in the area, or you can rent a kayak or canoe from Big Daddy's for your own private excursion. Sandestin's Baytowne Marina rents pontoon boats for half-day or full-day excursions, offers sailboat rides, rentals and lessons, books dinner and sunset cruises, and even has a sailing course just for kids ages 8-12. Captain Anderson's Marina in Panama City also books dolphin cruises to Shell Island in glass-bottom boats.

With the many freshwater lakes found around Beaches of South Walton and several options for fishing in the Gulf, the anglers in your family can find adventures of their own as well. Many outfitters offer guided trips in the Gulf, the backwaters off of the Gulf, Choctawhatchee Bay or the intercoastal waterway. You can also fish on your own from a rented canoe or from the bank in many of the freshwater lakes and in some of the area's state parks. A family deep-sea fishing trip with Captain Anderson's Marina is fun for the whole family, and you can book a trip from 5-12 hours long.

They also charter private trips for parties of 2 or more. For chartered and guided trips, fishing licenses are usually included in their pricing, but for fishing on your own, make sure you check into purchasing licenses for anglers 16 and older. Local outfitters can answer any questions you may have about licensing, bait and tackle, or what type and where the fish are biting.

The communities along Highway 30-A - especially from Miramar to Seagrove - host a surprising amount of art, antiques, and culture. Antique hunters can stroll through shops that feature unique finds from cottage furniture to fine art and European antiques.

Art galleries spotlight local artists as well as fine art from around the country and the world. You can bag all types of "trophy" original works, including whimsical paintings, fine oils on canvas, sculpture, pottery, and jewelry; you may even get to see the artists "in their natural habitat" in some of their studios or galleries.

Seaside is home to the Rep, a local repertory theater that produces plays throughout the year and hosts an Autumn Playwright Festival each October. Some of the communities also host free movies al fresco during the peak season, so you may want to keep Friday night open for the family to enjoy an evening at the movies under the stars. There are also free outdoor concerts at Seaside and Sandestin, so check the calendar before you go.

Playtime for Kids of All Ages

Family beach trips can have an element of summer camp for the kids with activities like Camp Watercolor and Sandestin for Kids. These organized and supervised programs give children the opportunity to learn and play with other children their age through a variety of activities like scavenger hunts, nature walks, sailing, swimming, tennis, snorkeling, scuba diving, canoeing, kayaking, boogie boarding, arts & crafts and games.

Moms and dads can re-energize or rekindle their romance while the kids are enjoying themselves, and both camps even provide kids' nights out so parents can have a "date night" all to themselves.

Playtime for the whole family might include an afternoon aboard the Sea Dragon Pirate Cruise in Panama City Beach, a morning trip to the pirate ship playground at Jolee Island in Sandestin or time spent wandering around the shops at Seaside before stopping for ice cream or yogurt at one of the sweet shops nearby.

A shopping day trip is a great plan-B activity for rainy days, and Destin Commons is within a short drive from many of the beaches on the Gulf. There you'll find stores from all of the major retailers, a Hard Rock Cafe', Rave Motion Pictures, and for the guys, Bass Pro Shops. Several restaurants in the lifestyle center offer a place to cool your heels and take a quick break between stores.

For a family night on the town, consider visiting Baytowne Warf in Sandestin. With an eclectic mix of shops from fancy to funky, an amazing playground at Adventure Landing, beautiful boardwalks over their lagoon, and an unbelievable variety of restaurants (there are about 20

Published on Thursday, November 1, 2007