Santa Rosa Beach
Santa Rosa Beach is one of the largest cities in South Walton and expands to the Choctawhatchee Bay to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south and includes many of the towns along Scenic Highway 30A. Whether you want to shop, eat, lounge on the beach or paddleboard and bike, Santa Rosa Beach has the best of all worlds. In fact, Travel + Leisure named Santa Rosa Beach as one of its top five favorite towns in America.
Santa Rosa Beach offers both beach and bay access and is rich in history. Originally founded in 1910 as Hogtown, the town center was located north of Highway 98 on the shores of Hogtown Bayou on the Choctawhatchee Bay. The original town was home to a general store, sugar cane syrup factory, a cannery, hotels, and a variety of businesses as well as two turpentine mills. While most of the buildings have been washed away due to storms, remnants from an era gone by remain on the bayou floor of Cessna Landing to this day. Santa Rosa Beach is also home to the historic community of Point Washington where the Wesley Mansion, built in the 1890s, is preserved within Eden Gardens State Park.
Today, Santa Rosa Beach includes neighborhoods on the north side of Highway 98 as well as many of the beach communities along Scenic Highway 30A. With a breadth of shopping, dining, cultural pursuits and entertainment options as well as easy access to hospitals and beaches, Santa Rosa Beach is growing in popularity among retirees as well as families. Foodies love the diversity of options--from fresh Gulf seafood and sushi to mouthwatering Mexican, Thai and Indian fare to traditional Southern cooking--there is something for every palate. Home to the Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club, a luxury club featuring 18 holes of championship golf, Santa Rosa Beach features a mix of activity and quiet areas for relaxation.
FUN FACTS: Santa Rosa Beach sits at 3 feet above Sea Level. Turpentine was the leading industry of Santa Rosa Beach at the turn of the century.
Cities located in Walton County include DeFuniak Springs, Freeport, Miramar Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Paxton, & Point Washington
Beach Communities of 30A (West to East) include Dune Allen, Santa Rosa Beach, Gulf Place, Blue Mountain Beach & Grayton Beach, Watercolor, Seaside, Seagrove, Watersound, Seacrest Beach, Alys Beach, Rosemary Beach & Inlet Beach