The beaches along the Emerald Coast are some of the most beautiful and serene in the world. Sugar-fine, nearly spherical quartz granules create glittering-white, almost translucent sand that is unmarred by dredging and filling. These sumptuous beaches descend into the shimmering, clear turquoise-blue and emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The sand and water are so clean and clear that this strip of Gulf Coast is certified as a Blue Wave Beach by the Blue Wave Campaign, America’s first environmental-certification program for beaches. Their inherent beauty sets these Gulf Coast Florida beaches apart from any others in the world. To walk upon them is to invite their tranquility into your soul.
Unlike many Florida beaches, the beaches of South Walton are free from billboards, strip malls, go-kart tracks, and tall, gaudy storefronts. Smart planning and strict zoning laws aim to preserve the natural beauty of the beaches and landscape along Scenic Highway 30A by banning these and other unsightly structures.
Through deliberate efforts to keep the beaches along Highway 30A pristine, many native species of plants and animals call the bordering sand dunes home. Choctawhatchee beach mice, herons, egrets, white-tailed deer, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, and gopher tortoises can all be found among the dunes. Sea turtles also come ashore to nest in the sand dunes, and local laws restrict artificial light on the beaches, which can disturb the turtles. Fourteen natural wild-plant communities also thrive within these natural formations.
In addition to the sand dunes, the rare coastal dune lakes in the surrounding area provide unique ecosystems for a multitude of species of marine life. The dune lakes are also prime spots for canoeing, kayaking and fishing.
The beaches along the Emerald Coast are some of the most beautiful and serene in the world. Sugar-fine, nearly spherical quartz granules create glittering-white, almost translucent sand that is unmarred by dredging and filling. These sumptuous beaches descend into the shimmering, clear turquoise-blue and emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The sand and water are so clean and clear that this strip of Gulf Coast is certified as a Blue Wave Beach by the Blue Wave Campaign, America’s first environmental-certification program for beaches. Their inherent beauty sets these Gulf Coast Florida beaches apart from any others in the world. To walk upon them is to invite their tranquility into your soul.
Unlike many Florida beaches, the beaches of South Walton are free from billboards, strip malls, go-kart tracks, and tall, gaudy storefronts. Smart planning and strict zoning laws aim to preserve the natural beauty of the beaches and landscape along Scenic Highway 30A by banning these and other unsightly structures.
Through deliberate efforts to keep the beaches along Highway 30A pristine, many native species of plants and animals call the bordering sand dunes home. Choctawhatchee beach mice, herons, egrets, white-tailed deer, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, and gopher tortoises can all be found among the dunes. Sea turtles also come ashore to nest in the sand dunes, and local laws restrict artificial light on the beaches, which can disturb the turtles. Fourteen natural wild-plant communities also thrive within these natural formations.
In addition to the sand dunes, the rare coastal dune lakes in the surrounding area provide unique ecosystems for a multitude of species of marine life. The dune lakes are also prime spots for canoeing, kayaking and fishing.