Toronto Sun

Playtime on the Panhandle

Northwest Florida area famous for its beaches

Toronto Sun (read full article)

By Diane Slawych, QMI Agency (Wednesday, May 18, 2011)

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — What is several kilometres long, at least six metres wide and made of pure quartz crystal? Answer: A typical beach in northwest Florida. While many places brag about having white sand beaches, this part of the Sunshine State has some of the best. The quartz crystal, which gives beaches their sparkle, washes down from the Appalachian Mountains and eventually makes its way to the edge of the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Winter months on this part of the Florida Panhandle see January highs around 16 C — pleasant but not sizzling. But warm spring temperatures make this one of the best times to visit if you want to play on the beaches. Not surprisingly, many area attractions are on — or near — the water. Here are some places worth a visit:…

…BEACHES OF SOUTH WALTON
Fifteen picture-perfect beach communities make up the Beaches of South Walton. Among them: Seaside with its wooden cottages and picket fences, Rosemary Beach with its Dutch and West Indies-inspired homes, and Alys Beach with architectural designs borrowed from Bermuda and Antigua, Guatemala.
New on scene: The hottest new activity is stand up paddling — a surfing-canoeing hybrid. Standing atop a larger version of a surfing longboard, participants push themselves through the water with a paddle.
– Brush with Fame: The Truman Show was filmed in Seaside (called Seahaven in the 1998 film). Jim Carrey starred as Truman Burbank, an insurance salesman who discovers his life is actually a TV show. The featured house, now called The Truman House, is at 31 Natchez St., near Natchez Park.
— Nature: The region is home to the world’s largest concentration of coastal dune lakes. You can see some on a walk with Walco Eco Tours at Grayton Beach State Park.
– Accolades: Forbes recently named Alys Beach America’s Top Spot for Design Savvy Home buyers. Bud & Alleys’s in Seaside has garnered many awards. Rosemary Beach has World Six Gallery, 2011 Artist of the Year Allison Wickey’s studio.
– Worth Noting: The Beaches of South Walton made Yahoo Travel’s Top 10 list of beaches for 2011….(continue reading)