What’s New in Walton County for Fall 2022
Walton County, FL – September 26, 2022 - Fall is here and we’re celebrating with a roundup of new businesses, events, and other happenings in Walton County. Whether you’re looking for a new restaurant to try out or a new refreshing cocktail to beat the heat, there’s something for everyone in Walton County.
New Businesses:
Canopy Road Café
Bananas Foster French Toast, Churro Waffles, Crab Cake Benedict – is your stomach growling yet? Breakfast and lunch options in 30A just got a little bit tastier. Canopy Road Café, a fresh, flavorful, and fun tribute to the American diner experience, just launched a new location near the intersection of the east end of 30-A and U.S. 98. Canopy Road Café started in Tallahassee and has quickly expanded across the state with locations in Jacksonville, Tampa, and now 30A.
Website: https://www.canopyroadcafe.com/v
Address: 12805 US-98, Inlet Beach, FL 32413
Phone: (850) 909-0104
Chef’s 30A Deli
Join Chef Justin Sharpe at his newest project in the Gulf Place beach neighborhood. Known for his fantastic creations with The Chef’s Table Catering, Chef Sharpe seeks to bring you fresh ingredients and ideas for breakfast, sandwiches, salads, poke bowls, and cold pressed juices. Chef’s 30A Deli will also have dinner specials, beer, wine, and 12 flavors of hand dipped ice cream, along with much more in the future.
Website: https://www.chefs30adeli.com/
Address: 118 Spires Ln, Unit A2, Santa Rosa Beach, FL, 32459
Phone: (850) 660-9470
Chicago Hotdogs and More
Chicago Hot Dogs and More is now open and is located inside The Market Shops of Emerald Coast Parkway. Their goal is to bring the taste of Chicago to the Gulf. Chicago Hot Dog’s interior reflects the hip sensibilities of the surrounding area while also paying tribute to Chicago.
Website: https://www.chicago-dog.com/
Address: 9375 Emerald Coast Pkwy W Unit 11, Miramar Beach, FL 32550
Phone: (850) 842-2081
Embers Bistro
Embers is a DeFuniak Springs based bistro producing handmade pizza, breads, weekly specials, and tasty desserts using traditional techniques in the kitchen and artfully crafted cocktails at the bar!
Website: https://embersbistrodfs.com/
Address: 756 Baldwin Ave, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435
Phone: (850) 520-4205
New Regional Beach Accesses:
Scenic Gulf Drive Regional Beach Access
Construction for the new Scenic Gulf Drive Regional Beach Access is expected to be finished shortly with a grand opening soon to be announced. The new public beach access will offer free access to 400-feet of sugar-white sand. There will be 20 vehicle parking spaces, nine golf cart parking spaces, bike parking, a large deck plaza, an ADA accessible boardwalk/dune walkover, restroom facilities and a picnic pavilion.
Address: 907 Scenic Gulf Drive, Miramar Beach, FL 32550.
Press Release: https://www.visitsouthwalton.com/news/press-release/walton-county-breaks- ground-on-new-scenic-gulf-drive-regional-beach-access/
New Things to Do:
George's at Alys Beach
George’s recently added seven craft cocktails and seven spirit options to its drink menu. Most notable is George's Southern Peach Tea featuring bourbon, peach puree, lemon, and tea. Prior to this, George’s offered beer and wine only.
Website: www.georgesatalysbeach.com
Address: 30 Castle Harbour Dr, Alys Beach, FL 32461
Phone: (850) 641-0017
Cocktail and Charcuterie Master Class Offered at The Courtyard at Pescado
The Courtyard at Pescado in Rosemary Beach is now offering a master class on cocktails and charcuterie boards. This is a great activity for a bridal party, bachelor/bachelorette party or any adventure-seeking group. While learning and creating, guests will enjoy the cheeses, charcuterie, and of course, the cocktails. The Courtyard promises a fun, interactive experience and guests will leave with recipes and designs for recreating these delectables at home. Their highly trained bartender will guide you with a step-by-step process for making two of your favorite Pescado Signature Craft Cocktails and our staff will direct the charcuterie preparation. Finish your master class by sitting back and relaxing with our bartender’s choice of drink. The experience will last 60-90 minutes depending on the number of participants (Minimum 6 people). Price is $109 per person + 7% Tax and 22% Service Charge. Booking is available at rooftop30a.com/events.
The Shard Shop
The Shard Shop in Grayton Beach is excited to offer a new VIP art-making experience. The VIP Class Experience elevates the Shard Shop's classic ShardWorx glass and resin art class. Perfect for beginners and advanced artists alike, this class includes extra studio time, a lower instructor-to-guest ratio, complimentary refreshments, and exclusive access to Mary Hong's specialty shards to take your glassterpiece to the next level. Class space is limited to six adult participants, and pricing starts at $130 per person. VIP Classes are offered weekly, Tuesday through Friday, at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Website: ShardShop.com
Address: 26 Logan Ln, Cottage E, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
Phone: (850) 231-0544
New Happenings:
Alys Beach Crafted
This festival will be a weekend of events, a gathering of masters of food and drink, and renowned craftspeople and creators, from around the country. Join us as they share the process, the inspiration, and the product of their craft at the Makers Market, Firkin Fête, Spirited Seminars, and the Spirited Soirée. Oct. 21-22, 2023.
Website: https://alysbeachcrafted.com/
Address: 9581 E County Highway 30A, Alys Beach, FL 32461 (multiple locations across Alys Beach, including the Amphitheatre)
Email: events@alysbeach.com
Seascape Golf Beach & Tennis Resort
Eggs on the Beach
Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022
10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Big Green Egg EggFest BBQ Competition is held at Seascape Resort in Miramar Beach and celebrates the delicious results of cooking on the Big Green Egg smoker/grill. Cook teams smoke and grill their favorite dishes while tasters vote for their favorites. The event will be held, October 15, 2022 and will be complemented by live music, cooking demonstrations and a charity raffle. Proceeds benefit the Fisher House of the Emerald Coast and Food for Thought.
Website: http://www.eggsonthebeach.com/
Address: Seascape Drive, Miramar Beach, FL 32550
Phone: (850) 269-46690
Moon Crush, The Harvest Moon
Oct. 27 - 30, 2022
6 - 9 p.m. each day
Moon Crush is coming to Seascape Golf Beach & Tennis Resort in the Fall. Due to the overwhelming success of our April Moon Crush, The Pink Moon (also returning in April 2023), we have added a fall show. The Harvest Moon 2022 will feature Eric Church headlining for 2 nights and Turnpike Troubadours for a 3rd night. All shows will be at The COVE at Seascape. 3 Day and Single Day tickets are available.
Website: Pre-Sale and Ticket information
Address: 556 Seascape Drive, Miramar Beach, FL 32550
Grand Boulevard Shopping Center
Barktoberfest
Thursday, Oct. 27, 5 – 7 p.m.
Dress you four-legged friends in their Halloween finest and enjoy a free canine-only trick-or-treating event and doggie social benefiting Dog-Harmony. Judging for the best “Pet & Parent Matching Costume” contest will take place during the event with the prize-winning duo announced at 6:30 p.m. Guests will enjoy light bites, libations, a raffle drawing, and lawn games.
Halloween on the Boulevard
Monday, Oct. 31, 4 – 6 p.m.
Families are invited to trick-or-treat throughout the Town Center on Halloween where stores and restaurants will pass out candy and other treats to children. Dress up in your favorite costume and fill your bag in a safe pedestrian-friendly place.
New Lodging and Renovations:
The Lodge 30A
The Lodge 30A is a boutique hotel being built on Scenic Hwy 30A in Seagrove Beach. Plans call for a picturesque three-story hotel with amenities such as a fitness center and outdoor pool. Architecture plans and interior design concepts employ the use of natural materials in a modern way, taking inspiration South Walton’s beautiful natural scenery. The Lodge 30A abuts the 15,000-acre Point Washington State Forest, providing a convenient trailhead to access the state forest’s expansive network of hiking and biking trails. The boutique hotel will be part of the new Greenway Station, which will create an ideal space for shopping, gathering, and dining in Seagrove Beach.
Address: 4721 County Hwy 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, Fl 32459
Photos/Artist renderings: https://joe.canto.com/b/ORTPL
Home2 Suites by Hilton
Plans call for a four-story hotel featuring 107 guest rooms, with amenities including a pool, fitness center, and an outdoor lounge with a fire pit. The location is convenient to Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and the bike and pedestrian paths of the famed Scenic Hwy 30A. All Home2 Suites hotels provide guests with free Wi-Fi and complimentary breakfast. Once complete, the planned hotel will be managed by St. Joe Hospitality.
Opening date: Late Spring 2023
Website: www.Hilton.com
Address: 100 W. Hewett Road, Santa Rosa Beach (just north of US Highway 98)
Camp Creek Inn + New WaterSound Club Amenities
In 2023, St. Joe Hospitality is slated to open a 75-room, three story boutique inn located near WaterSound Club’s Camp Creek Golf Course. The inn will feature two dining venues (offering indoor and outdoor seating), as well as an outfitter shop.
As part of an expansion of WaterSound Club amenities, Camp Creek Inn will have the most expansive wellness and fitness facilities in the surrounding 30A area – a 12,000 square foot Wellness Center, complete with 3 group exercise rooms, a cardio and strength training area, men’s and women’s steam rooms and saunas, a hot tub and 19-meter adults-only lap pool. In addition to the health and wellness center, the new amenities at Camp Creek will include a poolside dining venue, pickle ball courts and tennis courts, a resort-style pool complex, and multi-sport fields.
Guests of Camp Creek Inn will have access to all WaterSound Club amenities during their stay, including the new Camp Creek amenities, WaterSound Beach Club, Shark’s Tooth Golf Course and Camp Creek Golf Course. Whether for golf, relaxation, or a private club experience, Camp Creek Inn offers the perfect fit nestled within the 30A community and surrounding state forests.
Website: www.campcreekinn.com
Address: 684 Fazio Dr. at the Camp Creek Golf Course
Photos/Artist renderings: https://joe.canto.com/b/QTRAP
WaterSound Inn Guests Will Get Access to New Amenities
Guests staying at the WaterSound Inn will have full “Member for the Day” level of access to WaterSound Club amenities, including the Watersound Beach Club pools, restaurants, and beach amenities, as well as the WaterSound Club private golf courses, and the new wellness and recreation facilities and dining venues coming to Camp Creek.
Website: www.watersoundinn.com
Address: 6652 E. County Hwy 30A
Phone: (888) 418-0536
Photos: https://joe.canto.com/b/SHML0
The Pearl Hotel Renovation
The Pearl Hotel’s 55 guest rooms received a full refresh, completed in March 2022. The room refresh was overseen by Duncan & Miller Design of Dallas, Texas, the firm that created the original plans for The Pearl Hotel and renovated the Havana Lounge, part of the Pearl’s signature restaurant, Havana Beach Bar & Grill. The room refresh included new flooring and brighter, more modern interior design choices to create a lighter and more tropical atmosphere. A test room was first completed, and guest feedback considered to perfect the final design.
Website: www.thepearlrb.com
Address: 63 Main Street, Rosemary Beach, FL
Phone: (877) 935-6114
Photos: https://joe.canto.com/b/G37K6
Gather Kitchen + Bar
A new dining venue has come to WaterColor Inn and is available only to guests of the inn and members of WaterSound Club. Inspired by Northwest Florida’s laidback coastal lifestyle and characteristic Southern hospitality, Gather Kitchen + Bar enjoys a poolside setting tucked behind white sand dunes that offer a sense of peace and intimacy. Serving up an elevated bar menu of locally sourced coastal cuisine with international flair, this venue offers both indoor and outdoor dining space to create an experience that is at once both elevated and comfortable. With a collection of local beers and thoughtful cocktails (including Sorbet Cocktails that are made-to-order tableside) Gather Kitchen + Bar is the perfect place to relax and idle away the hours in a pleasant beachside environment.
Website: www.watercolorresort.com/dining/gather-kitchen-bar
Address: 34 Goldenrod Circle, Santa Rosa Beach, FL
Phone: (850) 534-5025
Photos: https://joe.canto.com/b/NJSRB