Walton County Tourism

Perfect takes on many shapes and sizes. From cocktails, events and locally owned boutiques to restaurants, small shops and outdoor adventures, perfect is a feeling that resonates in your heart. Perfect is also a place, embodied by the diversity of the destination that is Walton County – from South Walton’s 16 beach neighborhoods with sugar-white sand and turquoise water to the incredible historic treasures and pastoral landscapes beyond the Choctawhatchee Bay. But the heart of our Walton County communities are the people, places and activities we celebrate.

Congratulations to the 2023 Perfect in Walton County Award winners!

ACCOMMODATIONS BEST BOUTIQUE VACATION RENTAL COMPANY (<50 UNITS)

DIAMOND: Grayt 30A Vacations
PLATINUM: Your Friend at the Beach
GOLD: Shut Up + Beach

BEST HOTEL/RESORT

DIAMOND: The Pearl Hotel
PLATINUM: WaterColor Inn & Resort
GOLD: Hotel Effie

BEST RENTAL MANAGEMENT COMPANY (50+ UNITS)

DIAMOND: 30A Beach Girls
PLATINUM: Oversee Rentals
GOLD: Royal Destinations

ACTIVITY/SHOPPING BEST ART GALLERY/STUDIO

DIAMOND: The Blue Giraffe
PLATINUM: Justin Gaffrey Gallery
GOLD: Saczynski Gallery

BEST EVENT

DIAMOND: 30A Songwriters Festival
PLATINUM: South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival
GOLD: Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic

BEST GOLF COURSE

DIAMOND: Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club
PLATINUM: Camp Creek Golf Club
GOLD: Baytowne Golf Club

BEST KIDS ATTRACTION

DIAMOND: The Village of Baytowne Wharf
PLATINUM: The Big Chill
GOLD: Rock Paper Scissors 30A

BEST NATURE LOCALE

DIAMOND: Grayton Beach State Park
PLATINUM: Eden Gardens State Park
GOLD: Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

BEST RETAILER

DIAMOND: Indigo Watercolor
PLATINUM: Willow + Mercer
GOLD: Bay Baits

BEST SHOPPING AREA

DIAMOND: Grand Boulevard
PLATINUM: Silver Sands Premium Outlets
GOLD: Seaside

BEST TENNIS FACILITY

DIAMOND: WaterColor Tennis by MatchPoint Resorts
PLATINUM: Rosemary Beach Racquet Club
GOLD: Sandestin Tennis Center

FOOD & DRINKS BEST BREAKFAST

DIAMOND: The Donut Hole
PLATINUM: Black Bear Bread Co.
GOLD: Crackings

BEST CASUAL DINING

DIAMOND: Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar
PLATINUM: The Bay
GOLD: Grayton Seafood Company

BEST COFFEE HOUSE

DIAMOND: Black Bear Bread Co.
PLATINUM: Bad Ass Coffee
GOLD: Amavida Coffee Roasters

BEST CRAFT BEER/SPIRITS SELECTION

DIAMOND: Grayton Beer Company
PLATINUM: Idyll Hounds Brewing Company
GOLD: The Craft Bar

BEST FINE DINING

DIAMOND: Cafe Thirty-A
PLATINUM: Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood
GOLD: The Citizen

BEST HAPPY HOUR

DIAMOND: Great Southern Café
PLATINUM: Hurricane Oyster Bar & Grill
GOLD: amici 30A Italian Kitchen

BEST LUNCH

DIAMOND: Chanticleer Eatery
PLATINUM: Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar
GOLD: Cowgirl Kitchen

BEST PERSONAL CHEF/CATERING SERVICE

DIAMOND: Grayton Beach Catering and Events
PLATINUM: Swiftly Catered
GOLD: James Sargent/Shaka Sushi and Noodle Bar

BEST SWEET TREATS

DIAMOND: Blue Mountain Beach Creamery
PLATINUM: Pecan Jacks Ice Cream & Candy
GOLD: Sweet Henrietta’s Treats

BEST WINE SELECTION

DIAMOND: Wine World/Wine Bar
PLATINUM: Vin’tij Food & Wine
GOLD: Gallion’s

SERVICES BEST BEACH/EVENT SERVICES PROVIDER

DIAMOND: Jake’s Beach Service
PLATINUM: 30A Blaze Beach Bonfires
GOLD: La Dolce Vita

BEST FISHING CHARTER

DIAMOND: Reel 30A
PLATINUM: Dead Fish Charters
GOLD: Florida Boy Adventures

BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN/BAND

DIAMOND: Forrest Williams Band
PLATINUM: Dread Clampitt
GOLD: Dion Jones & The Neon Tears

BEST OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVITY

DIAMOND: YOLO Board
PLATINUM: 30A Blaze Beach Bonfires
GOLD: Adventure 30A

BEST PHOTOGRAPHER

DIAMOND: Chandler Williams/Modus Photography
PLATINUM: Randi Doris Photography
GOLD: Jessica Winkler Photography

BEST SPA/SALON

DIAMOND: Serenity by the Sea Spa
PLATINUM: Spa Pearl
GOLD: Grayt Skin By Ariel

VENUES BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE

DIAMOND: The Red Bar
PLATINUM: North Beach Social
GOLD: AJ’s Grayton Beach

BEST MEETING/CONFERENCE SPACE

DIAMOND: WaterColor Inn
PLATINUM: Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa
GOLD: Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort

BEST WEDDING VENUE

DIAMOND: The Chapel at Seaside
PLATINUM: Eden Gardens State Park
GOLD: Vue on 30A

Other Articles in this Issue

2023 Perfect in Walton County Awards

Taking the High Road with Low-Speed Vehicles

A big part of what we all love about Walton County is that ability to set out on foot – to easily get where you want to go or simply enjoy the experience of exploring. There’s just something about the freedom and being able to interact with new people along the way. It was the vision when Robert and Daryl Davis first developed the concept for Seaside in the early 1980s. Fewer cars. Narrower streets. Front porches that invited more friendly interaction among neighbors.

Branding Together: Walton County Tourism, Beyond the Beach and South Walton in Action

Walton County Tourism’s mission to promote the county as a whole is officially in play, with vibrant new branding you’ll be seeing everywhere you go. Building awareness of attractions above the Choctawhatchee Bay with audiences who already know and love our beaches adds another layer of enticement to get out and explore. The three resulting brands–one regional tourism brand and two destination brands–are each distinctive while remaining easily recognizable as a cohesive family. Walton County Tourism, South Walton and Beyond the Beach each have their own look and feel but draw from the same color palette and graphic style. Together, they cover the entire destination and speak to the unique appeal of South Walton’s 16 beach neighborhoods as well as the historic sites and natural beauty above the Choctawhatchee Bay. Creative marketing combined with engaging social media makes the destination shine bright and gives event planning experts even more resources to tailor custom experiences for each visitor.