Explore local boutiques, browse art galleries and indulge in award-winning cuisine.

Geographically the largest beach neighborhood in South Walton – touching both the Choctawhatchee Bay to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south and stretching from Sandestin to Inlet Beach – Santa Rosa Beach offers an incredible amount of diversity.

Whether you want to shop, eat, lounge on the beach or paddle board and bike, a stay in this beach neighborhood has you covered. In fact, Travel + Leisure named Santa Rosa Beach as one of its top five favorite towns in America.

Not only is this beach neighborhood bustling with activity, it’s also full of history. Originally founded in 1910 along Hogtown Bayou, Santa Rosa Beach is home to the historic community of Point Washington where you’ll find the Wesley Mansion, built in the 1890s in what is now Eden Gardens State Park.

Foodies can indulge in everything from fresh Gulf seafood and sushi to mouthwatering Mexican fare and rustic Italian in Santa Rosa Beach. For a special treat, soak up the perfect South Walton sunset at Vue on 30A while enjoying carefully curated creations from chef Isley Whyte.

Santa Rosa Beach is also home to two craft breweries. Check out Grayton Beer Company and Idyll Hounds Brewing Company for a truly local taste of South Walton.

Thankfully (considering all those restaurants and breweries), Santa Rosa Beach also contains the sprawling Point Washington State Forest, which covers more than 15,100 acres. Amid the beautiful forests of longleaf pines and meandering trails, nature lovers can burn off as many calories as they’d like!

Visiting Santa Rosa Beach for the first time? CLICK HERE to check out our First Timer's Guide.