I haven't been to the Beaches of South Walton in months, and what a difference a couple of months makes. The staggering growth that communities such as Seaside in Florida experienced 20 years ago is now happening in places like the Watersound community, Seacrest Beach, Inlet Beach and Rosemary Beach.
Even though they have been around for some time, it seems that these beach communities have been dropped onto the Florida Panhandle map overnight. On most of my visits to the beaches, I would stay in Santa Rosa or the still-growing Watercolor development. Most of my time was spent strolling through nearby cute shops and the fine grocery store in Seaside, which was the picturesque setting for the Jim Carrey film "The Truman Show." This time, I devoted the bulk of my visit to Rosemary Beach, which I believe is the brand-spanking-new sibling to Seaside.
About 10 miles to the east of its older "sister," Rosemary Beach is, at the moment, peaceful and attractive. Built on the ideal of Norman Rockwell's America that Seaside knows so well, Rosemary Beach takes that theme even further with its unique blend of living quarters. The Rosemary Beach Cottages and Carriage Houses, where I stayed, combines the Rockwell feel of a tightly knit community with a Caribbean-inspired decor.
When I arrived after my six-hour journey, I hypothesized that the planners were going for a Mediterranean style. Beautifully designed and decorated homes with connected garages were set among narrow streets, reminding me of an Italian villa instead of a town in northwestern Florida. "What makes the cottages so interesting is that Rosemary Beach hired several architects with their own style to design it," said Tracey Louthain, public relations and promotions manager with the Beaches of South Walton.
Breath of fresh air
It seems as though Rosemary Beach is an oasis from the madness of everything going on outside of it, including the hectic U.S. Highway 98. As soon as we settled into our carriage house, I quickly discovered the community's dedication to physical activity; there's easy access to the many boardwalks, footpaths and bike trails. We ordered some bikes from Bamboo Beach and Bicycle, a well-stocked rental facility. Overall, the bike tour was exhilarating, excluding the daytime construction traffic. I frequently found myself vying for space with tractors and pickup trucks - not a fun thing to do when you're riding on a tandem bicycle with my daughter.
Since my visit, all that construction paid off with a world-class hotel and more shops. Despite the maneuvers on the bike, it still beat all of my previous rides through the crowded areas of Seaside. Shopping the old-fashioned way Rosemary Beach's town square was the most welcome sight of our ride.
As we parked the bikes, I was awestruck by the gorgeous façade of the grand building that houses the town's merchants. Shops with names like Shabby Slips and Flavours of France are excellent for browsing on a lazy afternoon. The Tracery was one of my favorite shops. It held an afternoon wine sampling accompanied by an artist who produces unique pillows. It was the talk of the day. "We do these 'wine and pillow talks' every now and then," the artist said as she poured my wife and I a bold glass of chardonnay. Needless to say, we had to walk off our "samples" as our daughter begged us to visit GiGi's, an upscale children's clothing and toy store.
At night, it was a treat to explore Rosemary Beach in the cool, crisp air filled with the sound of the Gulf lapping at the shore. After attending an outdoor concert in the St. Augustine Green, a reserved piece of greenspace, we strolled over to Blue by Night, a cute bistro where we dined on a late supper of hearty salad. It was the perfect nightcap to a fantastic visit.
Men's Traveler
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Beach vacations
MEXICO BEACH IS FLORIDA'S HIDDEN TREASURE
Pure Paradise Unveiled Pedaling Beyond the Beaches of Bali
GREAT PLACES TO STAY ON FLORIDA'S AMELIA ISLAND
Horses on the beach at Fernandina Beach. Photo by Robert J. Nebel
Amelia Hotel at the Beach (877) 263-5428
The 90-room Amelia Hotel at the Beach is just minutes from the historic downtown Fernandina area and across the street from the island’s famous beaches. Guest amenities include complimentary continental breakfast, free wireless internet, microwave, and mini-fridge. www.Ameliahotel.us
Ash Street Inn (800) 277-6660
The Ash Street Inn is a contemporary, sophisticated bed and breakfast located in the historic district of downtown
Fernandina Beach, with fresh-baked cookies and lemonade daily, in-room hot tubs, wireless internet, and in-house massages, plus complimentary bicycles, movies, and much more. www.ashstinn.com
Amelia Island Williams House (800) 414-9258
With its crystal chandeliers and beautiful antiques, the 10-room Amelia Island Williams House bed and breakfast treats guests to the historical and elegant ambiance of an Old Florida era. Guests can enjoy a Victorian Tea on the second Wednesday of each month.
www.Williamshouse.com
The Fairbanks House (888) 891-9881
Amelia Island ’s largest historic home, The Fairbanks House features oversized rooms and cottages, and amenities such as wireless internet access, spa robes, evening cocktail hour and more. Special holiday packages are also available. www.Fairbankshouse.com
Hampton Inn & Suites (904) 491-4911
Within walking distance of the Historic downtown Fernandina Beach area, 25 restaurants and 60 specialty shops, the 122-room boutique Hampton Inn & Suites offers guests an upscale experience in beautifully decorated guest rooms and suites. With a second story pool and concierge desk, guests receive dazzling service at a value rate. www.hamptoninnandsuites.net
Summer Beach Resort (800) 862-9297
Summer Beach Resort offers a variety of private, oceanfront accommodations, including villas, town homes, and luxury condominiums. All accommodations include fully-equipped kitchen, washer, dryer, patio, and other amenities, creating a home away from home. www.summerbeach.com
For visitor information, online planning, and information on the "Pack Your Bags for Amelia Island " program, visit www.ameliaisland.org/freebags
The Beaches of South Walton
By Robert J. Nebel
Editor, Men's Traveler
Florida's best-kept secret
By Robert J. Nebel
Editor, Men's Traveler
Several times a year, I make the trek to visit family at the Beaches of South Walton in Florida’s northwest corner. Every time, I’m amazed by how many shops, restaurants, golf courses and resorts have sprung from every crevice in this valuable, sun-drenched area.
While I’m impressed with how communities in the South Walton area have balanced progress with nature, I sometimes long for a taste of Old Florida. If you haven’t experienced the way things used to be in the Sunshine State, there are a few places where that feeling still exists. Only 10 miles apart from each other, the sleepy and inviting communities of Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe evoke fond memories. Yes, Floridians will say that a fair amount of building has happened here over the past decade, but compared to the rest of the state, the city fathers have dubbed these panhandle towns Florida’s Forgotten Coast.That Old Florida feeling is further enhanced during the off-season. “Mexico Beach is a great gathering place for families during the holiday time,” said Lynn Costin Marshall, president of the Community Development Council. “Our mild temperatures and beautiful beaches make for a great landscape for holiday cards and family portraits.”
Think locally
The first thing you’ll notice about Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe are the names of the eateries — think Amanda’s Bistro or Sharon’s Cafe. Part of what makes the areas “Old Florida” is an abundance of locally owned businesses. Whether it’s a shop, restaurant or hotel, visiting one is sure to give you an authentic taste of the area.Beach Pizza, Toucan’s Restaurant and the Killer Seafood Restaurant make visitors feel at home. You’ll find local, fresh ingredients in the food, and if you spend enough time in any of these joints, everybody will know your name.Located at the Port St. Joe Marina, the Dockside Cafe offers delicious steamed seafood. Catch a spectacular sunset at the Sunset Coast Grill on the downtown district’s Monument Avenue. The Sunset’s signature crab cakes, Sesame Coated Tuna and Oscar Tenderloin receive rave reviews from visitors and locals alike.When taking a stroll down any given Mexico Beach street — and there aren’t many — it is not uncommon for the locals to wave at you. It’s especially apparent on the town’s main drag, where shops are everywhere.Unlike many main drags in beach towns, Mexico Beach does not come off as a tourist trap. Shops like the Beachwalk, LadyFish, Marquart’s Marina, Tropical Breeze and Half Shells offer unique souvenirs, clothing and antiques seldom found in Florida.When Dolores Lowery moved to Mexico Beach about five years ago, she couldn’t find a shop specializing in gourmet food. She decided to do something about it by opening up her own shop, Prickly Pears.Lowery’s passion for the finer things in life shines through in her store’s lines of organic spices, ranging from unique versions of saffron and arrowroot to juniper berries and vanilla beans. Exotic cheeses, including Drunken Goat Cheese from Spain and Blueberry Stilton from England, lure casual shoppers as well as “serious foodies” into this jewel of a store.
Stay the night … or more
The lodging choices in Mexico Beach are all within minutes of the main area. The Driftwood Inn is one of the most enchanting places to stay in the area. Each room is appointed in its own style with fully restored antique furniture.Modern amenities such as phones and TVs are here, but why would you need them? The view of the Gulf from here is priceless. Barbecue grills, picnic areas, lounge chairs and a gazebo with swings beckon you to spend hours in this tranquil environment. For a more economical stay, look into the El Governor Motel. Its spacious, furnished rooms come complete with double or king-sized beds, stoves and refrigerators. You can rent by the day and even by the month from October through February.For longer stays, house and condominium rentals from several realtors are available through Harmon Realty, Crystal Sands Realty and Forgotten Coast Realty. “Rentals and hotels are offering off-season rates for a fraction of the cost of our summer rates,” Costin Marshall said. “This is a great time to visit our uncrowded beaches.”
If you go
The Trip: The Mexico Beach/Port St. Joe area is about an hour-and-a-half east of the Beaches of South Walton. From the metro Atlanta area, it is a six-hour drive.
Info: For information on Mexico Beach, visit http://www.mexicobeach.com/.
For information on the Driftwood Inn, visit http://www.driftwoodinn.com/.
Did you know?
Sea turtles are popular on Mexico Beach. They are the largest living reptiles, and six species live in the United States.The Mexico Beach Canal gives fishermen direct access to great fishing, including Spanish mackerel and Wahoo fish.
The store Prickly Pears got its name from owner Dolores Lowery’s cooking. She often uses the prickly pear fruit — native to the area — in her dishes.
Port St. Joe has developed into a small, modern town since its paper plant closed in 1992.
Port St. Joe was the site of Florida’s first Constitution Convention, which is commemorated in a museum in the nearby town of St. Joseph.Source: Mexico Beach Community Development Council, PricklyPears.net and VisitFlorida.com
Lighting the way in Florida
By Robert J. Nebel
Editor, Men's Traveler
Take a trip on any part of Florida's 1,800 miles of coastline, and you're bound to find a lighthouse. From St. Augustine to Key Biscayne, scores of lighthouses invite visitors to climb spiral staircases to take in breathtaking views of the state's magnificent terrain.(more)
Veranda Beach Vineyard Cottages Offers Rare Opportunity to Live in a Working Vineyard
Lakeside Vineyard Cottages Combine Country Cottage Living with the Flavour of the Mediterranean
Oroville, Washington - Step back in time to a cottage-country lifestyle that captures the joys of an era when the family gathered on the porch swing for an ice cream after a long day swimming in the lake and kicking up sand barefoot at the beach.
Only 15 minutes from the Washington State-British Columbia border crossing at Osoyoos and Oroville, nostalgic laid-back lakeside living can be found with the first release of Lakeside Vineyard Cottages. Sweeping views of Lake Osoyoos, the beach and mountains combine with the pastoral charm of a cottage nestled within a working vineyard.
A limited release this summer of 28 Vineyard Cottages at Veranda Beach, with prices starting in the $500,000 range, offer a rare opportunity to own a cottage in a farm setting surrounded by vineyards planted with Barbera grapes, a well-known 13th-century grape variety from Monferrato in Piedmont, Italy.
Spring 2008 saw the first plantings of the Veranda Beach Vineyard, which consists of more than 5,000 Barbera grapevines. It is projected that, once fully planted, the Veranda Vineyards could be in excess of 100 acres. The vines will produce high-end, sought-after bottles of wines in the coming years, which is not a stretch considering the internationally recognized estate wineries a few miles north across the border in Canada's thriving South Okanagan wine belt. Veranda Beach Lakeside Vineyard Cottage owners will enjoy exclusive invitations to vintner dinners, barrel tastings, wine clubs, harvest crushes and other wine-centered special events.
The single-level Chardonnay and Merlot Cottages, and the double-level Cabernet and Barbera Cottages are fully furnished with everything buyers need to complement the cottage lifestyle at Veranda Beach. This includes one and a half garages per cottage, with the half portion suited to storing a golf cart or scooter. The Cottages blur the lines between indoor/outdoor living with expansive terraces stretching into the vineyards and screened-in verandas for outdoor dining and entertaining. Access to a vineyard-vista pool and pavilion amenity area allows cottage owners exclusive enjoyment of the outdoor pool and changing rooms, a outdoor kitchen and barbeque area.
The 1,158-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bath, and the 1,786-square-foot, three-bedroom, 3.5 bath cottages feature natural finishes and fabrics throughout, including painted pine and wicker, cottage quilts, cottons and linens. Granite countertops, wood flooring, ceiling fans and a screened-in veranda living space, complete with a designer porch swing, are standard to every cottage. Optional upgrades include outdoor showers, outdoor wood-burning fireplaces, hot tubs, special wood flooring and vintage reproduction appliances.
Veranda Beach is minimizing its footprint and preserving the natural beauty of the property through the eco-friendly design, architecture, construction and interior fit and finish of these Lakeside Vineyard Cottages.
All Veranda Beach owners and their guests have access to more than a mile of private sandy beach with a sheltered marina, walking trails and more. A quick walk through the vineyard, onto the village trail leads to the Village Center in just minutes. Beach volleyball and an outdoor fire pitm perfect for roasting marshmallows add to the memory making at Veranda Beach. The Veranda Beach Village Center will be completed in the spring of 2009. The village will include an Inn at the Point, Tuck Shop (store), the Village Hall and a '50s-era diner serving authentic burgers and milkshakes. The master plan also includes an amphitheatre, an aquatic park, equestrian center, basketball courts and more.
The Lakeside Cottages at Veranda Beach sold out quickly last summer and this summer's limited release of 28 Lakeside Vineyard Cottages is highly anticipated.
Those interested in more information are invited to register online at verandabeach.com - or call toll-free 1.866.VERANDA (1.866.837.2632).
Vineyard Estate and Beachfront Homesites Also Set for Summer Release
For those looking to build a dream home at Veranda Beach on Osoyoos Lake, this summer will also see the release of six Vineyard Estate Homesites, with prices starting at $300,000, and four exclusive Beachfront Homesites.
The Vineyard Estate Homesites take advantage of the vineyard lifestyle while creating opportunity to build a own dream home with the developer's award-winning architect. Situated within the working Veranda Vineyards, these exceptional Estate Homesites have a vantage point (or vintage point) of Lake Osoyoos, the beach and beyond. The Vineyard Estate Homesites provide the freedom to build a custom home with all the privileges of the Vineyard Pool and Pavilion and the Village Center below.
The Beachfront Homesites are the quintessential property at Veranda Beach: private locations on the beachfront that are still close to all the activities and amenities. Nature trails connect to the Veranda Beach Vineyards and Village Center, as well as, along the lakefront to the future amphitheater.
More about Veranda Beach in Oroville, WA
The Veranda Beach community features quaint tree-lined streets with '50s- style cottages situated along a 1.25-mile (2-km) stretch of beach on Lake Osoyoos. The 280-acre lakeside development includes its own working vineyard, walking trails, sheltered marina and, in the Village Centre, a private inn for guests and a Veranda Beach cottage rental management program, including on-site reservations, housekeeping and maintenance.
Veranda Beach is located near Oroville, WA, about 4.5 hours from Vancouver, BC, and five hours northeast of Seattle. Oroville, population 1,670, is in Okanogan County, the largest county in Washington State, known for its apple farming, wine-grape production and award-winning winery. Okanogan County's Oroville is the closest city to the Canadian border. (with a convenient 24-hour crossing) and the popular desert town of Osoyoos, BC. Private plane access and US Customs clearing is available by appointment at Oroville's Dorothy Scott Airport.
About Legend Resorts US Ltd.
About Legend Resorts US Ltd. Veranda Beach developer Legend Resorts US Ltd. is backed by more than 28 years of experience building homes of exceptional quality. Sundance Resort, Legend's most recent development at Big White Ski Resort in British Columbia, has been the recipient of numerous peer accolades. For more information, visit www.sundancebigwhite.com and/or www.legendresorts.com.
Cool on the coast
By Robert J. Nebel
Editor, Men's Traveler
When my family in Los Angeles told me to bring a sweatshirt on my annual California trip, I refused to believe them.
"How can you think about a sweatshirt in the dog days of summer anywhere?" I asked.
My aunt, who has lived in California for more than 40 years, had to remind me that I was going to one of the few places in the United States that enjoys zero humidity, especially at this time of the year. Ventura, Calif., just 60 miles north of Los Angeles, is a treasure trove of a city that basks in cool and dry temperatures in the summer season.
A sense of guilt washed over me as I left Atlanta: My lawn would surely never survive the blistering 90-degree heat. The feeling vanished, though, as soon as I arrived at Los Angeles International Airport. I could feel the breezy California air hit me as I made my way to a rental car. The experience was a pleasant surprise.
Less pleasant was the massive trek up the legendar y 405 freeway, which was crammed with traffic that made for challenging driving. Rest assured: L.A.'s traffic is still worse than ours.
Ventura is a rising star
As I arrived in Ventura with my wife and daughter, I was awestruck by this city in transition. With a burgeoning arts scene, business owners and creative people are pouring in, making this a truly eclectic town.
While walking down South California Street one evening, a young woman summoned me into Weaver Wines, where a wine-tasting class was being held.
"Come on in. Tonight, we are learning about Spanish and Chilean wines," she said while sipping on a Chilean red wine. As I strolled from the wine bar up to the town's Main Street, I was surprised at the number of hip eateries, funky T-shirt shops and wine bars downtown.
Extraordinary music, theater, dance, festivals and exhibits abound year-round. What could be better than the gentle Pacific Ocean breeze mixed with an outdoor arts festival?
To get a full sense of the visual arts and their roots, visit the Ventura County Museum of History & Art. The three galleries include permanent and rotating exhibits.
"America's Galapagos" is a Ventura spectacle
Locals suggested that every visitor should check out the Channel Islands. I was grateful that I took their suggestion.
Just 14 miles offshore from the city, this chain of five islands is known as "America's Galapagos." On the way to Santa Cruz Island, we were treated to an impromptu dolphin show. The cute sea creatures jumped alongside our ferry boat as we approached our destination.
Adventure options on the island include kayaking, camping and hiking, all available through Island Packers, a Ventura outfitter. We chose to do the moderate three-mile roundtrip hike up one of the Santa Cruz Island's steep cliffs.
The view at the top is magnificent; birds frolic in the gentle ocean breeze while yachts navigate the clear waters below. The half-day opt i on was perfect for us because we were traveling with a child. (And the Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau was helpful enough to tell me in advance to stock up on food and water, which are not available on the island.)
For some reason, our daughter tires quickly on these nature trips but miraculously perks up when offered a sweet treat. Despite the abbreviated version of the adventure, I still felt good that she received an introduction to this part of the world.
Life at "The Marina"
Because we had a few extra days in Los Angeles, we decided to stay at a place that was close to LAX but offered us more time near the Pacific Ocean. Marina del Rey was the right choice. Only five minutes to the Los Angeles airport, we were able to relax while knowing that we wouldn't have to rush to get back to our plane.
Marina del Rey is the largest manmade recreational harbor in the nation, composed of charter yachts, waterfront hotels, restaurants and a dizzying num b er of water sports offerings.
It wasn't always so exciting on this stretch of Southern California's coastline, though. Once known as the Playa del Rey Inlet and Basin, the area lost out to nearby San Pedro to become Los Angeles' commercial port. It would take about 30 years for Marina del Rey to develop into the recreational paradise that it has become. Today you can swim, kayak, boat or worship the sun in this classic California atmosphere - all without suffering the midsummer Atlanta heat.
Men's Traveler online travel magazine
