What's the one thing your car needs most? It needs a little more beach, a little more style, some enthusiasm. Good thing is, if you are reading this, you can treat your car--or your favorite object--with our new GO TO THE BEACH sticker. Stop by our 30A office in Seagrove Beach, next to Balance Studio and Pelayo Dr. Best thing is, it's free. Stop in anytime.

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Eden Gardens State Park - One of the Top Spots in South Walton to Photograph Nature, Kids, Pets.

But Eden Gardens State Park easily rivals the beach with its own form of beauty. Tucked along the Choctawhatchee Bay, with beautiful ancient oaks dripping with Spanish moss and magnificent magnolias—this is just like a secret garden out of a magical children's story.

 Just up 395, northbound, towards the Bay—you can't miss it on your left. Pack a camera. Once you are there, it doesn't matter what you shoot. Everything is picture perfect. The spindly branches dance along with the shadows and the sunlight, making this spot one of the top photographer's destinations along the Emerald Coast.

  While you are in Eden (pun intended) take a gander…

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HAPPY NEW YEAR to ALL!

GO TO THE BEACH finished up 2017 with a record year in sales—57 transactions, totaling just over 31.8 Million dollars. To reflect the size of the 30A market, this was just 2% of total sales volume (not including vacant land). We may not be the largest company, but I like to think of us as one of the best!
 
To that point, we continue to grow in numbers. We just had 3 new agents join our firm. Karen Thompson originally from Indiana. Jimmy McCracken originally from St. Louis. & Susan Howard who has her license both in Georgia and Florida. 
 
We come from varied backgrounds & offer different skill sets.
 
One of my main areas of expertise is in income-producing vacation rental properties. This knowledge was developed over a…

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Stressed out? Landlocked? Stuck on pavement?

NEED SAND?

I recommend, when the going gets tough, to read some really good quotes from smart people about the sea.

Because if you don’t already live beside a really inspirational body of water (most people don’t), this is as good as it's going to get.

History has produced many great thinkers who have reflected on nature in order to calm down. Water, in its grandest form—the sea— especially, is a natural wonder with endless horizons. It can offer us that much needed (sometimes sweet, sometimes salty) perspective when we are stressed-out down to our toes.

So if you aren’t a Seagrove native, or you don’t own a gulf front condo in Seacrest, or you’re not on Scenic 30A right here, right now ……

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I have been visiting Seaside, Florida for the past seven years. The iconic white sand and emerald waters are expected, but it's the unexpected that is the charm and lure of Seaside. The winter of 2017 was no different.  

ART

My first encounter was discovering the new beach walkover behind Bud & Alley’s had transformed into an outdoor sculpture garden with a gulf view. A pop-up art installation, common to stumble upon on city streets, was now on the sandy sides of the beachwalk in Seaside, Florida. New York sculptor, Judith Modrak, an artist in residence with Seaside’s Escape to Create was on-site interpreting her project, “Thought Storm.” Using a painted plaster cast, she created a series of sculptures inspired by the area’s live oaks and rare…

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1.  The beach is nice all year long; not just in summer.

Often the best time at the beach is during the fall and spring when the crowds are less and the beach is quieter. Putting on a cozy sweater and walking the beach with a mug of coffee is one of life's greatest pleasures.

 2.  Most problems can be solved with some beach time and a sunset.

It's amazing what a little beach time can do for a foul mood or anxious mind.  The meditative qualities of the sand, surf and sunset can often alleviate most stress and put things in perspective.

 3.  You take it personally when people leave trash on the beach.

We take pride in our beach.  Any trash left behind is unsightly and dangerous to marine life.

4.   If your floors aren't sandy, then you…

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Gulf Coast Lupine - South Walton Beaches

Gulf Coast Lupine is a surprising discovery on the beaches of South Walton. In many areas of the world, spring is the time where wild flowers burst into bloom and put on a show before the heat of summer arrives. So when I moved to the beach, I was quite surprised to see gorgeous blue flowers growing in the beautiful white sand along South Walton beaches.  These showy blue flowers are Gulf Coast Lupine (Lupinus westianus) and are native to Florida. Because they form long tap roots, sandy soil allows the plant to drive the root deep into the ground.  This is what makes the Florida panhandle an ideal environment for the plant.  The shrubby biennial lives 4-6 years and usually flowers the second year. Unfortunately,…

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When people think of 30A activities, images of white sand and turquoise water flood the mind.  However, there is plenty more to do off the beach. The location offers a number of areas for hiking, biking and bird watching that afford visitors and locals access to unique habitats, neighborhoods, and state parks.  Two popular trails are the Timpoochee Trail and the Point Washington State Forest trail system.

30A Activites: Hiking and Biking

The Timpoochee Trail, named after an important Euchee Indian Chief, parallels 30A from Dune Allen to Inlet Beach.  The 18.6 mile paved stretch navigates through unique neighborhoods, beautiful beach access points, stunning coastal dune lakes and state parks.  Easy enough for people of all ages, the trail provides a…

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