Known for its brilliant beaches, deep forests and amazing water features like coastal dune lakes and crystal-clear freshwater springs, Northwest Florida holds its own as a destination of rare beauty and natural richness.
Not only that, it’s quiet; the preferred setting on the dial here is low key. With the exception of the capital, Tallahassee and the westernmost city of Pensacola, there’s very little bustle in Northwest Florida. Instead, you’ll find dozens of picture-perfect small towns, both at the coast and throughout the region’s longleaf pine and scrub oak interior, many offering a side of Southern hospitality along with attractions and cultural treasures.
“It’s so easy to get that friendly, small-town feeling in Northwest Florida,” says Valerie Mahon, sales manager at the Wyndham Bay Point Golf Resort & Spa in Panama City Beach, a vibrant enclave of family-friendly attractions, beachfront shopping and dining, with a mix of vintage hotels and state-of-the-art meeting properties.
“We have that Southern hospitality; everyone’s so friendly,” agrees Sherry Rushing, travel industry sales director for the Emerald Coast CVB, which promotes the fishing village of Destin, the quaint seaside town of Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island, site of the Emerald Coast Convention Center. “People want to work a little and play a lot. In our area, it’s a little more laid back. We’ve got the largest fishing fleet in the state and the Destin Commons shopping and entertainment center. It’s just a great place for groups to stroll around.”
Coastal Communities
The same can be said of the Beaches of South Walton, a community of 16 beach neighborhoods–each more lovely than the last–set just east of Destin/Fort Walton Beach and featuring photogenic Seaside, featured in the 1998 film The Truman Show. You’ll want to treat the group to a drive along scenic County Road 30A, which winds past this collection of charming towns, some more than 100 years old, some newer planned communities, but all recalling the nostalgia of old Florida with old-fashioned town squares and classic coastal architecture, not to mention meeting space housed in airy resorts, beachside gazebos, homey cottages and charming public buildings.
“People want more of an experience when they travel,” says Pamela Watkins, director of sales for Visit South Walton. “They want to take memories back with them and they want to talk to their neighbors.”
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Facilitating that connection in the Beaches of South Walton are kayaking, YOLO boarding and horseback riding opportunities, along with more than 200 miles of hiking and biking trails, all part of the 40 percent of land here that will never be developed. South Walton is also home to the world’s largest concentration of rare coastal dune lakes–brackish bodies of water set near the ocean–found only in Africa, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand and the Northwest Pacific Coast of the U.S.
“We’re in tune with the environment here. We have height restrictions of up to four stories. We will never have a wall of condos,” Watkins says. “We also have 66 public beach access points along our 26 miles. We want the beaches to be enjoyed, not restricted.”
Heading eastward, a similar sentiment is evident in Mexico Beach, where there are no high-rises to block the sea oats and sand as you drive in along panoramic Highway 98 and park between the palm trees. Set well off the beaten path on the Gulf near the mouth of St. Joseph Bay, Mexico Beach’s tiny downtown offers a variety of eateries and is also known as the place where locals gather to discuss the catches of the day. The town’s motto kind of says it all: “A quaint little drinking village with a fishing problem.”
Keep going along U.S. 98 and you’ll end up in Apalachicola, where more than 900 homes and buildings are part of an extensive National Historic District showcasing a history that dates back to 1831. Once the third-largest port on the Gulf of Mexico, the city’s maritime history can still be seen on its working waterfront, though 19th century nautical supply stores, net factories and sponge warehouses now house B&Bs, shops, restaurants and art galleries.
However, the oyster industry is still booming; over 90 percent of the oysters sold in Florida and 10 percent of the nationwide supply come from Apalachicola Bay. There’s nothing quite like relishing this tasty treat at a bayside eatery while watching the shrimp and oyster boats hauling in their latest catches.
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Interior Designs
Away from the coast, the flavor of old Florida can also be savored in the quaint town squares and stately architecture of Monticello, Havana and Quincy, all an easy distance from Tallahassee, where downtown hotels, creative off-site venues and the Turnbull Conference Center at FSU give planners a number of meeting options.
“One of Tallahassee’s strengths is its proximity to some unique sites in the Big Bend region, like Wakulla Springs, the quaint coastal communities of St. Marks and Apalachicola, the Florida Caverns at Marianna and Thomasville, Georgia,” says Gary Stogner, senior marketing director for Visit Tallahassee.
Farther west, other gems include historic Milton, one of the region’s oldest towns and gateway to Blackwater River State Forest.
“Milton is the canoe capital of Florida,” says Donna Tucker, director of the Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce. “We have close to 800 miles of creeks and rivers. If a group has been at the beach for days, it’s the most relaxing thing in the world to take a canoe or kayak trip for a few hours.”
Tucker says the region’s first blueway trail will open along the Blackwater River in May, complete with historical and directional markers, though above-ground scenery isn’t the only attraction in these waters.
“Blackwater Bay and River have numerous shipwrecks,” Tucker says. “So if people want to snorkel, it’s a great opportunity.”
Back on dry land, groups may want to check out a large Veterans Memorial Plaza in picturesque downtown Milton, then stroll the quiet streets to explore a variety of locally owned shops, museums and galleries before stopping for a bite at places like the new Boomerang Pizza Kitchen or the Blackwater Bistro, which welcomes private events and has “wonderful food and a big wide porch to sit on afterward,” Tucker says.
Milton is home to a few small hotels, including a Holiday Inn Express, and the town is just northwest of Pensacola, where you’ll find convention-friendly properties both in the city and at the beach.
