Vacation rentals in Watersound

Whimsically named Watersound has everything you need for a good time, and that’s by design. This private community on Florida’s Emerald Coast boasts hiking and biking trails, restaurants, outdoor movie screenings on a jumbotron, an 18-hole golf course, and two 7,000-square-foot zero-entry pools. All of this rests alongside pristine beaches dotted with coastal dunes, crisscrossed by winding wooden boardwalks. Welcome to South Walton, a community of 16 beach towns, each carefully planned to suit the needs of their residents and visitors, offering several different flavors of smalltown life. There’s quaint Rosemary, with its town square and cobblestone streets, and funky Grayton, populated with art galleries and creatives. It’s all under the banner of New Urbanism, a city planning philosophy that calls for walkable cities with lots of public gathering spaces. Perfection is subjective, but there’s no question that’s what the planners of South Walton strive for — with a bit of assistance from nature, which provided 26 perfect miles of white sand shores.

Spring and summer are high seasons in South Walton. Balmy weather and warming waters arrive with spring, along with afternoon rain showers. Summers are hot and the beaches are busy with visitors. Early fall often looks a lot like summer, but by winter the crowds have died down, although a cool but sunny day on these pretty beaches is often quite appealing to out-of-towners who would otherwise be shoveling snow. You can usually find an outdoor activity around here, where the public space is activated with live performances, food trucks, and outdoor film screenings.

Seaside

To really get a sense of what New Urbanism is all about, head to Seaside, whose designers are pioneers in the city planning principle. Every detail of the city has been considered, down to the cute cottages painted in pastel colors intended to improve people’s moods. Fuel up on Airstream Row, a block lined with gleaming trailers retrofitted as curbside eateries. Rosemary and Alys Beach were designed by the same planners.

Grayton Beach State Park

Hike trails lined with coastal scrub oak and magnolia at this 2,000-acre park where snowy plovers roam and sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. About 350 feet from shore is an artificial reef where snorkelers may encounter sea anemone, colorful fish, and even dolphins. You can rent kayaks and canoes within the park, where there is also a snack stand.

Man in the Sea Museum

This aptly named museum is devoted to the human desire to explore the watery ocean depths. Here you’ll find the world’s first underwater living facility, submarines, antique diving suits, and even relics recovered from a 16th-century shipwreck. Every Friday the museum hosts a food truck, so you can grab lunch as you ponder just exactly what one eats in an underwater capsule house.