The Beaches of South Walton offers over 200-miles of trails, which wind through state parks and hundreds
of acres of protected forests.
Bike rentals
are available throughout 30A.
The 30A bike path meanders through quiet communities, alongside lakes, through woodlands and
beach areas, a fun activity for all the family.
The various
State Parks & Trails
throughout South Walton offer the ideal surroundings to
catch a peek of red cockaded woodpeckers, bald eagles, pelicans, egrets, herons, eastern bluebirds,
brown headed nuthatches, pied-billed grebes, ospreys, hooded warblers and others.
Kayaking is a terrific way of exploring the many rare coastal dune lakes as well as the Choctawhachee Bay.
Boat rentals are available throughout 30A.
Cruises, Sailing & Fishing Charters are available through the
Baytowne Marina.
Wetland Wilderness Tours Offers 2, 4 and 6 hour tours of the Choctawhatchee River and
its Bayous with Capt. Kent Mundy.
Species include grouper, mahi-mahi, amberjack, speckled trout, redfish, king mackerel,
Spanish mackerel, flounder, bluefish and cobia. Speckled trout and redfish may be caught year-round,
but Spring brings a rise in their numbers. Among the most sought after species, pompano begin
frequenting the beach around mid-March or early April. March also bring the much anticipated annual
cobia migration. Summer brings flounder and bluefish into the bays in large numbers. Fall fishing
focuses on trout when they are headed into the creeks and rivers, while winter fishing is devoted to
bull redfish cruising the surf along the beaches.
Gulf of Mexico -- Nearby Destin is home to the largest charter fleet in Florida.
The Hundred Fathom Curve, the beginning of the deep water where large game fish live, comes
closer to land at this point than anywhere else in the Gulf. The best fishing takes place when
the Gulf waters heat up, typically from May through October. There are various
fishing charters
throughout the area.
Choctawhatchee Bay -- The Bay opens to the Gulf through East Pass, near Destin. The
Intracoastal Waterway passes through the bay. Flounder, speckled trout and redfish can be caught
in the bay and tidal creeks. There are many access points--two of them are the US-331 Bridge, where
you can fish along the causeway of the pier that is part of the old bridge over the eastern end
of the bay, or one of the several public docks, and Rocky Bayou State Park, where the seagrass flats
along the shoreline are especially productive. Access is provided by a boat-ramp near the northwest
corner of the park.
Coastal Dune Lakes -- There are a number of brackish lakes nestled amidst the dunes along
the beach. Many, such as Western Lake, are within public park lands, while others may be
surrounded by private property. Nearly all of them have some public access and many, such as
Eastern Lake, have public boat launches as well. Anglers should try for speckled trout, redfish,
flounder and small bass and then head to the beach to surf fish for pompano and bluefish.
Please note that a Florida fishing license is required in certain situations. Typically, a license
is NOT required when fishing in salt water from land, from a structure attached to land
(such as a pier or dock) or when fishing from a charter boat (as long as the boat has a valid
vessel license). For complete information, please go to
http://marinefisheries.org/license.htm. Licenses can be instantly purchased online at
http://myfwc.com/license.html.
"Shaping Florida" -- a presentation on the land and people of Florida and Walton County.
The heritage tour provides a view of a coastal dune lake, the Gulf, wildlife and native plants.
Presented by Walton County native, Brenda Rees, 850-231-4994.
To find out what's going on while you're here, check out the following event calendars: