Uncharted Territory

Isn't it amazing when one wrong turn can result in one of the highlights of a trip?  Alan and I decided to explore South Walton County, mainly going to see Grayton Beach, Seaview and Watercolor.  
I had not been to Grayton Beach since I was 5 years old and visiting my uncle and aunt who were stationed at Eglin AFB.......a long time ago.   Needless to say, I barely remember the place but always did remember it as beautiful.   However, our satnav was taking us on a direct route on Highway 98 which we had already seen on the way from Tallahassee.   The signs on this side did not warn of Highway 30A being closed, so we took a detour!  Possibly the best decision of the trip!

We found ourselves in a Florida paradise, old time feeling and the friendliest folks ever!   We had to get out of the car and experience this little town.  Almost as soon as we were out of the car, a cyclist stopped beside us to point out, and also show pictures from his phone of Oyster Lake.  He also informed us that we were in Santa Rosa Beach. I had never heard of Santa Rosa Beach, well not exactly true, but there are so many Santa Rosa's in this area, I was unaware one was a real beachside town.   As we headed toward Oyster Lake, a pickup truck stopped beside us - in the middle of the road to tell,us of another lake and a covered bridge on the road between Santa Rosa and Blue Mountain.   Wow!   We fell in love with the whole feeling of it here so we dropped into the local real estate office.  Sure wish I could say we bought a place and will move there soon.....but we did get information on possibly renting a house for the family one year.  Even the woman who helped us was exceptionally nice.  She said she grew up in the area where I used to live and had heard of Santa Rosa Beach, but had never been there until her mother retired and moved there.  Reading between the lines, it seems she must have moved there shortly after her first visit!

Highway 30A did eventually come to an end at Blue Mountain due to the road being washed out from a storm so we had to go back to 98.

Grayton Beach

 

We made it to Grayton Beach, which continues to be beautiful!   I think I could have  settled here too.  The little towns of Seaview andWatercolor were sweet, but we should have stopped after Grayton  Beach.  Between Santa Rosa and Grayton Beaches, nothing could really compete!

Sea Oats on Grayton Beach

Our grandson is convinced there are wild alligators all over the state of Florida. I took this picture for him.  It was as close as we got to seeing one!

I had visited Eden State Park many years ago and always wanted to see it again.  It is just a bit too far to drop in from Fort Walton though.  But I always remembered the house and settings as being magical and so wanted my husband to experience it too.  In our travels on this day, we realized we were so close that there was no excuse not to go.  The house is as beautiful as I remember, but it is closed on Tuesdays.  I doubt I will ever be lucky enough to see it again. But it was such a joy to return once more and also share it with Alan.

 

 

After leaving such a gorgeous and, mostly, unspoiled part of Florida, we went from the sublime to the ridiculous! Had a scrumptious lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise before hitting the outlet mall at Sandestin!  I was too hungry to remember to take a picture of the delicious wrap I got, but the experience was fun and I would go back there anytime.

“Life is uncharted territory. It reveals its story one moment at a time.”

Leo F. Buscaglia quotes (American guru, tireless advocate of the power of love, 1924-1998)