Florida History and Development: Living on 30A, Part 2 of 3

Welcome to the luxury world of 30A, a relatively new development, and a hot spot of the ultra trendy, uber luxury beachfront resort property. With multiple quaint little towns, and some of the most unspoiled beachfront property on the beach, 30A is the new where to go place if you want to live on the beach, and have a little extra spending cash. All the little villages are all a couple minutes apart, and each has its own uniqueness about it, making the 30A area and all of the WaterSound real estate area its own little wonderland on the Florida Coast.

One of the newest and most visually striking communities on 30A is Alys Beach. With architecture influenced by the stark white homes of Bermuda, this 158 acre town is twice the size of Seaside and consists of only 900 custom villas and homes. One of the first things you will notice when you enter Alys Beach is the white “butteries” that are at the properties edge. Well before refrigeration, the homes in Bermuda often had butteries, which were designed to make, store, and preserve butter, milk and other perishable food. The 4 that are alongside 30A in Alys Beach represent something completely different though. They represent the 16 unique murals that depict 30A’s history and heritage. Open to the public, they were made by Concetta Rothwell Morales. Alys Beach is also home to Caliza, one of the worlds most extravagant swimming pools. Caliza features a 50’x100’ saltwater pool, a 60’ family pool, a 75’ lap pool, as well as secluded outdoor living flanked by tropical plants and gardens. On top of all that, add in a 5 star poolside restaurant, and you have a family favorite, complete with alfresco architecture, private cabanas, arched colonnades, and bubbling fountains. Even if you can’t afford to stay in Alys Beach, you can easily enjoy the beauty and stark white splendor, due to its close proximity to all the other little communities.

Boasting influences from the West Indies, St. Augustine, New Orleans, and others, 30A’s Rosemary Beach is an architectural treasure trove. With grand homes, and an interconnected network of pedestrian paths, boardwalks, and bike paths, this is as charming as a quaint little town, which becomes even more at night when the gas lit lanterns light up. Explore the town on wood plank pathways as you reveal hidden playgrounds, fountains, community pools, and even some tennis courts. Rosemary Beach is also home to “The Long Green”, a grassy field on Scenic 30A used to host outdoor festivals and markets, as well as other outdoor events. Come in the summer months and experience the popular “West Indies Market”, featuring booths filled with paintings, jewelry, stained glass, pottery, and other handcrafted items.

Imagine if you will, a community that is deeply rooted in nature, one where the living space extends far beyond your home, a community that is influenced by its own natural surroundings, historical architecture, and is devoted to providing an easy-going comfortable lifestyle. You have just imagined what the designers and architects like to call Watersound, Florida. Located on the banks of Lake Powell, one of the largest coastal dune lakes in Florida, resides the 1,400 acre community of Watersound. With Lake Powell to the southern boundary, the intracoastal waterway to its north, and the Gulf to the south, its perfectly located well in pristine real estate. Watersound celebrates its natural surroundings, and is very Eco-friendly, and try’s to protect the environment as much as it can. With multiple parks, preserves, and body’s of water, Watersound is a nature lover’s paradise. And with Panama City Beach being less than 5 miles away, you can be sure that everything you need is only a short drive away.