Top Santa Rosa Beach Recreation Options

South Walton is known for our stunning sugar-white sand beaches and turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico.    Beach access and beach setups are available to The Lodge 30A guests through the Watersound Beach Club as an opt-in amenity for a daily fee.   If guests chose not to opt in to this amenity fee, there are several additional beach access option available along Scenic Highway 30A.  

Deer Lake State Park is only 1.8 miles away from The Lodge 30A and guests can enjoy access to this 1,920-acre park (state park admission fees are waived for all hotel guests) that features parking, picnic facilities with tables and grills, restrooms and a boardwalk across the dunes that offers access to the beach where visitors can swim and fish. 

Nearby public regional beach accesses include:

• Eastern Lake Neighborhood Beach Access |  (0.5 mile from hotel)

• Ramsgate Neighborhood Beach Access |  (0.7 mile from hotel)

• Walton Dunes Neighborhood Beach Access |  (1.3 miles from hotel)

• Santa Clara Regional Beach Access  | (1.3 miles from hotel)

• Inlet Beach Regional Access  |  (7.4 miles from hotel)

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Hiking and biking trails are located throughout Walton County, where you can explore nature on winding paths through state parks, forest and picturesque gardens. Enjoy discovering unspoiled natural vegetation, rare coastal dune lakes and some of the nation’s most endangered bird species by foot or bike. 

Guests staying at The Lodge 30A receive discounted bike and eBike rentals at YOLO Board + Bike, conveniently located nearby within Greenway Station. 

Nearby trails include:

• 30A Trail (Seagrove Beach)- Enjoy this convenient trail into Point Washington State Forest, located just a few feet away from The Lodge 30A, and discover a variety of terrain that showcases the diversity of Northwest Florida’s ecosystems. Take in the scenery at the turnaround point and make sure to check out the view of the headwaters of Eastern Lake, one of South Walton’s coastal dune lakes.  This trail connects to the Eastern Lake and Longleaf Greenway Trails. CLICK HERE to view Point Washington State Forest Map with Trailheads.

• Timpoochee Trail (Dune Allen to Inlet Beach)- Greenway Station is centrally located along Scenic Highway 30A and adjacent to the 18.5- mile Timpoochee Trail.

• Deer Lake Trail (WaterSound Beach)- Located on the north side of Scenic Highway 30A, Deer Lake Trail winds along a coastal lake, offering splendid views of summer wildflowers, plants and diverse species of birds and butterflies. 

Greenway Station

The Lodge 30A is conveniently located within Greenway Station, 30A’s newest destination for shopping in Seagrove Beach.

The Big Chill 30A  

Enjoy shops featuring art and design, apothecary, women and children’s clothing, gifts, accessories, sunglasses, fine art, cigar shop (owned by country star Luke Bryan) and more. The Hub 30A shops have everything you’re looking for when a little retail therapy is in order! 

WaterColor Resort Shops & Boutiques  

Whether you are looking for the perfect gift, a one-of-a-kind piece of art, or just to fill your cooler with delicious beach treats, you will find it all near WaterColor® Inn & Resort. 

Pier Park in Panama City Beach  

This upscale outdoor shopping mall is one of the best in Panama City Beach, with shops that include Target, Forever 21, Dillards, JCPenneys and Marshalls. Dining and entertainment options include a Grand IMAX Theater, dinner, drinks, and entertainment at Dave & Busters and a great live music scene at Tootsies. 

Explore the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico on a stand up paddle board on one of 15 rare coastal dune lakes in the 30A area.  The lake outfall connects waters with the gulf and is truly a remarkable and rare up close experience with the coastal ecosystem here in South Walton.  YOLO Board + Bike is conveniently located within Greenway Station and has everything you need to gear up and get exploring. Guests of The Lodge 30A receive discounted pricing on rentals. 

If boating and fishing are your passion, our area offers some of the best! The beautiful Gulf of Mexico is filled with a wide variety of fish species for surf fishing, and the area's many freshwater lakes and saltwater bays (including the Choctawhatchee Bay, West Bay, and St. Andrews Bay) provide unmatched opportunities for inshore and flats fishing. To be sure that you get put on the best bite, consider hiring a local fishing charter! Not only do these expert guides know the right time of year to target each fish species, but chartered trips often provide any type of fishing license needed for the trip. For those who’d like to rent a boat for a family-friendly adventure, the nearby Point South Marina at Bay Point will offer pontoon boat rentals as well. 

The Lodge 30A guests may enjoy access to nearby Spa Pearl, located at The Pearl Hotel in Rosemary Beach®.  Invigorate all five senses with the healing powers of the sea and innovative treatments and therapies.