Rosemary Beach is an unincorporated planned community in Walton County, Florida, United States on a beach side road, CR 30A, on the Gulf Coast.[1] Rosemary Beach is developed on land originally part of the older Inlet Beach neighborhood. The town was founded in 1995 by Patrick D. Bienvenue, President of Leucadia Financial Corporation, and was designed by Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company. The town is approximately 105 acres (0.42 km2) and, upon completion, included more than 400 home sites and a mixed-use town center with shops, restaurants, and activities. The population of Rosemary Beach is approximately 4,328. Rosemary Beach is named after Rosemary Milligan, a realtor and gas station owner, whose gas station was located where the Donut Hole is located today. [2]
Location
editRosemary Beach is located on the Gulf of Mexico in southeastern Walton County. U.S. Route 98 and County Road 30A are the main roads that run through the community. Via US-98, Panama City Beach is 16 mi (26 km) southeast, and Miramar Beach is 24 mi (39 km) northwest. County Road 30A parallels the coast westward, leading northwest 8 mi (13 km) to Seaside. There are many more beach towns that are close to Rosemary Beach, including Alys Beach, Seacrest, Water Sound, Water Color, Seagrove, Grayton, Inlet, etc. [3]
Design
edit
Rosemary Beach is one of three planned communities on Florida's Gulf coast designed by Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk. The other two are Seaside and Alys Beach. The three are examples of a style of urban planning known as New Urbanism.
Rosemary Beach, designed in 1995, offers shops, restaurants, a hotel, and public green spaces.[4] The design of the town reflects New Orleans’ French Quarter[4] and European Colonial influences in the West Indies and Caribbean. Sustainable materials, natural color palettes, high ceilings for better air circulation,[5] balconies, and easy access to the beach by foot[4] are typical design features.
The architecture of the homes in Rosemary resemble places like New Orleans, St. Augustine, Charleston S.C., and the West Indies. The houses along Rosemary Beach are close together and are all neutral colored, neat-looking spaces of living. [6]
Beach
editRosemary Beach is well-known for their smooth, white sanded beaches that are only accessible to people who are staying in Rosemary at the time. To gain beach access, residents are required to have a code or a wristband to allow them to enjoy the beach. This allows residents to have a relaxing day at the beach without the area being too crowded, which can hinder many people's experiences at the beach. [7]
The water at this beach is warm, so many people can be found enjoying the waves in the ocean along with walking or jogging down the beach, building sand castles, and reading. Vacationers can also rent different water activities, like kayaking or paddle boarding. [8]
Restaurants
editPlaces to eat around Rosemary Beach include Havana Beach Bar & Grill and Rooftop Lounge, La Crema Tapas & Chocolate, George's at Alys Beach, Raw and Juicy, Cowgirl Kitchen, Amicis & Amigos, The Summer Kitchen Café, Restaurant Paradis, and more. [7]
There are also many places for desserts, like candy shops, including The Sweet Peddler's and the Sugar Shak. Similar to other beach towns, ice cream shops are located in almost every corner. Ice cream is served in the candy shops that were mentioned before, while also being served at Smallcakes Cupcakery and Creative Crepes. At these locations, cupcakes and crepes are also served along with ice cream. [7]
Places to Stay
editThere are many options of places to stay while vacationing in Rosemary Beach. Many residents rent out their houses for the summer on websites like Vrbo or 30AEscapes. There is also a website called Rosemary Beach where one can access many different options of places to stay, like houses, cottages, condos, etc. [9]
One can also rent out a hotel style place to stay. One of the places vacationers can stay is called The Pearl which is a 4-star hotel that is luxurious and offers amazing service, while also offering beautiful architectural designs with their rooms. [7]
Tourism
editThere are many different places to explore in Rosemary Beach. There are different nature reserves located around the Rosemary area, like Eden Gardens State Park, Timpoochee Trail and Deer State Park, and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. There are hiking trails and different wildlife located in these areas. Camping is also available at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. [7]
The tourism in Rosemary Beach has significantly spiked in the past few years. [10] As tourists, the main form of transportation around the beach area is through biking. Many restaurants, shopping areas, and activities are a 2 mile bike ride away, which is a fun and different way of traveling around, while also immersing the tourists into the beach life around them. Everything in town is within a five minute walk. [6] The temperature in Rosemary Beach during the summer ranges from a high of 90 degrees to a low of 75 degrees. During the winter months, the temperature ranges from a high of 66 degrees to a low of 45 degrees.
Water activities are popular here, like kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing, parasailing, and many more excursions. Along with the water activities, there are Blue Dolphin Tours, where one can sightsee for dolphins on a two-hour boat ride excursion. There is also a sunset tour option. There are many places for shopping around the 30A area. Almost every store is walkable from any place one stays. There are many boutiques which offer swimwear, beachwear, toys, home décor, souvenirs, etc. Along with clothes shopping, there is also a 30A Farmer's Market, which is opened every Sunday from 9am to 1pm at 28 N. Barrett Square. Fresh produce, snacks, local goods, and souvenirs are sold at this farmers market.
Peddler's Pavilion is also a popular tourism spot for people in Rosemary Beach. There are many different places to eat, shop, and listen to live music. [11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Kathleen Walls. "American Roads Travel Magazine". Retrieved 11 Jan 2014.
- ^ "MILLIGAN REALTY, INC. :: Florida (US) :: OpenCorporates".
- ^ "The Ultimate Guide to Florida's Highway 30A—Including Where To Eat, Stay, and Play". Southern Living. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
- ^ a b c Blackerby, Cheryl (2018-01-27). "Alys Beach: A stark, elegant example of New Urbanism". Palm Beach Daily News. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
- ^ "Rosemary Beach: Our History". Rosemary Beach Property Owners Association. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
- ^ a b Hutcherson, Jackie (June 8, 2008). "Rosemary Beach, Fla., gives new definition to cookie-cutter uniformity". St. Louis Post Dispatch (MO).
- ^ a b c d e Alley, Jasmine (2020-06-27). "30 Fun Things to Do at Rosemary Beach for the Perfect Vacation in 2021". Jasmine Alley. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
- ^ Allman-Baldwin, Lysa (June 16, 2011). "Fun in the sun and sand in Rosemary Beach". New York Amsterdam News.
- ^ "Rosemary Beach Rentals | Book the Best in Rosemary Beach Florida Rentals". Rosemary Beach®. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
- ^ Garman, Valerie (November 26, 2014). "2014 a year record for Florida, local tourism". News Herald, The (Panama City, FL).
- ^ "Local Insider Review of Peddlers 30A in Panama City Beach". FloridaPanhandle.com. Retrieved 2022-11-03.