Even by Day 6 we still hadn’t wrung all we could out of Seaview. It kept offering us more and more...
which to cavort at this, the only AAA four diamond rated hotel on Florida’s Northwest coast.
Or do what we did - rent one in the plethora of comfortable vacation homes that are available to guests of Watercolor. Our lavish two bedroom “upside-down” house (the gi-normous living room/dining room/kitchen is located upstairs) with its two decks overlooking a serene park is equipped with a washer/dryer, dishwasher and a full complement of conveniences, including shore bikes - a perfect way to get around and enjoy this spectac- ular resort.
For the planner in me, I admired Watercolor’s beachside situation and the 4,000-square feet of event space that makes it appealing for an execu- tive retreat or as a unique holiday party locale.
The property’s main restaurant is called Fish Out of Water. It is a James Beard Foundation-recognized estab- lishment, and it is ranked as one of the coast’s top dining spots. Of course, the Watercolor sales team will utilize the spacious, scenic interiors and the expansive outside deck for that jaw-dropping corporate interlude.
Within an hour of arrival and unpack- ing, my brood and I were taking in lunch at the resort’s Beach Bar as we planned our ensuing week.
First up was a five-minute bicycle pedal to the next community over: Seaview is a modern Victorian beach town with an alluring, centralized shopping district.
This is where we will find ourselves practically every day we’re down here,
86 November December 2013
shopping at several stores including a fantastic place called Fusion Art Glass (we couldn’t get enough of the sculp- tural and jewelry creations); and taking in many meals - Bud & Alley’s Pizza Bar has some of the freshest dough and most authentic Neapolitan pies we’ve tasted; Great Southern is a white-washed eatery that lives up to its name thanks to its Crescent City specialties; and just down the road, CafÈ 30A (a local’s favorite) offers a daily changing menu and a Wine Spectator award winning wine list.
For all the sundries and necessities for the rental home, the family- owned gourmet shop called Modica Market in Seaview had the foodstuff and provi- sions we needed, plus tasty prepared salads, sandwiches and some of that good Pensacola Bay Brewery’s beer I was beginning to discover.
Also in Seaview are several silvery old- style Airstream trailers resting along sidewalks serving as food trucks. One sells yummy grilled cheese, another specializes in BBQ; there’s the shrimp shack, and yet another one is a bar serving quenching, colorful mixed drinks.
Even by Day 6 we still hadn’t wrung all we could out of Seaview. It kept offer- ing us more and more...
If Seaview is the Emerald Coast’s shopping hub, then Alys Beach is its mini-Monte Carlo - a stunning planned community which showcases impos- ing Bermuda, Antique, Guatemalan and other Central American-influenced architecture in a stylized colonial set- ting that’s awash in brilliant whites. If the nearby town of Seagrove (which is next to Seaview) is the 1940s post- war throwback town because of its
simply built bungalows, then Alys Beach is the coastline’s 21st century showcase. It’s no wonder this unique community is a haven for well-to-do renters and homeowners.
Those lucky enough to live nearby, or visit like we were doing, will surely be entranced by George’s at Alys Beach. This restaurant (another local’s pick and my Watercolor concierge’s favorite eatery) is a relaxing and casual oasis featuring cozy indoor dining and many tables splayed along the outdoor patio terraces. Rated “Best Lunch” locally, by nighttime the bee lights come on and the gentle breeze brushes by din- ers happily enjoying an esoteric assortment of meats, poultry and plenty of fresh fishes.
After enough people tell me how good George’s fish tacos are, I just had to find out for myself. As my family and I dined, the aromas of curry and harissa wafted on by us...
In actuality, this trip came about when my son’s girlfriend’s parents told me about their annual pilgrimage to visit friends in Seagrove. I didn’t pay too much attention until the Paris trip had to be postponed, plus, our shore house on the South Jersey coast began to appear too small and the bustling coastal town it’s in, too crowded to relax in and breathe.
Also, I really, really wanted us to do certain outdoor activities - stuff like canoeing, kayaking and biking (not the almost-getting-hit-by-speeding-cars sort of cycling that is too prevalent now through those packed Jersey shore towns).
We found it all at Watercolor. Their activities program is stellar, and it took
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