Santa Rosa County has experienced unprecedented population growth, specifically in the communities of Navarra, Pace and, to a lesser extent, Gulf Breeze. The county is a fast-growing tourist destination due to its access to beaches and protected wilderness areas for kayaking, hiking and camping. The boundaries of Santa Rosa beach can be a bit difficult to define. Technically, Santa Rosa Beach encompasses a large part of South Walton, including the smaller neighborhoods of Seaside, WaterColor, Grayton Beach, and Blue Mountain Beach.
Located along a 26-mile stretch of northwest Florida's famous Emerald Coast, Santa Rosa Beach is one of 16 distinct beach neighborhoods in South Walton County, each with its own unique traditions, charm, and visual style. Santa Rosa Beach offers several entrances to Point Washington State Forest, a 15,000-acre reserve with more than 10 natural communities. Fortunately (considering all those restaurants and breweries), Santa Rosa Beach also contains the sprawling Point Washington State Forest, which covers more than 15,100 acres. North of Emerald Coast Parkway, it includes places along the bay, such as Point Washington and the original Santa Rosa Beach settlement on Hogtown Bayou, which is actually a harbor on the bay.
Geographically, South Walton's largest beach neighborhood, touching Choctawhatchee Bay to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south and stretching from Sandestin to Inlet Beach, Santa Rosa Beach offers an incredible amount of diversity. Foodies can enjoy everything from fresh Gulf seafood and sushi to delicious rustic Mexican and Italian dishes at Santa Rosa Beach. Santa Rosa County is included in the Pensacola Metropolitan Statistical Area, which also includes Escambia County. Central Santa Rosa County is the area north of the bays and south of the extensive forests that separate it from northern Santa Rosa.
Seagrove Beach is the last city to be part of Santa Rosa Beach and was established as a family vacation spot in the 1940s. Basically, anything with a 32459 zip code is considered part of Santa Rosa Beach, although each of the Santa Rosa Beach sub-communities strives to maintain their distinct and unique identity. The Santa Rosa Beach community offers luxury beach homes, upscale restaurants and the unique artist colony known as Gulf Place. To add to the confusion when referring to vacation rentals, the area between Gulf Place and Grayton Beach is known as Santa Rosa Beach.
The Board of County Commissioners acts as the legislative and policy-making body of Santa Rosa County as set forth in Section 125 of the Florida Statutes. You can also search for cities within 4 hours of Santa Rosa Beach, FL (or 3 hours or 2 hours or 1 hour) or just generally search for more cities near Santa Rosa Beach, FL. From west to east, the charming and picturesque coastal towns along this part of Santa Rosa Beach include Dune Allen, Gulf Place, Blue Mountain Beach, Grayton Beach, Watercolor, Seaside, Seagrove Beach, and Prominence. Previously included in the Santa Rosa Beach zip code, Seacrest Beach recently moved to Rosemary Beach due to the creation of a new zip code for the neighboring community.