SOUTH WALTON, FL, – With new breweries, waterfront restaurants, ecosploring adventures, free entrance to state parks and art galleries galore,  South Walton, on Florida's Northwest Gulf Coast, offers an abundance of options for the perfect 36-hour girls' and guys' getaway this summer and fall. A short drive within the Southeast and quick hop with new and expanded airlift into the region, South Walton is an easy-to-reach destination for a weekend with pals.

South Walton 36-Hour Guys' Getaway

FRIDAY

5 p.m. See what's brewing. Kick off the weekend with a trip to one of South Walton's two new micro-breweries. With regionally-inspired beers like “White Dunes” and “30A Beach Blonde Ale,” the three-year-old Grayton Beer Company has become a favorite, especially with its newly-opened taproom featuring a 25-tap bar where specialty small-batch beers are exclusively available.

Idyll Hounds, the second small craft brewery to open, brews their beer with a flavors-first mentality. Inspired by its Gulf Coast home, the brewers place a special focus on both eco- and beach-friendly products, using 100 percent recyclable materials to can their beer.

Bonus tip: For serious beer lovers, visit during the 8th annual Baytowne Beer Festival October 16- 17.

7 p.m. Chow time. With a name like Stinky's it better be good – and it is. Head to Stinky's Fish Camp and their Bait Shack for fresh seafood and a wine & beer bar. Recently named one of the “Top 10 Places to Eat Like a Local” by USA Today, the food and live music is sure to leave you wanting more.

9 p.m. Night cap. Before heading back to your cottage rental, pop into Pandora's in Grayton Beach, a favorite of locals and guests for its low-key, upbeat performances from local and regional singers, songwriters, and bands.

SATURDAY

8 a.m. Tee time. Start the morning off on one of the many award-winning courses found throughout South Walton's 16 neighborhoods, including Camp Creek (Tom Fazio), Raven Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones, Jr.) and Burnt Pine (Rees Jones).

12 p.m. Cast a line. South Walton's sugar-white shores offer some of the best sport fishing in the world. Fishing charters depart from Grayton Beach daily, returning a few hours later with Grouper, Cobia, Wahoo, Red Snapper, King Mackerel, Flounder, Jack Crevalle, Amberjack, Trigger Fish, Spanish Mackerel, Blackfin Tuna, Mahi Mahi and other fresh treasures. From the beach, you can snag Pompano and South Walton's Choctawhatchee Bay is filled with Redfish, Flounder and the silvery Speckled Trout. Or, cast a net and have an old-fashioned mullet-fry.

6 p.m. Catch of the day. After grabbing some local produce, artisan cheese and bread at one of the local farmers markets, and picking up some beer at Growler Garage, it's time to light up the grill and chill.

9 p.m. Paint the town 'Red.' No trip to South Walton is complete with a stop at The Red Bar, a classic, down home, funky local favorite where the house jazz band or local Dread Clampitt can be found playing. It's not uncommon to spot a celebrity in the crowd here. Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Steve Winwood and bluegrass legend Sam Bush are among the musical A-listers who have taken in a show, as have quarterback greats Peyton and Eli Manning.

SUNDAY

9 a.m.    Get out in nature. With more than 40 percent of Walton County dedicated to preservation, the South Walton landscape presents unique opportunities for hiking, biking and exploring. Check out Topsail Hill State Park, which through a recent reimbursement program administered by Visit South Walton, has free entrance.

12 p.m. What's SUP!? Time to hit the water with what many consider the world's fastest growing watersport, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), or as they call it is South Walton, "YOLO-ing."  Take a lesson or sign up for a guided ecosploring adventure on Western Lake, one of South Walton's stunning rare coastal dune lakes.

South Walton 36-Hour Girls' Getaway

FRIDAY

5 p.m. Sunset Cocktails. South Walton is renowned for its striking sunsets with highly saturated hues of amber, rose, and violet. Catch the natural art show and a signature cocktail at Bud & Alley's rooftop deck, where the patron who guesses the correct time of sunset receives their next drink on the house.

Bonus tip: Download the Visit South Walton Perfect Beach App which provides sunrise and sunset times as well as other useful local info and insights.

6:30 p.m. Dig in. With a strong focus on Gulf-to-table and 100-mile radius fare, there is much buzz about South Walton's burgeoning culinary scene. Have some straight-from-the-boat seafood at one of Florida Trend's Golden Spoon Award winners like Vin'tij, a unique bistro combining a progressive wine program with eclectic cuisine or Fish Out of Water, a four-star rated restaurant by Forbes Travel Guide at WaterColor Inn and Resort features farm fresh menus inspired by local offerings.

8 p.m. Welcome drinks. For a cool, casual, coastal evening, head to 723 Whiskey Bravo where Carole King's song “Up on the Roof” inspired the new roof deck with spacious but cozy outdoor seating and booths with fire pits.

SATURDAY

9 a.m. – Soak up the sun. With 26 miles of sugar-white beaches and turquoise waters, it's time to sink your toes into the sand, which squeaks when you walk, due to its high pure quartz content. Check the app and pick your perfect beach.

12 p.m. Beachside bites. Ready for a nibble, head to Seaside's kitschy Airstream Row, a collection of distinctive food truck trailers serving up mouth-watering fare like Meltdown on 30A's grilled cheese, Barefoot BBQ and Wild Bill's Beach Dogs. Leave room for homemade frozen custard at Frost Bites.

2 p.m. Shop 'til you drop.  Re-energized, it's retail therapy time. With a growing artist community, great boutiques and galleries abound. Find one-of-a-kind art at World Six Gallery in Rosemary Beach, Arriaga Originals in Seacrest Beach, Studio b in Alys Beach, 30A Ruskin Place in Seaside, Blue Giraffe in WaterColor and Big Mama Hula Girl Gallery in Santa Rosa Beach. Or for designer outlet shopping, Silver Sands Premium Outlets in Sandestin is one of the nation's largest centers.

Bonus tip: For die-hard fashionistas plan your trip October 6-12, during South Walton Fashion Week.

4 p.m. Heaven on earth. No girlfriend getaway is complete without a spa. Relax and unwind at one of South Walton's intimate spots like Ocean Elements Day Spa, known for its deep tissue massages and Reiki energy treatments or the luxurious Serenity by the Sea Spa which just completed a 3,000 sq. ft. expansion.

6 p.m. Time to un-wined. Continue to relax at any of South Walton's wine bars like La Crema Tapas and Chocolate in Rosemary Beach which serves organic and imported Spanish wines (you must try the OMG espresso cookie) or Lumpy's Wine Bar in the Village of Baytowne Wharf which has a Bohemian atmosphere with cozy furniture, eclectic art, cool music and a Mediterranean-style patio. 

Bonus tip: Let your glass overflow during the highly popular Seeing Red Wine Festival, November 6-8.

8 p.m. Dine around. Top off your blissful day with another locally-inspired meal. Try the new indoor-outdoor V Seagrove where Chef David Cunnigham serves unrivaled creative fare, or “Perfect in South Walton” winner Café 30A where the Oven Roasted Snapper with Israeli Couscous is to die for.

10 p.m. Girls night out. Strap on the high heels, it's time to hit the floor at The Village Door, repeatedly voted the “Best Place to Dance” on the coast.

SUNDAY

8 a.m. Work it off. With extended seasons of gorgeous weather and countless places to hike, bike and explore, leave your weekend guilt-free after joining one of Boat House Paddle Club's "fresh air" fitness programs like TRX, SUP Yoga and, unique to South Walton, a 45-minute RUN/SUP class.  For the traditional, shake it off in Zumba at Thi Bod, defy gravity in an aerial power vinyasa class at SoWal Pilates, or enjoy a challenging yoga retreat at East of Eden. 

11 a.m. Homemade souvenirs. After admiring South Walton's great art, it's time for a hands-on class with Mary Hong Studio, to learn how to work with glass as a medium and create your own “glass on canvas” masterpiece to remember your weekend by.

Suggested Tweet: Pack your bags and grab some pals! @SouthWalton #Florida is the perfect location for a 36-hour guys and girls #getaway

About South Walton
Located along a 26-mile stretch of Northwest Florida's Coast, South Walton encompasses an unparalleled strand of 16 distinct beach neighborhoods, each with its own traditions, charm and visual style. South Walton is renowned for natural scenic beauty, turquoise waters and sugar sand beaches, and was named one of “America's Favorite Towns” in 2014 by Travel + Leisure. An upscale, yet casual place to unwind, South Walton is the place to rejuvenate and build lasting memories. It is easy to see why the region, which enjoys a stunning 86% repeat factor, recently experienced its best tourism season to date, making Walton County the number one summer beach destination in Florida.  Learn more at VisitSouthWalton.com, or follow Visit South Walton on Twitter and Facebook.

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Contact: Spring O'Brien

Lauren Kaufman (212) 402-1611 / laurenk@spring-obrien.com

Ashlee White (212) 402-1620 / ashleew@spring-obrien.com