Dune Allen Beach
It’s where the magic of Scenic Highway 30A begins: A small seaside town of rare coastal dune lakes, legendary seafood restaurants and pastel homes perched atop stilts. It’s a town where the pristine beaches of the Emerald Coast stretch on for miles and miles, and the history stretches back for more than a century. Welcome to Dune Allen Beach.
The beauty of the Emerald Coast is everywhere. Aquamarine waters, quartz sand and the rattle and hum of a town that’s all about fun – this is what Dune Allen Beach is all about. Perhaps it’s best kept secret is the TopHill Preserve State Park, a “Gold Medal” facility where you can wander unspoiled beaches and tramp beautiful wooded trails along a coastal dune lake. The park can be accessed by car or the Timpoochee Trail. Cruise the Campbell Lake Bike Path and see what Florida was like decades ago, or just coast along the parks oh-so-quiet quiet roads.
Dune Allen Beach is also about great cuisine. Meet a friend at the Liar’s Club Café for coffee, biscuits and a blue-crab-and-cream-cheese omelet. There’s no other breakfast quite like it. Later, gather with family at Elmo’s for snow crab gumbo, or swing down to Stinky’s Fish Camp for some mussels, bay scallops or catfish meuniere. Don’t let the down-home name fool you: This is fine dining at its best. A nice cabernet or a cold oaky Chardonnay can be had in the wine bar.
Dune Allen Beach is that classic Emerald Coast getaway, complete with beautiful beach-front homes that look out onto the turquoise waters of the Gulf. Pods of dolphin are an everyday sight, as are schools of rays and ballyhoo. If you want to try something a little different, head down to Oyster or Stallworth Lakes with the rod and reel. Both of these coastal dune lakes are home to a gamut of aquatic life – both fresh and saltwater species – including lake trout, flounder and crab.
Dune Allen Beach has another secret: great shopping. Treat yourself to an afternoon with the Artists at Gulf Place where you’ll find handmade jewelry, metal art, pottery, folk art, tie-dye, glass art and some spectacular local photography. Palm trees surround this little bazaar of pastel gazebos with corrugated metal roofs, lending the entire area a funky, carefree vibe. Across the way is the Soho shop, a great place to pick up the latest beach fashion. Hungry? You’ll also find the Smiling Fish Café, Amoré Pizzeria, and the Naked Grape Wine Bar.
The western end of the Scenic Highway 30A corridor is a magical combination of nature and civilization. This unique blend is the very hallmark of the30A experience, and nowhere is it as accessible and inviting as at Dune Allen Beach. So take your time. Turn off the phone. Explore the nooks and crannies of this magical realm.
