Finding the perfect beach isn’t easy. It takes a lot of research! In fact, it took me years…and a lot of vacations. I did not say it wasn’t fun, just that it took some time! So, what made me decide on 30A? I loved the beaches in Grand Cayman and the atmosphere of Tulum, Mexico but traveling there was just not as practical as being able to drive (or fly if necessary) to a beach in the United States. We visited beaches in Texas, beaches in California, beaches all over Florida. California was too far, Texas was closer, but the panhandle of Florida had such perfect white sand. I know that brown sand is not actually dirty…it just isn’t as pretty. The beaches along the Emerald Coast of Florida…a hundred mile coastal area running from Pensacola to Panama City all feature this beautiful sand. It’s soft texture and reputation for never getting hot even on the warmest days is attributed to its extremely fine grains made from pure Appalachian quartz. And, the water was so clear! Next, we visited the different communities. Pensacola was too much of a city, Destin was too crowded, Okaloosa Island lacked restaurants and other amenities, Sandestin seemed to put more emphasis on golf rather than the beach, then we discovered Blue Mountain beach on 30A. The western end of 30A seemed to have everything we were looking for…the low density property regulations meant the beaches were not crowded, there were wonderful locally owned restaurants, the bike and walking paths all along Hwy 30A were a huge plus…this is where we wanted to be! After a year of owning our beachfront condominium at Palms of Dune Allen, I have no regrets. Well, maybe one….just wish I could spend more time there. Story to be continued…..