It's no secret that the South Walton area is full of great places for fresh seafood, but when it comes to fresh and local fish, one of the best choices is Local Catch. This restaurant is found in the Blue Mountain Beach area and provides some of the best fish you will find in all of South Walton.

It's just a little restaurant, but they take their fish very seriously. The menu is full of classic choices from fish tacos to fried shrimp and even some non-seafood options. This laid-back place is perfect for taking out of town guests or for a date. Some of the most popular choices on the menu include:

• Caribbean shrimp
• Chimichurri Steak
• Fried, Grilled or Sautéed Grouper
• Mahi Tacos
• Braised Pork
• And Much More!

They can top any of the dishes

If you've been in the South Walton area for more than a few days, you know about the many great restaurants throughout the area. This is a foodie area with all types of restaurants serving everything from fresh fish to incredible steaks.

Recently, Florida Trend Magazine honored a few of the different area restaurants. This magazine highlights some of the top restaurants throughout the state every year. These highlighted restaurants are given a Golden Spoon Award and six in South Walton received the award this year including:

• Fleming’s - Sandestin, Best Brand
• Restaurant Fire - Honored, but recently closed
• Grayton Bar & Grill - Grayton Beach, Best New
• Vin'tij Wine Boutique and Bistro - Mirmar Beach
• Fish Out of Water - WaterColor

Along with

As the season changes and the air becomes a little more brisk, it's time to head inside for a great meal and a delicious cocktail. Even though the winters are not super cold in the South Walton area, they usually come with a need to be cozy. Some of the best local restaurants will provide exactly what you need to feel cozy throughout the winter months.

723 Whiskey Bravo - Seagrove Beach

This excellent restaurant provides a casual atmosphere with 15 flat screen TVs for sports and so much more. They provide a rooftop bar with an open deck overlooking the Gulf. However, if you want to feel cozy, just head inside and dine around the fire pits. The menu features many happy hours specials and a two-for-one menu with plenty of delicious choices.

Bud

Chilly weather makes everybody crave hot beverages from coffee to hot cocoa. The South Walton area is home to some great coffee spots. Whether you need to get a little work done or you just want to meet a friend for coffee, you can find the best cup of Joe at the following places.

Amavida Coffee - Rosemary Beach, Panama City and Seaside

This coffee shop provides fair trade, organic brews with a delicious flavor. Whether you prefer an Ethiopian coffee or a Mexican choice, you can find it here. They also serve good burritos at the Seaside location.

Bad Ass Coffee - Grayton Beach and Miramar Beach

The name says it all and they provide some very good coffee. It's 100% Kona Coffee and comes in a variety of flavors. They also serve bagels and fresh

South Walton, Florida is most known for the beaches. Many of the area activities center around the beach and the water. However, there's more to this area than just sand and water. Here are some of the best things to do in the South Walton area.

Enjoy a Little Sophistication

Those looking for a sophisticated place to enjoy will find plenty of choices throughout the area including:

• Camp Creek in Seacrest
• The Merchants of Rosemary Beach
• Blue Mountain's Redfish Village
• Santa Rosa Golf Club
• And More!

Things to Enjoy on a Budget

If money is a little tight, there are still plenty of things you can enjoy for under $10 per person including:

• Bird Watching - Many state parks and forest offer a great bird watching experience.
• Outdoor

January features the Songwriters Festival from the 17th to the 19th and this year will be better than ever. This is the fifth annual 30A Songwriters Festival and the stage will features over 200 performances at 25 venues. With 150 songwriters coming to the area to perform, this is one of the hottest music events of the year.

Performances will be found throughout the South Walton area in:

• Gulf Place
• Seaside
• Seacrest
• Alys Beach
• WaterSound
• WaterColor
• Grayton Beach
• Rosemary Beach
• And More!

Many of the performances will happen on the beach or near the beach overlooking the beautiful turquoise waters.

Performers and Songwriters

Many performances will happen throughout the event. On Saturday, the Gulf Place Amphitheater will

The "Evening for Education" was held in WaterColor at Fish Out of Water, recently. This event was a charity event to help raise money for local schools in the South Walton area. It also served as the kick-off for the Community and Future Campaign and the Investing in the Children Campaign.

Combined, these two campaigns are trying to raise $4 million to expand the Seaside Neighborhood Schools. The goal is to add a K-12 charger school system.

Emeril Lagasse was a big part of the event and helped to rage $143,000 to benefit these two campaigns. Support was shown by many community celebrities, as well.

The event featured a meal prepared for 90 guests by Chef Brian Murray and Chef Lagasse. The meal was followed by a champagne toast by the Chefs and Jane

Have you made your New Year's Eve plans yet? If not, you still have time to enjoy one of the top events happening at Grayton Bar & Grill. The world-class event will feature Glen David Andrews providing plenty of entertainment. He's from the HBO series Treme, which has featured some of his original music.

About Glen David Andrews

Andrews stand 6'4" tall and towers over the audiences he performs for. His voice is large and he's accompanied by bass, drums and the guitar. His sound features jazz, gospel and plenty of culture.

He got his start in a Baptist Church in New Orleans and has been featured at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and many top events throughout the area.

The Houston Press described his voice as a "billowing baritone." He

Moving to a new area with young children means you have to find a new preschool. This can be difficult because you want to choose the right place for your child. Here are the best preschools in Panama City Beach.

Patronis Elementary School - 7400 Patronis Drive

This public elementary school has a preschool program with a greatschool.org rating of 9/10. The community rating is five starts and the school provides and easy transition as your child moves into kindergarten and first grade.

Breakfast Point Academy - 601 North Richard Jackson Boulevard

Serving nearly 1,200 students from preschool to sixth grade, the Breakfast Point Academy is another great choice for your preschool student. Greatschools.org gave them an 8/10 and the community rated the

Happy Hour is one of the best and most popular times to grab a drink and enjoy time with friends. The 30A area is home to many restaurants, bars and clubs providing excellent happy hour choices. Here are some of the hottest choices in the area.

723 Whiskey Bravo - Seagrove Beach

This restaurant provides happy hour specials from 4pm to 5pm Monday through Friday. Enjoy half off wine, liquor and beer on The Roof. Along with the drink specials, you can dine on 2 for 1 entrees from 5pm to 6pm downstairs.

V Seagrove - Seagrove Beach

The next happy hour spot isn't found far from the first one on the list. V Seagrove offers half-price entrees from 5pm to 6pm in the restaurant and this special continues at the bar for an extra hour. At the bar, the happy