[ the essentials ]
below the water’s edge just before the bell rings out 5 p.m., and pink cloud fingers reach over the Gulf. Feeling sun-kissed and salty, I head back into town to clean up for dinner. Fat pieces of crab peek out from my cappellini pasta at Onano Neighborhood Cafe, a Tuscan bistro on the corner of Main Street. On my neighbor’s plate, three plump scallops crown a bed of risotto. Fresh-caught grouper, red snapper and mahi mahi are expertly prepared at several fine-dining restaurants in town, which also offer creative takes on Florida’s dessert delicacy, key lime pie. By 7 p.m., the town feels lush and forbidden. A turquoise glow emanating from behind a fence betrays a secret oasis, the heated Coquina edgeless pool. Steam rises off the water, which overflows into grates as I skim the surface with my toes. I have the pool all to myself, accompanied only by the four palm tree sentries that guard the entrance. The tranquility is so complete that I’m startled at 8:30 p.m. when the sprinklers turn on. Heading back to my carriage house, all thoughts of the pool evaporate as I look up and see the Milky Way cut a shining path across the sky. Not even the most charming man-made temptations at Rosemary Beach can eclipse the natural beauty.
STAY
The white sand, composed of quartz crystals, is dazzling in the morning sun. There’s not a bottle cap or cigarette butt in sight. Not much washes up at Rosemary Beach, but a careful observer can find scallop, coquina and slipper shells on the shore. The water is warm enough for a quick dip up to my knees by the afternoon. Unlike in the Atlantic Ocean, I can see clear to the bottom, and I scoop up a tiny sand dollar souvenir. Several sea kayaks and sailboats drift by when I settle back onto my towel. Down the beach, Lake St. Louis resident Carol Hargrove shares a blanket with her daugher-in-law and watches her two granddaughters splash in the surf. Hargrove drove 13 hours to join her son’s family in Rosemary Beach for a long weekend in a rented condo. She’s made the the trip three or four times. “It’s not a bad drive,” she says. “I’m going to come back this winter.” Daughter-in-law Tammy Hargrove, who has been to beaches in Maine, California and Hawaii, thinks Rosemary Beach is one of the nicest she’s seen. “It’s very family-friendly,” she adds, unlike some Florida beaches popular with students on spring break. As the sun sets lower, clusters of families gather to watch the sky in anticipation of the spectacle. The fiery ball dips
PLAY
EAT
Steak and fowl are served in Rosemary Beach, but you’ll soon be hooked on the fresh Gulf fish. Three upscale restaurants with intimate dining rooms and patios offer delicious undersea fare ranging from oysters to tuna. Lobster and crab polpettes open the meal at ONANO NEIGHBORHOOD CAFE, while locally grown arugula imparts a bite to elegant salads at EDWARD’S FINE FOOD & WINE. The key lime cheesecake is worth saving room for at RESTAURANT PARADIS, as is the chocolate-dipped bacon at dessert bar LA CREMA TAPAS & CHOCOLATE. Even the more casual outfits, such as SUMMER KITCHEN and WILD OLIVES, serve up great seafood salads and sandwiches. The town has no waterfront restaurants, however, so to dine by sunset you’ll have to take a picnic to the beach.
Belleville, Ill., native Allison Wickey, an artist who owns a gallery in Rosemary Beach, loves the area’s active attitude. “It really is a complete lifestyle change,” she says of moving from the Midwest to the Gulf. “There’s a lot of yoga, and there are bike trails. There’s no excuse not to eat well and not be in shape; there are no fast food places here. It’s really great to see people taking care of themselves in every stage of their life.” The town fitness center offers classes and personal training, there are several tennis courts, and bikes, sea kayaks and YOLO paddle boards are available for rental. A 2.3-mile exercise trail winds through the town, which also has four community pools. To escape the sun, you can take an excursion to EDEN GARDENS STATE PARK and tour the historic WESLEY MANSION and grounds.
Water features, spiral staircases, gas lamps and interior courtyards distinguish the town from other beach communities, and it’s hard to imagine sandy kids scampering across the hardwood floors. Properties range from petite carriage houses to oceanfront manors. The 600 structures are privately owned and custom-designed in accordance with the town’s aesthetic code and 50-foot height limit, and they are available for daily and weekly leases through the ROSEMARY BEACH RENTAL COMPANY. To make the most of their beach views, many homes have first-floor bedrooms and second-floor living spaces, and the large ones have private pools and carriage houses. Nearly 100 families have fractional ownership of the Private Residence Club and take turns vacationing in its 16 suites; they also can trade a week at Rosemary Beach for a stay at one of two dozen other residence clubs across North America. The only hotel in operation is the 11-room PENSIONE INN; a larger one is under construction.