Feel the Gulf of Mexico breeze as you sit on the veranda of a ‘southern-style’ vacation rental home in the beautiful, family friendly neighborhood of WaterColor, Florida. Located on the western side of the glistening Emerald Coast lies the 499 acre unincorporated planned community on the Florida Panhandle. Feel the ambiance of the large wrap-around screened-in and open porches of the two-three story columned wood homes along attractive tree lined streets. Look-out towers and pergolas are both high and low for special visionary vistas on which to peer from.
Look through the tall pine trees and other green space that surround the classic and opulent grandeur to small but chic properties. The simple but elegant southern architectural homes wait for you to take temporary residence in them. Metal roofs with extended overhangs provide shade from the heat of the sun while you lounge on one of the smartly furnished upper deck porches, some with swinging daybeds. A dazzling variety of vacation rentals are ready for your arrival!
You will love the colorful community filled with parks, walking trails, gardens and a clean white sandy beach (recognized as a Blue Wave Beach by the Clean Beaches Council located in Ft. Lauderdale). Unique specialty shops, including an exclusive Lilly Pulitzer retailer, Barefoot Princess and The Fuss Boutique offer quality merchandise and unique ladies fashion and accessory items. The Old Florida Outfitters, an apparel and fishing tackle specialty store offers quality and durable outdoor fashion and open-air accessories. WaterColor also has excellent restaurants, a photography and art studio, nature trails, tennis courts, swimming pools, live music and festivals. Bike rentals are available for a fee and some bicycles are included in your vacation rental as well as six-seater golf carts. Ready, set, let’s go!
Rentals
Vacation rental homes with clean lines, simple grace and southern charm make up the colorful but classic neighborhood of WaterColor. The following rentals are just a few of the choices for you to select from.
Cosmopolitan Beach Loft: A lovely two bedroom condo that sleeps 7 with 2.5 baths is close to Cerulean Park, one of the many neatly manicured parks near the center of WaterColor. Plush and cozy, the warm wood color scheme and accessories relax you as you step out of your work zone and into these comfortable furnishings complete with a private balcony. A chic efficient and intimate kitchen await you too cook up your favorite appetizer and candle lit dinner for two.
Lakefront Serenity: Sleeps 12 and has 5 bedrooms. This is a spacious home that overlooks Western Lake. An open floor plan and a beautiful sea blue color scheme with cheerful furnishings and decor. This gracious home has a unique custom made spiral staircase which leads to a loft for young teens who may want to take in a game or climb the steps to go up to chat and relax on the futon. The master king bedroom offers an Italian linen ‘Westin 5 star Heavenly Bed’ for your ultimate sleeping pleasure. 2 queen suites and 2 family rooms provide plenty of space for a two-three family vacation. For your convenience, off street parking is available for two vehicles. Also included in this fabulous rental, are four adult cruiser bikes and a six-seater golf cart.
Dandelion: This classic home offers a lake view of the intercostal Western Lake. Recently renovated, this vacation rental has 3 master bedrooms with king beds, 4 full baths, a gourmet open shelved kitchen, large porches with spacious seating, 4 spaces for parking your car and a lovely outdoor space for you to enjoy. Slightly whimsical and bright, the furnishings and accessories will make you glad you chose this location. This home is located in a convenient spot for accessing the walking trail and is a short walk to the neighboring Seaside community. Sorry but no pets or smoking permitted.
Western Lake: This wonderful vacation rental sleeps 11 and is an all-suite home with a large screened-in porch, beautiful courtyard space, smart designer furnishings, open living area, a beamed ceiling, fabulous indoor accessories and wall hangings, white trimmed molding, a fireplace, and a white, grey and beige color scheme. This country chic home offers a touch of French flair. Outdoor amenities include a small private swimming pool, outdoor grill and a tall, attractive red brick fireplace. You will not be disappointed with this selection.
Watchtower Walk: This superbly designed architectural home located in the ‘Lake District’ sleeps 14 with 5 bedrooms, and has a great floor plan containing angular, straight lines with unique furnishings and white, beige and sea blue decor. A master suite with its own private entrance adds to the convenience and special characteristics of this home. The kitchen offers Viking professional dual appliances for your cooking needs. The glass enclosed third floor ‘watchtower’ game room provides a great view from all the windows and is a fun spot for kids to enjoy or Mom and Dad who can gaze at the moon while sipping their favorite beverage. Abundant seating on the porch offers plenty of space for sitting outside to read a book or share a glass of wine in the evening. A bonus for renting this vacation home includes the use of 7 bicycles and one golf cart for your personal travel meanderings.
Attractions
The WaterColor Beach Club which is located next to Santa Rosa Beach is set for a major renovation beginning in the winter months of 2018 and will consist of redesigning the entire complex. Slated to take approximately 18-24 months to complete, the general layout will include large three-level terraces, each consisting of distinct amenities that will offer patrons swimming, dining and lounging with open viewing of the Gulf of Mexico respectively. Phase 1 of the project will focus on the swimming pools: a gulf-front luxurious infinity pool, a free form zero gravity pool and a large family pool for all ages to enjoy! New restrooms and a newly designed restaurant and bar will add to the upgraded beach club area along with a quick service food stand. The New England shingle-style beach club will also consist of changing rooms, showers, lockers for your convenience and chilled towels among other amenities. Sun-screen products, gifts and warm weather accessories will also be available to purchase. Tired of swimming? No problem! An awesome stage for live bands will be erected next to the new lawn amphitheater. Cozy fire pits for cool evenings will round out the outdoor area. The second phase as of this writing will consist of the actual Clubhouse which will compose of 2,225’ of space and will have an additional elevator for guests. A 3rd level adult terrace will offer excellent views of the gulf and provide adult lounging areas. Whether you prefer swimming, tanning, people watching, dining or sipping cocktails… you will find the WaterColor Beach Club to be your destination for fun and relaxation near the dunes! Soak in the sun and simply engage in family time with your loved ones here in WaterColor, won’t you?
Restaurants
There are many amenities within the WaterColor neighborhood for you and your family/associates to enjoy. From small cafes and ice cream parlors to the notable James Beard award winning restaurant ‘Fish out of Water,’ these great eateries offer a fine variety of food options and main entrees for a wide range of appetites. Whether it’s pizza, sushi, steak or pasta, WaterColor restaurants are sure to please!
Shopping
Leisure shopping in one of the unique boutiques or a search for that specific perfect dress will be easy and likely be a big hit with high-end specialty shops as well. WaterColor Crossing, a shopping center with an assortment of shopping items including every day gifts and artwork is also an option for your shopping needs. A first-rate fitness center, UPS store, bike rental barn and grocery store are also available. A strikingly beautiful firehouse is located in WaterColor which was designed by DAGArchitects, whom designed the upcoming new Beach Club, is fully operational and worth a ‘drive-by. The southern vernacular style of the building is quite pleasing to the eye!
Parks
Nature and ecologically minded individuals will love the numerous parks sprinkled within this neighborhood. Close to the town center are Cerulean, Crimson and Cobalt Parks; other parks are Viridian and Wood Fern Park to name a few of approximately 12 neatly manicured community green spaces. Convenient seating areas speckle the peaceful parks throughout the area. Keeping with nature and wildlife, very long walking trails meander throughout the WaterColor neighborhood, offering plenty of opportunities to view a variety of local plants, trees, bushes and flowers. These trails for perfect for avid walkers, runners, or families out for a leisurely stroll to view this unique neighborhood. Cycling along the portions paved trails is another plus for kids and adults alike!
Those who choose the WaterColor neighborhood will be pleased to know that its sit next to a natural dune lake - Western Lake! Located within the WaterColor community is the 220-acre coastal dune lake with underground springs. Canoes, kayaks and paddle board rentals are available as well as picturesque photo opportunities on the expansive wood footbridge which extends over Western Lake to the North side of WaterColor. More vacation rentals are located there, strategically nestled within sporadic pine groves and scrub oak trees. The nearby WaterColor Lake House is a 3,700 feet structural venue that offers meeting and party space. Complete with a full kitchen, the Lake House offers views of Western Lake and is available for weddings and special events for up to 250 guests (combining both indoor and outdoor space). The appealing cedar walls and sphere-shaped chandeliers offer a wonderful mix of of rustic and elegant ambience as well as the outdoor deck overlooking the water.
To the east of the Lake House is the Marina Park which also overlooks Western Lake and offers a swimming pool, changing rooms, and a large open green space that is perfect for an outdoor party or meeting. A nearby amphitheater which hosts the Telluride Mountain Film Festival adds to the many amenities that are located within WaterColor. The WaterColor Boat House is within its proximity and is a cottage-style building which has exposed high beam ceilings and can host up to 125 guests (using the indoor and outdoor space).
Another plus to renting a vacation rental in WaterColor is the great meandering nature trail that traverses throughout the large community. After swimming or eating at a great restaurant, families or children will love going out for a casual walk and will enjoy the path it takes. Avid runners will enjoy the scenery of the natural habitat that the nature trail runs through. Plenty of trees, bushes and flowers add to the variety of visual aesthetics that one will see while walking, running or biking along this amenity. From quiet natural settings among the trees to the vacation rentals themselves, you must include a walk on this nature trail while vacationing in WaterColor.
Due west of WaterColor is Grayton Beach State Park where nature abounds with a variety of activities for you and your family. Fishing, boating and swimming among other activities add to the fun. Further west outside of WaterColor, one can find the Gulf Island National Seashore Park, where Shell Island and the cities of Destin and Pensacola await you. There you can rent a party fishing boat, watch a magic show during dinner, go deep sea fishing, gold, go ‘gator-watching,’ play golf and even go horseback riding!
WaterColor is conveniently located on the western edge of the thoughtfully planned communities of the panhandle. Its close proximity to Western Lake, Grayton Beach, sand dunes and nearby cities, make WaterColor a super sensible choice!