The Healing Power Of The Sea
There is a reason we are drawn to the water. Call it instinct or something more elemental, but the pull of the sea has long been tied to a sense of renewal. Along the Emerald Coast, that quiet restoration is…
Author: Paige Aigret
Fauna Fantastica
The Northwest Florida Panhandle is uniquely positioned to represent a diversity in ecosystems. The Panhandle is split into two ecoregions: the Southeastern Plains (inland) and the Southeastern Coastal Plain (nearshore). Our inland environments boast pine forests, rolling hills, and diverse…
April-May 2026 Calendar
SANTANA’S ONENESS TOUR 2026 APRIL 1 Experience the legendary sound of Carlos Santana on the “Oneness Tour.” A celebration of unity, spirituality, and timeless music, this tour brings Santana’s signature blend of rock, blues, Latin rhythms, and soulful guitar magic…
A Bold Beach Aesthetic
Pensacola’s In Detail Design Collective, led by creative chief Cheryl Clendenon, gives new life to the coastal condo aesthetic. This jazzy character of this Pensacola Beach property takes their upbeat, unexpected style center stage. Here, boho “beach chic” is replaced…
Singers, Songwriters, and Stages
I love live music as much as the next person. But let’s be real. In an era of dynamic pricing tactics and endless added fees gouging our wallets, it can feel impossible to enjoy more than one festival or major…
February-March 2026 Calendar
BAYTOWNE ON ICE FEB. 1-8 Keep the winter wonderland spirit alive with a visit to the ice-skating rink in The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin. baytownewharf.com PENSACOLA DOUBLE BRIDGE RUN FEB. 7 One of the premier 15K races in…
Well-Intentioned Workouts
Holistic wellness is trending in 2026—for the body, mind, spirit, and the home, too. Fitness-minded folk are making room for exercise at home in newly imagined and carefully curated spaces. “We’re not really calling them home gyms anymore,” says local…
The Sea Cure
Known for their early approaches to spa therapy, ancient Greeks and Romans had an affinity for “taking the waters” in bathhouses, freshwater pools, and sea baths. Some thousands of years later, the Regency Era revived an ocean-forward approach to wellness…
What’s in Store?
Since 1954, the family-owned Magnanni luxury brand has remained dedicated to its heritage and shoemaking traditions. Founded in Almansa, Spain, much of the company’s operations still take place in the area with footwear now manufactured in both Spain and Portugal,…
Dear Reader, Thank You
Taking in the fall weather the last few months and celebrating the holidays has got me feeling nostalgic for one of the hardest seasons of my life. It was fall 2021 when I first applied for a job at Emerald…
The Gift Of Giving
Across Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties, an average of 12.5 percent of residents are experiencing food insecurity, according to numbers reported by Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study. A 2025 annual report from the Florida Council on…
For The Love Of Literature
Melli Pappas is a passionate advocate for literary accessibility. A proud mother, grandmother, and owner of The Book Rack in Fort Walton Beach, she’s always loved to read for herself and with her kids. “Both my parents were huge readers,”…
Deck The Halls
Sarah White is an ardent curator of holiday aesthetics. She is known to have a minimum of five Christmas trees throughout her home during the winter holiday season and has an ever-growing collection of ornaments and nutcrackers. Much of her…
December-January 2025/2026 Calendar
ANNIE Nov. 28-Dec. 21 Join your favorite red-headed orphan Annie, Daddy Warbucks, and the eternally grumpy Miss Hannigan for this feel-good story of finding your forever home. With hits like “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” “It’s a Hard…
Narrative Of A Five Course Meal
There’s nothing like a good prompt or theme to get a writer in the spirit of storytelling. It’s no wonder I was immediately drawn to the idea of dinner and a story. Founders of Emerald Coast Storytellers, Kristy Holditch and…
Give them their Flowers
The annual Best of the Emerald Coast event has always been about community. It’s about the businesses we love, the providers we trust, and the services we choose time and time again. At the core of all of that are the people who make it happen. That’s why we gather each year for Best of the…
Best Of The Emerald Coast Results 2025
Most locals have had family or friends visiting the area and asking for their best recommendations. Everyone has their personal favorite coffee shop and go-to dinner spot. And with a wealth of options at the beach, it’s important to know…
Clean Conscious, Clear Conscience
Wild Ice Botanicals Wild Ice Botanicals is a first of its kind cold-preserved skin care line that maintains a complete cold chain from ingredient to sale. As a small family operation, all Wild Ice products are made and packaged at…
Locals Know What’s Best
Something about meeting a fellow Emerald Coast local automatically engenders kindred spirits. Maybe you’re at a coffee shop near the coast, and you get to chatting with the barista. They ask where you’re from, and to their surprise, you’re a…
What’s In Store?
Merit by Willow Located in the picturesque Alys Beach, Merit by Willow offers a curated collection of fine jewelry, on-trend clothing, and elevated accessories. A masterclass in modern layering, REBECCA PINTO’S FINE JEWELRY COLLECTION brings a sense of personal story…
October/November Calendar
BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL SEPT. 18-OCT. 12 Emerald Coast Theatre Company presents the inspiring true story of Carole King’s rise to stardom as part of the hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin. emeraldcoasttheatre.org MOON CRUSHAVETT MOON OCT.…
Really Rad Everything
Sam Vandiver is, in her words, simply “a dork with a game store.” But Vandiver is far from simple. One might say she’s pretty rad even. Her signature blue hair alone makes her stand out. But it’s her personality—witty, raw,…
Weezer in Chronology
Sean Murphy spent much of his photography career in the thick of alternative and punk rock action. Throughout the late ’90s and early 2000s, he shot an innumerable number of bands, many of them big names—Jimmy Eat World, Everclear, Tenacious…
Home Is What You Make it
How do you define home? Is it where you live, where you’re from, or where you wish you were? For me, home has always been the beach, even while living in other states. I was raised on Emerald Coast landscapes,…
Cozy at the Cafe
In the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, a homesick Dorothy Gale made iconic a five-word phrase that lives in mainstream use still today: “There’s no place like home.” And she was right. So right that we’ve come to chase…
Anchoring Inland
Living in Florida, there’s no hotter commodity than beachfront property. But it’ll cost you to live Gulf-side. Walton County, including coastal towns from Miramar Beach to Inlet Beach and north to Freeport and DeFuniak Springs, spans a diverse portfolio of…
What’s in Store?
TRIBE KELLY Made for firework nights and chilly mornings, the AMERICANA SWEATER brings bold, timeless energy to your closet. This cozy knit is your go-to for year-round layering. Toss it over denim cutoffs, style it with your favorite sweats, or…
Florida Cocktails
Carrie Honaker was traveling abroad, on board a barge in Southern France, when she unexpectedly received an email from Cider Mill Press. The publishing company was looking to recruit Honaker to author a compilation of cocktails made at bars…
The Garden
A close cousin to the cafeteria and inspired by the nearly bygone era of the mall food court, the dining hall boom has carved out space for communities to gather and for local entrepreneurs to thrive. “You really get the gamut…
Some Kind of Nirvana
Old Florida is synonymous with Sunshine State nostalgia. The phrase indicates a bygone era of small-town coastal living and simpler, less crowded times. Today, the Emerald Coast is a hot spot for tourism—our beaches are bustling, and our economy is…
Local Art Here
Best friends Autumn Johnson and Kasey Caldwell co-worked for years selling their respective artwork out of co-op shops. But they never anticipated graduating their work relationship to co-owners. “We’re like soulmates,” Johnson says. “We know each other very well,…
Remember When
At 33, I feel possibly too young to be contemplating the good old days. Still, I sometimes find myself and friends half-jokingly adding “back in my day” sentiments to our conversations. Already, my 30s have felt like a reflective decade.…
Making of a Mural
One resin artist, two mixed media sculptors, and three painters teamed up in fall 2024 to bring Emerald Coast Magazine’s Love EC signature hashtag to life. The result—a one-of-a-kind mural fit for the best night of the year. “The colorful,…
What’s in Store
Ophelia Swimwear’s signature line, Ophelia Love, has partnered with artist and designer Rebekah Steen of Goldfish Kiss to create an Emerald Coast-inspired 30A Suit. The black and white design highlights all things 30A, from palm trees and beach waves to…
In Preservation of Piracy
Like many locals who grew up in and around Fort Walton Beach, the Billy Bowlegs festival is ingrained in my childhood memories. I can recall the awe I experienced as pirates stormed The Landing, the excitement of hunting for treasure,…
The Art of Self-Expression
While studying creative writing at Columbus State University, I took a class in my senior year that led me to realize art is as repetitive as the history it is defined by. The course was an intensive review of…
A New Tattooing Era
The tattoo industry has long thrived in Pensacola where a perfect combination of military members, locals, and tourists have kept books full at shops throughout town for decades. “I think it’s just a really good, supportive community,” says Carrie Daniels,…
Conservation vs. Consumption
A visit to the sand dunes of Lake Michigan leaves Emerald Coast local hyper-aware of overconsumption
Best of the Emerald Coast Results 2024
Cheers to the 2024 Best of the Emerald Coast winners!
Sunken Sculptures of the Emerald Coast
A Gulf Coast diving hot spot, the Underwater Museum of Art expands with 7 new installations
The Little Theater That Could
Decades-long history proves Pensacola Little Theatre never gives up on big dreams
Consider Community
Dissatisfaction has plagued the attention span; human connection offers resolve
A Star Behind the Scenes
Longtime community educator Heath Carroll has a big heart for theater
To Rise or Not to Rise
As Gen Z falls victim to our most regretted style, this millennial asks — seriously?
Longleaf Art Park at Watersound Origins
A newly planned nature and arts destination will house sculpture by the late Richard Serra
Raise Your Glass to DCWAF
$3.3 million raised for local children’s charities at annual event celebrated by wine and culinary enthusiasts
