The three closest beach accesses, ranked.

1. Greenwood Beach Access — closest, and one of the largest

A 7-minute walk from Barefoot Bliss. Greenwood is one of Walton County's largest public beach accesses, stretching 14+ blocks of open gulf beach. Public access, well-maintained, no lifeguard but well-trafficked. Restrooms in season.

This is the one we recommend by default — 7 minutes on foot or 3 minutes by golf cart with a beach cart in tow. Parking is usually manageable if you arrive before 10am.

What to know

• Boardwalk over the dunes is wheelchair-friendly
• No food or rentals on-site — bring your own
• Closest accessible bathroom is back at the house

2. Seagrove Beach West — 17-minute walk

A bit further south but worth the trip if you want a quieter stretch of sand. The beach here is wider and less trafficked than Greenwood. Great for shoulder season mornings when you want space.

Easy by golf cart. Parking available but more limited than Greenwood — walk or ride if you can.

3. Eastern Lake Beach access — for the full experience

Public access at the east end of Eastern Lake Road. The beach is wider and quieter here, and the Eastern Lake outfall area is beautiful in the right conditions. Short drive from Barefoot Bliss.

Best if you're treating it as a dedicated beach day with chairs and a full setup.

What to bring (we provide a lot of it)

Barefoot Bliss is stocked with beach chairs, an umbrella, a beach cart for hauling, and a small assortment of toys. You don't need to rent a setup unless you specifically want the assembled service.

If you do want a beach setup

Companies like 30A Beach Service set up two chairs and an umbrella on the sand for you each morning — about $40-$50 per day. Useful for longer stays where you don't want to drag gear every morning.

Beach rules (read these — they're enforced)

• Leave No Trace: Walton County actively enforces removing all personal items from the beach at sunset. Tents, chairs, coolers — all of it.
• No glass containers on the beach, ever.
• Flag system: Green = calm, yellow = caution, red = strong current, double red = closed. Don't swim under red flags. The Gulf riptides are real.
• Dogs: Allowed on Walton County beaches but with seasonal restrictions and leash requirements. See our dog guide for specifics.

Our local move: golf cart to Greenwood in the morning, lunch back at the house on the lanai, then a sunset walk down the beach without the cooler. That's a 30A day.