Keeping South Walton’s Beaches Safe

South Walton is famous for its sugar-white sand and turquoise water. People travel from all over the world to relax and enjoy some leisure time on these beautiful beaches. Keeping everyone safe is our top priority when it comes to welcoming all our visitors, and it's a responsibility everyone can share equally. Wondering how to stay safe at the beach in Florida? These South Walton beach rules and regulations help us protect our paradise and maintain a safe environment.

Beach Safety Flags

To keep beachgoers aware, we’ve established a colored beach flag warning system that informs everyone about the surf. At any given time, a flag will be flying to notify visitors of the following conditions:

Double Red: Water is closed to the public and activity is prohibited

Single Red: High hazard with high surf and/or strong currents

Yellow: Medium hazard with moderate surf and/or currents

Green: Low hazard with calm conditions, but exercise caution

Purple: Stinging marine life, such as Man o’ war, jellyfish or stingrays

You can even text “SAFETY” to 31279 to learn surf conditions before you head to the beach.

Keep in mind that South Walton lifeguards are not always present at the beaches. However, they are typically available at Regional Beach Accesses between March 1 and October 31, with limited roving coverage year-round.

Protecting Our Beaches

Taking care of our beaches and all their inhabitants is key to ensuring a safe environment. Keep Walton County Beautiful supports this mindset with a variety of initiatives that empower residents and visitors to preserve our natural landscapes. These efforts include ongoing beautification, litter prevention and waste reduction, helping keep our beaches clean and clear.

Leave No Trace is an international program that aims not just to maintain beauty, but to reduce environmental impacts. Walton County Municipal Code supports this program by requiring personal items to be removed from the beach each night. Items that are found abandoned on the beach one hour after dusk until one hour after sunrise will be removed.

This cleanliness also helps us support another population of repeat visitors: the nesting sea turtles who return each year to lay their eggs. To support South Walton sea turtle safety, just remember “Clean. Dark. Flat.” Maintaining these conditions as best as possible will help create an ideal environment for turtles. Holes dug in the sand cannot be larger than 3 feet by 3 feet and no deeper than 2 feet. It’s important to fill them in when you leave the beach. And if you spot a sea turtle, never touch it, even if it appears to need help.

Being knowledgeable and prepared is the best way to enjoy your time on these beautiful beaches. To learn more about beach rules and safety measures, check out VisitSouthWalton.com.