Cooler temperatures, gorgeous sunsets, warm gulf waters, quaint restaurants and shops, unique events, and quiet evenings for peaceful reflection. Experience all of this and more during the annual Autumn Tides celebration each September – November in Beaches of South Walton, Florida.

Comprised of 14 adjacent communities on 26 miles of Northwest Florida's Gulf Coast, this upscale and unique area is a favorite fall destination. Autumn Tides events showcase the area’s culinary, cultural, historic and natural amenities that make Beaches of South Walton unique. Fall is a quieter, more sophisticated season in Beaches of South Walton. Cooler temperatures, warm water, fewer children, shorter lines, and the natural beauty of the season provide a greater sense of tranquility than is typically experienced during the spring and summer months. The fall is also complemented by Autumn Tides, an unforgettable season of fall events.

In addition to enjoying popular celebrations, such as the Flutterby Festival, celebrating the colorful migration of the Monarch butterfly through the region, visitors will enjoy spectacular fall sunsets, comfortable temperatures and exceptional seasonal rates.

The Autumn Tides celebration kicks off Labor Day weekend and continues through November, and features a number of signature events, including:  

• SunDancer Adventure Triathlon & Biathlon (Sept. 22), celebrates the area's vast amount of natural land through individual and relay teams competing in a 9-mile mountain bike through the forest, 1.5-mile canoe on Western Lake and a 5.5-mile run on the bike path.

• South Walton Community Yard Sale (Oct. 4), where everything old is new, and reusable, again on the streets of Seaside at a yard sale featuring 200 “vendors.”
  
  
• MountainFilm on Tour at WaterColor (Nov. 7-8), from Telluride Film Festival that features works by independent filmmakers celebrating community, adventure, culture and environmental preservation.

Highlighted events in the 2008 lineup include, the Back to Nature Festival (Oct. 17-19), which features a weekend of outdoor activities exploring the vast natural habitats and ecology of Beaches of South Walton; the Southern Breeze Wine + Culinary Festival (Sept. 12-14) returns for its fifth year with Winemaker Dinners, a Grand Wine tasting, Wine + Culinary Seminars and a Walkabout Brunch; and Autumn Tides Month at Silver Sands, which celebrates 2008 artist of the year, Donna Burgess, at the nation’s largest designer factory store center.

For a complete lineup of this year’s events, visit http://www.autumntides.com/atevents.asp.