Sandestin, Florida
Encyclopedia
Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is a 2400 acres (9.7 km²) destination resort in Miramar Beach, Florida
Miramar Beach, Florida
Miramar Beach is a census-designated place in Walton County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,435 at the 2000 census. Although many other localities in Florida have appended "Beach" to their names to distinguish themselves from an adjacent inland or cross-bay municipality – such as...

, United States, on Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast. The resort is located between the Gulf of Mexico and the Choctawhatchee Bay, in Walton County. The resort of Sandestin is often called a "gated city", lodging and residences are spread through 30 neighborhoods with 1,600 condominiums, houses, villas, town homes, and hotel accommodations. Many celebrities are often spotted vacationing there in the off seasons and a few even own homes inside of Sandestin. The resort has more than seven miles (11 km) of beaches and bay front, four golf courses, 15 tennis courts, 19 swimming pools, a 98-slip marina, children's programs, a fitness center and spa, 65000 square feet (6,038.7 m²) of meeting space and a pedestrian village made up of shops, casual and fine dining restaurants, and nightlife venues.

In 2009 and 2010 Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort was named the "Best Resort on the Emerald Coast" by Emerald Coast Magazine readers.

History

The private and gated resort was built on undeveloped land but was designed to look like it had grown out of a historic fishing village

Accommodations

Sandestin's 1,600 accommodations and vacation rentals are grouped into four resort areas: Beachside, Village, Bayside, and Lakeside (formerly Dockside), each with its own style and price range.

The Village of Baytowne Wharf

The Village of Baytowne Wharf, inside of Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, is the resort's central dining and retail venue, with shops and boutiques, restaurants and eateries, and nightlife. It also includes activities such as a zip line, carousel, ropes course, bungie jump and much more.

Meetings and events

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort has 2 conference centers - Linkside Conference Center and Baytowne Conference Center. For meetings, corporate retreats, weddings and special events - offering 65000 square feet (6,038.7 m²) of function and space on the gulf and bay.

Golf

Sandestin has four championship private golf courses.

The Raven Golf Club was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., opened for play in March 2000, and annually hosts a PGA Champions Tour Stop. This course meanders through the wetlands of the Sandestin Resort, and is noted for dramatic water features, challenging bunkering and fairways lined with tall pines. The large undulating Tifeagle greens are fast in speed. Raven plays from 5060 yards (4,626.9 m) to 6931 yards (6,337.7 m) and offers four sets of tees.

Burnt Pine Golf Club was designed by architect Rees Jones, and opened for play in 1994. This 18-hole work of art has fairways that have been described as tumbling, and the course winds through wetlands and marshes. The many water features of this course come into play on 14 holes including three holes on the bay, and the bunkering is exceptional - making for a most challenging round of golf. The greens are medium in size and fast in speed with large undulations. Burnt Pine plays from 5,153 to 7001 yards (6,401.7 m) and offers four sets of tees.

The Baytowne Golf Club is Tom Jackson's second creation at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, and originally opened for play in 1984 before undergoing its latest renovation in 2005. The rolling fairways of this course are lined with tall pines and lead to large, undulating greens that are moderate in speed. Water comes into play on twelve holes and the entire course is heavily bunkered. Baytowne is a par 71 course, and plays from 3002 yards (2,745 m) to 6804 yards (6,221.6 m) and offers five sets of tees, including junior tees.

The Links Course winds alongside the Choctawhatchee Bay. Designed by architect Tom Jackson, this course opened for play in 1973. This is a shotmaker's' course where accuracy and proper club selection are a must in order to outfox the prevailing Gulf Coast winds. The medium sized greens are moderately undulating and moderate in speed. Water hazards come into play on 14 holes including five holes on the bay. The Links Course plays from 4969 yards (4,543.7 m) to 6710 yards (6,135.6 m) and has four sets of tees.

Tennis

Sandestin has 15 world-class private courts in hard and Hydrogird clay. The tennis center includes a clubhouse, private tennis courts, ladies tennis and children's offerings, and a tennis shop. Sandestin has been voted one of the Top 50 U.S. Tennis Resorts by Tennis Magazine, #3 in both the Best Overall Children's Programs and Best Junior Tennis Programs categories and #13 in the Top 100 Tennis Resorts in the U.S. by Tennis Resorts Online.

Day Spa & Salon

The Sandestin Day Spa & Salon is open to Sandestin guests and the public and has a variety of services including hairstyling, nail design, facials, therapeutic body treatments and massage. Seminars and specialized services for visiting group guests are available when scheduled in advance.

Fitness Center

The Sandestin Fitness Center is open to Sandestin guests and has specialized services and equipment supported by certified instructors. The cardiovascular workout room combines strength training with aerobic conditioning for optimal cardiorespiratory exercise. Minimal body stress and muscle fatigue are achieved by utilizing safe, biomechanically correct training equipment for integrated metabolic conditioning. Free weights as well as weight machines are available. The Fitness Center also features a women's and men's locker room consisting of: lockers, sauna, steam room, jacquizzi, restrooms, and vanity.

Water sports

The Gulf of Mexico water temperature averages 75-degrees year-round. Waverunners, canoes, boogie boards, kayaks, pontoon boats, sailing, snorkeling and scuba diving are all available. The Baytowne Marina also offers evening cruises, bay fishing and deep sea fishing.

Shopping

Sandestin offers a variety of retail experiences in the resort. Shoppers can choose from the boutiques at The Market Shops at Sandestin or the specialty retailers at The Village of Baytowne Wharf. Retail opportunities include souvenir shops, boutiques, golf retail stores, children’s apparel stores and more.

Geography

Sandestin is located at

Latitude: 30.378230 °

N 30 ° 22' 41.6"

30 ° 22.6938' (degree m.mmmm)

Longitude: -86.330954 °

W 86 ° 19' 51.4"

-86 ° 19.8572' (degree m.mmmm)

GPS Coordinates: 30.378230, -86.330954

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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