The Beaches of South Walton have grown dramatically, adding more than 1,300 new houses in 2004. The change isn't all bad. Good planning has won the county its third annual Blue Wave certification from the Clean Beaches Council. We used to fetch drinking water in old milk jugs at the gas station up the road. Now we have potable water in the taps and fancy bottled water in the gourmet markets.

From west to east, Highway 30-A links beach towns like a thread through a string of pearls, connecting Dune Allen, Santa Rosa, Grayton, Seaside, Seagrove, and Rosemary Beach. And shopping in the area is better than ever before.

At Rosemary Beach, a design district has emerged. Tracery sells contemporary and antique furniture, as well as art by Teresa Cline. At The Gourd Garden Courtyard Shop next door, you can sip wine from the Medusa Rouge Wine Shoppe while perusing garden accessories. Shabby Slips, where owner Donna Pelous specializes in custom slipcovers, also has an array of Belgian linen by the yard, antiques, coral, custom-made shell mirrors, and lamps. Flavours of France features an eclectic mix ranging from chic Art Deco furniture to more traditional wares.

In July, designer Phillip Sides will open his shop, Phillip and Co., in Seacrest, bringing his clean, signature look to home furnishings. At Bohlert-Massey, designer Susan Massey shows off fresh bags, beach towels, pillows, and lighting.

On the beach side of 30-A, nearing Seagrove, is the headquarters of The Gourd Garden and Curiosity Shop, owned by Randy Harelson. Outside, plants suited for Panhandle conditions are clustered in garden settings. Indoors, party goods, garden tools, and folk art defy you to leave empty-handed.

The shops at Seaside offer great shopping, including Pizitz Home & Cottage, which a few years ago was renovated and updated with chic merchandise. The best swimsuits on the beach can be found at F.A.B.S., where buyer Dana Jusselin chooses suits from lines such as Dolce & Gabbana and Jean Paul Gaultier. For a pair of designer jeans or a sporty Lacoste shirt, stop by Venus for its mix of sportswear, sandals, and party frocks. Sundog Books stocks architecture and design books, including several on the area, and also has quirkily arranged stacks of fiction.

At Grayton Beach, west of Seaside, Alabamian Claire Bain has gathered hard-to-find bath and body products at Bain & Co. Apothecary. For your beach bag, South Beach Bronze is the sunscreen favored by the models Bain met while living in Miami.