{"id":7073,"date":"2026-02-28T03:33:54","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T03:33:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=7073"},"modified":"2026-02-28T03:33:54","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T03:33:54","slug":"floridas-panhandle-towns-are-getting-luxury-makeovers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/?p=7073","title":{"rendered":"Florida&#8217;s panhandle towns are getting luxury makeovers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<br \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The beaches of northwest Florida have nicknames. Some call these sparkling, jewel-toned waters the Emerald Coast. A recent marketing campaign has dubbed the area NoFlo, while others call the region simply the Panhandle. Still, its best-known sobriquet is also its most unflattering: to most it\u2019s the Redneck Riviera.<\/p>\n<p>But these days, a sleeker, more aspirational moniker is being tossed around: \u201cThe Hamptons of the South.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>When you say 30A is pretty busy, you mean both words quite literally.  <span class=\"credit\">Walton Tourism Board<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>30A, for your perusal.  <span class=\"credit\">Rob Jejenich\/NY Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It refers to 30A, a two-lane coastal highway linking 16 beach communities. Things started getting highfalutin\u2019 on the shores of the Deep South back in the 1980s with the development of Seaside (you know it as the backdrop of \u201cThe Truman Show\u201d). <\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>The upscaling of the region has only accelerated since.<\/p>\n<p>The newest spot on the block is the 30-acre <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaiyabeachresort.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kaiya Beach Resort<\/a>, on 30A\u2019s eastern stretch. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Townhouses and villas at the Kaiya run from $1,000 a night.  <span class=\"credit\">Ty Faith<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Here, well-heeled guests can bunk in $1,000-per-night townhomes or villas and enjoy dazzling Gulf views from the palm-lined infinity pool at the ritzy beach club. <\/p>\n<p>Should they want to grow their art collections, they can head to <a href=\"https:\/\/omairegallery.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Omaire<\/a>, 30A\u2019s first international fine arts gallery, now just a year old. For the ultimate flex, the resort\u2019s 110-foot superyacht, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaiyabeachresort.com\/kaiya-club\/ukara-yacht\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ukara<\/a>, based in the Bahamas, is available for bookings.<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s not all: This summer, Kaiya will break ground on the 40-suite <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaiyabeachresort.com\/oyom-hotel--spa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Oyom Hotel &amp; Spa<\/a>, whose lavish amenities include a rooftop pool and a 5,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art spa. \u201cWe\u2019re pulling out all the stops on the design,\u201d said Kaiya developer Jason Romair, founder and CEO of the <a href=\"https:\/\/romair.com\/project\/kaiya-beach-resort\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Romair Group<\/a>. \u201cThe smallest room \u2014 they\u2019re all suites \u2014 is 700 square feet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kaiya\u2019s next-door neighbor is also known for its high-end digs. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Alys Beach \u2013 Look at the life we built.\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/981309368?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"618\" height=\"348\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\"><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s the 158-acre <a href=\"https:\/\/alysbeach.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alys Beach<\/a> vacation rental and real estate community, whose striking whitewashed fa\u00e7ades and Bermuda-meets-the-Med architectural ethos have attracted the upper echelon since it was founded in 2004. Home prices there swell well into the seven digits.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than renting them out, most owners at Alys Beach can afford to keep their magnificent homes vacant, lending a surreal, movie-set vibe to the often-secluded streets. A stroll through the community is real estate porn at its finest, with ample opportunity for ogling sophisticated architectural elements like courtyard fountains, massive stone urns and shaded benches.<\/p>\n<p>Alys Beach also hosts several of 30A\u2019s most popular shindigs: the 30A Wine Festival in February; May\u2019s Digital Graffiti, which transforms those stark fa\u00e7ades into canvases for digital art; and Alys Beach Crafted, an autumn extravaganza showcasing handcrafted wares.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>In 2025, Ria Leigh Gallery arrived, elevating the area\u2019s rich art scene. <span class=\"credit\">Ria Leigh Gallery<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Art is a year-round draw, and last July, <a href=\"https:\/\/rialeighgallery.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ria Leigh Gallery<\/a> in Grayton Beach opened, further elevating the scene. With about 20 artists, it sells works priced from about $75 all the way up to $50,000, an intentionally wide range.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt helps us build relationships with everybody, not just somebody who\u2019s a millionaire,\u201d said Alexandra Hartsfield, who co-owns the space with Rebecca Elliott.<\/p>\n<p>The local culinary scene is also sizzling, with a yet-to-be-named, farm-to-table concept coming to Kaiya. That restaurant is backed by a partnership that includes One Off Hospitality, a prominent Chicago-based firm co-founded by Donnie Madia \u2014 whose stint at a sandwich shop inspired the FX hit series \u201cThe Bear.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>O-Ku Alys Beach adds Japanese flavor to the shores of the South. <span class=\"credit\">Joseph Stefanchik at Modernmade Photography<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Other openings of note include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.o-kusushi.com\/location\/alys-beach\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">O-Ku Alys Beach<\/a>, a chic modern Japanese restaurant, and Gallion\u2019s Restaurant at Rosemary Beach, which offers seafood-heavy small plates and a kid-free evening setting (it\u2019s 18-and-up after 2:30 p.m.).<\/p>\n<p>For a dose of serious sophistication, there\u2019s no better spot than Ambrosia Prime Seafood &amp; Steaks. Tucked into an unassuming plaza near 30A\u2019s eastern terminus, the restaurant excels at perfectly executed steakhouse classics \u2014 think lobster bisque, wagyu filet and elevated family-style sides \u2014 in a sexy, speakeasy-esque atmosphere (there\u2019s nary a window). On weeknights, the see-and-be-seen Caymus Happy Hour, featuring pours from the famous Napa vineyard, draws a stylish crowd.<\/p>\n<p>Word of Ambrosia\u2019s nectar-of-the-gods indulgences has already traveled far beyond the South.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe had a couple come in once who were referred to us by friends back home in London,\u201d said co-owner Lauren Graham. \u201cIt\u2019s a compliment to us on the highest level.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/02\/27\/lifestyle\/floridas-panhandle-towns-are-getting-luxury-makeovers\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The beaches of northwest Florida have nicknames. Some call these sparkling, jewel-toned waters the Emerald Coast. A recent marketing campaign has dubbed the area NoFlo, while&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7073"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7073\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foreignnewstoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}