When compared to the tourist-centered beaches to its east and west, Navarre Beach can be considered something of a minimalist destination absent of any colorful tourist traps, shiny zip line towers or crowded souvenir shops, the Santa Rosa County beach has successfully marketed itself as Florida s most relaxing place for the past five years.
But as tourism to the pristine beach continues to grow, county tourism leaders are faced with figuring out how to accommodate the increase in visitors while also maintaining Navarre s simple charm that sets it apart from other Panhandle beaches.
Enter: Santa Rosa s longtime tourism development director, Julie White, and her recently unveiled vision for what Navarre Beach could look like in eight to 10 years. It includes a major face-lift of the existing facilities at the beach, and adds an amphitheater, food trucks, retail space, playgrounds, public art exhibits and more.