Shopping in Sandestin

World-Class Shopping Right Here

Posted on 6/28/2013

Besides enjoying the beautiful white sand beaches and jeweled gulf waters along the Emerald Coast, many of our Ocean Reef Resort guests love to shop. Ocean Reef offers many outstanding vacation rentals in Sandestin and in the surrounding areas.  Serious repeat shoppers know that this area has the absolute best shopping venues in all of Northwest Florida. These retail destinations include Grand Boulevard, the Village of Baytowne Wharf, and the Silver Sands Premium Outlets.

Grand Boulevard at Sandestin was completed in late 2007 and serves as the town center for this Five Star Florida resort. The entire retail complex encompasses fifty-two acres and you can't miss the lush landscaping that was meticulously planted to highlight this shopping experience. Over a million dollars was spent by the developer for a wide assortment of tropical foliage. These include giant Royal Palms which accent not only Grand Boulevard but create another boulevard effect on Emerald Coast Parkway (Highway 98) which parallels the site.  Tropical Birds of Paradise, Live Oak trees, Crepe Myrtles and flowering plant containers display ever changing colors which are kept seasonally up to date. In the center of the mall is Grand Park, serving as a grassy lawn where children are encouraged to frolic in a playful fountain with gushing geysers spurting out of a stone patio with a flux of varying sprays. As darkness descends, the lush palms are up lighted giving this upscale retail village a Palm Beach look. Ladies' clothing stores including such nationally known stores as Billabong, Chico's, and Coldwater Creek. There is even a spa and hair salon for pampering and beauty at the Fusion Spa Aveda which has become quite popular. Specialty boutiques for women include: Pretty Please, a high end retail store for baby, kid, and teen clothing; Hello Sunshine, a unique store that sells both vintage and modern interior items as well as beach styled clothing; Altar'd State, a trendy store with the latest fashions for women of all ages and L'Occitane, a retailer of skin and beauty care products from the south of France.

"Resort Casual" is the norm at Sandestin and defining upscale, fashionable beach wear for natives and visitors alike and can be found at a number of different stores on Grand Boulevard. They include: Tommy Bahama's, J Crew at the Beach, and the Brooks Brothers Country Club store. Tommy Bahama's pretty much defines resort casual in any place that has a tropical environment. J Crew at the Beach is a special division of this internationally known company and carries men's and ladies' clothing, footwear, and jewelry all earmarked for the beach. Brooks Brothers, the iconic New York City clothier for gentlemen since the 1800s has opened a Country Club Store for both genders with classic clothing including Rugby type stripes, blazers, shirts, blouses, and other clothing. There is also a Sunglass Hut in case you have forgotten your own or need a new look. Here they're more a necessity than a fashion statement, due to our almost blinding white quartz crystal beach shore. The Orvis Company provides clothing for the outdoor set and popular attire for fishing out in the gulf or the backwaters of Choctawhatchee Bay. There are also four locally owned specialty stores and galleries to stroll through along Grand Boulevard which include the Donna Burgess Gallery, Fusion Art Glass, Magnolia House, and The Zoo Gallery. Donna Burgess is a local award winning artist who has also achieved national acclaim over the years. She specializes in colorful original artwork, limited editions, or prints using acrylics, watercolors, and mixed mediums for her work.  Her work includes heartwarming renditions of children at play, cute pets, sea life, shells, and the beauty of the gulf. The Fusion Art Glass Gallery is a sensation for the eyes to behold. They represent over 200 artists from around the world who create crystal and hand blown glass art objects, vases, chandeliers, mobiles as well as couture jewelry in more than a rainbow of colors. Fusion artists are synonymous with high quality, excellent craftsmanship with many original works found in national museums and private collections including former US Presidents as well as celebrities. Magnolia House carries rich home accents including luxurious velvet throws, blankets, pillows, sensational stemware, dinner serving pieces, lamps, rugs, candles, scented French soaps, body lotions, pearls, and vintage jewelry. The Zoo Gallery originated in 1979 and became a household word among those who fell in love with and collect their exotic, vivid, multicolored art that has a distinctly tropical look. They sell unique original art cleverly disguised as furniture, lamps, picture frames, pottery, jewelry, storage boxes, candles, and other whimsical decors.  Most items will definitely bring a smile to your face and you may delight friends or family with any of the colorful "objects de art" you choose to buy.

Dining at Grand Boulevard

Shopping often makes people hungry and so it's nice to know that you have several dining options available to you at Grand Boulevard. These include P.F.Changs for gourmet Chinese food, the club like Flemings for fine steaks, Cantina Laredo's for gourmet Mexican and great margaritas, Tommy Bahama's for Caribbean cuisine served in a plantation style atmosphere and Mitchell's Fish Market for delicious fresh seafood. Wonderful, after dinner treats may be found at Kilwin's which sells homemade chocolates, fudge, and ice cream. For entertainment, a brand new state of the art, stadium styled theater called The Boulevard Cinema Ten has opened and shows first run movies on giant IMAX like screens.

Baytowne Wharf

Unique boutique shops are also located in The Village of Baytowne Wharf which lies within the gates of Sandestin Resort. This enchanting village is located on the wooded shores of the Choctawhatchee Bay near the Sandestin Marina. The village should be called "Nouveau" New Orleans due to the authentic French colonial architecture and charming surroundings. Disneyesque in appearance, Baytowne is picture perfect in every way. A lovely lagoon with arching pedestrian bridges connects each side and specialty retail shops are scattered throughout. There is a Village Green in the center which has an Events Plaza Stage with free live music performances on a weekly basis throughout most of the year. Besides a shopping and dining destination, the Baytowne is a popular gathering spot during seasonal festivals and throughout the summer season since fireworks occur on a weekly basis and on all major holidays. Here you may find everything from fine jewelry to a T-shirt!  These retail stores include: Aloha Surf Company, with best brand beachwear, swimwear, sun glasses and water sport accessories; American Doll Company, distributors of "American Girl" and "Bitty Babies" along with their clothing, footwear and accessories; Barefoot Princess, an upscale store featuring Lilly Pulitzer apparel, shoes or accessories for ladies and their girls; Baytowne Jewelers a purveyor of unique custom designed jewelry including charms, necklaces, bracelets, pendants, precious stones, semi precious stones, silver, sterling, gold and platinum; Billy Harris Art, a gallery featuring art in a black and white media with pencil or ink that includes customized home or cottage portraits , local architectural landmarks and landscapes; Coco and Company, offering classic jewelry, fabulous faux bling, along with handbags, hats and belts; Coconut Kids providing resort wear for children and specialty toys; Island Clothiers, a retailer that carries a long line of resort clothing brand names with tropical fashion for men and women; Lumpy's Wine and Bottle Shop, a purveyor of unique vintages, select beers and fine cigars; Mermaid's Boutique, a casual, chic and trendy clothier carrying local and national brands; Paradise Found, a specialty souvenir shop that sells novelty items and T shirts; Sandestin Clothing Company, a name sake distributor with clothing for the entire family along with collectibles and keepsakes which feature the Sandestin logo; The Candy Maker, a sweet shop with southern pralines, taffy, fudge, chocolates and roasted nuts; the Wharf General Store, a kind of "anything you ever needed at the beach but forgot to bring" convenience store that includes some groceries and beverages; Toys and Treasures, a kid's store with games and gadgets that are fun, inspirational, creative and educational and Trader Tom's, a classic beach souvenir shop with shark's teeth, sea shells and other marine items. 

After shopping at Sandestin's Baytowne you may enjoy fine dining at the Marlin Grill with specialty fresh fish and prime steaks; Bistro Bijoux known for French New Orleans styled dishes served in a romantic atmosphere; Poppy's Seafood Factory with a cornucopia of seafood "buckets" served in a casual setting and Hammerheads with seafood platters. The latter two are near the long wharf with spectacular sunset views over the bay. Other restaurants scattered throughout the village have something for everyone including everything from pizzas to pasta, sushi to steak, seafood to burgers, and tacos to bar-b-cue. Restaurants include Acme Oyster House, Another Broken Egg Cafe, Fat Tuesdays Daiquiri Bar, Graffiti's and the Funky Blues Shack, Grin-Go's Taco Bar, Hartell's Village Diner, Lazy Gecko Deck Bar, Osaka Sushi Rocks, Roberto's Pizzeria, Rum Runners, San Gelato Cafe, and The Village Door Restaurant.

Amazingly enough, Sandestin also adjoins the largest designer outlet in America known as the Silver Sands Premium Outlets. This thriving shopping complex attracts literally millions of visitors every year. Shoppers come from throughout the southeast and other parts of the nation to take advantage of huge savings of up to 75% off regular retail prices from first class, internationally known designer stores. Many of our Ocean Reef guests have started a tradition of sorts to do some power shopping at Silver Sands while they visit us. They are attracted by the huge variety of national and international designer stores that represent the best in the world. It is really incredible that little Miramar Beach, FL has the same fine retail establishments that can otherwise be found on Fifth Avenue in New York, Michigan Avenue in Chicago or Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Besides the big designer names, the main attraction here is that everything is "on sale" with substantial savings that cannot be found at any of these other locations. Our visitors take full advantage of this opportunity while they're here by completing annual shopping lists for Christmas as well as upcoming weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, back to school clothing for the kids and of course themselves. Over 100 stores carry designer names for men, women, and kid's apparel and accessories. They include top names like Off Sacks Fifth Avenue, Coach, Movado, Johnston & Murphy, and Ralph Lauren Polo.

There are also a number of restaurants, cafes, and grills at Silver Sands in case you need a bite to eat or cool refreshments to help revive you during a hard day of bargain hunting. These include "Carrabba's Italian Grill" for delicious Italian specialties; Jimmy Buffet's "Cheeseburger in Paradise" for bodacious burgers and frozen cocktails; "Ciao Bella" for authentic pizza and pasta dishes; "Panera's" for fresh artisan breads and sandwiches; the "San Gelato Cafe" for Italian ice cream, sorbets as well as specialty coffees and 32 Degrees Yogurt offering sixteen frozen favorite flavors and forty toppings.

Sandestin Resort

Once you finish a long day of scoring sensational deals or finding the right outfit, you will be happy to get back to one of Ocean Reef Resort's comfortable, conveniently located Sandestin vacation rentals to relax. We are pleased to provide you with such a luxurious respite while you savor memories of your busy day. Enjoy the pool, soak in a hot tub, have a drink, and listen to the soft murmur of the gulf or just sit on the beach and enjoy the views. After all, you are on vacation and it gives us great pleasure here at Ocean Reef Resorts to provide you with your own special home away from home.

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