The finest Rosemary Beach Vacation Rentals -- at Inlet Beach prices!

Rosemary Beach is a planned Village on the Gulf coast of northwest Florida, between Panama City and Destin, at the eastern end of Scenic Route 30A.  It’s easily accessible by air or by car, only a 25-minute drive from the newly opened Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport.

Rosemary Beach Area Map

The town’s design is based on the principles of New Urbanism. The 107-acre Gulf-front town emphasizes community, neighborhood and convenience – in short, liveability.  You don’t need to use your car to enjoy every aspect of the Village. Kids riding bikes, families walking their dog, and relaxed socializing among old and new friends are ever-present Village sights. To learn more about architecture and town planning in Rosemary Beach, see the excellent article by Simmons B. Buntin.

The boardwalk at Village of Rosemary Beach

Another view of the Village of Rosemary Beach

Visitors to Rosemary Beach enjoy mild year-round temperatures; world-class uncrowded beaches; Old Florida’s natural coastal beauty; iconic award-winning architecture and town planning; a quaint European-style town center; amenities such as tennis courts, fitness center, and green areas; and a center-stage location on Florida’s Scenic Route 30A.

Touches of civilization that temper daily life at Rosemary Beach include both fine and casual dining; coffee shops and wine bars; a bookstore; fashion, décor and boutique shopping; a day spa; Camp Rosemary for kids; architecture, medical and other professional offices; art galleries and more.

Enjoy seasonal events such as the 30-A Songwriter’s Festival in January; the Rosemary Beach Tennis Open in May; Children’s Theater performances running June through August; the Fall Writer’s Conference in September;  the Delmauro 5K in October; and special Holiday events.

Relaxing view of the Gulf

Abaco Rose is proud to be a close neighbor to the Village of Rosemary Beach. We shop and dine and relax and enjoy the special lifestyle of this unique place on Florida’s beautiful Emerald Coast.

For Rosemary Beach vacation rentals information at Abaco Rose, call our management at 800.423.3215. Mention promotional code “Vacation 11” for special consideration.

Abaco Rose Pool, viewed from the Tower Room

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Last weekend I drove my inlaws down to Abaco Rose at Rosemary Beach from their home in Louisville. They’re going to spend January and February there this year. It was 10 degrees and snowing when we left Louisville. It was 65 degrees and sunny when we arrived at Rosemary Beach!  Ahh….

With the advent of the new Panama City airport, Northwest Florida is evolving into more of a year-round destination. Most restaurants now stay open all year. And of course drug stores and grocery stores and Target and WalMart and Home Depot and the Outlet Mall and the department stores are always open, with everything you might need.

The beach is nearly empty. We took a walk on a warm sunny day (that’s when I took these pictures) and saw no more than two or three people at a time. It’s easy to get a table in restaurants, as they are uncrowded too.

Easy access to the beach

It’s fun to walk through the Publix parking lot and look at license plates. Ontario, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois are all represented. Starting about Thanksgiving, there’s a mini-migration southward along I-65 from all those states where it’s really cold and snowy in the wintertime. Northwest Florida is close enough (and warm enough) to be a very inviting destination. You don’t have to drive all the way to Miami to have a lovely, sunny winter.

And the best part? The rental prices really come down in the winter! At Abaco Rose, you can stay two weeks in the off-season for the cost of one week in the high season. And often there are specials so that you can save even more!

To get the best price on a fabulous snowbird winter getaway at Abaco Rose, call Rivard at 800.423.3215. Mention promotional code “Vacation 11” for special consideration.

Enjoy the Beauty of Rosemary Beach

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My idea of the perfect vacation is some mixture of Nature and so-called “civilization.” Nature means long quiet walks on uncrowded pristine beaches watching pelican flights overhead and seeing dolphins arcing through crystal-clear water. Civilization means broadband Internet, cable TV, air conditioning, a swimming pool, gourmet dining, shopping, and of course — coffee.

Abaco Rose, a luxurious Rosemary Beach vacation rental, is ideally positioned between these two poles of my ideal vacation. The village of Rosemary Beach is forty paces westward from the front door. I can be sitting in my favorite spot by the window at Amavida Coffee and Bakery with fresh newspaper and a cappuccino in hand in less than five minutes.  Or, leaving Abaco Rose and walking eastward on the beach, a leisurely twenty minute stroll  brings me to Camp Helen State Park and the outlet of Lake Powell, northwest Florida’s largest dune lake.

Looking over Lake Powell into the Gulf of Mexico

The village of Rosemary Beach has more to offer than just Starbucks. Aside from cutting-edge New Urbanist city planning and delightful architecture, there’s the Post Office, bike rental shop, beach chair rentals, specialty merchants, boutiques, art galleries, a day spa, architects’ offices, Regions Bank and gourmet dining.  Our family fave is Wild Olives Market/Deli/Bakery, but there are plenty of great choices for food in Rosemary Beach!

A view of homes in the Village of Rosemary Beach

But back to Nature:  the quiet stretch of sugary-white sand beach backed by sand dunes and indigenous vegetation at Camp Helen is a beach walker’s delight. Add in a mysteriously derelict structure of an old pier that stretches out into the Gulf, and the constantly shifting contours of Lake Powell, and it becomes magical. Dune lakes are very rare geological structures, appearing in the U.S. only along the Gulf coast.

Old Pier stretching out into the Gulf of Mexico

Gulf storms constantly shift the sand along the beaches, often closing off Lake Powell from the Gulf. When this occurs, the water level in Lake Powell rises from rainfall and creek inflows until it overtops the dam of sand separating it from the Gulf. At such times, Lake Powell’s water level may be as much as ten or fifteen feet above that of the Gulf. It is a sight to see when this breakthrough occurs (sometimes locals help it along by digging a small ditch across the beach)! Millions of gallons of coffee-colored lake water rush through the gap and carve an ever-widening channel across the beach. It takes a couple of hours for the surplus water to drain out of Lake Powell. This outflow creates a delta of beach sand stretching far out into the Gulf, and the brownish lake water near the mouth of the new channel creates a striking contrast with the emerald Gulf water.

At Abaco Rose, you are ideally positioned to enjoy the delights of Nature AND civilization. Abaco Rose is one of the finest Rosemary Beach vacation rentals. Learn more about Abaco Rose. Or see the rental calendar for availability.

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There’s a well-kept secret only a few longtime Emerald Coast visitors know. What’s the secret? Well, it’s that there are a few Rosemary Beach vacation rentals that have Rosemary Beach quality, but Inlet Beach prices! See, Inlet Beach is right next to the village of Rosemary Beach. And there are a few properties in Inlet Beach that match the quality and appointments of Rosemary Beach vacation rentals.

Abaco Rose, just steps away from the Village of Rosemary Beach

Abaco Rose, for example. This exquisite three-story beach home (sleeps 12) sits just forty paces outside Rosemary Beach’s east pedestrian gate. It’s about 100’ from the beach, an easy minute-and-a-half stroll.    Inside Abaco Rose, you immediately sense the quality of craftsmanship, the casual luxury that’s all around you.  From the granite countertops and maple cabinets in the fully appointed chef’s kitchen to the Brazilian cherrywood floors throughout the house to the custom stone showerstalls in each bathroom, Abaco Rose is beautiful, comfortable and functional as a truly great Rosemary Beach vacation rental home!

Abaco Rose has five generous porches, three with Gulf views. The Tower Room on the third floor has been variously described as the “party room” with wet bar; the “writer’s retreat” with writing table; or just the sleeping space all the teenagers seem to want. Many have been known to while away whole afternoons sitting on the balcony outside the Tower Room overlooking the Gulf deep in interesting conversations, catching up on beach reading, or simply – relaxing.

Oh, and the pool? Just a few steps from the back door. In the early mornings you can hear the birds singing in the natural areas around the pool.

View of the Pool from the 2nd floor balcony of Abaco Rose

In these challenging economic times, everybody is interested in good value. Abaco Rose offers a terrific Rosemary Beach rental experience at a price that is less than ¾ of a comparable rental within the Village of Rosemary Beach!

Check it out. Find out more information on Abaco Rose.  Check availability and seasonal pricing.

Abaco Rose is professionally managed by Rivard.

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