Anyone who has set foot in Alys Beach, Florida, will likely tell you the same thing: There’s something about this place that’s difficult to capture in words. One of a string of beachfront communities along the Panhandle’s Scenic Highway 30A, the jewel-sized town is distinct among its peers, its thoughtfully designed streets beckoning and its pristine white masonry offering a brilliant contrast to the cerulean sky.
The planning of Alys Beach was indeed a carefully considered process. Nearly two decades ago, the husband-and-wife team of Marieanne Khoury-Vogt and Eric Vogt were chosen as town architects, and they have nurtured a unique community design that values walkability, shared public spaces, patches of greenery, and housing, shopping, and dining in proximity. It was the duo’s belief in this New Urbanist way of life that helped make Alys Beach one of the finest examples of the principle in the country—and an idyllic escape from the outside world. Today, the architects remain highly involved in the community, and well known among its residents, as they too call this place home.
by RACHEL HAHN
video by MIKA ALTSKAN AND MATVEY FIKS
In this Gulf Coast community, life is a coastal reverie
The Singular Wonder
of Alys Beach
Alys Beach is built for communal living, especially outdoors. Lined with fragrant rosemary, the town’s pedestrian paths are known to hold charming surprises, including grassy pocket parks, shared patios, and artful features like Turtle Bale Spring, a mesmerizing installation that uses bronze statues and water features to mimic the journey of sea turtle hatchlings to the sea. Many of these details come courtesy of the homeowners themselves; when a property is built, tradition dictates that the new residents give a gift to their street, resulting in a slew of eye-catching sculptures, fountains, and benches that help to draw folks outside. It’s no coincidence, either, that even on the warmest days, visitors remark that Alys Beach feels impossibly comfortable. The iconic white buildings help diffuse the Florida heat while casting a cool shade over the balconies, terraces, and pedestrian paths below. Like so many of the town’s characteristics, the effect falls somewhere between smart planning and magic.
For more information on ownership in Alys Beach, visit AlysBeach.com
Shop Sarah's Picks
On Amanda: Cable Knit Long Sleeve V-Neck Sweater On Joaquin: Little Boys 2T-7 Long-Sleeve Chambray Shirt, Little Boys 2T-7 Long-Sleeve Striped Waffle-Knit Henley Tee. On Abner: Custom Slim-Fit Polo Tartan Mesh Short-Sleeve Polo Shirt.
Left: On Paloma: Little Girls 2T-6X Belted Denim Shirt Dress. Right: On Amanda: Ocelot Print Pleated Fully Lined Georgette Midi Skirt On Abner (right): Cable-Knit Cotton Quarter-Zip Sweater, Men's Oslo High Leather Boot.
On Abner: Classic-Fit Plaid Oxford Long-Sleeve Woven Shirt, Varick Slim Straight Stretch Jeans. On Luna: Little Girls 2T-6X Puff Sleeve Plaid Sash Tiered A-Line Dress.
For new homeowners, Alys Beach has a range of possibilities. Residents can buy from a collection of listed properties and new offerings, including condominium residences and other pre-construction opportunities, or work with the town’s builders and architects to create a custom home (or a semi-custom build from the Somerset Home Program) that suits their needs. While the community’s residences share certain qualities—crisp white exteriors, outdoor living features, and a structural harmony—each is unique in its features and character. Throughout Alys Beach, many homes draw inspiration from Bermudian and Antiguan aesthetic traditions, especially in regards to courtyard design, while much of their detailing can evoke Greek or Moorish sensibilities. Interiors, too, contain a wide array of styles. Whether guided by the design industry pros of Alys Beach Construction or their own personal tastes, owners can dream up a space that captures their style.
What can you tell us about the new album?
Abner: For us, making albums is such a passion project. We literally make them in our house—we write the songs in our living room and record them in our office, between cleaning and feeding the kids. More than any album before, though, this one shares so much of our heart, but not always in a beautiful, easy way. We’ve had to work on our relationship and parenting and existence like never before. The album is extremely honest, which is a little intimidating.
Open to both residents and rental guests, the Caliza Pool is another gorgeous backdrop for a day in the sun. When visitors step through the gates, they are immediately transported to a luxe tropical paradise centered on a shimmering zero-entry saltwater pool. Skirting this one-hundred-foot focal point are shaded cabanas, a separate lap pool and family area, a rooftop terrace with Gulf views, and a poolside restaurant serving light bites such as seasonal salads and tacos with fresh-caught fish. Caliza is one of the community’s most impressive amenities, with accolades to prove it—in 2009, Khoury Vogt Architects won the prestigious Palladio Award for its design.
Wellness is part of the Alys Beach DNA, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the ZUMA Wellness Center, the town’s haven for movement and restoration. While ZUMA boasts a state-of-the-art gym, a vast indoor lap pool, tennis and basketball courts, and a robust schedule of yoga, TRX, strength, and other fitness classes, it’s also a retreat to be still and unwind. Two spa treatment rooms and a steam room offer unrivaled relaxation, especially when followed by a coffee or juice and a walk through ZUMA’s peaceful meditation garden. Meanwhile, on the outer edge of the community lies perhaps the most tranquil facet of all: twenty acres of preserved forest, accessed by a winding nature trail. Perfect for walking or biking, the path delivers an easy escape into nature and a quiet place to reflect.
While each home in Alys Beach is outfitted with a professional-grade kitchen, dining options abound when residents aren’t cooking at home. In the heart of town, Raw & Juicy is especially beloved for its laid-back breakfast and lunch options. With a menu of acai bowls, avocado toast, egg sandwiches, coffee, and smoothies, the cafe and its shaded patio are often bustling with neighbors on the go. Meanwhile, snagging a fresh-baked confection from Charlie's Donuts is an Alys Beach tradition—if you're lucky enough to arrive before they sell out. Parked in the heart of town, Charlie’s bright blue food truck has been making doughnuts for more than a decade, often to a crowd of eager—and early rising—patrons.
Left: On Paloma: Little Girls 2T-6X Sleeveless Plaid Taffeta Fit-And-Flare Dress, Little Girls 2T-6X Long-Sleeve Button-Front Cable Knit Cardigan. On Joaquin: Little Boys 2T-7 Long-Sleeve Button Front Plaid Poplin Shirt, Boys' Wyse Sneaker Boots (Youth). Right: On Amanda: Reversible Crocodile-Embossed Belt. Bottom: On Luna: Little Girls 2T-6X Long-Sleeve Buffalo-Check Printed Twill Shirt Dress.
What do the kids love most about the holidays?
Amanda: They love the baking aspect—there tends to be a lot of that around here. They love making gingerbread houses, and my family has a few pie recipes that we’ve been making since I was a kid. It’s always sweet potato, pumpkin, and apple pies that came from some cookbook that my mom had in the eighties. Luna is definitely our little chef. On Saturdays when Paloma is napping, she and I will bake together, and I’ve noticed she’s getting really good at it. She can practically make tortillas from scratch all on her own!
I think the kids can also sense the happiness in the air this time of year. They love the parties. Even if it’s just us, if we put on some music and change the lighting in the kitchen, our littlest will say “Party!” and start dancing. So yeah, I think we’ve raised them right (laughs).
Left: On Abner: Varick Slim-Straight Morris Dark Stretch Denim Jeans. Right: On Amanda: Sateen Point Collar Bib Long Sleeve Button Front.
In 2014, the couple moved to Charleston, South Carolina, to work for a friend’s budding restaurant venture, but when those plans fell through, they agreed they were ready to launch a project of their own. While searching for a restaurant space, a friend suggested they try the food truck route, and soon, Short Grain was born. The roving truck specialized in “untraditional” Japanese fare, serving rice bowls and karaage (Japanese fried chicken) to ever-growing crowds. To Wang and Corrie’s surprise, Short Grain was a hit not only among their neighbors, but on the national food scene. In 2017, Shuai was nominated for one of the most prestigious honors in the business: the James Beard Rising Star Chef of the Year.
While Alys Beach does boast a thriving rental program, residents—both seasonal and full-time—are the heart of the community. In 2020, the town opened its homeowner-exclusive Beach Club, a long-in-the-works facility that offers residents perhaps the most lavish beach experience in the region. With stunning Gulf views from each of the building’s three levels, the Beach Club is not only a fine perch for catching a sunset, but also an intimate gathering place. On the main level, a mirror-like infinity pool reflects a vast expanse of sky, surrounded by inviting lounge chairs and a breezy open-air restaurant that serves cocktails and casual fare. On the second floor lies another dining venue, the breathtaking Sunset Bar and Terrace, as well as an airy communal lounge with pool tables and cozy corners to catch up with friends. Complete with private beach access, luxurious locker rooms, and a discreet space for bike parking, it's easy to imagine long, languid days spent savoring the Beach Club’s amenities.
—SHUAI WANG, JACKRABBIT FILLY
...there's something about this place.
“It has that perfect balance of tangy
and thick”
“If the outside world feels unruly and hurried, Alys Beach presents the opposite:
an experience that is slow and balanced, in a rare environment where every detail is considered with care."
Just next door, the Citizen brings something entirely new to Alys Beach. A sleek, light-flooded space by day, the globally inspired restaurant comes alive at night, as residents and guests descend for craft cocktails and innovative dishes like Calabrian shrimp, black grouper with green mole, and pork belly fried rice with green apple kimchi. Also nearby is the classic seafood spot George’s, a 30A institution that folks have flocked to for years for its artful preparations of the day’s local catch. For wine, cocktails, or a stiff pour of their favorite spirit, residents are also partial to NEAT, a polished tasting room and bottle shop in the ever-growing Town Center.
At the end of the day, it’s not the stunning surroundings or immaculate amenities that make Alys Beach special. It’s the interconnectivity of it all, and the intentionality beneath the surface. If the outside world feels unruly and hurried, Alys Beach presents the opposite: an experience that is slow and balanced, in a rare environment where every detail is considered with care. It’s no surprise the community leaves so many enchanted; there may be nothing else like it.
AVAILABLE PROPERTIES
$14,300,000
This waterfront home is one of Alys Beach’s crown jewels. With sliding doors in the living room and a master bedroom that reveals an expansive vista of bright blue water, 24 Sea Venture Alley exists in a class of its own. A rare opportunity for homebuyers, this Gulf-front property was created by the renowned Khoury Vogt Architects, who won three prestigious awards for its design.
CONTACT
sales@alysbeach.com
24 Sea Venture Alley
The emerging Alys Beach Town Center continues to grow as construction begins on the Della condominiums. Designed by architects Moule & Polyzoides of Pasadena, California, the Della is largely Bermudian and Antiguan in character, also drawing on the romance of British and Venetian turn-of-the-century resorts. The Della will offer twenty total residences: four three-bedroom condominiums, five two-bedroom plus bunk condominiums, and eleven two-bedroom condominiums.
CONTACT
sales@alybeach.com
The Della Condominiums
Where Two
Traditions Meet
At Jackrabbit Filly, chef Shuai Wang celebrates his Chinese heritage by way of Southern ingredients—and a healthy dose of Duke’s mayo
Open to both residents and rental guests, the Caliza Pool is another gorgeous backdrop for a day in the sun. When visitors step through the gates, they are immediately transported to a luxe tropical paradise centered on a shimmering zero-entry saltwater pool. Skirting this one-hundred-foot focal point are shaded cabanas, a separate lap pool and family area, a rooftop terrace with Gulf views, and a poolside restaurant serving light bites such as seasonal salads and tacos with fresh-caught fish. Caliza is one of the community’s most impressive amenities, with accolades to prove it—in 2009, Khoury Vogt Architects won the prestigious Palladio Award for its design.
Wellness is part of the Alys Beach DNA, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the ZUMA Wellness Center, the town’s haven for movement and restoration. While ZUMA boasts a state-of-the-art gym, a vast indoor lap pool, tennis and basketball courts, and a robust schedule of yoga, TRX, strength, and other fitness classes, it’s also a retreat to be still and unwind. Two spa treatment rooms and a steam room offer unrivaled relaxation, especially when followed by a coffee or juice and a walk through ZUMA’s peaceful meditation garden. Meanwhile, on the outer edge of the community lies perhaps the most tranquil facet of all: twenty acres of preserved forest, accessed by a winding nature trail. Perfect for walking or biking, the path delivers an easy escape into nature and a quiet place to reflect.
While each home in Alys Beach is outfitted with a professional-grade kitchen, dining options abound when residents aren’t cooking at home. In the heart of town, Raw & Juicy is especially beloved for its laid-back breakfast and lunch options. With a menu of acai bowls, avocado toast, egg sandwiches, coffee, and smoothies, the cafe and its shaded patio are often bustling with neighbors on the go. Meanwhile, snagging a fresh-baked confection from Charlie's Donuts is an Alys Beach tradition—if you're lucky enough to arrive before they sell out. Parked in the heart of town, Charlie’s bright blue food truck has been making doughnuts for more than a decade, often to a crowd of eager—and early rising—patrons.
Open to both residents and rental guests, the Caliza Pool is another gorgeous backdrop for a day in the sun. When visitors step through the gates, they are immediately transported to a luxe tropical paradise centered on a shimmering zero-entry saltwater pool. Skirting this one-hundred-foot focal point are shaded cabanas, a separate lap pool and family area, a rooftop terrace with Gulf views, and a poolside restaurant serving light bites such as seasonal salads and tacos with fresh-caught fish. Caliza is one of the community’s most impressive amenities, with accolades to prove it—in 2009, Khoury Vogt Architects won the prestigious Palladio Award for its design.
Wellness is part of the Alys Beach DNA, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the ZUMA Wellness Center, the town’s haven for movement and restoration. While ZUMA boasts a state-of-the-art gym, a vast indoor lap pool, tennis and basketball courts, and a robust schedule of yoga, TRX, strength, and other fitness classes, it’s also a retreat to be still and unwind. Two spa treatment rooms and a steam room offer unrivaled relaxation, especially when followed by a coffee or juice and a walk through ZUMA’s peaceful meditation garden. Meanwhile, on the outer edge of the community lies perhaps the most tranquil facet of all: twenty acres of preserved forest, accessed by a winding nature trail. Perfect for walking or biking, the path delivers an easy escape into nature and a quiet place to reflect.
While each home in Alys Beach is outfitted with a professional-grade kitchen, dining options abound when residents aren’t cooking at home. In the heart of town, Raw & Juicy is especially beloved for its laid-back breakfast and lunch options. With a menu of acai bowls, avocado toast, egg sandwiches, coffee, and smoothies, the cafe and its shaded patio are often bustling with neighbors on the go. Meanwhile, snagging a fresh-baked confection from Charlie's Donuts is an Alys Beach tradition—if you're lucky enough to arrive before they sell out. Parked in the heart of town, Charlie’s bright blue food truck has been making doughnuts for more than a decade, often to a crowd of eager—and early rising—patrons.
The emerging Alys Beach Town Center continues to grow as construction begins on the Della condominiums. Designed by architects Moule & Polyzoides of Pasadena, California, the Della is largely Bermudian and Antiguan in character, also drawing on the romance of British and Venetian turn-of-the-century resorts. The Della will offer twenty total residences: four three-bedroom condominiums, five two-bedroom plus bunk condominiums, and eleven two-bedroom condominiums.
CONTACT
sales@alybeach.com
The Della Condominiums