Rosemary Beach is One of Panama City's Newer Communities

A young, urban beach community situated at the eastern end of Scenic Route 30A between Panama City and Destin, Florida, Rosemary Beach was established in the mid 1990s. The town was the brainchild of the Rosemary Beach Land Company and its president Patrick Bienvenue and is best described as a neo-classical beach town.

The town of Rosemary Beach sits on 107 acres and is fronted by the Gulf of Mexico. Its creators designed it around the principals of "community, neighborhood, and convenience'' - place where residents could both live and work.

This traditional town was created by Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, FAIA, and was designed as a contrast to suburban areas where residents are largely dependent on their automobiles to get around from place to place, even within their own community. In Rosemary Beach, the town was laid out so that residents and visitors could take advantage of an extensive network of foot paths and boardwalks to get around the community. Most of the neighborhoods within the town are connected by pedestrian walkways and those same paths lead to the community's amenities, such as the town square - featuring shops, markets, banks, and more, the community swimming pool and tennis courts, and the pristine beach. The town was designed so that everything could be reached on foot in five minutes of less. Cars are restricted to the alley ways that are located behind the community's homes.

Unlike some planned communities, the homes found in Rosemary Beach are of a variety of styles. Original owners had the opportunity to choose from 12 different architectural plans. However, these homes are not carbon copies of each other but, rather, each of them was designed to include custom touches according to the owner's preferences and lifestyle needs. Homes were constructed of materials that matched the beach atmosphere of the town and would be able to withstand the sometimes harsh beach environment. Houses are finished in natural tones with wood siding or stucco finishes and attractive shake roofs. Porches and courtyards are common amenities in Rosemary Beach homes.

Throughout the community, residents can take advantage of common green areas. These parks include areas for relaxing, picnics, and play. Many include fountains, shaded seating areas, arbors, and places for outdoor concerts.

In addition, the creators of Rosemary Beach included plans for a Butterfly Garden, located in the northwest corner of the community. A wooden walkway leads through lush tropical plantings where butterflies of many varieties gather. The community also boasts a 2.3 mile fitness trail which includes four fitness stations and equipment for strength training and stretching.

Dune walkovers protect the fragile dune system near Rosemary Beach and provide residents easy and safe access to the beach and the Gulf of Mexico.