Beaches to Woodlands Tour to celebrate diversity of Santa Rosa County

Find all about the many sites within the county for canoeing and kayaking by looking for the butterfly designator that marks the most popular sites on the tour. Move over Octoberfest, Santa Rosa County is celebrating a month-long tradition of its own. Held every weekend in October, the region's Beaches to Woodlands Tour encourages residents and tourists alike to explore firsthand the unique historical, cultural, and natural destinations situated within one county.

In its third year, this self-guided tour invites people to experience activities that represent the heart and soul of Santa Rosa County from coastal encounters to farming demonstrations to antiquing to hiking expeditions.

Perhaps what visitors enjoy most about the Beaches to Woodlands Tour, however, is that it provides an opportunity for them to mingle among the locals, to be one of them. It's about fun, fellowship, diversity, and southern hospitality. And, it's whatever people want it to be.

The backdrop of events includes sugar-white beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, vast farmlands of cotton and peanuts, historic communities and charming towns, and lush forests and winding streams.

Exploring unique destinations like the Bull Bash at the Farmers Opry, left, reveals a little-known side of Santa Rosa County. And how about a bike ride through Century, above? A sampling of events scheduled for this October's Beaches to Woodlands Tour include:

Navarre Beach Fall Beach Bash and Coastal Encounters

Jay Peanut Festival

Munson Community Heritage Festival

Art Night on Navarre Beach Bagdad Village Market Day and Historic Walking Tour

Gulf Coast Kiln Walk Tour and Demonstration

This event is free and open to the public. For a full list of events, tourist information, or help customizing your Beaches to Woodlands Tour, please visit www.beaches-rivers.com or call 850.939.2691 or 800.480.SAND (7263) and request a Beaches to Woodlands brochure.

In conjunction with the 'Beaches to Woodlands Tour, Santa Rosa County has introduced a new mascot, Randy the Butterfly. Randy the Butterfly symbolizes 'Beauty & Rebirth,' especially appropriate as the county enjoys a Hurricane-free year after the past two challenging seasons.

Also coined the "Official Tour Guide of Santa Rosa County," Randy recently emerged from his cocoon and was released from the Panhandle Butterfly House to explore and promote the natural, historical, and cultural treasures found along the Beaches to Rivers of Santa Rosa.

Randy the Butterfly, symbolizing this region's beauty and rebirth, will hover high and low seeking out and shedding light on every nook and cranny of Santa Rosa County. This animated guide, who already knows and loves this area inside and out, is charged with inviting residents and tourists alike to view this area from his vantage point.

As part of a unique marketing campaign, Randy the Butterfly will paint the big picture of Navarre Beach, Blackwater River State Forest, and Historic Milton reinforcing their beauty. from his cocoon; he is ready to spread his wings and the word about his beloved home, the Beaches to Rivers of Santa Rosa. He encourages others to share his journey, look beyond the obvious, and gain an even deeper appreciation for and understanding of Navarre Beach, Blackwater River State Forest, and Historic Milton. Ultimately, he will communicate why, even though he could fly anywhere, he would never ever leave the Beaches to

Rivers of Santa Rosa.