Choose to take your last minute vacation to South Walton this weekend as one of the most anticipated events of the year kicks off on Friday, January 13, 2012 – the 30A Songwriter’s Festival!

This three day festival takes place along Scenic Highway 30A at some of your favorite venues including Gulf Place in Santa Rosa Beach, Bud & Alley’s Restaurant in Seaside and Shorty’s in Grayton Beach. The 30A Songwriter’s Festival officially kicks off at 4PM on Friday and continues all day long Saturday and Sunday. Get your tickets and check the schedule to catch your favorite performers including The Bangles, Joan Osbourne, John Driskell Hopkins of the Zac Brown Band and Amy Ray of Indigo Girls, to name just a very few.

Enjoy a fabulous vacation in a South Walton rental along with a tremendous musical festival on the beautiful Gulf Coast beaches this weekend and see 30A in its true, electic element!

Are you an avid runner? Test your skills this weekend during your vacation in Pensacola Beach! Join us for the Pensacola Beach run on January 14, 2012 at 7:30AM.

The Pensacola Beach run is a pick-your-distance run so all are encouraged to come out and give it their all. There will be a half-marathon course in addition to a 10K and 5K option; simply decide which turn and distance is right for you. After you register, packet pick up will be from 4PM-8PM at the EXPO at The Grand Marlin, an event serious runners don’t want to miss. Can’t make it Friday, pick up your race packet at 7:30AM near the course start at Casino Beach.

Hang out after the race at The Sandshaker. The post-race party will include awards as well as a mini-expo for those looking to commemorate their race experience. Pack your running shoes and we’ll see you along one of the most beautiful courses you’ll find anywhere, the beaches of Northwest Florida!

Our Southern snowbirds should make plans now to attend the 2012 Winter Guest Fest, formerly the Snowbird Expo, on January 13, 2012. This event is the only and largest area tradeshow geered specifically to our winter guest staying here on the Gulf Coast in our vacation rentals.

The event will take place at the Emerald Coast Convention Center. Whether you’re staying in a Fort Walton Beach condo, Destin vacation rental or even further out along our Northwest Florida beaches, this event is well worth the drive in. Admission is only $1 and the tradeshow will take place from 8AM to 12PM. Enjoy fun, food and entertainment as you walk around to each area vendor. Collect free goodies and learn about all the exciting attractions, discounts and area dining available to you, our winter guests, while you’re staying with us here in Florida.

Be sure to stop by and meet the Southern team, as well! We’ll be out with free goodies to give away and are eager to meet each of our past, current and, hopefully, future winter guests. See you at the Winter Guest Fest!

Are you a history buff? If so, you don’t want to miss out on a visit to Fort Barrancas during your next vacation in Pensacola Beach or stay in a Perdido Key condo!

Fort Barrancas was established in 1787. In addition to playing a key role during the Civil War, it was also the site of the Battle of Pensacola which took place during the War of 1812. Pensacola Beach is such a historic area, making it the perfect place to not only relax with your family but also a great way to mix in a little education during your Gulf Coast getaway!

This winter the fort is opening on select dates for candlelight tours. Groups of 30 will leave every 15 minutes, beginning at 5PM, to take a tour of select sites throughout the fort and hear stories of the Civil War from costumed interpreters. While the tour is by candlelight, flashlights are welcome. Reservations are recommended, please call 850.455.5167 for additional details.

With the new year also comes a new season and we’re so thrilled to welcome many of our snowbirds back to the Gulf Coast this January! We hope you’ve had a wonderful trip down south, are settling into your Northwest Florida vacation condos well and are ready to enjoy the beach once again.

While we’re sure you plan to enjoy our great local seafood, plenty of time on the golf course and, naturally, walking along the beach, but don’t forget about the many area activities going on just for you! Beach communities such as Perdido Key, Fort Walton Beach, South Walton and Panama City Beach offer ‘Snowbird Clubs’. These clubs organize local events, such as cooking challenges and weekly dances, offer discounts to many of the town’s best attractions and offer trips and activities around town. Sign up to attend meetings, make new friends, and explore the Gulf Coast!

Southern also offers Snowbird socials at each of our offices during this time. Enjoy food and refreshments, and possibly prizes! Also, visit out official Snowbirds section of our website to see our latest deals just for you, such as golf at the Emerald Bay Club in Destin. Play 18 holes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for just $40.00 with your Southern confirmation! Keep checking our Snowbirds page and event calendar for the latest news and activities and we hope you enjoy your sweet Southern winter getaway.

The Southern Management Group is proud to sponsor the GoSouthern.com Classic basketball tournament this week at Fort Walton Beach High School! Local and out-of-state talent from around the Southeast began competing Tuesday for the GoSouthern.com top honors.

Southern Management Group has been a proud sponsor of the tournament since 1998, however, have renamed it the GoSouthern.com Classic just this year and are proud to support the Fort Walton Beach Vikings and Coach Lavin. Sixteen teams are competing in this tournament, eight girls and eight boys teams. Local high school competitors include boys and girls teams from Fort Walton Beach High School and Choctawhatchee High School while South Walton’s girls team is competing. Out of state competitors include teams from Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Fast action and aggressive play certainly make the travel worth it to each team and an exciting event for spectators!

Ready. Set. GoSouthern.com!

Will you be ringing in the new year on the serene shores of the ‘Lost Key’? Well, get ready for an out of this world party at the Flora-Bama Lounge during your Perdido Key vacation!

Welcome 2012 in true Southern style with a party at this favorite local watering hole! ‘Delve into ’12′ this New Year’s Eve at the Flora-Bama beginning at 7PM. The evening will kick-off with a delicious buffet dinner before the live music starts and the real party begins. Party favors and champagne will be on-hand for the celebration at midnight before a celebratory breakfast is served to end the night.

The fun at the Flora-Bama isn’t over when the clock strikes 12AM for 2012, however. Get some sleep back in your Perdido Key vacation condo and then head back out for the annual Polar Bear Dip at 12PM. Enjoy a brisk, refreshing plunge in the Gulf of Mexico with locals and visitors to our area before racing back to shore and warming up with a heaping bowl of black-eyed peas, a southern tradition sure to bring you luck and prosperity in the new year!

Planning on staying in your Destin vacation rental through the new year? Hit the number one party on the harbor when you celebrate at Harborwalk Village this New Year’s Eve!

Head to Harborwalk Village at the foot of the Destin Bridge early in the evening to enjoy a delicious dinner at the Crazy Lobster or local favorite Harry T’s before the street party begins at 7PM. Grab a beverage and wander the village as you listen to great live music on the Village Stage. Be sure you don’t miss the Jim Beam Emerging Artist, The Andy Velo Band, when they take the stage!

Step outside at midnight to witness a fireworks show you won’t soon forget as the the sky over the Destin harbor lights up at midnight, just after the ball drops over the Destin Harbor and the new year is officially started! The Harborwalk Village Street Party is free to the public and last until 2AM. Have fun, be safe and Happy New Year!

If you’ll be staying with us in a South Walton vacation rental or Destin condo this New Year’s Eve, you’re in for some of the best Gulf Coast parties of the year! Make your way to these family-friendly celebrations to ring in the new year right.

In South Walton there will be parties lining the beach but we personally recommend checking out the celebrations happening in Baytowne Wharf and Seaside, Florida. In Baytowne, grab a great meal before swaying to the sounds of the live music playing throughout the night. Make sure you have a lagoon view at midnight as they set off their biggest fireworks show of the year! If you’re interested in fireworks over the beach, Seaside is the place to be. The community will come alive at 7PM and feature entertainment in the streets all evening before the  biggest fireworks show over the Gulf of Mexico available in South Walton at midnight.

If you will be takingyour vacation in Destin or Fort Walton Beach, head to Harborwalk Village for your celebrations! In addition to having a great meal, you’ll also be in for live entertainment and a magnificent ball drop over the harbor with, of course, fireworks over the Gulf. Choose from these or any of the great New Year’s Eve parties happening on the Gulf Coast and welcome 2012 right!

If you’ll be staying in your Panama City Beach vacation rental through New Year’s Eve, you are in for a treat. You won’t have any trouble finding a place to ring in the year new. In fact, choosing which incredible party to attend may be the most difficult part!

Will you have little ones in tow for your big night out? No problem! Head to Pier Park for a fun-filled time with the family. Plenty of events, including live music and a special 8PM ball drop, will help keep you awake till midnight when the giant, 800 pound beach ball falls to welcome in 2012! Now, if you’re interested in a romantic welcome to the new year with your sweetheart, you may want to skip the parties all together and climb abroad the Lady Anderson Dining Yacht for dinner and dancing instead.

If you’re just looking for a good party to hit with friends, here’s where your choices get numerous. Just about anywhere you travel down the beach will be hosting a celebration but may we recommend you Rock In The New Year at Schooners Beach Club or the Party Of The Century at Spinnacker on Thomas Drive. And, if you think NYE is so nice you’d like to celebrate it twice, head to The Breakers to celebrate the British and American New Year and party all night long. Whatever you choose, we hope you have a happy and safe New Year’s in Panama City Beach, Florida!