by Tanya Zwahlen

​I was on vacation last week in a planner’s paradise. Rosemary Beach is located along the Gulf Coast of Florida and, in spite of the 22 hour drive, it’s one of my favorite destinations. Planning pioneers Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk provided input to the master plan in the 90s. Today, Rosemary Beach is continuing to build and become a seaside new urbanist community.

Rosemary Beach and it’s sister communities of Seaside, Alys Beach and Seacrest have everything I want in a destination: density, beautifully designed architecture, wide sidewalks, pristine and plentiful public spaces, retail, restaurants, and breathtaking beaches. These communities are  revolutionary by American standards, even in 2018 when it’s not just the planners talking about bike lanes, walkability and density.

Here’s a few photos from one of my runs.