WaterColor had a modern feel that was not at all charming like close neighbor Seaside. Overall it reminded me of the open-air Winter Park Village, a personally unappealing combination of lofts, stores, restaurants and entertainment. Fortunately we found Cerulean Park, Marina Park and the Western Lake Bridge to Cerulean Park North. Self-described by WaterColor as the heart of their community, Cerulean Park is a pleasant green space with a 340 foot long runnel canal, fountain, oval pond, flowering annuals and perennials. Running parallel to the canal is a wooden footbridge followed by a crushed-shell walking path and an open expanse of seashore paspalum grass. Continuing northeast after crossing Western Lake Drive, you enter Marina Park and its community garden demonstration areas. The densely planted area contains an impressive variety of plants and flowers specifically chosen to attract butterflies, bees and birds. Beyond the gardens is the Marina Park Amphitheatre stage, a lightly forested area and additional seashore paspalum grass meadows. Along the shore of Western Lake are the BaitHouse Restaurant and Boathouse Dock. Providing a connection over the water to Cerulean Park North and Phase 3 is the nearly 500 foot Steadfast 4-Ton Pedestrian/Light Vehicle Bridge 031770 (2003). Lining sections of the Western Lake bridge are artistic, hand-blown glass orb cattails on stainless steel tubes. I did not get to see it myself, but they are apparently illuminated at night via fiber optic fixtures.

The Thanksgiving Weekend The Conterminous Emulator | The Ardea Herodias
The Physalia Physalis Photographs  Topsail Hill Preserve State Park | Destin
Seaside & Seagrove Beach | WaterColor