Watercolor Inn (34 Goldenrod Circle, Santa Rosa Beach, FL; www.watercolorinn.com; 866.426.2656) is likely the best accommodation for couples looking for privacy and easy access to the beach, though there are several lodging options throughout the resort. For additional information on the entirety of Watercolor, visit www.watercolorvacations.com.

Where to Eat
There are a number of restaurants within the Watercolor property, including the Gathering Spot, positioned off the inn's lobby, which offers sushi and a full raw bar as well as cocktails and a great breakfast buffet. Fish Out of Water is a higher-end restaurant on the second story that overlooks the ocean, with an inventive menu that, naturally, boasts lots of seafood. The casual Beach Club is perfect for when the weather is mild and inviting. On the north side of 30A opposite the inn, the French bistro Fabrice serves fantastic pastries, coffee, and reasonably priced fare more at home in some Parisian café than the Florida panhandle. In Seaside, try Bud and Alley's. Downstairs you'll find a convivial restaurant with huge portions of well-prepared American cuisine, while upstairs boats a full bar that can get rowdy during the summer months—or whenever a wedding is in town (which is often).

Kayaking
To arrange for guided kayak tours on the lakes, rivers, or on the coast, contact Blue Sky Kayak Tours (blueskykayak.com; 850.368.3155). The skilled staff are all trained naturalists and can cater each outing to your particular interests and skill set. Two-hour tours average $50, and three- to four-hour tours like the Peach Creek Loop, which explores secluded backwaters including Tucker Bayou and Eden State Gardens, run $75.

Saltwater Fly-Fishing
If you think to know freshwater fly-fishing is to know the sport, think again. Unlike your typical Rocky Mountain river, fly-fishing on saltwater is decidedly an active affair. You don't drop the fly and let it drift, patiently waiting for the fish to hit it; you strike at your target by executing a few false casts to get the fly to drop as far as 80 feet away. Of course, getting the fly into position is only half the equation—to set the hook, rather than pulling up on the reel like you would in fresh water, you yank on the line to land your prize. To the uninitiated, saltwater fly-casting can be a frustrating endeavor, so to get the best of your time on the water, enroll in one of the resort's saltwater fly-fishing courses. You'll learn the basics of the sport and the skills needed to make the most of your outing.

Once you've gained some confidence, one of the sport's best-kept secrets is at your disposal. The salt flats and surf generate all variety of fish, including red ash, speckled trout, and cobia in the spring. But the biggest lure is undeniably the adult tarpon, which migrate to the region each summer in weights from 80 to 180 pounds.

The Orvis-certified Old Florida Outfitters based at Watercolor runs four-, six-, and eight-hour guided excursions on flat-bottom boats that can navigate through waters as shallow as four inches. Client-to-guide ratio taps out at two-to-one, and—more importantly—the guides possess an uncanny skill in spotting your future figurative prey. Call 850.534.4343 for rates and additional info.