CAMP CREEK INN IS A HIDDEN COASTAL ESCAPE
Story and photos by Terri Guthrie, with select photos by Ron Guthrie and
Joe Cantos
ON BIG BLEND RADIO: Travel writer Terri Guthrie shares her experience and the unique and beautiful Camp Creek Inn in Florida’s Panhandle. Watch here in the YouTube player or download the episode on Podbean.
Imagine a luxurious escape, a hidden coastal sanctuary that’s very charming yet sophisticated. Could there be such a place? There is, and it’s Watersound Club’s Camp Creek Inn on the 30A corridor in the Florida Panhandle.
Camp Creek Inn is a realm of exclusivity. Passing through the ‘members-only’ gate, I was immediately enveloped in an aura of laid-back luxury. The attentive staff, who knew us by name, welcomed us with a refreshing prosecco and a wealth of information about our stay. It was evident that this place provided upscale comfort and first-class amenities
Camp Creek Inn, opened in 2023, is a 75-room luxury boutique hotel that evokes thoughts of a sprawling elite country club. The attention to detail in the staff, grounds, landscaping, architecture, and decor is Southern, intentional, timeless, and inviting.
The rooms are spacious, and the suites are large. Our room had a big balcony that overlooked the expansive Watersound Club property. One of the biggest hits for our family was the “Treat Suite.” It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen and surely will be a favorite stop for any guest staying at Camp Creek Inn. Not your standard coffee carafes with a bowl of apples nearby. On each floor, the Treat Suite has a fancy coffee machine, cold drinks, snacks galore, and even ice cream, all free of charge, 24 hours a day. This is taking luxury to a whole new level, and my family loved it. In fact, it became a daily habit to drop by the Treat Suite when we were coming or going from our daily activities. What a nice touch and genius idea!
What truly sets Camp Creek Inn apart is the ‘Members for a Stay’ experience, a privilege that grants guests all the exclusive benefits of the Watersound Club Membership. This includes access to the wellness center, tennis and pickleball courts, sprawling pool complex, and private dining venues. The choices are endless: you can plan your next tee time at any of the top-rated Camp Creek Golf Courses, relax at the area’s natural sugar sand beaches with crystal clear azure waters at Watersound’s private Beach Club on the Gulf of Mexico, or reinvigorate your mind and body at one of the many daily group fitness classes. I tried several classes, including the Aqua Board Yoga.
What’s incredible is that their multitude of fantastic amenities are all onsite, except the Watersound Beach Club, which is just a short ride away which they provide. While staying at Camp Creek Inn, put away your car keys. You do not have to drive or be stuck in frustrating traffic because anything you want or need is an easy walk on the Watersound Club property. Escaping the typical hustle and bustle of the typically busy and overcrowded beach resorts was refreshing.
Guests are invited to use the 11,000-square-foot state-of-the-art wellness center with various fitness classes, cardio and weight training machines, and fully outfitted locker rooms with saunas and steam rooms. This wellness center is huge and very impressive. Or spend the day on the courts playing tennis and pickleball at the eight Har-Tru clay tennis courts and eight pickleball courts with a dedicated pro shop and pro instructors. The Watersound Club is truly multigenerational. They even have a basketball court, an open sports field, and a large playground for kids of all ages.
Steps from Camp Creek Inn’s front doors is an expansive pool complex with a resort-style pool with a waterslide and lazy river, a zero-entry activity pool, and an adults-only lap pool and hot tub. The complex is surrounded by swaying palm trees, private cabanas, countless lounge chairs, umbrellas, and towel service. This is all included in your ‘Member for a Stay.’
There are several onsite dining options: ANR is on the first floor of Camp Creek Inn. It’s named in honor of the region and the Apalachicola Northern Railroad. The culinary team has curated the menu to encompass culinary flavors inspired by popular Deep South towns and cities. The restaurant and bar ‘1936’ are named after the founding year of the St. Joe Company (the parent company). Just off the Inn’s lobby, this warm and comfortable bar is an ideal meeting spot after golf. It’s the perfect place for a lighter meal and happy hour. Bark ‘N Brine is situated poolside. It’s a casual café and bar with indoor and outdoor seating. The menu offers health-conscious twists on Southern smokehouse fare and casual comfort food. We thought it was perfect for lunch by the pool.
The Watersound Club is a golfer’s dream. You can tee off at one of the award-winning championship golf courses here. This exciting privilege is only allowed to Watersound Club Members and Inn guests. It’s incredible to view many of the rare coastal dune lakes while playing at Shark’s Tooth and Camp Creek golf courses, and soon, a third course called The Third will be offered. The Camp Creek Golf Course also features a state-of-the-art Golf Performance Center that offers private lessons and clinics from expert instructors with practice facilities. Our grandsons loved this and got excellent instruction from Golf Pro Ben Blalock.
The cherry on top is the Beach Club. Just a short drive from Camp Creek Inn is the Watersound Beach Club, with over one mile of a private, pristine beach. Additional amenities for Camp Creek Inn guests include two beachfront resort-style pools, a lazy river, casual bars, and dining venues. When entering the beach, we enjoyed being greeted and escorted to our complimentary chairs with umbrella setups and towel service. Now that’s luxury!
Camp Creek Inn is in South Walton County between Panama City Beach and Destin on 30A. The area has two major airports. The Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport is approximately one hour away. I prefer the larger Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. It is located just 28 minutes to the east and typically has less traffic to and from the airport.
We loved our pampered private escape and experience at Camp Creek Inn. The pristine beach, spacious skies, tall pines, dune lakes, countless activities, luxury amenities, and upscale accommodations in this hidden sanctuary make for a most memorable and unique beach vacation.
Plan your visit: https://www.campcreekinn.com/
Terri Guthrie is a travel journalist based in Dallas, Texas. Her syndicated work appears in numerous publications across North America and beyond. She is formerly a broadcast news director for WFTW Vacationland Broadcasting and a radio announcer for Florida’s AP Network News. Her husband, Ron, a retired USAF Fighter Pilot and Commercial International Airline Pilot, globe-trots with Terri as her assistant and videographer. Having visited 50+ countries across all six continents, Terri’s travels focus on cultural immersion, local gastronomy, unique activities, and incredible journeys. She is obsessed with our national parks, historic hotels and photography. Terri avidly promotes responsible travel experiences. Visit https://travelwithterri.net/
