THE CHALLENGE

South Walton boasts 26 miles of sugar-white sand and beautiful blue water along the Florida coast. Due to laws changing in regards to public vs private beaches, locals and tourists alike found themselves struggling to understand what beaches were available to them for use. When designing the South Walton Beach Map, the goal was to create a seamless way for users to find beach access points and amenities.

THE PROCESS

To understand the issue at hand, I worked with Walton County’s tourism department and our Account Strategists to delineate how public and private beaches differed, what amenities were being offered at these beaches that tourists needed information on, and how people were currently accessing this information. It became clear that tourists needed and all-in-one resource to help them navigate the beaches in the county.

THE RESULT

I created an interactive Beach Access Map that allows users to enter in their address and quickly see which access points fit their needs. The map is color coded to display restricted, private, and public beaches while custom icons convey certain access point amenities. A clear and concise map legend below eliminates any navigational confusion on the map. Clicking on any icon within the map provides fully detailed description of the access point, and a 360 degree virtual reality view shows users exactly how each location looks. The design is also scalable and seamless across all platforms, ensuring users can access from their phone, tablet, or computer.

The final result is a tool that helps the community and its thriving tourism sector. Read the accompanying news article here.