You could be forgiven for waking up in Alys Beach and mistaking it for heaven. Sure, the water is perfect, the dunes delicious, and the weather divine, but the lasting impression is of the building design. Stunning white stucco covers practically every inch of architectural surface, with Bermudian influences and that alabaster palette that makes Santorini look as if it’s not trying hard enough. With the architecture so well planned, you can rest assured that the rest of the community is too, with some of the finest pools you’ll find in a resort community, fantastic restaurants, public art, private cabanas, a wellness center, and miles of nature trails. Alys Beach is near many other communities bristling with retail abundance, and close to acres and acres of parks both along the beach and along Powell Lake, a coastal dune lake with an astounding variety of wildlife and recreational activities.