ROSEMARY BEACH, Fla. -- In the beach version of bocce, it's a good idea to close your eyes when you toss the ball. Whether the sand's wet or dry, it's certain to flick off the ball and into your eyes, possibly throwing off your game.

"We're addicted to bocce," said Ken Gifford, a resident of Rosemary Beach. "Lawn, sand and extreme. In extreme, it's anywhere you want to throw it. Anything in the street is fair game, except through someone's window."

So here we are, playing a sunset game of beach bocce as the surf tries to bury our target -- a little yellow wooden ball called a pallino -- in the sand. This is the place where a bocce tournament is front-page news in the "Rosemary Thymes."

Yes, it's that laid back here, but that was the plan. Here's a look at the community's brief history and things to do in-between bocce breaks.

Rosemary Beach was created in 1995 on Florida's gulf coast, between Destin and Panama City on Scenic Route 30A. One cachet is that it has a ZIP code -- 32461 -- that Google recognizes as neighboring, Sunnyside.

On beachfront property that was about to become a trailer park, Patrick Bienvenue and the Rosemary Beach Land Co. bought the 107 acres with another plan in mind, said Gifford, who is also vice president and managing director of Rosemary Beach Cottage Rental Co. The inspiration for it came from classic beach towns, such as Seaside. Many may know Seaside as the set of "The Truman Show," with its new urbanist style of cookie-cutter beach homes and uniformity.

But the town named for the rosemary herb growing wild in the sandy paths gave the look a new twist.

"Here the colors of the homes are natural colors, the landscaping is indigenous to the area," Gifford said. "And there are no palm trees brought in. They weren't indigneous to this area."

The look of the homes in Rosemary Beach brings to mind architecture you would see in New Orleans, St. Augustine, Charleston, S.C., and the West Indies. The natural colors of chocolate, dune gray, Spanish moss, sage green, pecan, fall straw and Atlantic spray are what you'll see on the homes. Deep eaves provide shade from the afternoon sun. High ceilings draw breezes through houses. The homes are close together and streets are narrow. This encourages visitors to park the car and walk. It's pedestrian friendly, meaning it's flat and virtually nothing's more than a five-minute walk.

Nearly 570 homes have been completed, and the community has 206 rental cottages and carriage houses. This fall, Hotel Saba, located in the town center, is set to open with 53 guestrooms.

VALUE SOUVENIR TRIPLE THREAT

In answer to the "What did you buy on your trip?" question, I kept it under $100 with these three terrific finds.

• Cool jewels: Delicate drop earrings (right) made of sterling silver by Priscilla Duffy, $25. Bought at Moonpize.

• Peace, man: A paisley peace short-sleeved T-shirt (below) the color of orange sherbet, $27.50. The words "Rosemary Beach" create the shape of a peace sign. Bought at the Rosemary Beach Trading Co. 1-850-231-2410

• MVPurse: This is hands-down the best buy I've made all year. This handbag (right), made of soft leather circles, is beyond eye-catching and comes in mustard, black, brown, metallic and white, $45. Also bought at Moonpize, where you get a Moon Pie with the purchase of shoes. 1-850-231-1930

Other retail therapy options:

• Pish Posh Patchoulis: Skin, body and hair products. www.patchoulis.com

• Willow: Contemporary designer clothing for women. 1-850-231-0433

• GiGi's Clothing & Toys: A place to celebrate your child's individual creativity. www.gigisfabkids.com

• Dune: Island-themed clothing. 1-850-231-3602

• Solace Day Spa: Massage, skin care and Aveda products. www.solacedayspa.net

EAT AND RIDE

It doesn't get much better than riding a bicycle and eating a butter pecan ice cream cone, at the same time. This is a great way to learn your way around the town. The Bamboo Beach & Bicycle Co. rents bikes for all ages; rates average $20 a day for an adult bike rental. And the Sugar Shak can supply you with a cone or a malt, candy or real sugar cane stalks for natural snacking.

After the ice cream, burn it off by taking an eight-mile ride to Deer Lake State Park. It's worth it to see a rare coastal dune lake. It is an estuary, allowing salt water and fresh water to continually exchange and flush out the lakes, creating some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. They are characterized by the intermittent nature of this connection to the Gulf. When the water level, through rain or other inflow, reaches a certain critical height, the lake will "blow out" and release its water into the gulf. At that point, seawater may enter to create an estuary.

A boardwalk across the dunes to the beach has native plants, including scrub oaks and spoonflower.

MORE DELIBERATE MODE

Another way to see the town is by walking the 2.3-mile landscaped trail that is both a sand path and boardwalk. It has four fitness stations and winds past homes, four public pools and common green spaces. Take a rest stop at the Butterfly Park, which includes a guide to the 15 kinds of butterflies found in Rosemary Beach and what they eat. Cabbage whites, monarchs, long-tailed skippers and zebra swallowtails are some of the butterflies flitting around dining on nectar from herbs, honeysuckle fuchsia and purple pincushions.

PLACES TO DINE

• Wild Olive: It's a market, bakery and deli with a lunch menu and a small plates tapas menu for afternoon and early evening snacks. Try the fried green tomato BLT ($7.95). 1-850-231-0065

• Summer Kitchen: Beach casual spot for breakfast, lunch or dinner for the family. Established in 1999, this was the first restaurant opened in Rosemary Beach. The Arnold Palmers (half lemonade, half tea) flow freely here. Owner-chef James Dillon's menu includes pastas, sandwiches, pizzas and salads. Try the black bean and rice roll-up ($6). 1-850-231-6264

• Cowgirl Kitchen: Where beach meets West. It's a little bit of Texas in Rosemary Beach. Where else can you have a Mexican or veggie taco, or a mini-Belgian waffle for breakfast? And the soup of the day? "Whatever mama feels like making" is what the sign says. www.cowgirlkitchen.net

• Cafe Thirty-A: If you must drive somewhere for dinner, this is where you should go. Named for the scenic Florida highway, this is a white tablecloth restaurant with a menu that includes fresh fish from the gulf as well as wood-oven-fired pizzas. www.cafethirtya.com

IF YOU GO:

Rosemary Beach Cottage rental: Carriage houses for two to four people range from $155 to $310 per night; cottages for up to 20 people range in price from $250 to $1,500 per night. Call 1-888-855-1551, visit www.rosemarybeach.com or e-mail rentalsrosemarybeach.com

The Pensione Bed and Breakfast: A European style, eight-room B&B with great views of the Gulf, located in the town center. Call 1-888-855-1551.

Hotel Saba: The 53-room hotel is set to open this fall. Visit www.thehotelsaba.com.