A quiet environment blends with beach proximity in Holley
Holley’s quiet roads, shaded by oak and pine trees, sit about 9 miles north of Santa Rosa Island’s tourist beaches. Locals often spend their day fishing and boating on the East Bay, which hems the community’s south side. Though Holley doesn’t have much besides a few parks, boat slips and locally owned restaurants, this spacious setting is what attracts full-time residents and very few vacation rentals. “I wish I had bought a house in Holley,” says David Wood, the owner-broker of Pullum Real Estate Group, who lives on Santa Rosa Island. “There’s barely any traffic, and people there don’t have to deal with wild spring breakers.”
Some houses sit on the East Bay
Ranch styles, New Traditionals and bungalows line Holley’s winding roads. Docks with boat slips typically stretch behind waterfront homes. Prices range from about $230,000 to around $725,000, with larger houses and waterfront property typically on the higher end. Empty lots usually cost between $45,000 and $218,000, depending on acreage and proximity to the bay. Hurricanes and heavy rainfall put parts of the community in high-risk flood zones.
Locals enjoy boating and fishing on the East Bay
Several boat ramps sit along the East Bay, including the one off Live Oak Street. Anglers may catch red fish and black drum in the bay’s peaceful coves. “A lot of serious fishermen live here because the water is almost never crowded,” Wood says. Boaters can head southwest to reach Santa Rosa Island, home to the white sand shorelines of Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach. Crab shacks, tiki bars and Mexican restaurants line both tourist destinations. “Those places are so close that people will just take a day trip to the beach, grab a bite to eat and relax,” Wood says.
There’s a playground, an equestrian center and a wildlife refuge
Lenny James Tolbert Memorial Park has a playground, baseball diamond and pickleball courts. Horses trot around the Navarre Equestrian Center, a boarding and training facility on the community’s west side. People can see bobcats, bald eagles and tortoises at the public Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge. Several wildlife management areas known for deer and turkey are within about 20 miles north.
Local public schools get B-plus grades or higher
Santa Rosa County School District serves the community. Kids can attend prekindergarten through second grade at Holley-Navarre Primary, which Niche grades a B-plus. They may continue to Holley-Navarre Intermediate, Holley-Navarre Middle and Navarre High, all earning A-minuses. The high school offers career and college pathways in fields like the hospitality industry, aviation aerospace and construction.
Holley has a brewery and a seafood market
Holley is home to a pottery shop, a gas station and a few locally owned restaurants. Ales and IPAs are on tap at Ye Olde Brothers Brewery, which also serves pizza and barbecue sandwiches. A small green shack houses Where Y’at Seafood Market & Restaurant, where patrons can buy fresh crawfish and eat Cajun classics like po-boys and beignets. Navarre, about 8 miles north, has grocery stores like Publix and Winn-Dixie. “Just avoid getting groceries on the weekends because that’s when tourists are either starting or ending their trips, and traffic is crazy everywhere,” Wood says. The nearest hospital, Baptist Medical Park, is also in Navarre.
Traffic rarely affects Holley
Though locals often boat to the beach, Holley is car-dependent. State Route 87, which spans the community’s core, leads to Navarre and connects with other roads to reach Santa Rosa Island. The highway experiences heavy traffic, especially during spring break and summer, but that doesn’t impact Holley too much. “Tourists really have no reason to drive around Holley, so the residential streets are extremely quiet,” Wood says. The military is a major employer in the area, with Naval Air Station Whiting Field and Elgin Air Force Base less than 30 miles away. Pensacola International Airport is about 34 miles west.
