Written by: Carrie Honaker | Photos: Marc & Kendall Miller / Inga Finch Photography
On most evenings in Bayside at Ward Creek, the sidewalks fill slowly. A stroller rolls past just before sunset. Someone waves from a front porch. A dog trots alongside, leash loose, tail high. At the Miller house, that rhythm has become second nature.
Marc and Kendall Miller are in the thick of it: raising two daughters—Lainey, 2, and Isla, just eight weeks old—learning what it means to build a life that stretches beyond their front door and into the broader Watersound community. Their goldendoodle, Coati, named after a curious, long-tailed animal they spotted on their honeymoon in Mexico, tags along for nearly everything, a constant presence in a neighborhood that already feels deeply familiar.
Watching a Community Take Shape
One of the first families to close in Bayside at Ward Creek, the Millers didn’t arrive by accident. They had been watching the land for years. “We lived right down the street before this,” Marc says. “Every time we passed by, we’d see more clearing, more progress. Kendall would run by it all the time, and we kept thinking this was where we wanted to settle.”
Both Marc and Kendall grew up in King George, Virginia, but Florida had quietly been pulling them south for years. Marc’s mother moved to the state in 2008, which meant summers spent visiting and soaking up the slower, sunnier pace. Kendall’s family vacationed regularly in Destin.
We always knew we wanted to be near the beach,” Marc says. “There’s just more life happening here.”
A college scholarship tied to work at the nearby Navy base eventually anchored the couple to the area, turning what started as a practical decision into a permanent one.
Finding a Home That Fits This Season
Before Ward Creek, the Millers lived in a home built in the 1970s—full of character, but also full of projects. “I got tired of fixing things,” Marc says. “Once we were both working from home and thinking about growing our family, we needed something that made sense for where we were headed.”
Space mattered. So did proximity. Kendall works in property management with Haven Beach Rentals, overseeing vacation homes concentrated on the west end of Panama City Beach, while Marc balances his work as a realtor with RE/MAX by the Sea and his role as worship director at Redeemer 30A.
Ward Creek checked every box,” Marc says. “New construction, room to grow, and we’re 10 to 15 minutes from work, the beach, and the airport. It just made life easier.”
Everyday Life, Outdoors
In the mornings, the couple often take Lainey and Isla for a walk. They follow the sidewalks that loop through the neighborhood, often ending at the playground near the front entrance. “We’re out there almost every day,” Marc says. “Lainey loves it. There are always other kids, and it feels like everyone’s growing up together.”
Behind their house, a retention pond draws wildlife—deer in the early mornings, birds skimming the water. The neighborhood’s connection to Gayle’s Trails extends the sense of openness even further. Bike rides lead toward conservation land. Runs turn quiet beneath the trees. That access is huge for us,” Marc says. “It makes the whole place feel connected.”
Family Close at Hand
Marc’s parents, Audrey and Mike, live just two doors down, drawn to Ward Creek after deciding they wanted a home that felt more grounded, and a life closer to their grandchildren. “They used to live in Margaritaville, and it just wasn’t their style,” Marc says. “They wanted their own outdoor space. And once we knew we were having kids, being close mattered.”
That closeness shows up most clearly around the dinner table. On certain evenings, the smell of smoke drifts through the neighborhood as Mike tends the grill, slow-smoking ribs or tri-tip until the meat is tender and deeply charred. Other nights, Audrey’s spaghetti simmers on the stove, a familiar comfort that signals it’s time to gather.
We do family dinners at least once a week,” Marc says. “That time together is really important to us.”
Sundays and Shared Rhythms
Sundays anchor the week. Church is central to the Millers’ family life, shaping how they think about community and connection. “I lead worship at our church, and Sundays are the biggest thing for us,” Marc says. “We all go together, and my parents are starting to come too. It sets the tone for the rest of the week.”
Those shared moments—meals, walks, worship—have helped turn neighbors into friends and routines into rituals. As Lainey grows and Isla settles into her own rhythms, Marc and Kendall imagine their daughters moving more independently through the neighborhood, riding bikes along the trails, spending afternoons at the community pool, wandering from house to house with friends.
A Place to Put Down Roots
As a realtor, Marc knows location is everything, and Bayside at Ward Creek checks that box plus many more. “It’s close to everything. We’re five minutes from Pier Park, 10 minutes to the beach, and 10 minutes to the airport. Location-wise, it can’t get better,” Marc says.
Then there’s all the amenities like the community pool and the playground area—everything is so thoughtfully designed, and for a growing family to have this kind of space, it is a great value.”
But, for the Millers, life isn’t defined by a single feature or amenity. It’s defined by motion—walks at dusk, bikes on the trails, smoke curling from a backyard grill—and by stillness, too: newborn naps, shared meals, and the quiet comfort of knowing they’re building something lasting. In this season of small children and big hopes, Ward Creek feels less like a destination and more like a beginning.