Dear NEXT TRAVELER to 30A, Florida!
Highlights/Recommendations:
1. Santa Rosa Beach
2. Rosemary Beach
3. Seaside
4. Alys Beach
5. Watercolor
6. Grayton Beach
7. Eden Gardens State Park

30A is a scenic highway that runs along the Gulf of America that stretches 24 miles between Destin & Panama City Beach and includes the coastal communities of: Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Alys Beach, Watercolor, and Grayton Beach.

You won’t find the high-rise hotels and tourist places that are common in Destin & Panama City Beach. The vibe in 30A is a slower-paced, laid-back beach vibe. There is a 19-mile paved biking trail and it’s very common to see bicycles & golf carts all along the biking trail. We have traveled to 30A as a family. I love to visit for 1/2 a day to bike and get some yummy food with my girls and I’ve taken girls beach trips there. It’s really a great location for any group.

Each community has different features and vibes but share the most beautiful gulf sand and water. Many of the communities have limited public beach areas. This interactive map shows the location of public and private beaches as well as their access points. There are only a handful of regional public access areas but some communities do have limited public use. Just pay attention to signs.

Here are some of the public beach access locations in the surrounding main 30A communities that include parking and restrooms:
Seagrove Regional Beach Access – 3910 E. Co. Hwy. 30A, Santa Rosa Beach
Santa Clara Regional Beach Access – 3468 E Scenic Hwy 30A, Santa Rosa Beach
Bets “Beachmama” Haynes Regional Beach Access – 44 Hotz Ave., Grayton Beach
Blue Mountain Regional Beach Access – 2365 S Scenic Hwy 83, Santa Rosa Beach

Santa Rosa Beach. It’s hard to choose the “best” of the 30A beaches, but if I had to, I’d pick Santa Rosa Beach. The biggest reason is the best access to the water. We love The Big Chill. It’s a hub for many food options including burgers, ice cream, and great breakfast choices. It also has great shopping. It also offers the best pricing to rent a bike. We stayed across the street from The Big Chill in an Air BnB and loved the close proximity to food, shopping and beach access.

Rosemary Beach. This is my daughter’s favorite community and it is remarkably special. It has the best shopping options, great restaurants and some of the cutest photo spots. Most everyone walks or bikes in Rosemary Beach. You can be sure to find the teenagers biking together in groups. The only negative I have with Rosemary Beach is to have access to the water, it requires you to be staying at one of the Rosemary properties. If you’re planning to stay at a property in Rosemary Beach, you’ll have access to it all.
Have to Visit: Pish Posh Patchouli’s store for clothing, skincare, gifts, and more. Rosemary Beach Trading Company to snag a famous tshirt or sweatshirt or beach souvenir. The Sugar Shack is always fun for kids or anyone with a sweet tooth. They have everything! Get a beach read at The Hidden Lantern Bookstore. There are so many more shops to explore.
Where to Eat: La Crema is our favorite restaurant. They have the best tapas (small plates), cheese & chocolate fondue. My daughter’s favorite food stop is Playa Bowls – they have one of the best acai bowls. There is a fantastic variety of restaurants.
Where to Stay: I don’t typically list places to stay just because most travelers find their own places, but this hotel is so iconic to Rosemary Beach – The Pearl Hotel. It’s located at the beach end of the main shopping street. There’s a green space park in front of the hotel just before you walk through the wooden gate to the beach. It’s stunning and although it looks European and doesn’t fit what you typically think of with Florida, its uniqueness is what makes it so special. It’s a 55-room hotel with grand turrets and terraces, black and white striped awnings, and private beach access.

Seaside. I’ve been going to Seaside since I was a teenager in the 90s. In those days, there were only a few houses and not nearly the developed community it is now. There are several shops at their town center, an amphitheater, food trucks and like Rosemary Beach, you’ll need to be staying at a Seaside property to gain access to the water. Modica Market is the one and only grocery store in the town. If you’re looking for a new beach book, be sure to visit Sundog Books. You can also visit Central Square Records for some old-school vinyl. Seaside also has a surf school – Austin Magee’s Surf School.
Have to Visit: The food trucks in Seaside, also called Airstream Row are a must visit. Some of the trucks offer barbecue, hot dogs, smoothie bowls, crepes, juices, and shaved ice. The food trucks are along the main road in town and directly in front of the town center shopping. The Seaside Style is the perfect place to buy a famous Seaside tshirt or sweatshirt.
Where to Eat: Bud & Alley’s is an iconic eatery along Highway 30A, it was the first restaurant to open in Seaside. It’s still serving up its famous crab cakes. The Great Southern Café, The Taco Bar, or the Pizza Bar. The Pizza Bar is always one of my favorites.

Alys Beach. One of the newest seaside towns along 30A, with stunning white Mediterranean & Greek stucco buildings. One of the best things to do at Alys Beach is to go for a bike ride. The northern end of Alys Beach is a 20-acre nature preserve, perfect for the best scenic bike ride.
Alys Beach has a Butterfly Garden – 23 Nonesuch Way, Alys Beach.
If you want to book a beach bonfire, Light Me Up Beach Bonfires.
Here’s an events page to keep up with events at the Alys Beach Amphitheatre – movie nights, concerts, and celebrations.
Where to eat: Fonville Press Market Café for breakfast sandwiches and pastries
Charlie’s Donuts – hot and fresh donuts, expresso bar, and ice cream served in homemade waffle cones
Where to stay: If want to stay in Alys Beach, you can book a vacation rental.

Watercolor. If you’re visiting this community, most of the beachfront is private but there are a few places you can find public access – Van Ness Butler Jr. Regional Access and Santa Clara Regional Beach Access. I love to bike through this serene community and end up at The Boathouse Paddle Club (BHPC) located on Western Lake – it has the only flat water Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP) rental location near Seaside on Highway 30A. There’s a great bridge to cross the lake and see the lily pads with beautiful lake views.

Grayton Beach. Highway 30A is home to amazing dune lakes, and a visit to Grayton Beach State Park is a must. This state park and has over 2,200 acres of trails for hiking, coastal dune lakes, white sand beaches, and the beautiful Gulf waters. You can rent a paddleboard from Reef Beach Rentals and BOTE Grayton Beach. A very unique feature at Grayton Beach is the Underwater Museum of Art. The first U.S. permanent underwater sculpture museum is located about 1 mile offshore – an artificial reef habitat for local marine life. New sculptures from artists around the world are installed each year. Dive30A provides regular visits to the dive site from Grayton Beach. If you’re interested in some fishing, you can charter from some local companies: Captain Phil’s Charters (pickup at Grayton Beach), Santa Rosa Charters, and Strictly Business Fishing Charters.
Have to visit: The Shops of Grayton is a quaint shopping area with eight colorful shops and restaurants with unique jewelry, art, gifts, and food.
The Shard Shop – Sign up for an art class using repurposed glass, shells and resin. Classes are about an hour long and are suitable for all ages. Tribe Kelley Surf Post, owned by the wife-husband duo Brittney and Brian Kelley (who makes up one-half of the country duo Florida-Georgia Line), offers clothing, jewelry, and trendy knickknacks.
Where to eat: Papa Surf Burger Bar – Country music stars Brian Kelley and Jason Aldean, along with their wives, recently opened this burger joint – 4324 W County Hwy 30A, Santa Rosa Beach
Blue Mountain Beach Creamery – is a new and old-school sweets along with an ice cream parlor.
Grayton Seafood Co., has a mixture of seafood dishes, gumbo, fried green tomatoes, and New Orleans Praline Bread Pudding for dessert.

Eden Gardens State Park. If you reach a point that you need to see more trees and less water, be sure to take a quick drive to Eden Gardens State Park. I’ve been visiting this state park since I was a little girl. It’s 163 acres of land that were part of the historic Wesley homestead. At the center of the park is a beautifully renovated 1897 mansion complete with elegant white columns and a wrap-around porch surrounded by moss-draped live oaks. It’s a stunning place and a well-known location for wedding photos. This is also a great location for a shaded picnic.

30A if full of amazing coastal communities. Rent a bike at The Big Chill and enjoy the day beach community hopping. Just pick a 30A community to start but be sure to visit them all. Finish the day at a Walton County beach. Sounds like a perfect day to me.