30A is the name
of a strip of highway in the panhandle of Florida that runs along the Gulf of
Mexico between Panama City Beach, FL and Destin, FL. It’s made up of several little beach towns
that are only a few miles apart, and each beach town offers a very different, unique
vibe. Since the towns are so close
together, you can easily walk, bike, or drive through all of them multiple
times per day, so you can have a different experience every day of your trip.
With its white
sandy beaches and clear emerald water, the 30A area is a little slice of
paradise right here in the United States.
Since I was raised in Georgia, I’ve been vacationing in the Gulf of
Mexico for most of my life as it’s only a short drive from our house, and it’s
one of my favorite places on earth.
We vacation
there every single year, sometimes multiple times per year, and it’s always one
of my very favorite weeks! I have been
asked for 30A recommendations countless times over the years, so I thought I’d
put together a post with all of our favorite things to do, places to eat, and
places to stay in 30A.
Where
to Stay
The most
frequent question that I’m asked about 30A is, “Where do you stay?” 30A is smaller and more private than most
typical beach areas, so it’s comprised of houses and smaller condos rather than
large hotels and skyrise condos. That
does make accommodations harder to find, but there are a variety of websites
that you can use to find and book the perfect place to suit your needs. The websites we use to book our condos are as
follows:
VRBO
AirBNB
Panhandle Getaways
Garrett Realty
There are
rentals available in all of the beach towns, but we love to stay in the Santa
Rosa area because it’s central to all of the beaches and it tends to be a
little more affordable than some of the premiere areas like Rosemary Beach and
Alys Beach. We always book a rental
directly on the beach because we like the convenience and the ambiance of
having the ocean in our “back yard,” but the beachfront properties are typically
pricier than those that are off the beach.
A few reasons
we prefer to stay directly on the beach are as follows. For starters, it’s so convenient to be able
to step directly on the sand from our room.
We don’t have to worry about biking or driving and finding a place to park,
and it’s much easier to haul all of our stuff down there. Second of all, we don’t have to use public
beach access… public beach access isn’t ample in 30A so it tends to get very
crowded during peak season. And third of
all, we love to have the sweeping views of the ocean from our condo… there’s nothing
like waking up and stepping out on your balcony to that view!
That said, it
really just boils down to your preferences.
We know plenty of people who actually prefer to stay off of the beach in
one of the quaint little homes rather than stay in a condo on the beach. You really can’t go wrong anywhere in 30A!
Condo and house
rentals book months in advance for peak season (June – August), so it’s wise to
book your summer trips at least six months in advance. We have never stayed in the same unit more
than once, but we do have a favorite condo complex that we’ve stayed in
numerous times. We’ve loved some units more
than others, but we’ve never had a bad experience anywhere.
Now for the fun
part… the dining options and things to do!
I’m going to break these down by beach since each beach has a different
vibe… and remember, these are my personal recommendations for places we’ve
actually eaten and activities we’ve actually done!
Inlet
Beach
Inlet Beach is
the first beach on 30A furthest east, and it is the beach that is closest to
Panama City Beach. Panama City Beach
isn’t part of 30A, but it’s only a short drive from the 30A area and it offers many
typical beachy, touristy things to do.
More on that later…
Inlet Beach is
tiny and doesn’t necessarily have a specific vibe, but it’s important because
it’s home to two of our favorite breakfast places, and it’s also the location
of the closest urgent care facility.
It’s always important to know where those are when you travel! Here are a couple of places we love in Inlet Beach…
The Donut
Hole – The Donut Hole
has, hands down, the best donuts on 30A!
They offer a huge selection including Dutch Crumb (my very favorite),
Red Velvet (Brian’s favorite), Cinnamon Sugar, Powdered, Chocolate Frosted,
Blueberry, Sprinkles, and so many more.
Be sure to get there early as they do not restock after they run
out. And if you’re not a fan of donuts, they
also serve a full sit-down breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Big Bad
Breakfast – This is our
favorite place for a sit-down breakfast on 30A.
They have plenty of hearty options that you can eat indoors or out, and
our favorite is the French Toast. It is
divine. Again, it’s wise to get there
early… if not, prepare to wait!
Rosemary
Beach
Heading west,
Rosemary Beach is right next door to Inlet Beach, and it’s one of the more
upscale beach towns in 30A. The
architecture is stunning, the entire town is pedestrian friendly, and you will
see the majority of people on foot or on bikes in Rosemary Beach. It’s the quaintest little area, and it’s my
second favorite beach town in all of 30A.
Here are a few of our favorite stops in Rosemary Beach…
The Sugar
Shak – If you’re in the
mood for dessert, look no further than The Sugar Shak! They offer ice cream, shaved ice, cotton
candy, and crazy amounts of candy options.
The candy ranges from popular stuff from today to old-fashioned candies
from previous decades to super-unique candy you’ve never even heard of. The Sugar Shak almost always has a line out
the door, but it moves quickly, and it’s worth the wait. If you have kiddos, it’s a must-do because of
the unique array of candy options.
St.
Augustine Green – At
the center of Rosemary Beach is a large greenspace with the most gorgeous
views. Surrounded by The Pearl Hotel and
several large homes, it’s the perfect place to sit and relax while your kiddos
run around. You’ll never ever get tired
of this view!
Barrett
Square – Filled with
clothing boutiques, quaint little gift shops, book stores, and restaurants,
you’ll definitely want to wander around this area at some point during your
trip.
The Hidden
Lantern – The Hidden
Lantern is the coziest little book store in Barrett Square, and it’s the perfect
place to relax with a cup of coffee on a rainy morning. Be sure to pick up a 30A coloring book for
your kiddos while you’re there!
Rosemary
Beach Post Office –
This tiny little post office in the heart of Rosemary Beach is the perfect
place for photos. It has its own small
courtyard that’s filled with flowers, benches, and a water fountain, so it’s
the perfect spot to enjoy your dessert from The Sugar Shak.
Seacrest
Beach
Seacrest Beach
isn’t known for anything in particular like Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, and
Seaside, but it’s one of the less expensive areas of 30A to stay, and it’s
central to all of the other beaches, so it’s definitely worth a visit! Here are a few must-do’s in Seacrest…
La Cocina
Mexican restaurant – If
you’re looking for the best Mexican food on 30A (and my personal favorite
Mexican restaurant EVER), look no further than La Cocina! We discovered this place years ago, and we’ve
eaten there for dinner every single year since!
The food is fresh and delicious, their queso and guac is divine, and
their margs are right on up there with those of Bartaco’s which are the GOAT. (IYKYK.)
Peddlers 30A
Bikes – One of the main
features you can’t miss when driving down 30A through Seacrest is the sea of
bicycles at Peddlers. 30A is known for
its pedestrian-friendly transit, and there are walking trails and bike paths
that wind throughout all of the beach towns.
Peddlers offers daily rates as well as weekly rates, so it’s the perfect
place to check out if you want to explore 30A on two wheels!
Shops Behind
Peddlers – Surrounding
Peddlers on three sides are many shops and restaurants (this is where La Cocina
is located), so you can spend the afternoon browsing. There are also a couple of traditional
souvenir shops in this strip if you’re looking for a few cheesy souvenirs to
take home. This is almost always where I
buy our tacky frame for our vacation gallery wall at home.
Alys
Beach
Known for its
all-white architecture, Alys Beach (pronounced “Alice”) is the most luxurious
of the beach communities in 30A. The
entire stretch of Alys Beach is private, so there is no public beach access,
but the town is still worth visiting as they do have public shopping and dining
options. Here are a few of our favorite
stops in Alys Beach…
Charlies
Donut Truck – One of
the most well-known establishments in Alys Beach is this beloved food truck
that sits on the town square. They open
bright and early and serve donuts until they run out. They do not restock, so be sure to get there
early.
Raw &
Juicy – This adorable
little restaurant is a healthy option that serves cold-pressed juices,
smoothies, and bowls. They have an amazing
patio complete with twinkle lights, and it’s a great place to sit and relax. This place used to be home to my favorite
coffee shop, Fonville Press, but after they closed Raw & Juicy opened in
its place.
Alys Beach
Amphitheatre & Splash Pad
– Just outside of Charlie’s and located in the heart of Alys Beach is a large
green space for the kiddos to run around, and there’s also a small splash pad
at one end for the kids to play. During
peak season, the amphitheatre also offers live music, family movie nights, and
other entertainment opportunities.
Architecture
Stroll – Alys Beach is
best known for its architecture, so an afternoon stroll through the town is a
must-do. The contrast between the stark
white buildings and the bright blue sky are always a sight to see!
Watersound
Beach
Similar to
Seacrest, Watersound doesn’t have a specific vibe like the bigger beach towns, but
it is home to several of our favorite places, and you’ll most definitely want
to make a stop (or five) here on your trip!
Here is a list of our favorite places in Watersound…
The Hub 30A – This is, hands down, our favorite
place on 30A. The Hub is comprised of a
giant greenspace that’s surrounded on all four sides by restaurants and
shops. At one end, there’s a large stage for live music and performances, and at the other end, a massive outdoor pavilion with tables and
chairs, big comfy couches, fire pits, and twinkle lights everywhere. Each night of the week they have a different
entertainment option including live music, DJ dance parties, and family movie
nights. We love to arrive in the late
afternoon so we have plenty of time to eat dinner, grab beers from the bar,
turn the kids loose on the green, and then hang out all evening enjoying the
entertainment. Ice cream is always a
must, too. We go to The Hub on every
single trip to 30A and we almost always end up going back for a second evening
because we love it that much. It’s like
one giant back yard party and it’s pretty much the best thing ever.
Duos Burgers – Located in The Hub, Duos is our
favorite place to get dinner. Their
burgers are delicious, and they have plenty of options for the kiddos. There’s also a large bar located just outside
its doors and they have tons of beer, wine, and cocktail options.
Super Freeze – Also located in The Hub, Super Freeze
is home to several unique ice cream flavors that we love, and it’s always the perfect
way to end the evening.
Shore Thing
Cigars – And if you’re
a Luke Bryan fan, don’t forget to pop into his cigar shop and bar at The Hub while you’re
there! Luke is known to pop in and out
of there from time to time, but we’ve never lucked out and seen him, much to
Olivia’s dismay. Haha.
Seaside
I think I speak
for most people when I say that Seaside is the absolute best beach town in all
of 30A. With a massive greenspace and
amphitheater surrounded by immaculate restaurants and shops, the town is laid
out to perfection and it’s everything that you would picture a beach town to be. As a matter of fact, the town is so idyllic,
that The Truman Show (movie from 1998 with Jim Carrey) was filmed there. There are tons of places to eat, tons of
places to shop, a prime public beach access spot, and loads of
entertainment. Seaside has it all! The only downside is the parking… they have
tons of public parking, but you do have to pay, and most spots are occupied
much of the day so it can be a challenge to find a place to park. Here is a list of our favorite places and
things to do in Seaside…
Bud &
Alley’s Pizza Bar + Trattoria
– This is our absolute favorite place to eat in Seaside. There are indoor and outdoor dining options,
but we always always opt to sit outside on their covered porch so we can feel
the breeze blowing in off of the ocean. There’s
never a wait in the late afternoon, so you can typically walk in at any time
and get a table, and that’s not the case with most restaurants on 30A. It’s also family-friendly, their pizza is
delicious, and they have a huge bar selection.
Oh, and you must try their fried Brussels sprouts. Oh my gaaaah.
The Great
Southern Café – If
you’re looking for fancy southern cuisine, look no further than The Great
Southern Café! They have an extensive
menu with loads of options, and the food is delicious. They’re known for their mojitos and they
offer a variety of different flavors, so don’t forget to grab one of those while
you’re there. Reservations are strongly
recommended as there is a long wait most of the day. Be sure to try the fried green tomatoes and
gouda cheese grits for dinner. You can
thank me later.
Food Trucks – The most iconic part of Seaside is probably
their row of food trucks. From
sandwiches to barbecue to crepes, they have something for everyone. Be sure to pick up a grilled cheese from The
Meltdown… heaven!
Dawson’s
Yogurt and Fudge Works
– If you’re looking for a sweet treat, Dawson’s offers various ice cream
treats, frozen yogurts, old fashioned candies, and fudge. Be sure to try the frozen yogurt with a
flavor burst! I still haven’t figured
out how they get the color on the peaks of the ice cream so perfectly!
Seaside Shops – There is tons of shopping in Seaside, so be sure to set aside a couple of hours to stroll around and see everything the city has to offer!
Duckie’s – If you have kiddos, Duckie’s is a
must! Duckie’s is right in the heart of
Seaside, and it’s the most whimsical toy store that sells a mix of unique and
traditional toys. We make a stop there
on every trip to let the kids pick out souvenirs. They also carry the ever popular Bogg Bags!
The Seaside
Style – If you’re a
huge fan of Seaside like I am, then you’ll definitely want to make a stop in
The Seaside Style to grab one of their iconic Seaside tees or sweatshirts. I own short-sleeve tees, long-sleeve tees,
and sweatshirts in an array of colors, and on our most recent trip, I also
grabbed a koozie. I love having a
piece of Seaside with me at home all year long.
Seaside Post
Office – In the very
center of the shops sits The Seaside Post Office, and it makes for the most
darling photo opp! Seriously the cutest,
quaintest little building! It looks like
something out of a storybook.
Seaside
Amphitheater – Right
smack in the center of Seaside sits a giant greenspace with an
amphitheater. All summer long they have
live music and family movie nights, so bring a blanket or chairs and a cooler and
kick back and relax!
Public Beach
Access – While you’re
in Seaside, don’t forget to step out onto the beach and take a peek at the
sunset! It’s another great place to take
family pictures!
WaterColor
We’ve only
explored Watercolor once, so I’m the least familiar with that area, but there
were a couple of places that we enjoyed when we went, so I thought I’d throw
them in this post as well…
The Wine Bar – The Wine Bar offers indoor and
outdoor dining options, but the outdoor patio is truly the place to be! Their outdoor patio stretches around two
sides of the building, and the best part is that it’s surrounded by trees, so
you can sit comfortably in the shade and out of the hot Florida sun. They have delicious charcuterie options,
amazing pizza, and an expansive wine list.
It’s the perfect place to sit and relax under the twinkle lights with a
glass of cab. And don’t forget to visit
the store after dinner to pick up a couple of bottles of wine to take home!
The Candy
Bar – If you’re looking
for dessert, The Candy Bar is another solid choice in the 30A area. Very similar to Sugar Shak in Rosemary Beach,
they offer a variety of ice cream flavors and toppings and a huge selection of
traditional, old-fashioned, and unique candies.
Warning, this place is expensive, and that candy adds up
fast. We were baffled when we saw our
total at the register. Lol. It’s definitely worth stopping in once,
though… it is candy heaven.
The beach towns
of 30A continue to the west, but our family hasn’t personally explored past
WaterColor (other than Destin at the far end), so I won’t try to pretend I know
what I’m talking about for the remaining beach towns of Grayton Beach, Blue
Mountain Beach, Gulf Place, and Dune Allen, etc. We hope to visit those eventually, so I’ll
be sure to update this post when we do.
As I mentioned earlier
in this post, I do want to revisit Panama City Beach, FL, as it’s right down
the street from the east side of 30A.
Panama
City Beach
Panama City
Beach is not part of 30A, but since it’s right down the street, it’s easy to
drive to if you’re looking for touristy things to do or indoor things to do on
a rainy day… it’s a large city so there’s no shortage of museums, miniature
golf courses, go kart tracks, and thrill rides, and there is also an aquarium
as well as a water park. Panama City
Beach is a suuuuper commercial area and it’s also very famous for being a spring
break town in March and April, so it has a totally different vibe than anything
in 30A. It is FULL of high-rise hotels
and condos, it’s noisy, and traffic is terrible, but I’ve been going there
since I was a kid, and there are some great places to visit…
Pier Park – Pier Park is a massive complex that
has been growing and growing over the last decade, and it offers LOADS of
dining, shopping, and entertainment options.
If you’re looking for chain restaurants like Longhorn, Panera, Chipotle,
Five Guys, Olive Garden, Red Robin, and Starbucks or chain stores like Old
Navy, Nike, Dillard’s Bath & Body Works, Forever 21, Loft, Lizard Thicket,
and MAC, then Pier Park is the place for you!
Pier Park is also home to a massive Dave and Busters as well as a movie
theater with 16 screens, so it’s the perfect place to go on a rainy day.
Pineapple
Willy’s Beachfront Restaurant
– World famous Pineapple Willy’s is probably the most well-known restaurant in
all of Panama City Beach, and it’s a must-do while you’re in town if you want
to experience that true PCB feeling.
Situated directly on the beach, Pineapple Willy’s not only offers indoor
and outdoor dining, but the outdoor dining is on their giant covered pier that
overlooks the ocean. On the menu is
traditional bar food that’s surprisingly good, and you must try one of their
famous cocktails... “The Pineapple Willy” is where it’s at! There are lots of options for even the
pickiest of eaters, and they have the cutest souvenir cups for your little ones. Oh, and don’t forget to stop in the gift shop
on the way out!
Sharky’s
Beachfront Restaurant –
Similar to Pineapple Willy’s, Sharky’s is located directly on the white, sugary
sands of the gulf, so you can sit outside and take in the ocean view as well as
the ocean breezes while you eat. It’s
family-friendly, and kiddie meals are served in a souvenir Sharky’s frisbee
that they can take with them. Be sure to take a picture with the giant (fake) shark out front. ;o)
Los
Rancheros Mexican Restaurant
– If you’re looking for Mexican food in Panama City, this place is yummy! It’s nothing fancy at all, and it doesn’t
have a view of the ocean, but the margaritas, dips, and food are all delicious.
Margaritaville – Located in Pier Park, Margaritaville
is always one of the kids’ favorite places to eat, because the employees make
dinner fun. Many of the servers walk
around on stilts, and they make balloon animals for the kids, and it’s just a
really fun atmosphere for families.
Margaritaville is a chain restaurant, so it’s not unique to Panama City,
but it’s still fun to check out at least once.
The Pink Pelican – One of our favorite ice cream places
in Panama City, The Pink Pelican, offers a huge variety of flavors, and they
have one of my most favorites of all-time… Banana Cream Pie. It is heavenly. It’s only about a five-minute drive from
Pineapple Willy’s and it’s just right across the parking lot from Los
Rancheros, so it’s the perfect dessert stop after dinner at either of those
places.
SkyWheel – Also located in Pier Park is the
recently added SkyWheel, an entertainment complex that is home to a miniature
golf course, a ropes course, and the 200-foot SkyWheel observation wheel that
has 30 fully enclosed, temperature-controlled gondolas.
Ripley’s
Believe it Or Not – Ripley’s
Believe it Or Not is a great place for a rainy day. It’s an indoor museum with a bunch of Guinness
Book of World Records displays, and our kids absolutely loved it. Be sure to check out the Mirror Maze while
you’re there! It was our favorite part.
Pirate’s
Island Miniature Golf Course
– There are various places to play miniature golf in Panama City, and our favorite place
to play is Pirate’s Island. Pirate’s
Island offers two different 18-hole courses, so we never have to wait to play. It’s super clean and the greens and other
props are well cared for, and we always have a blast when we go.
St. Andrews
State Park – On the far
east end of Panama City Beach is St. Andrews State Park. It’s sandwiched between the Gulf of Mexico
and St. Andrews Bay, so it’s the perfect day trip if you love to be in the
water. They offer boat tours, camping
(with a reservation), hiking, biking, paddling, picnicking, scuba diving,
snorkeling, and more. It’s a great place
to take in the sunset, and it’s also a great place to take family pictures on
the beach.
We’ve
barely scratched the surface of all that 30A and surrounding areas have to
offer, but this post sums up the best of the best that our family has
experienced there so far. In addition to
all of the things mentioned here in this post, there are so many more unique
things to experience and, of course, all of the beach towns also offer a
variety of traditional beach activities like canoeing, kayaking, paddle
boarding, fishing and boating excursions, golf, biking, tennis, yoga,
racquetball, spa retreats, beach bonfires, etc.
While you’re there,
don’t forget to spend at least one evening taking in the sunset. Since the gulf faces the west, the sun sets over
the ocean (on the right-hand side), and some of my most favorite sunsets ever were
the ones that I saw over the gulf.
Many families
also love to have professional photos taken as the area is so picturesque, and
there are many reputable photographers from which to choose. Be sure to book early for peak season as they
book up fast, too!
And that’s it,
y’all! If you want more
behind-the-scenes nuggets, you can read about all of our previous trips below
or you can head to my Instagram bio and check out each of my past beach
highlights – I have five different highlights saved with all of our adventures –
30A 2018, 30A 2019, 30A 2020, 30A 2021, and 30A 2021 (again, because we went
twice that year).
Panama City Beach, FL - April 2015
Panama City Beach, FL - June 2016
Panama City Beach, FL - June 2017
30A, FL - June 2020
30A, FL - March 2021
30A, FL - June 2021
Happy travels!
And happy Monday!
You know I’ve been wanting to go there! I’m saving this post! My mom and I are looking for somewhere to go soon before another variant comes along! Airfare is just so darn expensive but I’m definitely going here someday!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing post! I've wanted to go to this area because of you - maybe one day!
ReplyDeleteOh this post makes me so ready to go to the BEACH!
ReplyDeleteYou are queen of 30A!! I want to visit there soon - maybe in the next two years we can make it!
ReplyDeleteI SO want to go visit 30A. It does look so picturesque with so many neat place to explore!
ReplyDeleteI’m going to 30A for my bachelorette party! I cannot wait!
ReplyDeleteThis post puts everything in one place. I haven't been to the FL panhandle since the mid 90's on several girls' trips. Would love to go back now that it's all developed. Thanks for the tips.
ReplyDeleteWe have been to Gulf Shores a few times, it is a popular 'driving' vacation from St. Louis, but it can take 2 days (or 1 painfully long driving day) from here. We almost prefer to fly these days! It must be nice to be so close and to be able to visit 30A so often. I think out of all of these, I would love to visit Seaside! But, they all have their own unique things to do. This is such a thorough post and I'm going to pin it for the future.
ReplyDeleteCarrie
curlycraftymom.com
We have never stayed in the panhandle portion of Florida but it does look fabulous!
ReplyDeleteY'all need to go sometime! The Gulf is WORLDS better than the coast!!
DeleteGuuuuuuurl, this was an amazing post! Having visited for our first time, I can't wait to go back. I'd love to rent a house next time, too. Thank you for putting together such an informative post. I'll definitely be referencing it again in the future!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you found it helpful! I've had so many people ask me to do this post for years, so I'm glad to finally have it out there!
DeleteThis makes me so happy. I have wanted this post forever. I pinned it so I can go back to it when we finish planning our trip. Thank you so much!
ReplyDelete