Our Guide to 30A

30A is a stretch of scenic highway between Destin and Panama City, Florida. Oozing with charm, each town along the highway has its own little style and personality.

It exceeded all of my expectations!

Where to Stay:

Along 30A there are several towns dotting the coastline, but what I love most is that it’s not stacked with hotels. Everyone rents a house and settles in for a week. Go through VRBO or directly to the town website. Many of them have charming decor, BBQs, bikes, and plenty of beds to accommodate a large group. There are lots of guides that detail the ins and outs of each town, but I’d like to share my personal highlights from our trip:

BEACHES TO SEE

Rosemary: This is where we chose to stay and I’m so glad we did. The architecture is European inspired with cobblestone streets, lush greenery, and traditional lines. Think vine-covered trellises, Bevolo gas lanterns, and a warm neutral color palette. We rented a home right on the gulf and were elated to wake up every morning and eat our cereal while watching the waves crash onto the shore. That said, wherever you decide to stay within Rosemary, you’ll still be pretty close to the beach! I loved that there were pools every couple of blocks.

Alys: Alys beach is stunning. Whitewashed stucco homes patterned after the Bermudan style left me ogling every inch of this place. You can just feel the fancy the second you pass through the entrance.

Seaside: Seaside is super cute. The style is very Americana with food trucks, brightly colored beach houses with screened porches, and the famous post office.

I’m not as familiar with these other spots, but they look adorable too! 

• Grayton
• Watercolor
• Santa Rosa
• Seacrest

Where to Eat:

We love food. I asked for recommendations on IG and received so many ideas that our team had to put together a spreadsheet.  We tried as many as we could! These were our favorites:

George’s – We received so many recommendations to go here and it was one of our favorite nights of the week. We had a great southern meal complete with lobster quesadillas.

Fonville Press – Well designed and the food happens to be good too 😉

La Crema Tapas – On the main thoroughfare in Rosemary beach. We rode our bikes here from the house and the food did not disappoint. Our waitress recommended the underdone chocolate chip cookies for dessert and I’m still thinking about them.

Black Bear Baking Co. – Not within biking distance, but worth the drive. The moment I saw the vine-covered entrance and heard Johnny Cash playing, I knew I was in the right spot.

Meltdown on 30A – This was our first stop off the plane because we were all starving and needed something quick. The offerings range from Brie and Bacon on Cranberry Walnut Bread to Classic American. Happy parents. Happy kids.

The Donut Hole – Syd considers himself a donut connoisseur and he says these were the best of the trip.

What to Do:

Ride bikes – Our house came with bikes, but we rented some with kids’ seats on the back. There is a path that connects all the towns together and we rode on it everyday. We hardly used our car and took the bikes everywhere!

Beach – This is obvious. We went every morning and again to walk on the beach at sunset. Make sure you call and reserve chairs beforehand if you want some shade.

Splash pad – If you have kids, there is a splash pad in Alys Beach. We rode our bikes and did a little sightseeing after.

House stalk – If you’re anything like me, you love driving around and admiring beautiful houses. This is the place to do it!