I have never once explored the panhandle in my years living in Florida. However, a beloved stretch of coastline known as 30A, once a hidden gem, is now becoming more of a renowned destination for its breathtaking beauty, laid-back atmosphere, and pristine white sand beaches started to pique my curiosity. This highway meanders through a series of unique beach communities, each with its own distinct character and allure. From the well known area of Seaside (thanks in part to the movie The Truman Show) to the upscale neighborhoods of Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach, 30A has lots of rich coastal grandma charm, so I went to check it out and share it with you.

This area is full of rental properties, so if you don’t want a hotel, choose an area you want to have as your home base and expect to drive 10-30 minutes to explore these nearby towns. We stayed in Inlet Beach with access to a public beach that stayed pretty empty unlike the busier private beaches. We were also 10 minutes from a Publix and 20 minutes from a Target, Walmart, etc. However it’s important to note our visit fell in an off-peak time. Every town we entered was on the empty side. If you go during spring break or summer all bets are off!

SEASIDE

We explored Seaside one afternoon and walked around the town square area. Known for its colorful pastel cottages, charming picket fences, and lively town center, Seaside has become a symbol of New Urbanism, with a blend of architecture and nature. Imagine Celebration or Baldwin Park but on the beach with even more money behind it.

Places we went:

• Sundog Books - cute little book shop in the town square

• Central Square Records - upstairs in top of the bookstore

• B.F.F. - grabbed a frozen Old Fashioned - they have an outside bar you can grab and go with a drink

• Modica Market - a small local market known for from the Truman Show

• The Art of Simple - A gift shop that had a lot of cool items many on the more affordable side (most other shops here were $$$)

• Amavida Coffee - Sadly, I cannot recommend this place - the coffee was not good at all. It would appear this is a local chain with multiple locations which is astonishing as they are not serving up good espresso.

There is a row of airstream food stalls in this area as well, but I hadn’t heard anything good about any of their offerings so I passed.

Rosemary Beach

Rosemary Beach is another planned community with European-inspired design, cobblestone streets, and meticulous landscaping. The town center is dotted with boutiques, cafes, and fine dining establishments. Seeing videos of it, I expected it to be larger, but the town square area is modest and a quick walking exploration. The Pearl is a popular boutique hotel within Rosemary Beach, but I promise you that you do not need to pay their prices to enjoy a trip up here. Find a modest rental nearby and you’ll be good.

Where we went:

• Cowgirl Kitchen - This is a highly rated casual eatery in the town square area. I have a terrible photo because every outdoor table has a red umbrella that casts a horrible hue on the food, but I got a good salad here and would recommend it.

• 3rd Cup - Sadly, another terrible coffee spot - I cannot recommend it. It was basically a cup of brown milk.

• Lola Coastal Italian - Technically, Lola’s was between Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach. This was one of the restaurants on Eater’s list for the area, but instead of eating there, we ordered takeout to enjoy at our rental. It was a solid spot, and I would recommend it.

  For everything I’ve seen online about Rosemary Beach, I have to say I was a little underwhelmed, and we didn’t visit the town square area more than once. When you walk I a shop and a hat is $300, you just realize this isn’t a place for you. It was very pretty tho.

Alys Beach

If you had told me I would be spending most of my time and money inside the Alys Beach community of 30A I would have laughed and shook my head because it was by far the snootiest but most stunning. Alys Beach stands out with its distinctive all-white architecture, reminiscent of a Mediterranean paradise.

Everyone is either dressed up or in casual workout wear that is probably worth more than my entire closet. As you walk the picturesque streets, there are several signs that say no photography and have a QR code taking you to a more in-depth page telling you that your peasantry cannot capture the affluent community that begs to be captured and shared. Commerical photoshoots, I understand entirely, but it made a point of mentioning content creators as well. I saw a thread online of someone taking a photo of a family member outside a business, and allegedly the police were called. Thankfully I had no issues and didn’t encounter too many obviously rude folks, but something to keep in mind.

Places we went:

• Fonville Press: This spot had the best coffee of the entire trip, and it was less than 10 minutes from our rental in Inlet Beach, so we went multiple times for coffee and breakfast. It being pink and cute was just a perk. 

• The Citizen: The Citizen was not on our initial list, but our waitress at Cowgirl Kitchen recommended it, so we had dinner here one night. It was a beautiful restaurant, and the food and drinks were satisfying. It will be a pricier meal, but if you are looking for one splurge meal, I recommend it. 

• Neat: Neat is a tasting room, so if trying out some fancy spirits sounds good to you, this is a spot you may want to try. After 5 pm, they have a small bites menu and live music outside for a wine tasting they were hosting. We tried some fun seasonal cocktails and watched the sunset. I recommend even for a quick drink before going elsewhere to eat.

GRAYTON BEACH

• BLACK BEAR BREAD CO. - Black Bear deserves a significant shout-out because we went here multiple times. This area is NOT a foodie haven, and after wasting money at some very poor spots, we figured if we were going to spend money on food, it was better to stick with what was good and forgo unnecessary explorations or go grab a Publix sub. Several people highly recommended Black Bear and I can see why. It’s not snooty, it’s delicious, it was consistent, and there are a few locations to go to depending on where you are on 30A. It was the only other coffee I did not throw away, and the breakfast items were so satisfying and filling, so much so we didn’t even bother with lunch on the days we went. HIGHLY recommend.

• Crackings - Crackings is another breakfast spot we tried, and it was good, but not as good as Black Bear. There is a location in Destin and one in Grayton (which is where we went). They have a lovely covered outdoor seating area that had live music, and the food was solid. If you want more variety, check this place out; if not, stick with Black Bear.

• The Red Bar - Gosh what a disappointment this place was! It pains me to say this because this place is apparently beloved and has gotten national press and notoriety behind it, and the best thing I can say is the staff was very nice. Servers greet you with a large oversized board of the entire menu, just a handful of items (so this is not a place for people with dietary restrictions). The food was bland, watery, and just honestly a complete waste of money. Some say it’s a place to drink, but the drinks weren’t that good either. So while a full dining room of happy patrons enjoying themselves may leave me in the minority, I cannot recommend this place; save your money because it isn’t cheap either.

Panama City Beach Pier

About 20 minutes from our rental were Panama City Beach and Pier Park. Lots of shopping in this area, and if you go into Pier Park, you will find the standard touristy beach stuff with restaurants, gaming places, and more. That’s not my jam; however, at the end, you can enter a very long pier (for $4 a person), giving you some stunning views of this breathtaking emerald water. There is a lot of fishing happening on this pier; we even watched some people reel in their catches, swarms of pelicans plunging into schools of fish, and all that is the quintessential Florida beach life. 

ANTIQUING

Rich coastal grandma I am not, but on a day when we had inclimate weather, that was our cue to hit up the antique shops and dig through all the goodies we could find. We drove about an hour west towards Fort Walton Beach and then slowly made our way back with a few stops on our way. You can always consult the Florida Antique Trail to find places.

• Bobbi’s Emporium (Fort Walton Beach)

• Smith’s Antique Mall (Miramar Beach)

• Fort Walton Beach Flea Market (closing soon)

• De’France Flea Market (Fort Walton Beach)

• Antique Emporium (Panama City Beach)

• Webb’s Antique Mall (Lake City for the trip there or the trip home)

Overall this really was a beach vacation, and our time at the beach was beautiful, complete with crystal clear water, dolphin sightings, and soft white sand. However, I don’t think another trip to 30A is in my future.