The area along County Highway 30A, on the panhandle between Destin and Panama City Beach, is one of the most charming areas in all of Florida! From the colorful blue hues of the Gulf of Mexico, to the laid-back vibes of the different towns along the road, 30A is a fantastic destination for families. The highway itself, which is around 18 miles long, has several towns that you can stay in, and each of them offer different styles and amenities depending on what you’re looking for. Wherever you choose to stay be sure to make time to drive up 30A and visit all of the adorable town, but avoid doing so on a Saturday in busy season as the highway will be full of traffic.
Here are a few of our favorite towns on the Highway!
Gulf Place
Gulf Place is located near the western edge of 30A and its combination of dining, shopping, beach access and affordable rentals makes it a perfect location for those that want plenty of things within walking distance. Gulf Place has a laid back old Florida feeling. The rental options vary from studios to multi-bedroom condos, and there are also beachfront options. The “Artists Place” at the middle of the development has many arts, crafts, and activities for the whole family, and they also host a Wine Walk every Third Thursday of the month.
In terms of food options, there is a coffee shop (Sunrise Coffee), pizza place (Pizza by the Sea), BBQ (Perfect Pig Grill), Beach Bar and Grill (Shelbys), seafood (Shunk Gulley) and our favorite ice cream shop on 30A (Pecan Jacks) all within walking distance. The Yolo Store offers bike and paddle board rentals if you wish to venture outside of the community on the many bike paths and trails in the area. The primary public beach access parking lot gets very crowded. If you truly want to enjoy Gulf Place I recommend staying at an Airbnb in the Town center that has 4 private beach accesses that are less crowded.
Personally, we love Gulf Place because it has everything that we look for in a short getaway. In fact, we loved it so much that we run an Airbnb in the community 🙂 Check it out here if you’re interested!
Blue Mountain Beach
We recently bought an Airbnb rental in Blue Mountain Beach and have been spending a lot of time exploring this area. Blue Mountain is loved on 30A for those who want to enjoy the pristine beaches without the crowds and have a laidback old Florida feeling. There is not a town square like the other communities but there are some delicious restaurants within walking distance here, and highly recommend checking out Red Fish Taco and the Blue Mabel Smokehouse (where you’ll need to make a reservation). This is also an extremely popular ice cream shop here as well called Blue Mountain Beach Creamery.
Located within Blue Mountain Beach are three coastal dune lakes, Little Redfish Lake, Big Redfish Lake and Draper Lake. You also have access to Point Washington State Forest where you can walk beautiful trails.
The rental prices in this area are pretty affordable, but beach access could be up to a mile away depending on where you’re staying. We enjoy our Airbnb in Blue Mountain because it is in a quiet gated subdivision where kids can scooter and ride their bikes away from traffic.
Watercolor
Watercolor is a gorgeous higher end community in 30A. The highlights of staying here is the access to the WaterColor Beach Club with a gorgeous pool and club overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Within the neighborhood is also the Boathouse where you can canoe, kayak, or paddleboard on freshwater as well! In Watercolor you can stay at the Watercolor Inn or rent an Airbnb on one of their adorable streets. It is a pricy district but comes with a lot of perks. It’s also a short walk to the most popular spot on 30A: Seaside. Staying in Watercolor you really get the best of 2 worlds: a wonderful community feel while being next door to the most popular spot on 30A.
If budget isn’t an issue, you like a higher end resort like feel, and have young kids this would be an incredible place to stay!
Seaside
Located pretty close to the center of Highway 30A, Seaside is one of the most popular destinations because of all the activities, dining and shopping that is built around its Amphitheater. The amphitheater offers shows at times, but is also just the perfect place for kids to run and play! It is extremely picturesque with its gorgeous white buildings and the most photographed US Post office in the country. It is also where the movie The Truman Show was filmed. One of their most recognizable features is the row of eateries that are built out of Airstreams (try Meltdown, which offers delicious Grilled Cheese sandwiches).
They also have a shopping pavilion on the other side of 30A, with bar and restaurants options. Some of our favorites to stop at are an outdoor shopping boutique called Cabana by the Seaside Style and the famous Bud and Alley’s Waterfront Restaurant and Bar. The kids also always love stopping into Duckies toy store.
Seaside is gorgeous and has a more upscale feeling than Gulf Place or Blue Mountain. Due to the town’s popularity and abundance of amenities, the rental prices in this area can get pretty high, especially during high season. Parking can also be extremely difficult so have patience if you are there in high season. Even if you don’t stay in Seaside though, we recommend visiting for an afternoon!
The Big Chill / The Hub
The Big Chill (formerly known as The Hub) is a community between Seaside and Rosemary Beach that offers a more “suburban” style within 30A. The area is centered around The Big Chill, which is a set of restaurants, shops and bars that are walking distance from the homes and apartments there. There’s some open space and a large screen for the occasional movie or live sporting event. It is known to be an extremely family-friendly area due to their activity calendar that includes yoga, game nights, dance parties, crafts, and more!
The Big Chill is a favorite for our family to just stop in for dinner. With all of the options there is something for everyone and always tons of kids playing in front of the movie screen. You can click here for a calendar of events to see what night your family may enjoy most.
However, the downside to staying in this area is that there doesn’t appear to be direct beach access from this community. You have to take a shuttle or drive to a beach, so it’s definitely something to consider if spending time at the beach is a priority for you.
Alys Beach
Alys Beach is towards the eastern edge of 30A and is known for its clean white aesthetic that resembles Greece. The roads in Alys beach have perfectly manicured landscaping and looks like a set of a movie. This area is comprised of extremely high end homes that all look like they could be on the cover of Architectural Digest. We really love eating at Raw and Juicy, which has a small kids playground and sometimes live music. We then walk the streets just to admire the beauty.
If you choose to stay in this area you will have to get an Airbnb.
Rosemary Beach
Rosemary Beach is the last town on the Eastern side of 30A, and to us it’s the most visually stunning areas along the whole highway. It is walking distance to Alys Beach, so we prefer to stay in Rosemary if we had to choose between the two. Rosemary Beach exhibits a very European vibe, with cobblestone streets and charming architecture. There are a lot of fine dining options in this area as well as casual options at The Village of South Walton Beach, which is right next to Rosemary Beach. This area feels like “Europe meets the sea” and is a fun upscale option for families.
On a night out you can easily find live music or a famer’s market on the weekends. Our favorite spot to visit here is Pescado (note kids are only welcome for lunch and Sunday Brunch). They have fun live music some nights and an incredible rooftop brunch on Sundays. We also really enjoy stopping into The Pearl Hotel rooftop for drinks. It is one of the few hotels on 30A.
Things to note: if you want to experience Rosemary Beach and save money, The Village of South Walton condos and homes are a great option. However, their beach access will be packed. Homes on Airbnb within Rosemary itself will have less crowded beach access, but will be the most expensive option. Our personal favorite spot is High Pointe Resort, which has its own beach access and is steps from everything.
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