Why the beaches of 30A are some of the best vacation spots for families
What Is 30A?
30A is a scenic stretch of road located along the Gulf Coast in the Florida panhandle, which runs through several unique beach communities. 30A area is known for its beautiful white-sand beaches, crystal clear waters, and temperate weather, making it an ideal spot for swimming, sunbathing, and other outdoor activities such as biking and paddleboarding.
How’s the Weather?
We visited 30A last year in mid-October. The weather was in a mild range of 60–80 degrees, with low humidity and no rain. As someone who regularly visited Orlando in summer as a child, I much prefer the weather nearer to the Gulf! It was beautiful. One of the days dropped down to about 50 degrees but quickly rose back in temp by that afternoon.
Our Stay
We stayed in Seagrove, east of Seaside, and just west of Watersound, which was the perfect distance to just about any area we wanted to visit. Our condo was situated right across the street from the Santa Clara Public Beach access and was only steps away from Tom Thumb, a gas station that ended up being very convenient for last-minute needs like toilet paper or trash bags. Our Airbnb was fully stocked with beach chairs, towels, and toys so we had everything we needed to immediately head down to the beach to play.
The Area
Because we were right in the middle of 30A, we were close to everything! Publix was about 10 minutes away, so we drove in our rental to get groceries for the week, and also picked up stuff at Goatfeather’s Market, which had a fantastic array of fish, lobster, crab cakes, etc. to cook on your own, along with great some to-go options.
The area we visited most: Seaside!
Arguably one of the most popular towns on 30A, and for good reason, Seaside was only about a 5-minute drive away from our condo in Seagrove, so we went there often. The streets are lined with plenty of space for bike trails, and some of the cutest cottages line the walkways. It’s very walking-friendly, so plan to pay to park or rent a bike, or better yet, just walk. The scene is gorgeous.
In the main square, they have several food trucks, walk-up eateries, and restaurants. Sundog Books is the actual best, and if you want Seaside swage, the Seaside Style and Seaside Kids are both in the square (although we got the best deal in the Seaside Yacht Club)
I recommend making a reservation where possible because it gets very busy. The Shrimp Shack makes a lobster roll you will absolutely drool over, and the Taco Bar has great drinks. It’s Heavenly Ice Cream was our son’s favorite treat store (aside from Duckie’s which we went to several times) and we visited Amavida for some delicious coffee. By far, our favorite coffee was from Beachy Bean Coffee Co, over near Eastern Lake (which was again, only about a 5-minute drive from our condo in Seagrove. Everything is SO close.)
You cannot go wrong at the Donut Hole, and the oysters at Shunk Gulley are some of the best oysters we have ever tasted. We also had dinner at Great Southern Cafe and it was the perfect little patio dining experience.
This vacation was one of the best of my life, and the first family vacation my husband and I took with our son. There is something for everyone here, and I love that we barely scratched the surface of all that #30A has to offer. Can’t wait to go back in April!
