A little over a week ago, I took my first trip to the 30A area of Florida and fell in love! Before visiting, I had never heard of this area but found out while I was down there that it is a strip of gorgeous beaches along the 30A highway (about 25-40 minutes out from Panama City Beach). If you're looking for a gorgeous and relaxing spot with lots of amazing restaurants, things to do, and photo ops - it's time to check out the 30A area!
Where to Stay
For our trip, we stayed at a great spot called The Den on 30A. This condo is located in a central location right in between Alys Beach and Seaside Beach and makes for a quick drive (or golf cart ride) to plenty of shops, restaurants and the beach! We loved that the rental property included several bedrooms, a large living space, a patio, and a golf cart to use! They also provided access to their gorgeous pool area as well which was spacious and relaxing.
Where to Eat
The 30A area had no shortage of amazing restaurants! They had lots of options from nicer sit down restaurants to yummy grab and go options to take to the beach. Here were a few of our faves!
The Citizen in Alys Beach was hands down one of our favorite spots! We stopped by for lunch but it would be an amazing place for dinner as well. This restaurant was a nicer, more sit-down kind of feel. We started with cocktails and some apps. For a drink, I got the Andiamo which was a citrusy and refreshing take on an Aperol Spritz! For an appetizer we got the burrata and the hummus board which were to die for! I am still dreaming about that yummy hummus with fresh grilled pita bread!
For my main course I got the Roasted Avocado Salad and added the Blackened Snapper. The salad was incredible and filling with the added protein - it was the perfect lighter choice for lunch! The snapper had an amazing blackened flavor with a kick which gave the whole salad some extra flavor!
Shrimp Shack was a cute little spot right next to Seaside Beach. It was the perfect spot for grab-and-go food and drinks to take to the beach! I got a yummy frozen strawberry daquiri to kick off my lunch and it was so refreshing. They have lots of delicious drink options that are perfect for sipping on the beach!
For lunch, I started with the Pimento cheese dip and crackers which was super delish with a nice little kick but nothing too spicy. As soon as I saw the lobster roll, I knew that had to be my main course! It was hot and buttery on a toasty garlic bun. The lobster was phenomenal and you definitely get your money's worth as they load the roll up with lots of lobster!
Old Florida Fish House was another more sit down spot we checked out. They have traditional seafood as well as delicious sushi! The outdoor area here is incredible - string lights, bay views, outdoor games and live music on most nights! During the day there is also a cute coffee shop and gelato/snow cone spot on the property that is worth checking out.
If you have a sweet tooth like me, you have to stop by It's Heavenly Shortcakes and Ice cream when you visit Seaside, FL. They have lots of yummy choices from ice cream, to gelato, to even sorbet for those who are dairy free. I got birthday cake gelato with fun rainbow sprinkles and it was the perfect treat on a hot afternoon!
What to Do
Light Me Up Beach Bonfires makes having a beach bonfire super simple. They do all the work and you just show up! They set up the chairs, fire, speaker and s'mores station and you get to enjoy. You don't even have to worry about keeping the fire going as the staff sticks around (from a distance) and helps rekindle the fire when needed.
This was one of my favorite memories of the trip because we were able to grab food from a restaurant nearby, bring our own alcohol, and relax and spend quality time with one another. They have packages that can host several people in a group setting and is the perfect outing for friends and family.
We were lucky enough to stay at The Den which is located directly across the street from this fun little spot called The Hub. The Hub has lots of cute boutiques, restaurants, ice cream/coffee shops and even live music! We spent a lot of time here whether it be grabbing a coffee from Nectar or grabbing some fresh fish from Hooked for a quick lunch for the beach.
For a yummy treat to have at the room or take to the beach, Let's Say Graze makes the most delicious and aesthetically pleasing charcuterie boards. The 2 boards we got had both sweet and savory options and lasted us several days! It was great to have around to munch and snack on for the trip!
Beaches
Alys Beach
We never made it to the actual beach portion of Alys Beach, instead we spent a lot of time walking around the neighborhoods exploring all the gorgeous homes and scenery. This area is absolutely picturesque and reminds me a lot of photos I have seen of Santorini, Greece. This is definitely a must visit area! This is near where The Citizen is located along with several other nice, sit down restaurants.
Seaside Beach
Seaside beach was one of the more built up beaches with lots of easily accessible restaurants, bars and shops right within walking distance. This is the area where Shrimp Shack and It's Heavenly are located as well as the shop we purchased our famous Seaside sweatshirts from. The downside for this area is they do charge $15 to park and $40 for a chair rental service to access the beach. I recommend making a full day of it when you visit Seaside so you can make the most of the money you pay to park. You could definitely find plenty to do here to have a full day of fun.
Grayton Beach
Grayton beach is a beautiful beach area a little farther out from the other beaches mentioned above. This area has a more local feel and is where we actually chose to have our Light Me Up Bonfire set up. There are a few cute little restaurants and bars nearby too for dinner and drinks after. For dancing/live music - we loved AJ's which was further up the road. This beach was perfect for bonfires or bringing your truck/jeep out to watch a sunset.
~ Hope you enjoy your visit to 30A! ~
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