A Summer Trip to Remember: 30A

Have you ever dreamed about finding new vacation spots for your family, conveniently tucked away in our beautiful States?

If so, you’ll love this post!

As much as I love traveling out of the country, I also love discovering new places close enough to spontaneously get in the car and drive without the headache of purchasing a ticket and worrying about travel logistics.

For the past eight years, our family and extended family have religiously taken a trip to Destin, Florida. We rent a house for seven days so we can slow down and spend time together. This yearly trip started as DJs family tradition, but we decided to do something different this year and make our own tradition. Destin can be very busy in the peak season (summer) and a bit overwhelming. There’s always traffic, and everything is always packed. My personality type hates to be overwhelmed and loves peace on vacation, so we were long overdue for a new destination. Due to Covid, my family and I did not take any holiday trips last summer. So, when January 2021 came around, I was determined to book some pandemic-proof vacations.

A New Family Tradition

I started to research houses in the surrounding sister cities to Destin, and I stumbled on 30A. Unfortunately, nobody had ever explained 30A to me, so I had to learn about it through Google. Through my research and exploring the area, I discovered that 30A is one long strip of beach and highway with about ten different beaches. 30A is between Destin and Panama City, and it is pure magic, from Alys Beach to Seaside to Santa Rosa and everything in between.

Where We Stayed

We ended up staying in Santa Rosa Beach. I found the rental house through VRBO. If you want more housing options, Google “30a Beach Houses Rentals.” In some cases, by skipping VRBO and going straight to the source (management sites), you can avoid unnecessary fees. Ultimately, it was fate because I booked the perfect house and in the perfect location that worked for my needs. Santa Rosa was very chill. Everyone was really nice, and the people at the beach were locationally spaced out. We barely saw our neighbors.

Top Three Places to Eat in Santa Rosa

Let’s talk about food, a major must for a great vacation.

1. Ever Crisp: A build-your-own-bowl type of spot that also offered salads.

2. First Watch: Clutch for breakfast! They also offer yummy lunch options with salads and other health choices.

3. Flemings Steak House: For dinner one night, the girls and I ordered Flemings, and they had the most delicious sides.

Even though those picks are chain restaurants, I decided to go with those because some of the local restaurants we tried weren’t my absolute favs.

OMG! I almost forgot the Donut Hole. If you fancy donuts on occasion, like me, this is a must-stop.

Santa Rosa was peaceful and chill, and there was barely any noise and traffic; however, you have to drive 15 to 20 minutes for more restaurant options.

Highlights of 30A

When I’m able to get away for a weekend with my husband, we would 100% go to Alys Beach. It gives you Greece but in Florida. It was drop-dead gorgeous. All white everything! It was defiantly giving me five-star energy. I was actually blown away that something that nice was only a few hours away from our home in Georgia. Alys Beach is made up of rows and rows of white villas and townhomes. The little community has its own pool with a poolside bar overlooking the private beach.

Pour It Up

If you love wine and charcuterie, they have a Tasting Room called Neat Alys Beach. I loved Neat because they have a nice outdoor seating area where you can have your own space, and the tables are shaded by trees and umbrellas. The whole area was just beautiful and really sexy.

Another Must-See Spot

Then there was Seaside Beach, with a long row of food trucks on each side of the road. Restaurants and shopping are everywhere. The downfall is that it gets busy, but it’s beautiful! They have Pickles, which is one of their popular burger joints. Oh, and I have to mention Nigel’s Fancy Bananas. Basically, at Nigel’s, you can have your banana any way possible – with chocolate drizzle, caramel drizzle, or with peanut butter and jelly. So mouthwatering. To top it off, you can take your tasty treat and see the lovely historic post office, which is great for a photo op. As you drive on the long highway, you can find tons of restaurants, ice cream parlors, and souvenir shops.

There are way too many beautiful beaches to recap, but my favs were Santa Rosa, Rosemary, Sea Grove, Seaside, and Alys. Depending on your emotional needs and wants from your vacation, you can determine which will be right for you. Two things that you will get from all the beaches in the area are white sand and beautiful emerald water. 30A is definitely one of my top family vacation spots. We plan on returning next year, and I can’t wait to explore more and enjoy this hidden gem yet again.