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When you think of Florida, Miami is probably the first places that come to mind.
But insiders know that Florida’s best beaches are actually found in northwest Florida’s Walton County along scenic State Highway 30A. A narrow, 26-mile stretch of road running from Rosemary Beach to Dune Allen Beach, 30A is home to sugar-white beaches and a relaxed, old-Florida feel.
Here you won’t fine miles of high-rise condo developments, massive resort hotels or tacky theme parks. This part of Florida is about beaches and family time.
30A features a dozen small waterfront communities, but one stands out from the rest: Seaside, Florida.
The Seaside Experience
There’s no place quite like Seaside. The original 30A beach community, the town is an architectural landmark that has influenced city planners far beyond Florida.
While many beachfront towns are sprawling, unplanned developments that grow randomly along a stretch of highway, Seaside is a compact, planned community with a cohesive look and feel. It was one of America’s first mixed-use communities, with its white picket fence homes clustered around a core of shops, restaurants and art galleries.
The result might just be the perfect beach town: a casual mix of old and new, a place where you can easily walk to the beach or a boutique in a pair of flip flops, a place with a sense of community that you can experience as a guest or a resident.
Where To Stay
You won’t find many hotels along Highway 30A, and you won’t find any within Seaside proper. This is vacation rental country, with guests staying in Seaside’s beachfront cottages. It’s a chance to live like a local Seaside’s white picket fence community. Book a Seaside vacation rental from The Homeowner’s Collection, a local collective that manages over 65 of Seaside’s cottages.
What To Do
The best way to discover Seaside is by taking a stroll around its central square, which is less than a 5 minute walk from anywhere in Seaside. Explore the town’s unique, locally-owned boutiques, starting La Vie Est Belle at the west end of the square. Designer Wendy Mignot, who has created custom jewelry for Hollywood’s A-List celebrities, owns this jewelry shop.
Turn left at Seaside Kids, cross Quincy Circle and explore the boutiques along the alleyway. You’ll stumble onto a charming garden space that feels like something from antebellum New Orleans. Here you’ll find hidden treasures like the Red Bird Gallery.
Return to the square and continue to Central Square Records. You remember record stores, don’t you? Pop into local favorite Sundog Books, the perfect place to buy a great beach read.
For a quick bite of lunch, walk into Modica Market for gourmet groceries, or stroll over to one of the food trucks along the south side of the amphitheater.
At nighttime the Seaside Amphitheater hosts music, plays and other events. Spread a blanket in the amphitheater’s greenspace and have a picnic.
For a sit-down meal, walk across two-lane Highway 30A to Bud & Alleys Restaurant. One of Seaside’s original restaurants, ask for a table on the upstairs porch so you get views of the Gulf of Mexico.
Continue past the restaurant, pass the Seaside Pavilion and you’ll come to the main attraction: the beach.
Seaside has the largest private beachfront along the Highway 30A corridor. It’s one of the best reasons to stay directly in town.
Ask Cabana Man to setup beach chairs and one of Seaside’s signature blue umbrellas for you. If you’re feeling active, Cabana Man also offer kayaks, boogie boards and standup paddle boards to get out on the water. Or just take it easy and watch the waves come and go.
How To Get Here
The nearest airport is Northwest Florida Beaches Airport (ECP). Delta, Southwest and United Airlines all offer flights to ECP.
ECP is 35 miles from Seaside. You can rent a car to get to Seaside, but you won’t use it once you get to town. Beachside Express offers shuttle service from the airport to Seaside. A $70 fee will transport a group of three people.
If arriving by car, Seaside is a five-hour drive from Atlanta, and five hours from New Orleans.
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