Grayton, Watercolor, Seaside or Rosemary? Other?
Where does SPS vacation at if they’re headed to 30A and why?
Where does SPS vacation at if they’re headed to 30A and why?
Alright - let’s settle this..
- Thread starter 57stratdawg
- Start date
Why would I tell you? So you can crowd up my beach too with sticker'ed up SUVs?
We like the eastern end of Scenic 98. Far enough from Destin proper and far enough away from the swankiness of 30A.
So look for the beach without stickered up SUVs and that's where you go and what you recommend. Got it. **
Rosemary / Seacrest area. You can park your car and never get back in it if you like. Plenty of walking distance eating. You can find everything from a flat for 2 to a huge multi-family house.
Grayton if you want a little more quiet and either seaside or rosemary if you’d rather be closer to things.
I personally am not a 30-a fan, especially if you’re coming from the west. Pass a lot of good beaches/towns on the way to 30-a... Pensacola, FWB, Destin
I personally am not a 30-a fan, especially if you’re coming from the west. Pass a lot of good beaches/towns on the way to 30-a... Pensacola, FWB, Destin
Haven't stayed in Grayton, although I agree Grayton Beach State Park is a good place to get away for a day. We've stayed in the other 3 as well as Watersound, all of which are good.
Seaside seems to be the busiest area, although during Covid they've made the town square pedestrian only which is a big improvement. I would definitely stay more toward the back, as the town square area can be really noisy at night. They've implemented online ordering at most of the Airstream trailer food trucks, so you can just order from your phone and walk up from the beach to grab lunch.
We've also found that for any of these areas, renting beach chairs is worth it. As I mentioned, it's quieter the further back you stay. You don't want a half mile hike with chairs, umbrellas, and coolers.
Seaside seems to be the busiest area, although during Covid they've made the town square pedestrian only which is a big improvement. I would definitely stay more toward the back, as the town square area can be really noisy at night. They've implemented online ordering at most of the Airstream trailer food trucks, so you can just order from your phone and walk up from the beach to grab lunch.
We've also found that for any of these areas, renting beach chairs is worth it. As I mentioned, it's quieter the further back you stay. You don't want a half mile hike with chairs, umbrellas, and coolers.
I'm a Grayton guy myself. Although the water can be a little hit or miss. Borago is so good. So is Black Bear Coffee.
I miss when 30A wasnt a "thing". I had relatives that lived in Pensacola back in the 70s and 80s. We'd go visit them in the summer and ride down to that area. Sometimes we'd get a motel and stay a night or two. It was minimal traffic. No condos or gated communities. A few mom and pop motels and restaurants scattered along the way. Miles of beaches where you hardly saw anybody. And now... its very "wine thirty" and artisanal.
That being said, I dont think you can go wrong with any of them.
Look for the blue tent. If you get to the Christmas Tree, you’ve gone too far.
I’m in a little different situation than most. I can drive to Opal Beach in between Navarre and Pensacola any time I want to and experience a beach that is not crowded. I like going to 30A and bar hopping on a bike. We go to Grayton and there are times we don’t set foot on the beach, but again that’s because we have access to one all of the time. We also go to islands and beaches in Santa Rosa sound instead of Crab Island or the other packed boater destinations.
Blue Mountain or Grayton. Be sure to drop by the Grayton Beer Brew Pub, owned by A River City boy.
Also AJ's has some good night life and great steaks..
Also AJ's has some good night life and great steaks..
Phoenix X in Perdido Beach, FL (Not close to 30A). Right next door to the Flora-Bama. I've considered staying there for a weekend just to stumble in and out to my condo.
Number of douche bags per acre seems to be much lower in Grayton compared to others you listed. I like the area that I'm not sure if it's Sea Grove or Sea Crest, but down by Cafe 30A.
But I generally agree that if you're coming from Mississippi or otherwise west, going to 30A isn't worth the extra driving. You can get as nice or nicer beaches starting basically from Perdido Key and going east, and you can find stuff busier or less busy. And as far as I can tell from my limited visits, the crowd at Seaside is no longer distinguishable from Destin.
Anybody else like collecting 30A stickers and sticking them on the oldest beaters you can find at the Madison Walmart? You know, just to make Botox lady in the Range Rover re-think her choices...
I've stayed at Phoenix X. Happened to have some folding chairs in the truck and ended up sitting on the top deck of the parking garage overlooking the Bama and watched the festivities several nights. You could literally spit on the drunks. If memory serves me though Phoenix X is on the Alabama side.
We were in Rosemary back in June and it was as miserable as the last time we were there a couple years before. If you want to be surrounded by 20,000 people in a small space that’s the place to go. Now that was in June so right now would obviously not be as bad. I would stay West of Seaside for sure. We had been going to Rosemary for the last 20+ years and it’s just nowhere near the same as it used to be.
I do, own a spot there thinking it would be my retirement spot but it's getting pretty crowded. Too many people in too small of a space. The infrastructure isn't keeping up with the growth.
I find the quality of the grey poupon at Grayton to be much finer. Thats merely a personal preference, but really, if you don't enjoy the finer things why bother ??
I am just glad to see none of y'all mentioned my spots, and lets keep it that way. I go to the beach to be away from people. Your sunscreen chases off all the fish.
Naturewalk in Seagrove Beach right next to Watercolor and Seaside :: 5 minute golf cart ride :: ride bikes to either or Grayton Beach also and eat at Grayton Seafood Company
Shhhh, don't tell anybody about the miles and miles of open beach there.
Otherwise 17ers will ruin my fishing.
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