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Planning your 30A vacation is exciting, but it’s also one of those destinations where a few small planning mistakes can totally change how your trip feels once you arrive. The towns along 30A are very different; walkability varies by area, and factors such as parking, transportation, and seasonality matter more here than people expect.
Before booking your 30A vacation rental, it’s worth knowing what most first-time visitors find surprising, so you can avoid staying in the wrong area for your travel style!
10 Mistakes People Make When Booking a 30A Vacation
Highway 30A is actually a road that covers over 20 miles along the Gulf of Mexico in northwest Florida. It’s dotted with charming beach towns, many of which offer private beach access and amenities. Therefore, the cost of vacation rentals on 30A can vary greatly.
For example, one rental in Alys Beach may cost you over $20,000 for a week in the summer, but a home just a quarter mile away in Seacrest Beach may only cost $6000. That said, they have completely different amenities! Add in factors such as public vs private beach access on 30A, walkability, and seasonal concerns, such as finding parking on 30A, and there is just a lot to consider!
That said, your first trip to 30A is always a learning opportunity. It’s a chance to experience one area, maybe explore a few others, and decide where you want to stay on your next 30A vacation. You will find that people are fiercely loyal to their favorite areas, which is great because it means there is something for everyone! After a few trips to 30A, you’ll find your place!
We absolutely love the walkability of the east end of 30A, which is why we own four vacation rentals in Seacrest Beach. With all the great shops and restaurants within walking distance in Inlet Beach, Rosemary Beach, Seacrest Beach, and Alys Beach, we rarely need to use our car, which allows us to relax.
Not only are we local Airbnb superhosts, but living just 90 minutes north of the 30a beaches means that we spend a lot of time there. So, today I want to share the top 10 mistakes people often make on their first trip to 30A Florida!
#1 Not Understanding the Different Areas of 30A
Each town along 30A has its own vibe, layout, and price point, so where you stay matters more than people realize. Booking without understanding the differences between areas like Alys Beach, Seacrest Beach, Seaside, or Grayton Beach can leave you paying more than you need to or staying somewhere that doesn’t match how you plan to spend your time.
READ: A Quick 30 Overview
And, many of these communities are adjacent to one another. So, if you aren’t familiar with the 30A area, it’s easy to book a vacation rental that you believe is in Rosemary Beach, but it’s really in adjacent Inlet Beach or Seacrest Beach. Why does it matter? The amenities in each town and neighborhood vary widely.
For example, to use the private beach access and pools in Rosemary Beach, Florida, you need to be staying at a vacation rental in Rosemary Beach.
How do you avoid this mistake? First, read the 30A vacation rental listing thoroughly. If you still have questions, reach out to the Airbnb host or property management company and ask!
Also, there is considerable confusion about what Santa Rosa Beach is. Essentially, it covers most of the 30A area. Why? There are two ZIP Codes for all of 30A: Santa Rosa Beach (west 2/3rds) and Inlet Beach (east 1/3). If you are looking at a rental with that town as the address, it’s not really indicative of where it actually is. You need to determine what community or neighborhood it’s actually in.
#2 Assuming All of 30A is Walkable
Some parts of 30A are incredibly walkable, while other stretches are much more spread out and car-dependent. If walkability is important to you, it’s worth checking exactly how close your 30A vacation rental is to dining, shops, and beach access before you book.
The easiest way to do this is to look up the location on Google or Apple Maps. Are there shops and restaurants nearby? Or is it in a fairly isolated area?
Neither scenario is inherently good or bad. Some people enjoy quiet vacations and plan to cook all meals inside. Therefore, walkability isn’t important. On the other hand, if you are planning a 30a girls’ trip and want to eat out and enjoy drinks, you likely want to be somewhere more walkable!
#3 Not Thinking Through Transportation Before You Book
Whether you plan to rent a car for your trip to 30A, rely mostly on bikes, or use rideshares should factor into where you stay. Transportation can shape your entire experience on 30A, especially during peak season when parking is extremely limited, and Uber availability can be spotty.
If you plan to book fishing trips or sailing excursions in Panama City Beach or Destin, you will want to have a car. It’s often an hour+ drive, and rideshare will be expensive and sometimes hard to find.
READ: How To Visit Shell Island in Panama City Beach
That said, relying on a car to get to and from dinner and the beach can be tricky because parking is quite limited, especially during the busy season. So, just think about how your 30A vacation days look. Do you want to explore a lot or stay put?
#4 Not Checking How Close Your 30A Vacation Rental Is to Beach Access
A listing can say it’s “on 30A” and still be farther from the beach than you expect. And, 30A is unique in that much of the beachfront is private to specific communities and accommodations. Always read the rental listing description and ask the host again if you have any questions about beach access.
READ: 30A Beach Tent Rules & Tips
If you don’t have access to a private beach, always double-check how far the nearest public beach access is and whether that walk feels realistic for your group, especially with kids or beach gear.
At the same time, even if you have access to a private beach, it may be quite a long walk. For example, if you stay in the very back of Watercolor, it’s quite a long walk to the beach club. That’s when bikes, the shuttle, or an LSV come in handy.
#5 Not Being Realistic About Budget, Amenities & Crowds
One of the most common mistakes that I see from people looking for the “perfect 30A vacation rental” is that they are not always realistic.
For example, someone may post in a 30A group seeking a highly walkable place with uncrowded beaches and a low budget. That is nearly impossible to find because the most walkable, dense areas will have the largest crowds. And walkable areas with quieter beaches, such as Alys Beach, typically command much higher price points.
I like to think of it as you get to pick two.
- price point
- great walkability
- crowded vs quiet beaches
A prime example is Rosemary Beach vs. Seacrest Beach, as they are adjacent to one another. Both are very walkable. However, Rosermary Beach has a much larger stretch of private beach than Seacrest Beach, which can get very busy in peak season. However, the trade-off is that Seacrest Beach vacation rentals are usually half the price!
The same holds true with Seaside and Seagrove. If you stay in Seaside, you have access to several of their private beach walkovers with a lot of room to spread out! But rentals are priced higher because of the desirability of staying there. Next door in Seagrove, prices are lower, but you often have to rely on public beach access points, many of which have very small sections of public beach.
READ: What To Know About 30A Public & Private Beaches
#6 Ignoring Parking Rules and Town Restrictions
Parking rules vary by town and neighborhood, and some areas have limited public parking or stricter enforcement. Not understanding parking ahead of time can lead to daily frustration, especially in the busiest parts of 30A.
This is especially true of many large rental homes. It’s not uncommon for a 30A vacation rental to have a limit of 2 or 3 vehicles, which the HOA often sets. If your group of 10 plans to drive separately, you won’t have enough parking spots. So, consider this when booking and planning your trip.
#7 Assuming Golf Carts are a Good Idea
Building on that, many towns and communities have restrictions around “golf carts,” which are actually LVS or low-speed vehicles in Walton County. Some towns have banned golf cart rentals entirely, including Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, and Seacrest Beach. Others, like Seaside, have an LSV parking lot, but don’t allow them on the streets. Other communities allow one per home or don’t allow rentals, but homeowners can provide them, and so forth.
Again, I think you are seeing a common theme here… ask the host!
Another consideration is that LSVs are treated the same as standard vehicles, which means car seats are required for kids, drivers must have a license, and, in most cases, they must park in a regular parking spot.
Some areas of 30A, usually the west end, are much more “golf cart friendly” than others. They usually aren’t a good idea on the east end of 30A.
In this post, I share where you can and can’t drive LSVs along 30A!
#8 Not Considering the Time of Year You’re Visiting 30A
30A feels very different in peak season versus the quieter winter months on 30A. Crowds, parking availability, pricing, and ease of exploring multiple towns can vary significantly depending on when you visit.
In general, 30A is busiest when kids are out of school. This essentially means Memorial Day through the first week of August, Fall & Spring Break, Thanksgiving weekend, and the week between Christmas and New Year’s.
If you have kids in school, you are usually stuck to those schedules and visiting 30A when it’s usually busy. On the other hand, if you’re planning a romantic getaway, a girls’ trip, or have young kids not yet in school, the shoulder seasons are a better time to travel.
Visiting between mid-April (after Spring Breaks) and the Memorial Day weekend is a sweet spot for Spring, when prices are lower, and crowds are far fewer. In late summer and early Fall, from mid-August through late September, it is a great time to travel, outside of holiday weekends. The gulf is warm like bathwater, but it is hurricane season. So, always have travel insurance!
October, after most Fall breaks end around the second week of the month, is also one of our favorite times to visit 30A!
READ: 30A Month by Month Guide
#9 Not Budgeting for Extras Beyond the Rental Price
Like most popular tourist destinations, 30A is pretty expensive. In fact, with so many upscale restaurants and boutiques, it can be significantly more expensive than other parts of northwest Florida, such as Panama City Beach and Pensacola.
Basically, a 30A vacation is generally not a good fit if you are working with a tight budget, especially during prime season!
Bikes, beach chairs, umbrella rentals, grocery delivery, LSVs, dinners out, and other add-ons can add up quickly. Planning these extras in advance helps you budget more realistically for your 30A trip.
#10 Waiting Too Long to Book in Peak Season
30A books up quickly for spring break, summer, and holiday weeks, and waiting too long can leave you with fewer options or higher prices. Booking earlier gives you more flexibility to choose the exact area and rental type you want!
On the other hand, you can often score some great deals in the off-season, especially if you visit 30A in the winter, so don’t be afraid to plan a last-minute trip to 30A!
Planning Your Trip to 30A Florida
I hope this helps you plan the best possible trip to 30A! And remember, a day at the beach is better than most days at home. And, the beauty of 30A is that since there are so many charming beach towns and unique areas, you never have to take the same vacation twice.
My best advice is to be aware of these things, but don’t overthink it!
Use your first trip to 30A to enjoy and explore, ideally outside the busiest weeks. Then come back and try somewhere else! Before we bought our vacation rentals on 30A, we stayed in over a dozen different areas. And, we still explore and enjoy all of 30A as often as we can!
Click here to browse vacation rentals along 30A!
Click here to learn about the hotels on 30A!
More 30A Guides & Tips for Your 30A Vacation
Before your 30A vacation, make sure to read some of my other 30A travel tips! I share a lot of valuable first-hand information about visiting 30A, including:
- Best Time To Visit 30A
- Day Trips From 30A
- Cars & 30A Parking
- Girls Trip to 30A
- Private vs Public Beaches
- Beach Tent Rules & Tips
- Things To Do on 30A
- Visiting 30A in Winter
- Beach Flag Warnings
- 30A Packing List
- Best Airports for 30A
- List of 30A Hotels
Pin These 30A Vacation Mistakes For Later
