Florida Travel: What is 30A?

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As soon as we moved to Southeastern Alabama in 2018, we fell in love with the nearby beaches, specifically a magical place called 30A in Florida. A bunch of people have asked me, “What is 30A? ” because it looks like somewhere they would like to visit, so I wanted to get a quick post up with a basic overview of 30A, Florida!

This post has been recently updated in the summer of 2026 and is an up-to-date overview of the 30A area!

New here? Hi, I’m Sarah! And we spend a lot of time on 30A! You can always click here to read all of my 30A guides for so much helpful firsthand information about visiting 30A, including beach access, where to stay, planning a girls’ trip, and even my popular 30A packing list.

And, I even have a list of the top mistakes people make when planning a trip to 30A!

What is 30A Florida?

Put simply, 30A is a road. Florida’s Scenic Highway 30-A runs along the Gulf Coast between Destin and Panama City Beach in Northwest Florida!

The actual Highway 30A continues eastward into Panama City Beach and beyond. Still, when people refer to 30A, they are talking about the area shown on this map, starting at the intersection of HWY 98 and 30A west of Dune Allen, then extending east to Rosemary Beach and ending at Inlet Beach.

There are plenty of fun things to do on 30A, but it’s not overrun with tourist traps. Vacations on 30A center around the beach, pool, live music, dining out, bike riding, and time spent with family.

In this post, I will cover:

• quick 30A overview
• 30A accommodations
• flights & the best 30A airports
• town by the town guide
• the 30A beaches
• my top 30A tips

30A Florida Overview

Now, these small communities along 30A offer something much different from the busyness of the larger cities located just to the east and west.

In Destin and Panama City Beach, you will find high rises, large resorts, shopping malls, big touristy restaurants, amusement parks, marinas, and world-famous beaches.

Of course, those beautiful blue-green waters and white-sand beaches are present along 30A, but the pace is much slower, which is what people love about the area compared to nearby communities. There are a handful of boutique hotels on 30A, but for the most part, it’s vacation rentals.

In this post, I will share a little bit about how to book a 30A vacation and then go into more details about the 30A communities. They are all special in their own way. That said, for some, you will need a rental car when visiting 30A, while for others, it is very walkable. So, it’s always important to learn about the 30A area before deciding where to stay!

We love 30A so much that after visiting as often as possible, we bought a condo in 2020 and now own four vacation rentals along 30A.  We are proud to be some of the highest-rated Airbnb superhosts on 30A, hosting thousands of happy guests each year!

Click here to check out our 4 condos in Seacrest Beach, Florida!

Finding Accommodations on 30A

You won’t find the big chain hotels on 30A. In fact, there are only a handful of 30A hotels.  Read my Guide to 30A Hotels to learn more about those. But here is a quick overview of the most popular ones I would personally recommend to anyone looking for a short stay on 30A.

RELATED POST: When To Choose An Airbnb vs a Hotel: 9 Things To Consider

Hotels on 30A

The Pearl in Rosemary Beach is stunning and chic, and it’s great for a couple’s weekend away. Children are allowed to stay there; however, they aren’t allowed in the pool area. You do have access to the other pools and amenities in Rosemary Beach. However, I personally would save The Pearl for an adult-only vacation!

The Watercolor Inn is centrally located near Seaside, Florida, and is better suited for families. In the past few years, this popular hotel underwent a huge remodel and is a great beachfront, family-friendly place to stay on 30A. If you are looking for a full-service beachfront 30 hotel, within walking distance to Seaside, this is it! But the price tag will reflect that!

A few years ago, in 2023, Lodge 30A opened, a great lower-cost option for quick one—to two-night stays. That same year, the new Camp Creek Inn opened, which offers golf, a great pool area, and access to the Watersound Beach Club—a huge perk! Neither of these hotels is on the beach and is not necessarily in the most walkable areas. But the Camp Creek Inn is great for golf and has a wonderful pool area!

There are a few other smaller hotel options I cover in that post, but in lieu of big hotels on 30a, you will find a ton of vacation homes and condos, too. 

QUICK LINK: Click here to check out our 4 condos in Seacrest Beach.

Vacation Rentals On 30A

Many of the 30A vacation rentals are private homes owned by people who live in the Southeast but are drawn to the coast on weekends.  There are so many options when it comes to vacation homes available for rent on 30A 

These come in as small as a one-bedroom/studio, like the one we own. On the other hand, vacation homes on 30A can accommodate several families, as in the beautiful homes in Rosemary Beach, Florida, or Watercolor, Florida!

Where should you stay?

Well, in short, my top recommendation for where to stay on 30A is Rosemary Beach, though it comes with a higher price tag.

Or, staying in Seacrest Beach is a great option if you want the walkability of Rosemary Beach at a lower cost! I actually have a great post about Seacrest Beach vs Rosemary Beach that you should read!

Click here to browse VRBO rentals on 30A!

Camping on 30A

But I have to share one of my favorite, unique, and affordable ways to stay along 30A – camping!  There are several campgrounds along 30A, including Topsail Hill Preserve State Park and Grayton Beach State Park. We have taken our kids camping at both.

I love camping there because you are right in the middle of things, and it can be very inexpensive. Back before we bought our own properties on 30A, snagging a last-minute campsite always made me feel less guilty about sneaking another trip down there, because that adds up fast.

If you are within driving distance, camping on 30A is worth considering!  However, these camping spots are highly competitive, often requiring you to book as soon as they open, about a year out. Or, you can take advantage of last-minute cancellations and usually find camping spots on 30A a day or two out.

READ: 30A Beach Tent Rules & Recommendations

Airports Near 30A

To see which airports to fly into and where to get nonstop flights from, you can read my 30A Airport Guide. That said, flights are always changing, so it’s harder to keep that list of nonstop flights up to date. Always check Google Flights!

Many direct routes operate only on particular days, especially during the shoulder and off-seasons. So, if you want to visit 30A in the winter, keep that in mind.

There are two main airports for 30A:

• ECP in Panama City Beach
• VPS in Destin, Florida

ECP is generally preferred, especially when staying in central 30A or on the east end. But VPS is often only a little longer and is subject to more traffic bottlenecks!

Make sure to read my month-by-month guide to the best time to visit 30A, because when you visit can really affect crowds, rental prices, and even things like whether direct flights are offered!

And my favorite way to find flight deals is to use Thrifty Traveler flight deal alerts! You can set up alerts for flights to and from these airports and jump on great deals.

If you are flying and traveling light, I have a post about baby gear and beach rentals on 30A that you may find helpful!

30A Dining & Drinks

There are also SO MANY amazing restaurants and bars along this part of the Florida Coast. 

You won’t find Senor Frogs or the Rainforest Cafe on 30A. Instead, you’ll spend time in a unique setting with a mix of locals, regular visitors, and families because 30A is very family-friendly.

With most vacation rentals style lodging options offering a small, midsize, or even gourmet kitchen, many people choose to cook for themselves in their rental homes. Don’t worry—there are grocery stores here and there!

What I love about the 30A area is that you can find both very upscale dining options and more casual places for ice cream and fresh shrimp. There is a lot of variety! Many places have a good selection of in-season seafood on their menus.

What Are the Best 30A Beach Towns?

Ok, I have to be cliché and say all of them! 

Each of these little communities is so different from the others, and I love exploring them all.  You may recognize Seaside (smack dab in the middle of 30A) from The Truman Show.  This charming town features a huge green space in the center with food trucks. Actually, they are cute food Airstreams lining the whole road.   Grab lunch at Bud and Alley’s and enjoy an amazing Gulf view. 

But every mile of 30A is special in its own way – remember that it’s over 25 miles long!

So, I am going to take you through the communities from east to west, mainly because that is how we visit them.   We feel so lucky to have 30A, just an hour and a half away, and we spend a lot of time there every month of the year.

And, make sure to check out all of my 30A Guides for so much great info!

Rosemary Beach, Seacrest Beach & Alys Beach

What I love about the east end of 30A is that it is 100% walkabout to dozens of great shops and restaurants. That is why we love owning vacation rentals in this area!

TIP: Golf carts and LSVs are not allowed in these areas on the east end of 30A.

At the east end of 30A, Rosemary Beach is a beautiful European-inspired community, upscale yet laid-back.  There are wonderful upscale restaurants and cobblestone streets.  There are cute shops and fun activities for families in the summer and during school breaks.

Alys Beach is a newer community with white buildings and beautiful attention to detail that will make you feel like you’re in the Mediterranean. It’s very high-end and has the most expensive yet exclusive accommodations in the 30A area.

Nestled between the two is Seacrest Beach, a large residential neighborhood, and the Village of South Walton. We love this area so much because of its walkability. We ended up buying here over a year after initially writing this post, and it’s still my favorite spot.

TIP: Seacrest Beach should not be confused with Seacrest, which is located to the west of Alys Beach.

These are some of the best areas for a 30A girls’ trip because of the walkability, cute towns, and access to top 30A restaurants and shopping.

Just east of here is Inlet Beach, which is technically not on 30A but is still considered part of it. There are great dining options there at 30Ave. That said, I personally would not stay north of Hwy 98 in this area as it’s just not really the 30A vibe in my opinion! But, south of 98 is a great area!

QUICK LINK: If you are also an Airbnb host, you will probably enjoy the Airbnb Hosting section of my blog!

Seacrest, Watersound, & Prominence

The large area west of Alys Beach is called Seacrest (again, not to be confused with Seacrest Beach). 

Keep driving, and you’ll hit Watersound, a gated community south of 30A, as well as the newer neighborhood Prominence. However, you may hear this area referred to simply as The Big Chill (formerly The Hub).   

The Big Chill is an indoor/outdoor complex with bars, restaurants, a stage for live music, and a jumbotron for the big game.  The open green space has games for the kiddos, and it is such a great way to spend the day!  It makes this area a great destination for families or even day trips!

Just past The Big Chill, you pass Deer Creek State Park, which recently completed a long renovation and many upgrades. Here, you can spend the day admiring the coastal dune lake and relaxing on the beach! These preserves have the most beautiful coastal dunes, too. I love how Florida has set aside almost 30,000 acres along 30A as preserves. It just feels so peaceful!

Seagrove, Seaside, Watercolor, & Grayton Beach

In the center of 30A, you find Seagrove, Seaside, Watercolor, and Grayton Beach (you have to try the Grayton Beach Brewery beers while you are down there).   If you want somewhere new and amazing to eat for every meal, this central part of 30A is a great place to be!  

As I mentioned above, Seaside, Florida, is very popular.   It’s trendy and Instagrammable, yet it still maintains its small-town vibe most of the year.   It is packed to the brim during Summer, Spring, and Fall breaks.  If you are looking for the best time to visit 30A, make sure to read this post!   

While there are many 30A vacation rentals to consider, don’t forget the option to camp at Grayton Beach State Park! They have cabins, too.  In fact, all of these campgrounds have cabins available. However, these do book up well in advance.

Blue Mountain Beach, Gulf Place, & Dune Allen

Next, Blue Mountain Beach, Gulf Place, and Dune Allen. 

These tend to be among the least crowded areas and the quieter beaches. But again, all of the 30A beaches are going to be busy during the peak summer season!

We spent five nights near Gulf Place with my whole family over Christmas one year and loved it. We ate at Shunk Gulley almost every day.

Directly across from Gulf Place is a public beach access point called Ed Walline, and they even have a sunrise church service there on Sunday mornings

And everyone knows that Blue Mountain Beach Creamery has the best ice cream, too!

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

At the very western end of 30A is Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. I took the kids camping here one year (see my story highlight on Instagram), and we loved it! This campground was so great, and while we tent-camped, most of the other campers had RVs. 

The campground has a pool and a playground.  There is a shuttle to the beach, or you can walk or ride your bike.  We have reservations to go back this summer, and I can’t wait! I love the vibe at campgrounds like this.  The kids made friends to play with, and the energy was just good.  Good vibes all around when camping at the beach! 

And, just past the western end of 30A, is the Hilton Sandestin. And, while this isn’t 30A, it’s a great place to stay if you are looking for a beachfront full-service hotel for a night or two!

READ: Fun Day Trips from 30A Florida

Visiting the 30A Beaches

So, what is 30A? The most charming beach towns and, honestly, the most beautiful beaches in the world!

Also, I know there are many fantastic places I haven’t mentioned in this post. That is the best part about the 30A area. Honestly, you can go down time after time and find something new or go back to your favorite places. After your second or third visit to 30A, you will know where “your place” is. For us, it’s the east end of 30A in Seacrest Beach!

As I mentioned before, when you visit has the most impact on what your trip to 30A will be like, and in my article titled When is the Best Time to Visit 30A, I have some great first-hand advice on what to expect every month. So make sure to check that out. After reading this What Is 30A blog post, you can click the image below to open that post!

I hope you find your way to 30A! 

And if you want to see more of 30A, check out my main Instagram account @ourlittlelifestyleblog and tap around in my stories.  I have several highlights that really give you a feel of what a trip to 30A is like!   Also, if you are looking at the Rosemary Beach/Seacrest Beach area, my rental’s Instagram account, @ourlittleretreats, has story highlights that serve as a virtual guidebook for the area!

Also, please familiarize yourself with the 30A beach flag warning system before your trip to stay safe!

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