The Very Best Things to Do in 30A

Between the popular tourist destinations of Panama City and Destin, Florida, lies a stretch of Gulf Coast beach along scenic Highway 30A in Walton County Florida. This area, known popularly as “30A,” features beautiful white sandy beaches, picture-perfect beach villages, rare coastal dune lakes, and some great eating.

Though much smaller than either Destin or Panama City, there is still a wealth of great things to do in 30A.

30A highlights

30A is a scenic stretch of coastline in Walton County, Florida, known for its white sandy beaches and picturesque beach communities.
Seaside is a notable spot along 30A with shopping, dining, and the famous grilled cheese food truck, The Meltdown on 30A.
The Timpoochee Trail provides an 18-mile bike path that allows visitors to explore the different beach neighborhoods without the hassle of traffic.
For entertainment and dining, The Big Chill (formerly The Hub) in Watersound is a popular evening destination with food options, shops, and events.

Grey wood slat tower in Seaside Florida — *Exploring Seaside is one of the best things to do in 30A. Photo: Plan, Ready, Go.*

30A makes a wonderful family vacation destination. It also makes a great romantic getaway destination for couples.

Need help planning your trip to beautiful 30A? Check out our list of essential travel planning resources.  

Spend a day at one of the beautiful beaches on 30A

blue green waves crashing on a white sandy beach along 30A in Florida — *Of all the amazing things to do in 30A, enjoying the beautiful beaches is my favorite. Photo: Plan, Ready, Go.*

The beautiful white sugary beaches along 30A are not to be missed. So, pack your sunglasses, sunscreen, snacks, and other beach day essentials and enjoy an afternoon or even a full day at the beach.

Depending on where you stay in 30A, a great beach spot might be just steps away or you may have to go a little out of your way. You can certainly save money at 30A by renting accommodations away from the beach side of the highway.

Your hosts will be able to direct you to the closest public beach access. But you don’t have to stick to the nearest beach. You can find public beach access in many places along 30A.

Take a walk along the beach at sunset

Don’t miss the sunset on the beach at 30A. The light is magical. In fact, you’ll probably see couples and little families out on the beach in their coordinating outfits getting pictures taken for their Christmas cards.

Seriously. Practically every night.

Grab your sweetie, a beach blanket, and a cup of coffee, and make it an evening date.

sunset over a sandy beach — *On your trip to 30A don’t forget to take a sunset walk along the beach. Photo: Plan, Ready, Go.*

Head to Panama City, Florida, for some adventure

Panama City Beach is just a 30-minute drive from the 30A area. It’s a great place to try a bit of adventure.

You could try scuba diving (no experience needed).

Or try the scream machine thrill ride out on the water.

End your day with a sunset catamaran sail.

Rent a paddleboard or kayak and get out on the lake

In addition to the beautiful Gulf coastline, 30A features some lovely coastal dune lakes. Coastal dune lakes are pretty rare geological features that occur in only a few places in the world, including Walton County Florida.

Western Lake can be found between Grayton Beach and WaterColor. Small motorboats are allowed on Western Lake, and paddle boarding and kayaking rentals are popular.

There are several equipment rental places along 30A, including those that offer free delivery. Western Lake is partly surrounded by Grayton Beach State Park where you can also find trails and picnic areas.

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Spend an evening at The Big Chill (formerly The Hub)

painted sign for The Hub on a brick wall on Highway 30A — *Spend a fun evening at The Big Chill (formerly The Hub). Photo: Plan, Ready, Go.*

Head down 30A to WaterSound and spend an evening at The Big Chill which used to be called The Hub. You’ll find a wide variety of great eats like burgers, BBQ, seafood, ice cream, smoothies, etc.

There are also some fun shops to look through. You might find the perfect 30A souvenir to take home as a remembrance of your trip.

Check the events calendar to keep up with fun events like family movie nights, live music, and more.

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Bike the Timpoochee Trail

Bike rentals in 30A are quite popular. Because the highway is so narrow, traffic can get rather congested around the most popular spots like Seaside’s Central Square, especially during peak travel season

Instead of dealing with traffic in your car, explore 30A on a bike. You can follow the 18-mile Timpoochee Trail to explore all of the lovely beach neighborhoods along Highway 30A.

Head to Seaside for some shopping

Seaside’s Central Square is a popular spot along 30A. Full of great shops and wonderful lunch spots (see below for our favorite), it’s a great way to spend an afternoon.

We recommend stopping in at:

Central Square Records—Audiophiles will enjoy browsing through the bins at this independent record store.
Sundog Books—Just downstairs from Central Square Records you’ll find the family-owned Sundog Books. A great place to pick up your next beach read.
The Seaside Style—Great shop to pick up Seaside logo merch and even items referencing the Jim Carrey film The Truman Show which was filmed in Seaside.
Art of Simple—fun gifts and home décor items.

Parking can be difficult to find near the popular Central Square. Convenient paid parking is available on Smolian Circle. Or you can park outside of Seaside and use the free shuttle.

Grab lunch at The Meltdown on 30A

airstream food truck serving grilled cheese sandwiches — *My favorite food in 30A is at The Meltdown on 30A in Seaside. Photo: Plan, Ready, Go.*

As long as you’re in Seaside, why not grab the best grilled cheese of your life? You’ll find The Meltdown on 30A food truck along “Airstream Row” at Central Square facing Highway 30A.

Hand holding half of a grilled cheese sandwich with caramelized onions. — *The French Onion is My Jam sandwich at The Meltdown is life-changing. Photo: Plan, Ready, Go.*

The picture doesn’t do it justice. Bad lighting. My apologies.

But this sandwich (French Onion is my Jam) was so amazing that I had to go back later in the week and get it again. I dream about this sandwich. Okay, not really, but you get the idea.

My family also recommends the Cuban McConnell and This Little Figgy. And you can get any sandwich on the menu with gluten-free bread.

Take a day trip to Destin

Explore more of the Gulf Coast by heading over to Destin for a day trip.

There are some really fun things to do there. For example, you could try a banana boat experience.

Or go on a large jet ski boat ride dolphin tour.

You could also try a tiki sunset cruise.

Stroll through Rosemary Beach

street scene in a quant beach town — *Don’t miss the picturesque Rosemary Beach. Photo: Plan, Ready, Go.*

Toward the Eastern end of Highway 30A, you’ll find the lovely Rosemary Beach community. The cobblestone streets and architecture put one in mind of old European towns. It’s a great place to just walk around and enjoy looking in the shops.

There’s limited parking around Barrett Square, but if you can find a spot grab it quickly! You’ll find great Rosemary Beach souvenirs at Rosemary Beach Trading Company in the center of town.

If you’re a book lover like me, you’ll love wandering through The Hidden Lantern. It’s a beautiful store with a great selection of books.

Enjoy dessert at La Crema Tapas & Chocolate

Oh hey. And as long as you’re at Rosemary Beach, stop by La Crema Tapas & Chocolate for a wonderful dessert.

We highly recommend the chocolate fondue (delicious!), the salted caramel ice cream, and the fruit tarte. There is a gluten-free option for the fondue, and you can choose either dark or milk chocolate. Adding peanut butter is available for an upcharge.

While I enjoyed trying the sipping chocolate, I didn’t think it was worth anything close to the $6 I paid for it.

Pick up some donuts at Khave & Cream

For a delicious morning treat, head to Khave & Cream in Seagrove Beach for some wonderful donuts. You can purchase individually or splurge on a box.

Or put your life in the hands of the staff and let them choose a variety of donuts for you. I highly recommend the apple-filled bear claw. It’s enormous and delicious!

Plan to get there early, especially during peak summer travel season or you might miss out. Though we didn’t try the coffee or ice cream (kicking myself), I have heard good things.

Splurge on a romantic sunset dinner at Surfing Deer

plates of food on a wooden table at Surfing Deer restaurant — *If you enjoy fine dining, try Surfing Deer in Seagrove Beach. Photo: Plan. Ready, Go.*

If you’re looking for some fine dining for a splurge-y date night dinner out, then I recommend you give Surfing Deer a try.

The food is excellent, and they have a good selection of vegetarian and gluten-free options for diners with special dietary needs.

Everything we ordered was EXCELLENT. We had basil pesto pappardelle, and the filet, and shared the coffee-roasted heirloom carrots. Yum!

You can eat in the beautiful main dining room or enjoy a meal out on the patio. We chose the patio when we made our reservation so we could enjoy the sunset.

I made our reservation for just right about sunset, and I kind of wish now I had made it for 15 to 30 minutes earlier. The light on 30A in the 20 minutes or so before sunset is just beautiful.

The bottom line

No matter how you like to spend a beach vacation, you’ll find a lot of wonderful things to do at 30A. From outdoor adventures on one of the coastal dune lakes to shopping in Seaside and wonderful dining in Seagrove, you’ll never be bored.

And if what you crave is a relaxing day in the sand listening to the waves roll against the shore while you get lost in a great beach read…well you most certainly can do that too.