We spent a week in Seaside, Florida for spring break and it was literally heaven on earth. One of the most unique and special places to visit! If you are thinking about visiting Seaside or have been wondering if it’s worth it to vacation there, I am breaking down our week and what my do’s and don’ts are.
One of the most important things to know about Seaside and 30A in general is that it is a very exclusive and unique place to stay. You can easily book a vacation but they prefer to keep their town small and not overrun with tourists. If you plan to vacation in Seaside, I recommend looking up as much information about how the town functions. It will make your trip much smoother and less stressful.
One of my favorite 30A blogs is lifeofstacy.com. She breaks down 30A and everything you need to know before visiting Seaside, Florida! If you are planning a trip or interested in learning more about 30A, her blog is a great resource!
A week in Seaside, Florida!
We stayed for 9 days but it felt like 4. It was one of the most peaceful weeks that we’ve had in such a long time. Time moved slow but it flew by at the same time. We stayed at a house with my husband’s entire family. There were six of us total plus two grandparents and the house had plenty of space!
We spent time on the beach, hanging out in the main square, shopping and just venturing around Seaside and other parts of 30A. It was a great time to spend time with my husband’s family and get out town. We have been going so fast at home and traveling here was such a wonderful break for us.
We tried some incredible food and found our favorite coffee shops in town. One of my favorite things was waking up and biking into town to grab a latte and just enjoy the sounds of the beach. The mornings were slow and so peaceful.
Rosemary Beach
At the beginning of the week, we ventured out to Rosemary Beach which is at the end of 30A. It was a beautiful day and if you are wondering if it’s worth visiting, it is. Rosemary Beach is similar to Seaside except it’s much larger and newly developed. Rosemary Beach truly feels like you are in a curated world. When walking around, we described it as walking through Disney World.
When in Rosemary Beach, we spent a lot of time shopping and walking around the main square. They have a great farmers market every Sunday from 9am – 1pm year round. So, it doesn’t matter what time of year you visit, every Sunday you will have local business owners selling their products. Our favorite was the pickle stand. We purchased a cup of spicy pickle slices and snacked on them all week long!
Brunch At Rosemary Beach
Then, we ate brunch at the beautiful Pescato. This rooftop restaurant is beautifully designed with an incredible view of the ocean. They only offer brunch on Saturday and Sunday so you have to get there early if you want to sit outside and look at the view.
We all ordered a variety of things and I don’t think anyone was upset with their meals. Everything was delicious and full of flavor. We started with mimosas which were great! They pour the champagne for you and bring you three juices to make your mimosa. You can choose three of the same juices or get a variety. We opted for a variety with orange juice, cranberry juice and pineapple juice. These were delicious and so refreshing to sip on!
For food, half of us ordered brunch and the other half ordered lunch. We ate around 11:30 am so it was a transitional time for meals but everything was delicious! I ordered the pulled pork benedict. It’s served on a biscuit instead of an english muffin and it was incredible! Paul Michael, my husband, ordered the hot chicken sandwich with the breakfast hash which was all so delicious. Multiple people ordered this and I would say it was the winner out of all the meals ordered! The hash was everyone’s favorite. It was full of flavor and whatever they sauteed the potatoes in created one of the best flavors I’ve tasted in a breakfast hash.
Other plates that were ordered were the lobster roll and the challah french toast. My sister in-law is engaged to someone from the north east and he said that the lobster roll was good in comparison to what the north has to offer! Obviously, it’s not exactly the same but the fact that he said it was good in comparison is a win in my book! The challah french toast ws delicious as well! However, I will say, it was very sweet and a pretty heavy meal.
The Beach
If you have visited 30A, then you know the beach is very exclusive. We stayed in Seagrove which is about a mile outside of Seaside. We didn’t mind being farther away because unless you are staying in Seaside specifically, you won’t gain access to their beach. They have various public access points along the beach but it is very strict on what you can access.
This was a point of conversation between our family this week. There are new beach access rules for 30A this summer. If you plan to visit, it is very important to know these rules so that you don’t accidentally get removed from the beach. They are monitoring the private beaches along 30A and the homeowners are trying to keep beach attendees off of their private access. It will be difficult considering most of the homes to rent along 30A are not beach front properties.
If you are renting in Seaside, Florida or anywhere along 30A this season, make sure you talk to the homeowner about where the beach access is and if they have any tips to make your vacation smoother for visiting the beach.
Biking & Relaxing
One of my favorite aspects of the trip was biking everywhere! Parking is very limited in Seaside and on 30A in general. We have a set of bikes that we use to ride into town whenever we want to grab a morning coffee, shop, eat lunch in town or just sit in the square with a drink to watch the sunset.
Seaside can be a very busy town in the summer but one of our favorite things to do was fill up a cooler with some beer or a cocktail and ride bikes to the main square around 4:30 pm. They have adirondack chairs throughout the square along the grassy knoll. It was so fun and relaxing to just sit and enjoy the sunset while watching families play before dinner.
My only tip for biking is to make sure you pay attention. If you have small kids, ask your homeowner if they provide helmets. Biking along 30A is so beautiful but it is a busy road that has a lot of tourists and construction vehicles. We are all grown adults but almost had a few falls and even collisions ourselves. If you go with kids, just make sure that you are paying attention because it can get heavily trafficked with people, bikes and strollers during the peak season.
Food and Coffee in Seaside
Coffee:
We tend to eat dinner at home most nights because we don’t like dealing with the crowds. However, the food and coffee selections are incredible if you are planning to eat out. Our go-to coffee spots are Black Bear Coffee and Amavida. My go-to coffee order at Black Bear is the hummingbird iced latte. It is a honey lavender latte with oat milk and it is the perfect refreshing cup of coffee to start the day with! Pair it with a croissant!
Paul Michael loves a classic black coffee and said both coffee spots had a great cup of black coffee. He got a key lime croissant which was delicious but very sweet. It was a bit much for me early in the morning but very delicious for an afternoon treat! We got an americano from Amavida for an afternoon coffee and it was the perfect pick me up! Black Bear Coffee is definitely more popular and trendy but honestly, both coffee shops are great options for a morning or afternoon cup of joe!
One of my favorite things we did was order mimosas from Modica Market! These famous mimosas are made with a mini bottle of prosecco and a splash of fresh orange juice. They were refreshing to walk around with. If you aren’t the biggest fan of prosecco, no worries! The fresh orange juice overpowers the taste of alcohol which is what makes is so crisp and refreshing!
Food:
Our go-to for lunch is the Meltdown on 30A food truck. They serve gourmet grilled cheese and are absolutely incredible. We love the Smokin’ Turkey which is our go-to. I tried the B-A-C and added bacon last time and it was delicious!
Bud and Alley’s is another great spot that has a great brunch menu but also a wonderful lunch and dinner menu! They have so much to offer from delicious food to a beautiful beach view to a rooftop bar hang out and a pizzeria! We went for brunch one morning and got the southern style breakfast which was amazing! Another popular selection is the shrimp and grits. I think it’s a little heavy for breakfast but other members of our family loved it!
The Great Southern Cafe is another wonderful option! We grabbed lunch here one day and it was one of my favorite meals. I ordered the Carson with sweet potato fries and it was amazing. Paul Michael ordered the Great Southern Dip and really enjoyed it. If you like mashed potatoes, then make sure to order a side with your meal. I promise, you won’t regret it!
If you are visiting the 30A area, you have to visit Seaside, Florida. It is a great town that is family oriented and a beautiful escape from reality. If you visit in the summer, be prepared for large crowds. I prefer it in the off season but that’s just me!