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If you are a food tourist guided by your taste buds to try new flavors and sample local favorites, Florida’s Highway 30A is a must visit. The Gulf Coast is home to many fine restaurants and delicious casual beachside eateries. So many that it’s a shame to visit them one by one. That’s why we’ve found the best ways to try a variety and get the most from your 30A vacay.
What 30A vacay is complete without delicious local food? Discover the best ways to enjoy food tourism and try a wide selection of dishes from the best 30A restaurants.
If you are a food tourist guided by your taste buds to try new flavors and sample local favorites, Florida’s Highway 30A is a must visit. The Gulf Coast is home to many fine restaurants and delicious casual beachside eateries. So many that it’s a shame to visit them one by one. That’s why we’ve found the best ways to try a variety and get the most from your 30A vacay.
30A farmers markets are more than just a good place to pick up fresh produce for your grocery list. They are ideal for sampling different types of foods and enjoying a late morning stroll. Every Sunday from 9-2pm the 30A Farmers Market at Rosemary Beach offers a range of locally grown fresh fruits and veggies, eggs, fresh seafood, chicken and beef, bread and pastries at the Rosemary Town Beach Center on 30A. But besides high quality artisan goods, pantry stockers and fridge filling ingredients, there’s a great selection of dishes and food products to try. Homemade pasta and sauce, authentic Greek food, cakes, pies, tarts, salsas and gelato are samples of the selection you’ll find.
Just a short stroll from our Seaside 30A cottages, you’ll find the Seaside Farmer’s Market, open every Saturday morning. It’s a small market but still offers plenty of tasty local treats like crab cakes and pastries. The family-friendly market is right beside the beach. With fun vibes and live music, it’s the perfect place to stroll and fill your belly while you wait for the day to heat up and head to the water for some fun in the sun.
Food trucks have been trending for a while and for good reason. They offer delicious food at great prices and you’ll usually find a few of them in the same area so you can get a little something from each. Try a variety of dishes at the adorable row of quaint airstreams in Seaside. Like something out of a travel magazine, this picture-perfect line of retro airstreams is a modern twist on a vintage icon and a fresh take on the food truck. Try a local favorite, the brisket nachos at Barefoot BBQ and don’t miss the famous 100 layer donuts at Five Daughters Bakery—chain establishment offers a super special menu just for beachgoers. Our personal favorite is The Meltdown which offers traditional and very-non-traditional grilled cheese creations like the B.A.C. with bacon jelly, avocado and cheddar. Enjoy a pimento grilled cheese with roasted tomato soup—just like mom used to make… but better.
Check for local events and food festivals. Local vendors flock to special events, offering a superb selection of offerings. The 30A Wine Festival has more than just bottles of bubbly. Some of the best chefs in the area offer an array of culinary delights. Plus, some of the proceeds from the festival support the Children’s Volunteer Health Network, a nonprofit dedicated to providing access to health services for children in Walton and Okaloosa counties. South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival also has a dazzling roster of chefs and celebrity winemakers. VIP tasting guests get to sip award-winning wines and sample small plates throughout the day.
If you’ve never gone restaurant-hopping, you’re missing out. Appetizers at the first place, entrees at the next and dessert at a third—with maybe a few extra drinks, dishes or stops along the way (we’re not judging). All of our 30A cottages are in amazing locations so it’s just a short walk or bike ride to take you right into the heart of the action. Stroll along the block in Rosemary Beach or walk the strip in downtown Seaside. You’re sure to spot plenty of places with menus on display so you can pop in and start your sampling.
One of our favorite things to do is to indulge in a tasting menu at our favorite local 30A restaurants. While you don’t get to try different places, you get an amazing selection of dishes, all perfectly planned to pair. A tasting menu is a culinary treat, a taste journey that is more of an experience than a meal. At Cuvee 30A Chef Tim Creehan offers an incredible Chef’s Table option. Begin with champagne and cheese in their private wine cellar before moving to the kitchen where you get an up close and personal view of the chef preparing high end dishes.
Chef Nikhil Abuvala at Roux 30A also offers an Around the World Dinner, a five course tasting menu that allows you to dive deep into regional delicacies. Each of the menus reflects a different location, offering the chef’s unique twist on popular dishes and unexpected recreations. For less adventurous eaters, try Kevin Korman, chef-owner of Roselie’s modern, new American tasting menu. Their locally sources seafood and farm-to-table ingredients promise a fresh, ever-changing seasonal menu so every meal is unique and exciting.
The search for the best vacation rental homes in Rosemary Beach, Florida ends here. We have a list of amazing 30A rental properties on Rosemary Beach for the perfect Florida beach vacay. Let’s take a closer look at three homes on our roster: YOLO Cottage, YOLO and YOLO Carriage House. If you haven’t heard of or been to Rosemary Beach, we have a few articles to inspire your trip. Check out this one on 8 Reasons to Visit Rosemary Beach or explore Rosemary Beach with this detailed 2-day itinerary for the area.
The weather during November is still relatively warm with average temperatures ranging between the 70s and 80s, making 30A a pleasant time to visit while enjoying plenty of activities both indoors and outdoors. Water temperatures are comfortably warm enough for swimming, but an even better time to try your hand at surfing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Less crowds this time of year, allow for stress-free strolls along the charming seaside towns and villages.
A lot of our guests ask us, “When is the best time to visit 30A?” The easy answer is, “Anytime.” Every month offers its own unique benefits and experiences. Each season is full of treasures for you to explore. Plus with excellent weather (300+ sunny days a year) throughout, you might want to make your decision based on the activities you enjoy or whether you prefer busy, energetic beach crowds or quiet, wide open sands for yourself. Let’s take a look at each season, the pros and cons for visiting and local events that take place so you can decide the best time of year for a Florida Gulf Coast vacation.
What’s a 30A vacay without delicious local food? From fresh seafood to gourmet ice cream, eating your way through exclusive 30A restaurants is a must do. If food is the highlight of your vacation and you’re looking for the best places to fill your belly and soak in the ambiance, we’ve compiled a list of five of our favorite restaurants in Rosemary Beach to help you plan for feasting.
Scenic Route 30A is a winter wonderland without the snow and cold weather! Everything here is more beautiful in the winter. Daytime temperatures hovers in the mid 60s but can sometimes be warmer, the sky is typically bright blue and the humidity is low, making it comfortable enough to enjoy outdoor activities like paddleboarding, fishing, cycling, and hiking.
Summer is just around the corner and we’re all itching to get out of our homes and into the great outdoors. There’s no better place to be than relaxing in the warm Florida sunshine. Plus we’ve got so many reasons to visit Florida’s Gulf Coast — great food, white sand beaches, charming architecture, luxury rental homes and so much more. 30A beaches are the perfect place to enjoy all the classic summer vacation activities like swimming, tossing around a ball, sunbathing, building sand castles and whatever else your heart desires!
