On a trip to Panama City Beach, locals kept telling me to visit 30A instead. They were absolutely right — it's a Florida gem.
Terri Peters
After many recommendations, I visited 30A and its highlights, like Seaside and Rosemary Beach.
30A feels like one of the best places to visit in Florida as it's beautiful and has variety.
I enjoyed the pristine beaches and the different towns, which felt more luxurious than touristy.
On a weekend trip to Panama City Beach, a beach town in Florida's panhandle, I heard a recurring comment from the locals.
"Have you made it over to 30A yet?" said my Lyft driver. "You've got to — it's the up-and-coming spot around here."
While purchasing tickets for the Shell Island Ferry, the cashier said, "Do you have plans to go over to 30A?" When I said no, she insisted I return to the area for a trip because it's just so beautiful.
I live in a different Florida beach town that often gets inundated with spring breakers and summer beachgoers, so I couldn't decide if Panama City Beach locals were trying to run tourists out of town, or if they really meant what they said about 30A.
Eager to find out, I planned a trip to Florida's 30A area — a 24-mile stretch of beach between Destin and Panama City Beach that's been called "the Hamptons of the South."
Turns out, those locals were right. I think 30A is one of the best gems in Florida, and I liked it even more than Panama City Beach.
Panama City Beach is great for tourists, but 30A has a more luxury feel.30A has an upscale vibe.
Terri Peters
Panama City Beach reminds me of the beach towns I grew up visiting in the Northeast: lots of souvenir shops, a pier for walking and fishing, and more tourist attractions than one could squeeze in during a vacation.
There's lots of good food in PCB, including a crepe shop adored by reviewers on Yelp, but I'd say the general vibe of the area can best be described as "touristy beach town."
The landscape changes entirely when you drive just 15 or 20 minutes to 30A. High-rise hotel chains become private rental cottages, and souvenir shops give way to luxury shopping venues.
The overall vibe switches from a busy vacation spot to a place where you'd do beachfront yoga and sip freshly pressed juice before spending your day on a quiet, white-sand beach.
The beaches along 30A felt pristine.I couldn't believe how bright and white the sand looked.
Terri Peters
The beaches alongside 30A communities like Rosemary Beach and Seaside are home to white sand and transparent blue water. They took my breath away.
To get onto most beaches in 30A, you need a wristband or beach tag — visitors can get these from whichever rental property they're occupying.
I think the beaches benefit from the lack of large nearby hotels and public access. With limited visitors, there's less of a strain on 30A's beaches, resulting in a beautiful setting that feels more intimate.
30A is also the best spot in the area to watch the sunset.Make a reservation if you plan to catch a dinnertime sunset in the area.
Terri Peters
There are some spectacular sunsets along the Gulf of Mexico, and 30A is a great place to see them.
On my trip, I especially loved watching the sunset from Bud and Alley's, a Seaside restaurant with sweeping coastal views. Another evening, I watched the sun set from the beach and was equally blown away by the beauty around me.
It's easy to hop from town to town and explore 30A.I was able to see many parts of 30A.
Terri Peters
During my stay in 30A, I chose a rental property between Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach.
Fortunately, the area is very bikeable, with ample spacious sidewalks and bike lanes throughout. Lots of condos or hotels here come with bicycles, plus there are many rental companies in the area.
Often, I took a beach cruiser from my condo over to Rosemary Beach for coffee or a meal, or I'd bike down 30A and stop to explore each town.
Since I also had a rental car, I drove to some of the farther-away-from-me spots, like Seaside and Santa Rosa Beach. Parking felt easy to find, and the area was simple to navigate by car with my phone's GPS system.
I loved Seaside, which had the vibe of an upscale beach town.I saw a number of families with children during my visit to Seaside.
Terri Peters
My favorite spot in 30A was Seaside, a beach community where the movie "The Truman Show" was filmed.
It had beautiful beach houses, a small boardwalk area with shops and restaurants, as well as a collection of food trucks, and an outdoor amphitheater for concerts.
It felt relaxed and not too pretentious, but more upscale than Florida beach towns like Fort Lauderdale, Cocoa Beach, or Panama City Beach.
I loved exploring the area, and it's the spot along 30A where I saw the most families with children.
Visiting 30A's Alys Beach felt like stepping into the Mediterranean.Alys Beach had luxurious vibes.
Terri Peters
If Seaside is a family-friendly-but-upscale beach town, Alys Beach is on the opposite end of the luxury vacation spectrum.
This small community is filled with white-washed, stone vacation homes and Mediterranean-inspired architecture — it felt like a big resort.
In fact, there's nothing comparable to Alys Beach in Florida that I've seen. Because of its stunning homes and high-end feel, Alys Beach feels like one of the least-accessible-to-the-public areas in 30A.
I didn't spend much time here, especially because I saw so many residential streets with signs prohibiting the public from walking through or taking photos.
If you're interested in vacationing in a more private area of 30A, though, Alys Beach is worth taking a look at.
Visit Rosemary Beach if you want to feel like you're in a cute, European town.Rosemary Beach felt like a slice of Europe in the US.
Terri Peters
Rosemary Beach has made its rounds on TikTok, going viral for its similarities to a little European town.
Its downtown area is lined with cobblestone streets full of shops and al-fresco eateries, and it has a hotel complete with spires that reminded me of something I'd see in the Swiss Alps.
I passed many street carts selling wares like scarves and fresh flowers, and homes with European-style architecture. The area also has beautiful private beaches, which can only be accessed with a key card.
There are plenty of unique, smaller beach communities to explore along 30A, too.I stopped by Santa Rosa Beach during my trip.
Terri Peters
Seaside, Alys Beach, and Rosemary Beach are perhaps the most famous spots along 30A, but I was impressed with the lesser-known areas I visited, too, like Santa Rosa Beach.
You truly could make an entire day out of exploring the tiny towns and communities that make up this beautiful part of Florida.
30A is home to lots of nature, including state parks and coastal dune lakes.I loved seeing coastal dune lakes.
Terri Peters
In addition to beaches, shopping, and dining, 30A has lots of beautiful, natural landscapes to show off.
I stopped by Eden Gardens during my visit — a 163-acre state park home to sweeping gardens, a bayou, plenty of walking trails, and centuries-old oak trees.
The area also has a collection of coastal dune lakes, a rare saltwater and freshwater phenomenon that only exists in a few spots around the globe.
I can't wait to return to 30A, and think it's truly one of the most gorgeous destinations in Florida.I hope to go back to 30A for another vacation.
Terri Peters
I've lived in Florida for nearly 10 years and call a small ocean beach town home.
As someone who's spent time on both the gulf and ocean side of the Sunshine State, I can say 30A is one of the most stunningly beautiful areas in all of Florida.
There's so much to see and do in the area, and it has a peaceful vibe I've rarely found in Florida beach towns.
I can't wait to return to 30A and think it's the perfect destination for everything from bachelorette parties to family vacations.