Destin/Rosemary Beach/Seaside

[Anonymous]

We are considering the Destin/30A area for Spring Break (2 adults/2 mid-elementary school aged boys). I've read some about Destin, Rosemary Beach and Seaside but am having trouble distinguishing between them. Ideally, we'd be looking for an area that is walkable to both the beach and the town. We generally like beach vacations where there are other things to do (rent bikes, mini golf, restaurants etc.) Any help or insights are appreciated - thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are considering the Destin/30A area for Spring Break (2 adults/2 mid-elementary school aged boys). I've read some about Destin, Rosemary Beach and Seaside but am having trouble distinguishing between them. Ideally, we'd be looking for an area that is walkable to both the beach and the town. We generally like beach vacations where there are other things to do (rent bikes, mini golf, restaurants etc.) Any help or insights are appreciated - thank you!

You can walk to a million things if you stay at Seaside. There is much to do there. You’re also right on a Long beach-side biking trail. If you can afford Seaside you should stay there. It’s one of the cutest beach towns I’ve ever been to.

Destin is more your traditional high rise hotels beach town (whereas Seaside is a village of quaint beach houses). There’s plenty to walk to there but it’s more chain stuff compared to Seaside.

Rosemary beach is beach houses by the sea where most things / places you might want to go to are a short drive away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are considering the Destin/30A area for Spring Break (2 adults/2 mid-elementary school aged boys). I've read some about Destin, Rosemary Beach and Seaside but am having trouble distinguishing between them. Ideally, we'd be looking for an area that is walkable to both the beach and the town. We generally like beach vacations where there are other things to do (rent bikes, mini golf, restaurants etc.) Any help or insights are appreciated - thank you!

You can walk to a million things if you stay at Seaside. There is much to do there. You’re also right on a Long beach-side biking trail. If you can afford Seaside you should stay there. It’s one of the cutest beach towns I’ve ever been to.

Destin is more your traditional high rise hotels beach town (whereas Seaside is a village of quaint beach houses). There’s plenty to walk to there but it’s more chain stuff compared to Seaside.

Rosemary beach is beach houses by the sea where most things / places you might want to go to are a short drive away.

All three towns are equally close to the beach - an easy walk to the beach.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you! Are there things like water parks and mini golf near Seaside as well ? Or is that type of activity more in Destin ?

[Anonymous]

Rosemary is the nicest of the three but there are not many non-beach activities (ie mini golf) aside from walking to the Main Street shops or riding bikes around the neighborhood to playgrounds. You can take tennis lessons and there are town square activities like movie nights or farmers market. Alice beach is a bike ride away. Seaside has more non-beach stuff to do (and Destin has even more) and more restaurants. I just wouldn’t choose Destin unless budget is a concern. If the kids skew younger go and you can get away to the Pearl Hotel for drinks go for Rosemary. If the kids are older and more independent go Seaside.

[Anonymous]

When you book these houses, do you use AirBNB/VRBO or one of the actual property management company websites?

I looked last year and got overwhelmed

[Anonymous]

Following - I was thinking this might be a good trip for next winter/early spring with. Kids 1-5 hrs of age and grandparents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you! Are there things like water parks and mini golf near Seaside as well ? Or is that type of activity more in Destin ?

Destin is more the traditional "touristy" area with mini-golf, etc.
Isn't the best water park the ocean? They have that at Seaside, with waves, sand, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you! Are there things like water parks and mini golf near Seaside as well ? Or is that type of activity more in Destin ?

Waterparks and that type of thing is more in Destin. There’s stuff like bowling and arcades in Destin. Not sure if you could stay within walking distance of one of those but I’ll bet it’s possible .

There’s also something called Baytown wharf (I think) mid way between them, closer to rosemary Beach where yachts park - arcades, restaurants and shops are there.

Seaside is more quaint with little places to eat and snowball huts. You can definitely rent things like sea kayaks and bikes there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Following - I was thinking this might be a good trip for next winter/early spring with. Kids 1-5 hrs of age and grandparents.

We’ve been going for 20 years now , easily meeting southern relatives there. It’s a wonderful place the clear blue ocean there is just incredible. The calm water is perfect for little ones especially. The water is at least calm for dome part of each day at least. It’s hard to go to another beach after going to the Seadide/Destin /Rosemary Beach area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When you book these houses, do you use AirBNB/VRBO or one of the actual property management company websites?

I looked last year and got overwhelmed

You can do either. There are a lot of vrbo’s there. We’ve never had a problem with a rental. Two neighborhoods that we like are Old Florida Cottages (cute little houses that circle around a community pool) and Old Florida Beach - bigger homes typically with pools for each house. These are in Santa Rosa which is between Seaside and Water Colors and Destin (it’s closer to Seaside).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you book these houses, do you use AirBNB/VRBO or one of the actual property management company websites?

I looked last year and got overwhelmed

You can do either. There are a lot of vrbo’s there. We’ve never had a problem with a rental. Two neighborhoods that we like are Old Florida Cottages (cute little houses that circle around a community pool) and Old Florida Beach - bigger homes typically with pools for each house. These are in Santa Rosa which is between Seaside and Water Colors and Destin (it’s closer to Seaside).

The companies we’ve rented from there are fine too. You’re just paying extra for maid service basically.

In this area there are a lot of pet friendly rentals as well, so if you want to make the drive (basically two days from this area) you can bring Fido.

[Anonymous]

There are several big rental agencies along 30A. It’s been my experience that most of the listings on VRBO are actually managed by an agency (which is nice, IMO). Royal Destinations is one. I’d just settle on a general area and look on VRBO.

[Anonymous]

I've been going to this area since I was a kid. I would avoid Destin. It's not very nice and you generally need to drive everywhere. You can go to either Seaside or Rosemary Beach, park your car, and walk/bike to the beach/pool/shops/restaurants your entire vacation. Personally, Rosemary Beach is our favorite of the 30A towns. It's smaller than Seaside and easier to walk/bike from any point to any other point in town. Many people get golf carts in Seaside b/c the town is larger and you could have a long walk to the beach/shops. Golf carts are prohibited and not necessary in Rosemary Beach. I have not been over Spring Break, but in the summer Seaside is now so crowded that it's unpleasant.

I've traveled extensively and Rosemary Beach is one of my favorite places in the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rosemary is the nicest of the three but there are not many non-beach activities (ie mini golf) aside from walking to the Main Street shops or riding bikes around the neighborhood to playgrounds. You can take tennis lessons and there are town square activities like movie nights or farmers market. Alice beach is a bike ride away. Seaside has more non-beach stuff to do (and Destin has even more) and more restaurants. I just wouldn’t choose Destin unless budget is a concern. If the kids skew younger go and you can get away to the Pearl Hotel for drinks go for Rosemary. If the kids are older and more independent go Seaside.

In case OP wants to search it, it's "Alys" Beach. Alys is beautiful, but quieter and less to do than Seaside or Rosemary Beach, although it's an easy bike ride to Rosemary.