The 30A Girls' Trip Guide: Rosemary Beach to WaterColor

Rent bikes—and plan a day on the Timpoochee Trail

I hadn't been on a bike since my teen years, but the ease of riding along 30A made it feel like I'd never stopped. The Timpoochee Trail is 18.5 miles of double-wide paved bike path that runs along Scenic Highway 30A from Dune Allen all the way to Inlet Beach, threading every one of the area's signature communities—WaterColor, Seaside, WaterSound, Alys Beach, Rosemary—and crossing rare coastal dune lakes, state parks, and pine forests along the way. It is flat, truly beautiful, and the best way to see 30A. Weave in and out of the adorable streets of Rosemary, Seaside, or WaterColor to get a true feel of what makes this area so special.

Most of the local bike shops will deliver bikes directly to your hotel or house and pick them back up at the end of the week. Your travel advisor can help you reserve in advance, especially in summer. Rent for your full stay, get baskets on the front, and use the bikes as your golf cart. Seaside to Alys Beach is about four miles each way. Rosemary Beach is about seven miles from Seaside, or 10 from WaterColor, and a perfect day-trip ride with lunch in the middle.

A bonfire on the beach

A private bonfire on the gulf at sunset is the night your group will talk about for years. Gorgeous sunset, music playing, Adirondack chairs set up in a circle, a seafood boil, and s'mores. The best part: you do not have to do a single piece of the setup. Have your travel advisor connect with a local bonfire company to handle all of it. Bonfires on 30A do require a permit, but the bonfire companies pull the permit, deliver the fire pit and wood, set up lanterns and low beach chairs, arrange the food spread, tend the fire while you enjoy it, and clean up after.

Shopping

Rosemary Beach has a fantastic array of shops. Plan for a half day after the beach, or a full day of shopping if the weather doesn't cooperate with your beach plans. You'll find cobblestone streets, gas lamps, hidden boardwalks, and white stucco. The architecture—New Orleans meets the French Riviera—genuinely doesn't exist anywhere else in Florida. This is not the Florida you know. The Town Center spans both sides of 30A and clusters around North Barrett Square and Main Street.

My favorites:

• Disco: Adorable boutique with brands like LoveShackFancy, Free People, For Love and Lemons, Stark, Elizabeth Jane, and Victoria Dunn—dresses, accessories, beach-to-dinner pieces.

• Willow: Well-edited boutique with casual elevated fashion for men and women. The curated collection includes Aviator Nation, Farm Rio, Amanda Upchurch, MOTHER, Perfect White Tee, and much more.

• Luminary Lifestyle: Coastal-stylish women's clothing, perfect for the night you want something a little more put together.

• Hissyfits Boutique: Friendly, trendy, with clothes at just the right price point to fill a bag!

• Pish Posh Patchouli's: Luxury skincare, spa goods, the bath-and-body splurge. I love making custom cream here, and if I run out, I have it shipped! You can select from hundreds of scents to customize your own perfume or moisturizer.

• Tracery: Home decor, design, and furniture. Founder Paige Sumblin Schnell is a 30A interior design name; this is where you find the coastal-but-sophisticated pieces you'll actually want at home.

• The Hidden Lantern: Independent bookstore and gallery where you can purchase your beach read and even books set in 30A.

• Curate 30A: Fine art gallery for collectible pieces by recognized and emerging artists. Worth a browse even if you're not buying.

• The 30A Store: Official 30A logo wear, for the family group photo in matching hats. Self-aware but fun.

• Stop for coffee at Amavida in the town center, grab a cocktail at Cowgirl Kitchen when it's time for a shopping break, or land at Havana Beach Bar & Grill at The Pearl for happy hour with a gulf view.

Alys Beach shopping

Alys Beach is unlike anywhere else on 30A—or anywhere else in Florida. White stucco everywhere you look, palm-lined streets, hidden courtyards, and butteries reaching into the sky like something out of a Greek island village. The architecture pulls from the whitewashed villages of Antiparos and Santorini, the colonial Bermudian cottage, and the courtyard homes of Guatemala—and the result is an aesthetic that makes the whole town feel more Mediterranean than Florida panhandle. Build in a Fonville Press espresso, a Charlie's Delights donut, or an oyster happy hour at The Citizen along the way.

• Alo Yoga: The LA-born luxury activewear label is the place to grab the matching set for your workout, plus loungewear to curl up on a cool beach day.

• Alys Shoppe: The official Alys Beach boutique, with a curated mix of designer clothing, fine jewelry, and the coveted Alys logo wear.

• Barefoot Princess: A beautifully edited women's and girls' boutique.

• Holiday Shop: A breezy swim, resort wear, and jewelry boutique in The Whitby building of the Town Center.

• KREWE Tiny House: The New Orleans–born handcrafted sunglasses brand, in an actual tiny shop modeled after the shotgun homes of NOLA. My KREWE obsession started here!

• MERIT by Willow: Fine jewelry and elevated accessories from the team behind the beloved Willow boutiques on 30A.

• Parasol: A stylish hideaway in the Town Center stocking clothing and accessories sourced from artisan brands around the world. Curated, considered, and quietly the cool-girl pick.

• SummerStory: A beautiful home and lifestyle shop offering lighting, furniture, fresh flowers, and accessories from local and national makers.

Shopping in Seaside

Seaside is the pastel-cottage, white-picket-fence, Truman Show town you’ve seen in every coffee table book on Florida architecture. Central Square is the main pedestrian hub, and Ruskin Place, the smaller plaza just north, is the quieter, leafier, more artist-driven sister square. Plan to spend a half day here at minimum.

• Cabana by The Seaside Style: Cabana is one of those shops where you can spend an hour oohing and aahing at the pieces, and the whole group ends up walking out with bags. The boutique sits on Central Square in the heart of Seaside, with pale pink and white awnings out front, palm prints inside, and an aesthetic somewhere between Old Hollywood glamour, Palm Beach chic, and the French Riviera.

• Ophelia: Be sure to walk through the street between Great Southern and the ice cream shop, It’s Heavenly Shortcakes & Ice Cream—and grab an ice cream before it closes, because it always seems to close earlier than expected—then head to the stores hidden behind Quincy Circle. Ophelia sits back here and features swimwear, clothing, and accessories. This is the shop where I went in “just to look” and came out with dresses, a beach bag, and more.

• Duckies Shop of Fun: This is where you pick up a gift from your trip for your little ones at home. Located in the heart of Central Square in Seaside, Duckies is a brightly decorated, whimsical wonderland of toys, kids’ clothing, beach gear, gifts, and just plain silly stuff. This is the can’t-miss stop if anyone in the group has kids, grandkids, godkids, nieces, or nephews back home.

• Sundog Books: Sundog Books is the family-owned independent bookstore that has been the heart of Seaside for more than 30 years, right on Central Square. Pick up your beach read; everyone leaves with a book.

• Central Square Records: Central Square Records is upstairs from Sundog Books, a small, exceptionally well-curated vinyl shop with new and used records, CDs, turntables, gifts, band tees, and more. The view from their deck is amazing. We watched Fourth of July fireworks from Central Square Records and spent Black Friday scoring Olivia Rodrigo’s limited-edition album here.

• The Seaside Style: The Seaside Style is the founding lifestyle boutique: the iconic Seaside tee, the hats, the home goods, the lifestyle merch you will absolutely buy. It is the official Seaside souvenir stop, but in the cutest possible way.

• Open-air shopping: Just across 30A from Central Square, the beachside cabana shops keep a little of Seaside’s original open-air market spirit alive. Here, you will find individual pavilions full of resort wear, breezy dresses, beach jewelry, and accessories.

• Ruskin Place galleries: Enjoy half a dozen independent galleries clustered around a quiet oak-shaded park. Look up at the "Fairy Forest" on the north side of the plaza—local kids have tucked clay fairies into the corners over the years.

• The Seaside Farmers Market: The Seaside Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings in season and is genuinely worth planning the day around—local honey, baked goods, flowers, handmade soaps, prepared foods.

Days on the beach

The beach is, of course, the whole reason you came to 30A. 26 miles of sugar-white sand and emerald-green water that genuinely look like a screensaver, and every one of the 30A communities has its own stretch. Many of the beaches on 30A are private and deeded to specific communities, which means how you secure beach chairs depends on where you're staying.

Your travel advisor will help you secure access based on where you are staying and will let you know whether your rental includes beach chair service, what the community's chair vendor is, and whether you need an access code. Sorted in advance, every morning becomes: walk down, find your chairs waiting in your name, and enjoy!

The Citizen

The Citizen in Alys Beach is our favorite, go-multiple-times-a-visit spot. Beautiful décor and fresh, elevated food make it the perfect spot for dinner or lunch. The raw bar with fresh seafood, specials that change daily and with the season, oysters, and craft cocktails, all in that gorgeous Alys Beach setting, make it the most enjoyable evening. Be sure to order the whipped feta, and walk around Alys Beach before your reservation if you are not staying in the town.

George's at Alys Beach

George's has been pulling 30A regulars back to the same porch for two decades, and once you've eaten there you understand why. Ann and George Hartley opened the restaurant in 2008 in a coastal cottage in Alys Beach. The restaurant lives in the former Sandor's building, which the Hartleys famously moved down 30A from Seagrove instead of starting from scratch—so it carries a little piece of old 30A inside one of the most beautiful beach towns on the coast. Great for groups, upscale casual, very coastal and colorful, with fresh seafood and locally sourced ingredients. You truly feel the charming beach town vibe. I love it for lunch or an early dinner in Alys Beach, especially when you want something charming, comfortable, and very 30A. The menu is split into two sides: Behave (spa-inspired, organic, the lighter fare) and Misbehave (fried baskets, lobster quesadillas, the burnt-ends burger). Order one of each at the table and split everything. The lobster quesadilla, the tuna carpaccio to start, the grilled grouper, the calamari fries, and the sesame crab and avocado salad are the dishes I keep going back to.

Pescado

Pescado is a must for dinner, Sunday brunch, or just drinks overlooking Rosemary Beach. This is your rooftop moment. It sits (almost hidden) above the Orleans building, just west of Rosemary Beach Town Hall, with an indoor dining room, inside bar, and outside rooftop bar overlooking the gulf. Seafood, cocktails, and gulf views from above town. One important planning note: Pescado is 18+ after 3:30 p.m., so it is especially good for an adults-only girls trip. They often have live acoustic music especially for Sunday brunch. Pescado accepts reservations up to 60 days in advance, but all reservations are for indoor dining. The rooftop/outdoor bar area is the magic, but it is more of a first-come, first-served or arrive-early situation, so do not assume a dinner reservation automatically gets you the best view. Book dinner, arrive early for rooftop cocktails!

Restaurant Paradis

Restaurant Paradis is the Rosemary Beach special-occasion dinner. My family starts each trip with a reservation here, and for girls' groups, the outside seating area is the win. It is intimate and elegant with a super friendly staff. Gulf seafood, prime steaks, seasonal ingredients, and a fantastic wine list. Book this when the group wants one beautiful dinner in Rosemary that feels celebratory but still warm.

Great Southern Café

Great Southern Café is a Seaside classic and one of the easiest places to love on 30A. It sits right in the heart of Seaside and serves "new-fashioned Southern" food with local ingredients, Southern comfort, and a little international flavor mixed in. This is a great breakfast, lunch, or casual dinner stop when you want the meal to feel happy, familiar, and perfectly beach-town.

Bud & Alley's

Bud & Alley's is pure Seaside history. It was the first restaurant and watering hole in Seaside, and it still has that iconic oceanfront, rooftop-sunset, everyone-has-a-memory-here feeling. Go for lunch, dinner, or sunset drinks, but if you only do one thing, take in the sunset from the rooftop bar. Be sure to get the smoked tuna dip!

Fish Out of Water

Fish Out of Water sports the most beautiful beachfront views. It's ideal for cocktails, brunch, or a not-too-over-the-top dinner. It is one of the larger family-style restaurants and bars on 30A that overlooks the gulf and is connected to the WaterColor Inn and the WaterColor Beach Club. I love the open space and dreamy blue décor and always stop by for dinner or a drink.

Raw & Juicy Alys Beach

Raw & Juicy is the Alys Beach breakfast and wellness stop in the most adorable setting. Come here for smoothies, juices, bowls, breakfast, lunch, and light bites in one of the prettiest little pockets of 30A. Stop here for a healthy lunch between shopping and the beach, a coffee-and-wander start to the day, or a mid-bike-ride pause.

Seaside Airstream food trucks

The Seaside Airstream food trucks are such a fun, easy part of the 30A experience. They line Highway 30A in those vintage silver trailers and make the perfect casual lunch, snack stop, or "everyone wants something different" group meal. Think grilled cheese, barbecue, hot dogs, crêpes, gyros, frozen treats, and the kind of low-pressure food moment that works beautifully between beach time, shopping, and wandering around Seaside.

The Red Bar

The Red Bar is the Grayton Beach legend—funky, loud, beloved, and completely its own thing. If Rosemary and Alys are polished and pretty, The Red Bar is the part of 30A that still feels down home: red walls, eclectic art everywhere, live music, cocktails, and menus displayed on large chalkboards brought to your table. The restaurant describes itself as an iconic 30A restaurant, bar, and live-music venue, known for its eclectic décor, world-class musicians, and classic dishes like panne chicken, blackened grouper, and crab cakes.