Doesn’t a place called Seaside, Florida sound like the perfect spot for a vacation?

And guess what? It is. Seaside, Florida is the perfect combination of beautiful beaches, a quaint small town atmosphere, and friendly locals to make this a dream beach vacation destination. 

In this post, we’re going to highlight what makes it so special, and why it’s a must-see destination on any road trip along the Florida Panhandle. 

Let’s go!

Things to Do

One visit to Seaside and you’ll fall in love with this coastal community. Seaside is a pedestrian’s dream. The town’s roads and walkways all radiate out from the downtown pavilion, right off Route 30a. It makes for a fun place to stroll through this truly charming area. 

Beaches

Person sitting in beach chair in the sand at Beaches of South Walton Florida 2008 ** Note: Slight blurriness, best at smaller sizes

Of course, you can’t mention any Gulf Coast town in Florida without saying it’s beaches. Long strips of white sandy beaches await visitors to Seaside.

Seagrove Beach is the most popular in the area; it is well maintained with gentle waves and plenty of on-duty lifeguards. Since Seaside is surrounded by state parks, the beaches there also offer plenty of sun and waves too. Grayton Beach State Park is the perfect setting for surf casters and paddlers who want to explore the area. 

Eats

In a town like Seaside, seafood is always a good bet. But here you don’t need to get fancy, instead, check out a local fishing shack eatery called the Grayton Seafood Co. for amazing options and a popular brunch. Keeping with the casual feel, locals and visitors alike love checking out the possibilities at Airstream Row, Seasides retro of food truck park. 

And, for the best views (and adult beverages) in town, check out the roof deck at Bud & Alley’s Waterfront Restaurant. 

Activities

young surfer ride on surfboard with fun on sea waves. Active family lifestyle, kids outdoor water sport lessons and swimming activity in surf camp. Summer vacation with child.

This part of Florida has many fun activities to enjoy, let’s take a look at a few in Seaside. 

Ever want to learn to surf? Well, at Seaside, you can. A few lessons at Austin Magee’s Surf School can have you hanging ten in no time! Seaside’s Transit Authority also has bike rentals available to visitors. Park the car, and grab a bike to explore the hidden treasures of this coastal town. 

Like many seaside towns across America, Seaside, Florida is also chock full of art galleries. If you want to check out some of the local artists and take home some souvenirs, you’ll enjoy The Red Bird Gallery and Cara Roy Artworks,   

Getting There

Seaside, Florida is a beach community nestled between Panama City and Miramar on the Gulf of Mexico. Located just off US Highway 98, it’s under two hours from Pensacola and only over 2 hours from Tallahassee, Florida. 

This is one of the gems of the Panhandle’s Gulf Coast region. So, you don’t want to miss it!  You can be sure that once you spend any time in Seaside, you’ll be counting down the days until you can come back on another vacation. Check out our sister site, HotelCoupons.com, for the best hotel rates in the area.