Southern Hidden Gem: What To Know About Florida's 30a Scenic Highway

Aribnb breaks down the hottest travel trends this spring break

Airbnb has revealed the most popular spring travel destinations and the reasoning behind the surge.

• 30A is a 24-mile scenic corridor in Florida, offering beaches, state parks, and charming towns.
• Rosemary Beach, Seaside, and Alys Beach are some of the popular towns known for their unique architecture and attractions.
• The best time to visit is May-October for warm weather, but winter offers fewer crowds and lower prices.

As vacationers drive onto Florida’s 30A scenic highway from the East, they’ll soon approach the scrub oak trees and European-style architecture of Rosemary Beach.

The community on Northwest Florida’s Panhandle was established in 1995 but has the feel of a much older beach town, modeled on colonial structures in the Dutch West Indies, St. Augustine and New Orleans. “It usually captivates people as soon as they pull onto 30A and they’re like, ‘Wow, Rosemary,’ ” said Coco Gilliam, an independent travel agent with Magic on Main Travel who lives in the area.

There are cobblestone streets, shops and restaurants steps from the white-sand beach. The town was among Vrbo’s hottest vacation destinations for 2025 during spring break and Memorial Day, according to a January news release.

Rosemary is just one of many seaside communities on 30A, each with its own look and feel. Travelers from the Southeast may be familiar with the popular destination, but here’s what new visitors should know.

30A is a 24-mile corridor located between Panama City Beach and Destin. The area is home to state parks, coastal dune lakes and more than 10 distinct communities. “You can go to the beach, but it's the towns that, for me, just bring it to a full vacation,” said Gilliam.

Most feature vacation rental homes, but some also have hotels. Visitors can easily ride bikes between them; some houses and resorts provide them, but visitors can also find rentals in each town, according to Gilliam.

Along with Rosemary Beach, the area's communities include:

• Seaside: “That's usually the first town people go to because they recognize it from ‘The Truman Show,’ ” said Gilliam. Seaside’s cottages and main square served as the backdrop for much of the 1998 film starring Jim Carrey. The area is highly walkable and kid-friendly, she added, with beloved restaurants like Bud & Alley’s, which overlooks the gulf, and activities from live music in the amphitheater to farmers’ markets.
• Seagrove: Gilliam described Seagrove as a "quieter spot” next to Seaside. While still close enough to walk between the two, the area’s location offers “slightly” more affordable prices, she added.
• Alys Beach: Alys’ 158 acres feature white houses, including villas and courtyard homes that draw on the architecture of islands like Bermuda and Antigua. Visitors will find a 20-acre nature preserve, along with shops and restaurants, including The Citizen, a coastal tavern. The community also hosts activities like the Digital Graffiti Festival, where artwork is projected onto its white walls.
• Grayton Beach: Grayton Beach is “more of an artsy area,” Gilliam said. Tourists can check out local institutions like The Red Bar, which is located in an old general store and hosts live jazz and other music, and explore Grayton Beach State Park. Guests will find hiking, fishing, campgrounds and more on the park’s nearly 2,000 acres.
• Blue Mountain Beach: Blue Mountain is less well-known among tourists than some other nearby communities, Gilliam said. Located closer to 30A’s western entrance, she noted that the area is more affordable and the more laid-back vibe has its perks. “The beaches are going to be less crowded over there because you don't have as many houses built up in that area,” Gilliam said.

Travelers can find a full map of 30A by clicking here.

Gilliam said the area is “becoming a year-round destination,” but the most popular season runs from May through October when the water is warm. However, the winter months can mean fewer crowds.

“If you're OK not getting in the water and swimming but enjoying what there is to experience in all the beach towns, the off-season is a great time to come,” she said.

Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) in Panama City is the most convenient airport, according to Gilliam. The airport is located roughly a half-hour drive from 30A.

Travelers can also fly into the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) or Pensacola International Airport (PNS), but those are about an hour and an hour-and-a-half drive away, respectively. Gilliam recommended renting a car to explore the area more easily.

Driving in is another option. 30A is less than a day-long road trip away from many cities, including Birmingham, Alabama (roughly four-and-a-half hours); Atlanta, Georgia (a little over five hours); and even Nashville, Tennessee. (about seven hours).

There isn’t one price point for the area, as rates can vary depending on where guests stay and the type of accommodations they choose.

For example, nightly rates at The Lodge 30A – billed as an “affordable stay” – start at $176 in early September, according to its website. The Pearl Hotel, a luxury property in Rosemary Beach, starts at $555 per night for the same dates. If travelers rent a six-bedroom house, however, they’re going to be looking at “way more,” Gilliam said.

“Especially depending on the time of year you visit, the price range can also vary,” she added.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.