Last year around this same time we didn’t have any plans for the summer. But somehow before the Summer was over we went on three amazing vacations that I’ve been wanting to share with you. I’m telling you this because it’s never too late to plan a vacation and it is so important to take time off, tell it to your neighbor.
So, the first of the 3 vacations was to Seaside Beach, Florida. I fell in love with this magically simple but luxurious place on 30A! If you’ve seen The Truman Show then you’ve seen Seaside. It is a thoughtfully designed community along the beach and centered around a thriving town square with everything you need in walking distance. While we were there I kept thinking, “this is how life is supposed to be!” Here are some of my recommendations for the destination:
1. Getting There. If you drive and if you’re driving from Texas, research the traffic in Mobile, Alabama. Depending on the day of the week and time you are traveling, the tunnels in Mobile are known to back up, so try to find alternate routes if you don’t want to delay your vacay. Also, this On-The-Go Drawing Kit, unavailable online but I still see them at Target, was a midway road trip surprise our kids loved. It could easily be put together on your own in a zippered pouch with a doodle book, skinny markers, colored pencils and a sharpener. #crayonsmelt!
3. Chair rental. You might give some serious thought to splurging and renting chairs and umbrellas on the beach from the Cabana Man. There’s a pretty big climb of stairs up and over the sand dune to get to the beach and you’re hands are already full with a cooler, sand toys, beach bags… Pamper yourself and arrive to an area on the beach all set up for you by the Cabana Man.
4. Food Trucks. I have picky eaters, so I loved this. To feed my family, I could get a grilled cheese for my daughter at The Melt Down on 30A truck, chicken fingers for my son at Barefoot BBQ and my Husband and I could get whatever we want, too! And then we can all eat together at a picnic table and get #BlueLips from shaved ice at the Frost Bites truck. Like a food court at the beach that you can walk to from your cottage! PS-We saw Tony Romo in line here!
5. Handcut Fries from Pickle’s. One of my favorites from Seaside was the fries at Pickle’s, I think I had them three times while we were there. The seasoning is perfect and my Husband has the same opinion.
6. Charlie’s Donut Truck. My kids are in their PJs here because at Charlie’s the early bird gets the worm. Charlie’s Donut Truck at Alys Beach is a little bit of a drive from Seaside, but so worth it. I’m a donut person and these donuts were delicious!
7. Duckies. This toy shop was so FUN!!! Best one in the area!
8. Go Exploring. Drive through beautiful Alys Beach and check-out Rosemary Beach. Or just go to visit and have a treat at The Sugar Shak!
9. The Amphitheater. A big open green space for kids to run around in by day and concerts by night. The Barefoot BBQ truck uses frisbees as their plates, you get to keep them and the kids can throw them around, genius!
10. Ono Surf Shop. It was around Father’s Day so we got Joseph a Boogie Board he had his eyes on at the Ono Surf Shop. Great selection of gear and sporty swimwear!
11. Sand Toys Bag. Find and use a mesh pop up hamper for the sand toys. Ours was from Ikea but I can’t find it online. The sand just falls out and everything dries quickly.
12. Bring Puddle Jumpers or Life Jackets even for the not-so-little ones. The water advisory was a Red Flag the whole time we were there. I had to give up on riding waves because I ran out of strength and the water beat me up! Kinda scary.
14. Scooters! (previous post) Bring them from home so the kids can get around easily and it’s a small thing to pack compared to a bicycle. However there is convenient bike rental!
If you’re looking for a vacation where you can go to the beach everyday and take a nap every afternoon and then walk to dinner, Seaside is your vacation spot! And it’s never too late to schedule a vacation or a staycation at home. Stay tuned for posts on our other 2 destinations! And in the meantime, if you’ve been missing recommendations like these, I do mini “TITYN” posts on Instagram all the time, see you there! Or you could go straight to the links on my LIKEtoKNOW.it page!
