What grownups want from a vacation—relaxation, rejuvenation, and a break—doesn’t always match what the kids want. When you visit 30A Florida, you don’t have to sacrifice the R&R you need to give the little ones an adventure they’ll remember. The Emerald Coast offers everything you need for a trip the whole family will enjoy.

To help families plan their perfect vacation, we’ve put together a detailed guide to the best kids’ activities on 30A Florida. Check out our thorough list of activities by type of attraction so you can check off every wish on your ideal itinerary or explore the most highly recommended activities for kids and families by community.

What Are Some of the Best Kids’ Activities in the 30A Region of Florida?

There’s so much for families to do when they visit 30A Florida—that’s why we put together a whole guide to children’s activities in the area—but some of the activities we most recommend include:

• Zoos and animal encounters
• Nature parks
• Museums
• Amusement parks and water parks
• Watersports and boating
• Minigolf and bowling
• Arcades and Go-Karts

For older kids, a ziplining course may be a big hit. Younger kids will probably enjoy pirate-themed cruises and visiting our local playgrounds. Whether you’re looking for activities that are physical, creative, educational, or just plain fun, our area offers it all.

Is 30A Florida a Good Vacation Destination for Families?

We’re often asked if our region of the Florida Panhandle is family friendly. The answer is—absolutely!

In many ways, 30A Florida remains a hidden gem, free of the kind of overcrowding and wild culture that characterizes more well-known party beaches. Visitors here will find at once plenty of opportunities for excitement and adventure and laidback vibes that encourage exploration and play.

The collection of communities along Highway 30A is often described as “charming, “whimsical,” and even “magical” – all qualities that kids fall in love with just as much as adults do. The natural scenery and wildlife are sure to delight the little ones, and the array of attractions and activities available throughout the area means there’s something for every imaginable interest.

Tips for Planning a Vacation With Kids

Here are our top tips for planning a vacation with kids.

1. Take everyone’s interests into account. A family vacation is just that—an experience for the whole family to enjoy—so try to identify individual activities or a combination of activities that will bring fun and enjoyment to every member of the family. Look for activities you can enjoy together, so neither the kids nor the grownups feel like they spent the whole trip catering to just one party’s interests.
2. Talk about vacation plans together as a family. Talking about your plans not only gets everyone in the family excited for the trip but can also help you decide how to spend your time during your vacation. Older kids, in particular, may have their own ideas about what would make a fun and memorable vacation, and talking to younger kids about their favorite interests may help you figure out what activities would most appeal to them. Talking about the vacation also helps kids understand what to expect, especially if they haven’t been on a big trip before. Understanding how they’re going to get to the destination, where they’re going to sleep, and what fun is awaiting them can help kids feel more comfortable dealing with the changes to their usual routine.
3. Don’t overbook your schedule. Let your excitement take over when making plans, but don’t forget to leave enough downtime for the unexpected, too. Often, it’s the unplanned moments and explorations that really make a family vacation meaningful and memorable. Plus, leaving some downtime allows both the kids and the adults to get the rest they need to really enjoy themselves. A tired and overstimulated child too often becomes a cranky child, and then no one is having much fun.
4. Remember that a vacation doesn’t have to be perfect to be good. When you’re traveling with kids, there are bound to be some hiccups—fears, temper tantrums, spills, minor boo-boos, and more. Putting too much pressure on yourself to make the experience perfect or on your family to live up to those expectations can really steal your joy. Instead of striving for perfection, focus on the fun and the quality time you’re having, and enjoy living in the moment.

Your kids will have a blast visiting the Emerald Coast. Let our free guide help you make the most out of your 30A Florida family vacation.

Can you even call it a vacation if you’re not sampling the best food (and drinks) your destination has to offer? Our area of the Emerald Coast already boasts some phenomenal restaurants, ranging from quick and casual fare to fine dining, but there’s always room for more delectable food to enjoy.

Already, 2022 is shaping up to be an excellent year for foodies visiting or living in the 30A Florida region. 30A.com recently published an article highlighting 16 of the most exciting new restaurants that have opened in the past year (or so) or that are coming soon to the Florida Panhandle. There’s something for everyone, from coffee to cocktails and from breakfast burritos to seafood, sandwiches, and fried chicken. (And don’t forget dessert!)

Some of the newest 30A restaurants also accommodate dietary preferences and restrictions. For example, Fatboys in Miramar Beach offers meatless options suitable for vegetarians, and Prema Organic Cafe in Seagrove Beach features organic, gluten-free, soy-free, and canola oil-free dishes.

The new restaurants in 30A Florida include Shelby’s Beach Bar and Grill in Santa Rosa Beach, the upscale Gallion’s Restaurant in Rosemary Beach, pizza joint 40th Street Pizza in Miramar Beach, and Nigel’s Bananas in Seaside, known for its chocolate-dipped, candy-coated bananas and ice cream bars.

Some longtime 30A favorites are also moving to new spaces or adding new locations. For example, the Black Bear Bread Co., Seaside is the third location in the 30A region for this eatery that’s known for its sourdough bread, French toast, sandwiches, and pastries. Cowgirl Kitchen West has moved—building and all—from Seagrove to Blue Mountain Beach.

Whatever your tastes, the combination of these fresh new restaurants and the longtime favorites famous throughout the region make 30A Florida an exceptional place to dine.

Our post earlier this month about the Cobia Snorkel Reef – a truly can’t-miss marvel of Inlet Beach – has people are asking just how close our ultimate beach house is to the artificial reef.

See for yourself:

You can’t get much closer than our Gulf-front vacation rental home. It’s one of the many things we – and the guests who stay with us – love about the location.

Whether you want to explore the reef on your own or book a guided tour, Latitudes and Attitudes is the perfect starting place.

Here’s all you need to know about visiting the artificial reef – on your own or as part of a tour.

We couldn’t resist sharing this gorgeous photo of Cobia Reef, the thriving artificial reef located just off the coast of our ultimate beach house’s Inlet Beach location.

We’re proud of what the South Walton Artificial Reef Association has accomplished by installing this and other artificial reefs throughout 30A Florida. Since its installation in the summer of 2017, the Cobia Reef has become home to a cornucopia of marine creatures. You’ll find marine life of all kinds: fish, invertebrates, reptiles and even marine mammals.

An octopus? Not out of the question. Sea turtles, rays and reef sharks? Oh my! Snappers, groupers, flounders and tangs frequent Gulf reefs like ours. You may even catch glimpses of dolphins leaping, flipping and frolicking in our beautiful Gulf.

All in all, you’re going to encounter 94 individual EcoSystems reefs, cleverly and carefully shaped to look like the locally popular cobia fish.

Just a Short Paddle Away

The Cobia Reef is one of many of the things we love about our location. Directly accessible from Inlet Beach – a mere 323 yards off the coast – the reef is about as close to the Latitudes and Attitudes beach house as possible.

For safety – not to mention, to keep your energy up – the South Walton Artificial Reef Association recommends taking a paddleboard or kayak out to the artificial reefs or, if swimming, having a flotation device handy.

You’ll also find public restrooms and parking available near the reef sites, although as a guest at Latitudes and Attitudes, you’ll be close enough to your home-away-from-home to skip the hassle of driving and parking. This proximity is ideal because it offers you flexibility. Instead of locking yourself into a guided tour (and paying extra for it), you can choose to visit the reef on your own schedule, enjoy the unique snorkeling opportunity at your own pace and come back to the beach house when you’re ready – not on someone else’s timeline.

Guided Tours of Cobia Reef

If you’re not an expert snorkeler and you don’t want to miss anything, you can absolutely opt for a guided tour of the Cobia Reef. Snorkel-30A‘s popular tours take a small group out for two hours of guided reef exploration (and provide all of the snorkel gear you may need) and welcome children as young as eight.

There are plenty of benefits of a guided tour, particularly for visitors who are new to, or nervous about, snorkeling. Having knowledgeable snorkel guides to help you learn to use the gear and troubleshoot any problems makes for a safe, hassle-free first snorkeling experience. Guides make tours more educational and informative by having the knowledge to identify marine creatures, offer fun and interesting facts on the marine life and the reef ecosystem and answer your questions.

Whether you choose to explore the reef independently or go on a guided excursion, you’re sure to find this can’t-miss attraction worth a look.