We’ve been back from vacation for a whole 3 days and I just couldn’t wait to share the highlights from our trip! I also want to show off some of the design and overall lifestyle that I admired while vacationing in Florida’s panhandle. We stayed in Grayton Beach, which is part of a larger collection of beaches, appropriately named after it’s main thoroughfare, 30A.
Seriously, that water! You can’t beat it. The sugar-white sand is so pure and clean. Fox News even lists Grayton Beach among America’s Best Beaches of 2017! For this reason alone, you really should plan a trip there, but I’m going to give you some other good reasons as well.
Attractions
One amazing aspect of this town is that it takes you back to another time, when things were slower. When things were simple. There are no high rise condominiums here. Those were blocked in the 1970s when neighbors stopped a massive condo project and convinced the state to acquire 900 acres of dunes and shoreline which would become Grayton Beach State Park.
The Red Bar
Grayton Beach was settled in 1880s by Charles T. Gray who staked a homestead there. The 1920s and 30s brought more growth including a Saturday night dance hall, which is now home of The Red Bar. This bar is an iconic piece of history and one of the main attractions at Grayton Beach. The food is amazing, but you have to go early (before 7pm) unless you want to wait for 2 hours. It’s a very popular hang-out spot that is said to attract a few celebrities!
Chiringo
This is another cute place to eat/drink. They have a walk up bar across the street from the beach. How fun is that??
Here are a few more pics that we took while walking one morning. There’s no shortage of fun things to look at!
I know I’ve only been posting quaint cottage pics, but look at this gorgeous lady!
Grayton Beach State Park
Gorgeous magnolia trees are everywhere!!!
Accommodations
Copperline
This is the house where we stayed and it was gifted to us for the week by the owners who are friends of the family. It was beyond amazing and probably one of the nicest places I’ve ever stayed. It’s currently for sale if anyone is looking for beach real estate, lol!!!
As we toured the beach town I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the cute beach cottages. This section of Florida has it’s own unique style that is completely captivating. While we were shopping one day, I picked up a new book by Eleanor Lynn Nesmith called 30A Living. The photos by Jean Allsopp completely embody the vibe that you feel when you’re here. These two also have a spread in Traditional Home magazine that highlights a couple of homes on 30A, one of which is Luke Bryan’s beach house (eeek!).
Most of the houses in Grayton Beach are quaint beach cottages, but there are also some very stately beach homes sprinkled here and there. Here are a few homes that I was admiring and would even love to stay at when we return.
Goodnight Moon
Seriously, how cute is this house??? And, check out the kitchen below…I’m in love!
Pearl Cottage
Lazy Magnolia
This is one of my favorites! It’s a little pricier than the others, but it sleeps 10, so you could split it with another family or drag your parents along to help out with the cost (and the kids!).
All in all, we had one amazing vacation. More than anything else, it was the slow, simple, relaxing pace that I needed after the hectic end-of-school-year activities. I even shelved my phone for a while and went off the grid. It really was pretty freeing! Here are a few more pics of the fam….
Do you have any vacation plans this summer? Where are your favorite places to go? I’m always on the hunt for new, fun experiences and I’d love to hear from you!
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