This Scenic Highway Boasts Some Of Florida's Best Beach Towns Along The Emerald Coast

Florida is the perfect destination for a road trip. Some of Florida's highways have become famous even outside of the state. Among these is State Road 30A (aka Scenic Highway 30A) in the Florida Panhandle. This well-known road tripping route is chock full of beautiful sightseeing opportunities. While it is only 24 miles long, some consider 30A to be one of the best scenic highways in the Sunshine State.

Florida's Panhandle boasts endless white sand beaches and vibrantly colored water, hence the nickname Emerald Coast. You'll find a handful of the region's acclaimed beaches along 30A, where you'll see how they intertwine with the state's greenery. Get started at the Topsail Hill Preserve State Park near Santa Rosa Beach. Around the sand dunes here you'll find freshwater pools, pine forests, and three miles of quintessential Sunshine State beaches. Dune Allen is a particularly notable section of white sand in this area. Keep your eye on the sky here too, as the park is home to shorebirds like pelicans, terns, and gulls.

Keep following 30A to get to some of Santa Rosa Beach's best local restaurants just feet from the sand. Get fresh seafood from Local Catch Bar and Grill or, for seafood in a more casual setting, try Goatfeathers Seafood Restaurant less than one mile away. For dessert, take your pick from the two dozen ice cream flavors at Gulfview Snack Shack. All three are located right on 30A.

A 30A coastal road trip on Florida's wild panhandle also takes you to Grayton Beach, another quaint town with plenty of recreation. Grayton Beach State Park includes more white sand beaches, but the park's Western Lake is especially popular for kayaking and fishing. The lake and the park's hiking trails are surrounded by huge magnolias and scrub oaks which make for a unique bit of scenery. You can stay overnight at Grayton Beach in a tent or in one of the onsite cabins. However, the park does have a capacity limit. Make camping reservations ahead of time or arrive early if you're just visiting for the day. The park opens at 8 a.m.

Seaside is a popular town on 30A, but for a smaller beachside community keep heading east to Alys Beach. This chic, little-known town feels like a Caribbean getaway with multiple buildings taking inspiration from Bermudan architecture. Aside from offering a boardwalk trail through pristine forests of cypress trees, there are urban parks with cultivated greenery, statues, and elegant buildings. Walk through Gulf Green on your way to the beach or take a break from exploring the town at Palmera Park. You might even catch some live music at the Alys Beach Amphitheater.

The perfect exclamation point on your 30A road trip is Rosemary Beach. Biking is a popular way to check out this town's quaint streets lined with buildings modeled after those of St. Augustine, New Orleans, and Dutch settlements in the Caribbean. Rent bikes at Peddlers 30A starting at $40 per day. As you explore, you'll notice that Rosemary Beach's restaurants are quite cosmopolitan. Get Asian food at Aja 30A, pizza at Ghost Crab Pizza, and American favorites at Canopy Road Café.