Hey Guys!
Florida’s Emerald Coast is one of those places we never seem to tire of visiting. With sugar white sand, emerald green water and some of the most beautiful sunsets we’ve seen, it’s an easy place to return to again and again.
In March, we headed back to Santa Rosa Beach, Florida for a quick getaway along scenic Highway 30A.
We only had two full days, but that turned out to be plenty of time to slow down, spend time on the beach, explore nearby Alys Beach, visit Grayton Beach State Park and, of course, eat some really good food.
We stayed at Rollin Tide Villas, a condo complex we’ve stayed at several times before, just a short five minute walk from the beach.
Having the Gulf that close meant we could easily walk down in the evening to catch one of the area’s spectacular sunsets.
One of the highlights of this trip was Grayton Beach State Park. We enjoyed it so much that we visited both days.
Click here to see more Beach State Parks in Florida
Beyond its beautiful beach, Grayton is home to something you don’t see in most beach destinations —rare coastal dune lakes.
If you’re planning a weekend in Santa Rosa Beach or wondering what you can realistically see along 30A in just two days, this itinerary is great place to start.
Where is Santa Rosa Beach, Florida?
Santa Rosa Beach is located in South Walton County along Florida’s northwest Gulf Coast, between Destin and Panama City Beach. It’s part of the area commonly referred to as 30A, named for scenic County Highway 30A.
One thing that’s helpful to understand before your first visit is that 30A isn’t a single town. It’s a 26 mile coastal highway where you will pass through a collection of beach communities, each with its own personality and look.
Santa Rosa Beach makes a great home base because you can enjoy the beaches and natural areas nearby while also exploring communities such as Grayton Beach and Alys Beach.
Our 2-Day Santa Rosa Beach Florida Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Santa Rosa Beach – check in then head to beach.
Day 2: Alys Beach – then headed back to Grayton Beach – then back to the beach near our condo to watch the sunset.
Day 3: Brunch at Crackings – then back to Grayton Beach – then dinner at Bayou Bill’s
Day 4: Check out of condo – lunch stop at Bates House of Turkey – then a quick stop for coffee at the Pink Lantern Coffee – then continued our drive back home
Technically, this was a three night trip with two full days in Santa Rosa Beach. We arrived on March 19 and headed home on March 22. Here’s exactly how we spent our time.
Getting to Santa Rosa Beach – Our Road Trip
Lunch at Bluebird Coffee Co. in Andalusia, Alabama
We left home on March 19 and made our way south toward Florida. Instead of waiting until we reached the coast for lunch, we stopped in downtown Andalusia, Alabama, at Bluebird Coffee Co. 
This turned out to be a fun way to break up the drive. The cafe has a relaxed, casual atmosphere and serves much more than just coffee, making it a good road trip lunch stop.
I ordered the chicken salad on a croissant and the pasta salad as my side….the food was delicious!

We also ordered coffee and it was really good too.
Read reviews here
Where we Stayed – Rollin Tide Villas
Once we arrived in Santa Rosa Beach, we checked into Rollin Tide Villas, a condo complex we’ve stayed at several times.




Some of the biggest reasons we like staying here is the location, price, every unit has a balcony that faces the pool, it’s quiet & a small complex….there’s only about 15-20 units here and a lot of them can be found on VRBO or AirBnb.
From our condo, it’s only about a five minute walk to the beach, which means there’s no need to load everything into the car just to catch the sunset or spend a little time along the Gulf.
After checking in and getting settled, that’s exactly what we did. We walked down to the beach and officially started our Santa Rosa Beach getaway.


Exploring Alys Beach and Grayton Beach State Park
Morning in Alys Beach
The next morning, we headed east along 30A to explore Alys Beach, one of the most distinctive communities along Florida’s 30A.
This was my second time visiting Alys Beach. You can click this link to read about our first visit which is much more detailed.
You know when you have reached Alys Beach. Its striking white architecture and palm lined streets look unlike almost anywhere else along the Emerald Coast.
We spent some time walking around and exploring before heading back to our condo for lunch.



Click here for the best restaurants in Alys Beach
Tip: There’s a Publix Grocery store about 10 mins from the condo
Note: Alys Beach is privately owned. The public can visit the Town Center and its shops and restaurants, but the beach and beach accesses are private amenities for homeowners and registered Alys Beach vacation guests. Alys Beach also restricts photography of private residential spaces.
Lunch at the condo
Grayton Beach State Park
After lunch, we headed to what would become our favorite stop of the trip: Grayton Beach State Park.
We actually liked this beach so much that we came back the following day and spent even more time there.
Located directly along 30A in Santa Rosa Beach, the park combines the area’s famous white sand Gulf beaches with dunes, coastal forest and rare coastal dunes lakes. It’s a completely different experience from visiting one of 30A’s developed beach communities.

Grayon Beach State Park is nearly 2,000 acres and includes beach access, hiking, paddling, fishing and trails through its coastal environment.
The park is currently open from 8 am until sunset and charges $5 per vehicle.
During busy periods, it can reach capacity and temporarily close, so arriving earlier is a good idea.
Note: Always check the park’s website for any changes, closures, etc.
The Rare Coastal Dune Lakes at Grayton Beach
The beautiful Gulf beach isn’t the only reason to visit Grayton Beach State Park. One of the things I found most interesting was the unusual water just behind the dunes.
Grayton Beach State Park contains three coastal dune lakes: Western Lake, Alligator Lake and Little Redfish Lake.
Coastal dune lakes are extremely rare and occur in only a few places around the world.
These lakes receive freshwater from rainfall, groundwater and streams. At times, water breaks through the sand separating a lake from the Gulf, creating a natural channel known as an outfall.
Gulf water can also travel into the lake, mixing saltwater and freshwater and creating brackish conditions.
The water can appear brown or tea colored….it’s caused by organic material breaking down in the water and isn’t an indication that the water is dirty.
Things to Do at Grayton Beach State Park
We spent most of our time enjoying the beach and exploring the dunes and coastal dune lake, but there’s much more to do if you have additional time.
You can also swim, paddle, hike and bike here.
There’s a one mile nature trail beginning near the beach parking area that passes through dunes and pine flat woods to Western Lake.
There’s also a longer trail system for people who want to explore more. Kayaks and paddle boards are available for rent for exploring the 100-acre Western Lake.
Read reviews here
Don’t Miss a Santa Rosa Beach Sunset
After spending the afternoon at Grayton Beach State Park, we headed back to our condo.
Later that evening, we grabbed our cameras and made the five minute walk back to the beach for one of my favorite parts of any Florida Gulf Coast trip–the sunset.
Tip: Keep an eye out for jellyfish! They were all in the water and along the shoreline. 
We’ve seen some spectacular sunsets along Florida’s Emerald Coast, and Santa Rosa Beach certainly didn’t disappoint.
The sky slowly turned from a soft gold to brilliant shades of orange and red as the sun dropped toward the Gulf.
The fiery colors reflected across the water and wet sand, making the shoreline seem to glow.
It was the perfect way to end our day.
If you’re planning your own Santa Rosa Beach itinerary, don’t schedule every minute of your evenings. Leave at least one night open to simply walk down to the beach and watch the sun disappear over the Gulf.
Brunch at Crackings and Another Day at Grayton Beach
Brunch at Crackings
We started our second full day with brunch at Crackings, and this ended up being one of our favorite meals during the trip.
I ordered the chicken and waffles and they were very good!

Read reviews here
Back to Grayton Beach State Park
After brunch, we had plenty of choices for how to spend our final full day along 30A. Instead, we went right back to Grayton Beach State Park.
Sometimes returning to the same place is the best indication of how much you enjoyed it.
This time, rather than treating Grayton as one stop on a busy sightseeing day, we spent the day there enjoying the beach and beautiful surroundings.

Tip: It was fairly cool when we visited and the wind off the ocean makes it feel even cooler so be prepared.
Read reviews for this beach here
Dinner at Bayou Bill’s Crab House
After spending most of the day at Grayton Beach, we finished our final evening with dinner at Bayou Bill’s Crab House in Santa Rosa Beach.
Bayou Bill’s has been serving Gulf seafood for decades and offers everything from crab legs and oysters to fish and steaks.
The Santa Rosa Beach location is on US 98 and currently operates on a first come, first serve basis rather than taking reservations.
I ordered the fried seafood patter and the food was really good!

Read reviews here
Heading Home – Two Road Trip Stops Worth Making
Bates House of Turkey
Our Santa Rosa Beach getaway wasn’t quite over when we checked out the next morning.
On our drive home, we stopped for lunch in Greenville, Alabama at Bates House of Turkey, and this was one road trip stop that was absolutely worth making.
However, if you don’t like turkey, don’t stop here because it’s all they serve! 😉
You order at the counter and then they call your name to pick up at the window.
I ordered the open face turkey sandwich smothered in gravy with a side of cranberry sauce and my daughter and mom ordered a turkey sandwich with chips.
We couldn’t leave without trying a slice of their coconut pie! 
The food was very good!
Read reviews here
Pink Lantern Coffee + Bar
Apparently one food stop wasn’t enough for us.
After lunch, we made one final stop at Pink Lantern Coffee + Bar for coffee before continuing home.
This place was so cute!

I ordered their signature drink called Ube cold foam coffee. It’s Viet coffee with a subtly sweet layer of purple ube cold foam on top.
It was so good!
Read reviews here
More Things to Do in Santa Rosa Beach and Along 30A
With two full days, we intentionally kept this trip fairly relaxed. If you’re staying longer, there are plenty of other things you can add to your Santa Rosa Beach itinerary.
Here are a few options: Eden Gardens State Park, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, Seaside, Blue Mountain Beach, Rosemary Beach, biking the Timpoochee Trail and kayaking/paddleboarding a coastal dune lake.
Click here for best restaurants in Santa Rosa Beach
Click here for best hotels
Click here for best coffee
Click here for best beaches
Click here for best places to watch the sunset
Click here for best ice cream
Click here for best activities
Read reviews for Santa Rosa Beach here
Visiting Santa Rosa Beach in March
Crowds: The crowds were definitely much less than what you will find in June – Sept. The off season runs December through February, with November also serving as a quiet transition month.
Weather: Be prepared for cooler weather. One day we were wearing sweatshirts on the beach. Daytime highs are usually around 70 degrees and lows in the low to mid 50’s.
Ocean: We didn’t get in the water…it was way too cold! The water temperature averages around 66 degrees.
Clothes: During the day, it’s definitely warm enough to wear shorts but in the evening you may need a light cardigan.
Parking: We didn’t have any issues with parking at any of the places we visited. However, during peak season, parking can be a huge challenge so always arrive early.
Restaurants: The restaurants were definitely not as busy as I had seen them in the past when visiting during June. Reservations at the more popular restaurants may still be required.
I enjoyed our visit in March due to less crowds but it was much cooler at the beach than I would have liked.
Click here for things to do and a map of the area
How Many Days Do You Need in Santa Rosa Beach?
Two full days gave us enough time to enjoy Santa Rosa Beach without feeling like we spent the entire trip rushing from one attraction to another.
If this is your first trip to 30A and you want to explore several of its beach communities, however, I’d recommend adding another day or two.
With three or four full days, you could spend time at the beach while also visiting places like Seaside, Rosemary Beach and some of the area’s other parks.
For a relaxing long weekend, though, two days in Santa Rosa Beach absolutely works.
Tips for Planning Your Santa Rosa Beach Trip
- Stay close enough to walk the beach if possible
- Allow time for at least one sunset
- Visit Grayton Beach State Park early during busy seasons because the park can reach capacity
- Don’t walk on the dunes; they’re fragile and protected
- Don’t assume every beach along 30A is public – Alys Beach’s beach access, for example, is private
- Leave some unscheduled time. Part of the appeal of 30A is slowing down and enjoying the beach.
- If you’re driving, make the journey part of the vacation by planning a good lunch or coffee stop along the way.
- Bring plenty of sunscreen
Is Santa Rosa Beach Worth Visiting?
For us, Santa Rosa Beach is an easy yes — and the fact that we’ve returned to this area more than once probably says more than anything I could write.
You don’t need an elaborate itinerary to enjoy this part of Florida. Some of our favorite moments from this trip were also the simplest: walking on the beach, photographing the sunset, discovering the unusual coastal dune lakes at Grayton Beach and spending an entire day with nowhere else needed to be.
If you only have a weekend, two days is enough to get a taste of Santa Rosa Beach and 30A. But don’t be surprised if you leave already thinking about your next trip back.
Here are links to some of my other Florida posts:
4 Days in Santa Rosa Beach, FL – Days 1 & 2 – Aug 2025
4 Days in Santa Rosa Beach, FL – Days 3 & 4 – Aug 2025
3 Days in Seaside, FL – Sept. 2023
Silver Springs State Park: Things to Do & Visitor Guide
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