Pros: White sand beaches, row after row of tin-roofed pastel houses.
Cons: Expensive (but worth it).
The Bottom Line: Thank you to DiverPam for adding this to the database! Now, everyone, go visit!!
Mom2TyZick's Full Review: Seaside, Florida
When I was about 4 years old my parents bought a little strip of land near the beach in Seagrove Beach, Florida. On it we built a modest house that allowed us a place to stay when we wanted to go to the beach. We had to bring plenty of groceries and board games because the closest grocery store and restaurants were about 45 minutes away! I'm 30 now and much has changed! The most important thing is that a visionary named Robert Davis built Seaside. Never heard of it? You may recognize it as the town filmed in "The Truman Show" starring Jim Carrey.
This town has brick streets that lead right up to pastel colored cottages with tin roofs. The town has a building code that each resident must follow so that the town looks uniform. To see a sample go to www.seasidefl.com. It is absolutely family oriented and there is so much to do and see you will never be tired of it! Conversely, you can sit and do absolutely nothing without feeling bored!
Even though I have always considered this to be home, we live in North Carolina now so we go there regularly on vacation. Here are a few of our favorite things about Seaside and the surrounding area:
What To Do The Beach:Sugary white sand and crystal blue-green water make this one of the best beaches in America. You can rent a cushioned adirondack style lounge chair and an umbrella by the day to make your beach experience more pleasurable because this is Florida and it is HOT! There are many children on the beach so this is not like Miami's South Beach where each person competes to wear the least and you are practically sitting on each other's blankets. When we were here there was a sandbar close to the shoreline that my 3 year old safely played in by himself. We also saw dolphins jumping near the second sandbar. It's nice to pack a lunch and stay the whole day...just bring plenty of sunscreen!
Biking: Many people rent bikes with attachments for the back to carry your youngster. These look like rickshaws to me. They also have plenty of paved bike trails to ride on and site see.
Shopping: You will find some of the neatest things, albeit expensive, in the open air market here called Perspicacity. Among the treasures are one-of-a-kind beach prints with painted frames, mosaic tables, tropical colored adirondack chairs, jewelry and clothing that you just can't find here in Charlotte. Some of my favorite stores are Sue Vaneers, a Seaside clothing store, Sundog Books, Patchouli's, a fragrance store and Surfer Girl, a clothing and jewelry store that's ultra-hip! I have to say that my all-time favorite store is Modica Market, a gourmet food shop with killer croissants filled with ham and Swiss, strawberry and cream cheese and chocolate fillings. This shop is also on the Truman Show!
Concerts and Art Shows: There is a small amphitheater where families gather on summer nights to hear concerts in the heart of Seaside. People bring picnics (grab a muffaletta and some couscous from Modica!), play Frisbee and talk right before the concert. On site is a unique Artist Colony that features the works of local artists. You can even paint your own pottery here. All within walking distance of your cottage!
Honorable Mentions
*The Track: a great place for kids. It has a go-cart track, water boat rides, and amusement park rides for the little kids.
*Shipwreck Island and Big Kahuna's: 2 waterparks that will thrill your youngster (and your husband!) My child's favorites were the wave pool and the kid's area.
*Gulfarium: See dolphins jump and live fish swim in the aquarium.
*Tropical Golf: Tons of locations, just pick one for night time fun!
Where to Eat
When we go to Florida, we eat seafood every night. We can't get that same freshness or variety here in Charlotte, so it's a special treat for us. Here are a few of our favorite places:
The Back Porch
Our absolute favorite place to eat and the first place we hit every time! The reason: The Smoked Tuna Dip. It is absolutely out of this world! If you go, you must try it. The Back Porch sits right on the beach and consequently, is a very casual restaurant. With its huge open windows, you can feel the breeze of the ocean and people walk in straight from the beach wearing their bathing suit and a cover up. On weekends and summer nights the wait is usually pretty long, sometimes an hour and a half, but they do have a nice playground in the back that will occupy the kids while you wait. The food is exceptional. They have any seafood you could hope for! The things I've tried and love are Smoked Tuna Dip Sandwich, Stuffed Shrimp, Popcorn Shrimp, Grouper stuffed with Spinach, Flounder stuffed with Lobster and blackened tuna. Most places are pretty expensive here, but this one is pretty standard. We spent around $50 for 2 adult entrees, a child's meal, 2 teas and an appetizer. This restaurant is located in San Destin.
A.J.'s
I love this place too! Again, you usually have a pretty decent wait, but they have a nice tiki-type bar upstairs with a live band. I've seen children up there, too, so it's not seedy! A.J.'s is located in Destin right on the water so you could also take the kids for a walk on the docks to have a look at all of the beautiful deep-sea fishing boats while you wait. A.J.'s is along the same price and menu as The Back Porch, but I come here for the best steamed Dungeness Crab. It is highly seasoned, steamed and served with drawn butter, new potatoes and corn. It is out of this world!
Angelina's
This is one time we stray from our seafood formula (and I usually get some pasta with seafood in it, anyway)! This is the best and most authentic Italian food around. They have all of the typical pasta dishes, wood fired pizza and wonderful salads. We never miss this place when we go. It's actually in Seagrove Beach just a mile down the road from Seaside. Now there's a good bike ride!
Other Honorable Mentions
*Buster's for 99 cent oysters, yummy fried dill pickle chips with Ranch Dressing and Fried soft shell crab sandwiches!
*Cafe Spiaggia for easy access from the beach and a great slice of pizza and green salad.
*Shades for easy access from your cottage and great Fried Shrimp Hoagies!
*Pickles for easy access right off the beach and great hot dogs.
*Pompano Joe's in San Destin for Seafood Stuffed Potatoes and Seafood Nachos.
*Chan's at the Market: located in San Destin, it has the best foccacia bread I've ever eaten.
This is usually a pretty expensive vacation for us, but Seaside is so quaint, I always think it is worth the money. Whether you come alone, with your significant other or the entire family, you will feel comfortable and welcomed by the Southern hospitality of the locals. In fact, you can even stay at my place!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families Best Time to Travel Here: Jun - Aug
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