What is 30A?

You may have heard a neighbor or coworker talk about their last vacation on 30A. But where is it? How do you get there? Why is 30A so popular?

30A is a small two-lane highway that runs parallel to the a section of the beach in the town of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. It’s nestled between the two much larger and busier vacation destinations of Destin and Panama City Beach.

You’ll often see golf carts puttering down the street and cars stopping seemingly out of nowhere to allow pedestrians the right of way to cross the street. Crosswalks are everywhere, and pedestrians do have the right of way.

North and South of Hwy 98

Santa Rosa Beach is essentially two different places joined by the East to West junction of Hwy 98. South of 98 is the beach culture, with more than 50% of the homes consisting of rentals or vacation homes occupied only during summers and holidays.North of 98 is almost exclusively full-time residents, who likely own businesses that help to make 30A the wonderful place our guests have come to know and love.

While both Destin and Panama City Beach offer high rise condos, Super Walmarts, Targets, and oodles of every type of shopping imaginable, 30A is a quieter, calmer version of the larger towns on either end.

30A used to be much quieter in the winter months. Many restaurants and storefronts would close for winter due to the lack of foot traffic. But since 2018, 30A has become a popular year-round destination.

How long is 30A?

30A is a 24 mile long strip of scenic highway, most popular for vacation rental houses and vacation properties for residents of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, and beyond.

How expensive is 30A?

Homes along 30A are among the most expensive in the region, desirable both for their walkability to the beach and for their lack of proximity to high rise condos and chain retail stores. In fact, big chain restaurants are forbidden from the Highway 30A corridor.

There’s lots to see and do during your stay near 30A. Here are a few quick tips to check out before your visit:

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