We are a family of four with two teenage boys. Looking to rent a house with a pool and in close proximity to the beach. Have vacationed at Captiva Island and Naples. Loved Captiva! But this year looking for white beaches and clear water. So looking at the Emerald Coast as an option. Seaside looks interesting, But we don't really care for the crowded/commercial settings. Any suggestions?

Thank you!

Anything east of Destin will be perfect. Grayton Beach is my favorite.

Another vote for Grayton Beach. It's got the quiet old Florida feel, which suits our taste. We love Red Bar--a funky local favorite that has been around for years. Also, just down the street is Chiringo--an open air bar with a view of the Gulf. My favorite shop, Zoo Gallery, is on the same street.

Other good restaurants in the area are Bud & Alley's (Seaside), AJ's (Grayton Beach), and The Perfect Pig (Santa Rosa Beach). On the bay side of 30A we love The Bay for drinks and hanging out on their small beach and dock. We didn't eat there, but looks like it gets good reviews.

While we do enjoy several of the bars and restaurants in Destin, that city is so crowded. Traffic can be horrific. You mentioned Seaside, so I'll put in my two cents. While it is a very nice area, it's a little too cookie-cutter for me. I don't mind visiting, but would not enjoy renting a house there. Same with Watercolor.

Thank you for the input! Watercolor was one of the places we were looking at but was concerned about the touristy feel and overcrowded beaches.

Did some research on the Seacrest area. Saw some posts about crowded beaches from chair rental companies. The post was a year old. Does anyone know if that is still an issue?

I remember reading about the issue on TripAdvisor. Here's a link to that forum:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForu...e_Florida.html