South Walton Beach Area with Kids
 

Hi

My family of 2 adults and 4 kids, 8,6,4, and 2, will be visiting Seacrest Beach, South Walton Beach areas first week of August.

We are renting a house with a pool and are walking distance to the beach.

I am looking for inexpensive resturaunts, very kid friendly, maybe even outdoor seating for us to go to in that area. Also, looking for fun stuff to do as well cheap/free stuff that would be age appropriate for the kids. I would like to find a state park/county park, that has paved sidewalks that we could go hiking in. If not paved, then flat walkways and not too steep. I'd probably have to bring a stroller for my 2 yr old.

Do you know if they have eco tours? Dolphin watching boats?

I would also love to know if there is a place to rent one of those bikes that has 4 wheels and the whole family can fit in it. Looks like a golf cart, but you pedal it.

I know Destin isn't too far away and we could go there to mini golf or something.

Thanks!
Laura

If you google, you'll come up with a lot of info. Here are a couple links:
http://www.destin-ation.com/seaside_recreation.htm

http://www.bigfishbikerentals.com/main.html

Check out kids activities at Seaside http://www.seasidefl.com/ Click on events.

Grayton Beach State Park http://www.floridastateparks.org/graytonbeach/

Deer Lake State Park
http://www.floridastateparks.org/deerlake/default.cfm

Rent bikes. http://www.discover30a.com/tour/tour.html

I have seen those four-person bikes in Seaside so I assume you can rent them there.

The aquarium in Panama City is nice. There are various boat rides available in PC and Destin. Check Trip Advisor for specifics.

There are a number of relatively inexpensive kid-friendly restaurants along 30A. Angelinas comes to mind. Check the forum on SoWal.com http://sowal.com/ for restaurant and other 30A information.

You will have a great time! The Beaches of South Walton are an amazing and relatively unknown Florida find! Just don't tell anyone!

olesouthernbelle,

I am begining to think we must be neighbors, or at least we frequent the same beaches. Do you live in or near the panhandle? I am in Tallahassee.

My family owns The Summer Kitchen Cafe in Rosemary Beach, next door to Seacrest. We are very kid friendly and have ample outdoor dining. We are open breakfast, lunch and dinner. We were just voted best burger on 30-A (lunch) and best breakfast on 30A! Lunch and breakfast are very casual - order at the counter, food brought to you tableside.
Dinner is table service and consists of seafood dishes, pastas, great salads, etc. Reservations are recommended for dinner to avoid a wait. You can see our menus at www.theskcafe.com Hope to see you at the beach!

Other family friendly restaurants near seacrest - Wild Olives, Cowgirl Kitchen - both in Rosemary; Mi Cocina - in Seacrest, George's in Alys Beach

There is a bike path that runs the entire length of 30-A and several state parks. Grayton Beach State Park has plenty of sidewalk areas for a stroller, picnic pavilions - and easy access to the beach. Family fun - free outdoor family movie in Rosemary Beach on Thursday nights (western green near the beach), free outdoor family movie on Friday night in Seaside, Wednesday night - free outdoor concert in Seaside(always fun!), Monday night - seaside rep does an outdoor play in Seaside, also free, Tuesday night - seaside rep does an outdoor play in Watercolor, also free and a different play.

Hope this helps!

Miriam Dillon