SUMMER PARKING RULES for Sugar Dunes
/Beginning on Memorial Day and through the summer only 2 vehicles can park in the parking lot or garage from each unit. Each unit must have owners sticker or GUEST PARKING Placard visible in the vehicle. Renters must leave the pass in condo at end of stay. $25 replacement fee will be charged if you take the pass.
VIE Speaks: 30A Artist Justin Gaffrey
/Perhaps no artist has captured the natural beauty and special vibe of 30A than Justin Gaffrey. A self-taught artist whose approach can be described as sculpting with paint, Justin's work is sought not only by tourists, but by collectors all over the country. In the video below the longtime resident of Walton County speaks to a packed house at the Seaside Repertory Theatre in a talk sponsored by VIE Magazine. Enjoy!
30A In A Bottle
/Check out this cool video of the very first bottle of 30A Beach Blonde Ale rolling off the line at the Grayton Beer Company in South Walton, Florida back in February 2014. Thirsty yet?
Deep Fried Love Since 1949
/Historic 30A is a virtual oasis for foodies with an appetite for cuisine from all over the world. The 15 beach communities that make up 30A are known for their noticeable lack of chains, instead offering hungry beach goers the opportunity to discover their own “special place” that is sure to become a must during each visit. From the funky and legendary Grayton Beach establishment, Red Bar, to 30A’s oldest pizza place, Bruno’s, (they put WHOLE mushrooms on their pizzas), it’s easy to lose count of the number of local joints offering up great food. drinks, and cool vibes.
If there is one must visit place on 30A, it just might be Seagrove Village Market Café. A pillar of the community since 1949, Seagrove Market from the outside looks like nothing more than an older convenience store, which, in fact, the front of the building is just that – a convenience store. However, winding your way passed the coolers of soft drinks and cold beer, stacks of souvenirs, and colorful t-shirts, reveals the restaurant, serving up some of the best beach food anywhere within a country mile of a sand dune.
Make no mistake, Seagrove Market Village Café isn’t white table cloth, fine dining - and thank goodness for that. This is one of those places where you brush the sand off your swimsuit and drop by as you area. With just a handful of tables inside, some of the best seating is outside on the back patio, full of rustic charm. If you decide to sit outside, make sure you whip out your cell phone and get a couple of shots of the vintage Coca-Cola sign hanging on the patio’s lattice. It makes for a great Facebook cover photo.
The menu is all beach fare featuring fried or grilled shrimp, crab cakes, and soft shell crab, for instance. However, the real seafood star here is the grouper, delicious no matter how it’s prepared, fried, grilled, or blackened. Garden & Gun magazine even voted the po-boy, with either grouper or shrimp, as one of its 100 Things You Must Eat Before You Die.
On your second visit to Seagrove Village Market Café – you will come more than once, trust me – make sure to give one of the restaurant’s burgers a try. If there is any item that is the sleeper on the menu, it’s the barbecue bacon burger. “Delicious” doesn’t even begin to describe this perfect combination of ground beef, perfectly cooked bacon, and George’s barbecue sauce. Wash it all down with a 30A Beach Blonde Ale.
One word of caution. Parking isn’t exactly plentiful, so if possible walk or bike to make sure you don’t spend time driving up and down the street looking for a space. However, if you must drive, please be patient or make plans to come during a non-peak time. Regardless of what time of you day you come, you will not be disappointed.
It's Official: No Hampton Inn On 30A
/Scenic Highway 30A will not go the way of chain hotels, at least not right now, after Walton County Commissioners denied a controversial hotel project. The proposed Hampton Inn, which would have been built on the eastern end of Seagrove Beach, was defeated unanimously at a meeting on April 20 after months of opposition from South Walton residents, second home owners, and other citizens concerned that the project would negatively alter the character and charm of 30A.
If the proposal had passed, the 59,000 square foot, 90 room Hampton Inn would have been the first "chain" hotel along the highway. Click here to watch the coverage of the decision on Panama City's WJHG 7.
Mediacom Wireless internet in each unit
/Beginning in October all units have wireless internet from Mediacom. Each unit has its own username and password.