Hello everyone, I just found this wonderful site and I am having lots of fun reading, looking at fabulous photos and dreaming of the SoWal beaches. My husband and I are planning our vacation and we were thinking of visiting in the first part of May. This will be our first visit.
How about the water temperature? Warm enough to swim? We want to rent a small house on the gulf or at least a gulf view. We like a quiet area and enjoy night time strolls on the beach etc. Sunsets of course are a must. Any suggestions? All the areas look wonderful but are there any particular areas thatyou feel like will suit us best?
I can't wait to hear some of your wonderful suggestions. Thanks Kat
Replies
30
got any pics?
Hello everyone, I just found this wonderful site and I am having lots of fun reading, looking at fabulous photos and dreaming of the SoWal beaches. My husband and I are planning our vacation and we were thinking of visiting in the first part of May. This will be our first visit.
How about the water temperature? Warm enough to swim? We want to rent a small house on the gulf or at least a gulf view. We like a quiet area and enjoy night time strolls on the beach etc. Sunsets of course are a must. Any suggestions? All the areas look wonderful but are there any particular areas thatyou feel like will suit us best?
I can't wait to hear some of your wonderful suggestions. Thanks Kat
I'd say get a map of 30A out, start a Blue Mountain Beach and stop at Rosemary Beach.
Admin
Hello everyone, I just found this wonderful site and I am having lots of fun reading, looking at fabulous photos and dreaming of the SoWal beaches. My husband and I are planning our vacation and we were thinking of visiting in the first part of May. This will be our first visit.
How about the water temperature? Warm enough to swim? We want to rent a small house on the gulf or at least a gulf view. We like a quiet area and enjoy night time strolls on the beach etc. Sunsets of course are a must. Any suggestions? All the areas look wonderful but are there any particular areas thatyou feel like will suit us best?
I can't wait to hear some of your wonderful suggestions. Thanks Kat
Glad you are enjoying.
For an Ohio kat the water should be nice. For us wimps around here May is the first month the water is warm enough to swim and really enjoy. May is a great month to visit. Any place on Scenic 30-A will fit your bill. Seagrove Beach and Seaside are the most crowded but not too bad themselves. You would enjoy Grayton I'll bet.
On 30-A there are a lot of nice gulf front condos that will be 1/2 the price of gulf front homes. Check out this page:
http://www.sowal.com/rentals.html
And events:
http://www.sowal.com/events.html
Edited
Beach ComberAuthor
Thanks for getting back to me.
Would we be better off waiting until June. I know places will be more crowded. We are very flexible on the month to visit.
Would we be better off waiting until June. I know places will be more crowded. We are very flexible on the month to visit.
SoWal Expert
Thanks for getting back to me.
Would we be better off waiting until June. I know places will be more crowded. We are very flexible on the month to visit.
no, no. no. May is by far the number one month in which to be here. October is a close second.
Beach ComberAuthor
Thanks I'll stay with May!
got any pics?
no, no. no. May is by far the number one month in which to be here. October is a close second.
I have to agree. Before we had the LittleRiverOtters we used to come in may and October. The water was always beautiful. Admin
no, no. no. May is by far the number one month in which to be here. October is a close second.
Hmmph. I'm the opposite.
Beach ComberAuthor
Hey guys what about the quiet areas. Any suggestions? All the areas I have looked at seem great we just don't like a lot of crowds. We love people but would like some room to breathe.
And I was also wondering about the beach access areas after the hurricanes. Are there areas that have not been repaired? I was really leaning toward Seagrove area. Thanks again. Kat
And I was also wondering about the beach access areas after the hurricanes. Are there areas that have not been repaired? I was really leaning toward Seagrove area. Thanks again. Kat
Edited
got any pics?
Hey guys what about the quiet areas. Any suggestions? All the areas I have looked at seem great we just don't like a lot of crowds. We love people but would like some room to breathe.
Just about anywhere on 30A in May won't be very crowded. Grayton Beach, Seagrove Beach, Seacrest Beach Rosemary Beach. I doubt even Seaside would be crowded in May but I would wait to see what Kurt and SmilinJOe say about that.
SoWal Expert
Just about anywhere on 30A in May won't be very crowded. Grayton Beach, Seagrove Beach, Seacrest Beach Rosemary Beach. I doubt even Seaside would be crowded in May but I would wait to see what Kurt and SmilinJOe say about that.
RO, you are as close to being a local as a tourist can get. You are correct. May, especially early May, is a bit slower, because families are saving there vacation until the kids get out of school a few weeks later. June is busy.
...And, Kurt, stop telling people the truth. They don't need to know that October is really the best month.
Admin
RO, you are as close to being a local as a tourist can get. You are correct. May, especially early May, is a bit slower, because families are saving there vacation until the kids get out of school a few weeks later. June is busy.
...And, Kurt, stop telling people the truth. They don't need to know that October is really the best month.
Beach Lover
Since reading this thread, I a m a little worried about July 9-16. We went to Panama City beach in July several years ago and it was awfully crowded. Will Seagrove Beach be anything like that? I certainly hope not, we are looking for less crowded beaches and a small town atmosphere. Any help would be appreciated.
Admin
Since reading this thread, I a m a little worried about July 9-16. We went to Panama City beach in July several years ago and it was awfully crowded. Will Seagrove Beach be anything like that? I certainly hope not, we are looking for less crowded beaches and a small town atmosphere. Any help would be appreciated.
Compared to May, July is bustling (I don't think I've ever used that word before
). But it's still nothing like PCB or Destin. July on Scenic 30-A is the All-American Summer vacation! No worries.SoWal Expert
From June through September, I never go into Destin or PCB. It would be quicker to drive to Atlanta.
got any pics?
Since reading this thread, I a m a little worried about July 9-16. We went to Panama City beach in July several years ago and it was awfully crowded. Will Seagrove Beach be anything like that? I certainly hope not, we are looking for less crowded beaches and a small town atmosphere. Any help would be appreciated.
The 2 CANNOT be compared. After spending a completely miserable 2.5 days at the Edgewater in PCB where the pool was so crowded you couldn't even stick your head under water (not that you would have wanted to), we drove over to 30A and rented a unit at High Pointe. I'm kid you not! It was like driving to another world. No crowds, No rednecks, No rude people. The result was us buying a unit there, and another one after that. (By the way this was in July) You will not be disappointed! (sorry for all the mis spelled words
)
little sugar
hi YELLOWCAT, there is a small condo complex in old seagrove called the beacons. There isnt a pool but you could get a gulf front condo for a great price and the boardwalk would be right outside your door. It is nestled between million dollar homes, lots of breating room on the beach, low crowds.You can hop directly on the bike path or walk to lots of nice shops, we love that particular area :clap_1: have fun in the sun!!!!
Beach ComberAuthor
Thanks Seagrovelover. I will check out the Beacons.
How about the Dune Allen Beach area? Is that a good spot? No one has mentioned it yet.
How about the Dune Allen Beach area? Is that a good spot? No one has mentioned it yet.
Beach Comber
I think you will be happy anywhere from Dune-Allen to Rosemary Beach. We have been making our annual trek to SoWal for 20+ years, stayed at numerous places and have NEVER been disappointed.
There's a nice neighborhood of houses at Sunrise Beach/Santa Rosa. We also have had good luck with condos through garrett realty.
May is a great time to go. Sure wish we could do the May/Oct thing, but unfortunately school schedules and the 11 hour drive prevent it. Enjoy!
There's a nice neighborhood of houses at Sunrise Beach/Santa Rosa. We also have had good luck with condos through garrett realty.
May is a great time to go. Sure wish we could do the May/Oct thing, but unfortunately school schedules and the 11 hour drive prevent it. Enjoy!
Beach Fanatic
The 2 CANNOT be compared. After spending a completely miserable 2.5 days at the Edgewater in PCB where the pool was so crowded you couldn't even stick your head under water (not that you would have wanted to), we drove over to 30A and rented a unit at High Pointe. I'm kid you not! It was like driving to another world. No crowds, No rednecks, No rude people. The result was us buying a unit there, and another one after that. (By the way this was in July) You will not be disappointed! (sorry for all the mis spelled words
What he said.
got any pics?
What he said.
I forgot to mention that every friggin redneck staying there got up at 6am (which gave them about 1 hour of sleep
) and put every towel from their condo on the pool chairs :mad: . Of course only 1/2 of the chairs were being used but they all had towels on them :mad: . From the pool (or wollering pond I like to call it) the chairs were four rows deep! and it had an oily sheen over the whole surface which connected all the above mentioned rednecks! and the beach was no better! I will NEVER go back to that place!Beach Fanatic
I forgot to mention that every friggin redneck staying there got up at 6am (which gave them about 1 hour of sleep
PCB blows
Unfortunatley they are building a million condos over there and many people staying in them will daytrip to SoWal to spend their $1.98
Admin
I forgot to mention that every friggin redneck staying there got up at 6am (which gave them about 1 hour of sleep
So you're telling us you don't like PCB? :laughing1got any pics?
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Nope
Not one bit. got any pics?
PCB blows
Unfortunatley they are building a million condos over there and many people staying in them will daytrip to SoWal to spend their $1.98
Why would they day trip to SoWal? Nothing fun to to do there :wink:
Edited
Beach Fanatic
If you don't go to Panama City Beach or Destin you'll be able to avoid the crowds. I'm sure places like Seaside will be crowded in July, as will the restaurants, but as someone else on this list said, it's a classic summer vacation. We always get tables at restaurants by going a little earlier than the typical times (e.g., 11:30 for lunch, 5:00 for dinner) -- then we may get an appetizer or drink so we're not eating too early once we get there. And the atmosphere in the local restaurants is very nice so you'll enjoy sitting there anyway.
As for places to stay, if you want to be in one of the quietest areas of 30A, we have a couple of cottages for rent at the Cottages at Camp Creek in Seacrest Beach, which is about 1.5 miles from Rosemary Beach. It's a small gated community--no restaurants, etc., so you don't get any outside traffic and it's quiet and the beach is very uncrowded because the cottages/houses in the area have deeded beach access. And we're only a few miles away from casual and fine restaurants (e.g., 1.5 miles from Rosemary beach, 4 miles from Seagrove, 6 miles from Seaside, and 10 miles from Grayton). We're also close to the free outdoor movies and concerts that take place at Seaside and Rosemary beach in the summer (the many free activities in the area are a good reason to come to this area in the summer). One of our cottages is booked for all of July already, but the other has a few weeks available. See Key Lime Cottage at http://www.vrbo.com/33828 and let me know by email at VRBO if you like it.
Hope this is helpful.
As for places to stay, if you want to be in one of the quietest areas of 30A, we have a couple of cottages for rent at the Cottages at Camp Creek in Seacrest Beach, which is about 1.5 miles from Rosemary Beach. It's a small gated community--no restaurants, etc., so you don't get any outside traffic and it's quiet and the beach is very uncrowded because the cottages/houses in the area have deeded beach access. And we're only a few miles away from casual and fine restaurants (e.g., 1.5 miles from Rosemary beach, 4 miles from Seagrove, 6 miles from Seaside, and 10 miles from Grayton). We're also close to the free outdoor movies and concerts that take place at Seaside and Rosemary beach in the summer (the many free activities in the area are a good reason to come to this area in the summer). One of our cottages is booked for all of July already, but the other has a few weeks available. See Key Lime Cottage at http://www.vrbo.com/33828 and let me know by email at VRBO if you like it.
Hope this is helpful.
Checking your forum account
Please wait while we verify your forum account.