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cwalen

Beach Comber
Apr 5, 2016
32
5
51
Baltimore
Hello! My family visited SoWal last week for the first time. We fell in love with the area. We are already thinking about next year's spring break and are researching. So naturally I was on VRBO before I even left creating favorite lists ;)

We are torn because while we love the layout of Seaside and all the activities, I don't think we can afford a vacation to Seaside and a summer vacation in the same calendar year....

I loved the look and feel of Rosemary Beach as well. How does RB compare to Seaside in terms of affordability?

I am looking for town and specifically, resort/complex suggestions - based on our typical vacation activities:
- Husband and I have two kids - 5 and 6. Husband usually golfs twice a week on vacation. I like to play tennis.
- We would love to have a beach view but are not opposed to a few blocks walk to get there but do want to have to cross any major roads.
- We love biking and would gladly spend part of every day tooling around and exploring. Bonus points for biking to dinner/shopping/etc.
- My kids are like fish and love to swim so a (heated) community pool is a must.
- We want a place we can cook comfortably in yet would love to be able to eat out 2 or 3x during the course of the week. We are a typical picnic lunch during vacation family most days.
- My kids have allergies and so the rentals have to be clean. I can't tell you how stressful it is to get to your rental and thoroughly clean because the place really is dirty upon close inspection.
- Would love a carriage house or small cottage but would consider a condo if it doesn't feel like a condo. I don't think I want to be in a high rise. My kids are fine to share a bedroom.

In terms of location - if I can't BE in Rosemary or Seaside, I would want to be close. Or at least I think I do. I would want to be able to bike to the different areas fairly easily.

Can someone help with suggestions? I want to stay under $1700 for the week (2bd/2ba or 1.5 bed/1 ba).

THANK YOU, fine people of SoWal. I am truly in LOVE.
 

Truman

Beach Fanatic
Apr 3, 2009
650
270
Heated community pool with tennis together limit you to a handful of locations that are pretty pricey during spring break. If you could stay next door to a resort then you have a lot of affordable options which might have a heated pool but you wouldn't have access to tennis.

Sandestin is your best bet which has everything you want and more, inc golf.
 

cwalen

Beach Comber
Apr 5, 2016
32
5
51
Baltimore
Heated community pool with tennis together limit you to a handful of locations that are pretty pricey during spring break. If you could stay next door to a resort then you have a lot of affordable options which might have a heated pool but you wouldn't have access to tennis.

Sandestin is your best bet which has everything you want and more, inc golf.

Thank you! We were in Sandestin/Miramar and I preferred the area around 30A. If I eliminated onsite tennis (and obviously all golf is offsite anyway) - does this open up any options?
 

Abby Prentiss

Beach Fanatic
May 17, 2007
577
123
Thank you! We were in Sandestin/Miramar and I preferred the area around 30A. If I eliminated onsite tennis (and obviously all golf is offsite anyway) - does this open up any options?
Yes there will be lots of options next to / near the resorts. Look for a house or condo with heated pool adjacent your favorite resort. If it is Seaside then look in Seagrove. There are a lot of condos east of 395 that are an easy bike to Seaside. One Seagrove Place is popular and each unit is 2br. www.oneseagroveplace.com - about $200/night (seaside condos are double that). Unforgettable | Seaside Vacation Rental | FL Gulf Coast

Or just call Garrett and ask for heated pool in seagrove. Seagrove Beach Vacation Rentals | 30A | Garrett Realty Services

Near Rosemary go for Seacrest Beach - condos and houses. Contact www.360blueproperties.com. Rosemary itself is as expensive or more so than Seaside.
 

Everytime

Beach Fanatic
Jul 9, 2005
439
113
Shelby County, Alabama
Heated pools are scarce in the area, but near Rosemary Beach in the Seacrest area, a few of the large condo complexes (Sand Cliffs, High Pointe) and some of the townhouse and smaller condo complexes have tennis courts on site. Golf is nearby at Camp Creek, Origins and Watersound.

You could also look into house rentals in Watersound; they have several communities along 30A between Eastern Lake in Seagrove and Camp Creek Lake near Seacrest. They have pools, tennis, and probably discounted fees to the Camp Creek and Origins golf clubs.

For fishing, you'd have the Gulf as well as Deer Lake (State Park), Camp Creek Lake, Eastern Lake and Lake Powell all nearby.
 

Andy A

Beach Fanatic
Feb 28, 2007
4,389
1,738
Blue Mountain Beach
Explore a little. Try Blue Mountain Beach. Sea Bluff, Adagio and Bella Vita. All have swimming pools, and are beach front.
 

StepfordWife

Beach Comber
Sep 14, 2012
37
6
Overall I've found Rosemary to be cheaper than Seaside if you rent through VRBO, and especially if you rent a carriage house. There are a few large enough to hold a family, and there are a few south of 30A closer to the beach--but, anything south of 30A in Rosemary will be more expensive. There are small cottages and carriage houses north of 30A in Rosemary that are relatively speaking, reasonably priced. Because of the boardwalk system in Rosemary, you are never more than a 5 minute or so walk from the beach once you figure out the quickest route from your rental, so to me it didn't matter to be north of 30A. It's also quieter. There's also a year round heated community pool on this side, great for the kids.

I know Rosemary has tennis, am not a player, but the courts look nice from what I've seen. To save money, I'd recommend renting bikes through one of the non Rosemary biking places on 30A who will deliver the bikes and pick them up for quite a bit cheaper than other options. Last year when I rented bikes for a group of 5, they were $40/wk per person. You can ride bikes along the 30A trail forever from Rosemary and can easily bike to Alys Beach which has a fun nature trail on the north side of the neighborhood.

There's a nice Publix close to Rosemary off 98 which is much easier to get to than the Publix near Watercolor to get supplies to cook. Now eating out, you are going to spend some cash in this area as it is expensive. I would highly recommend George's in Alys Beach and Edward's in Rosemary as places worth the money. And there's the Donut Hole at Inlet Beach, right at the intersection of 98 and 30A--donuts, pastry, and excellent breakfast. I've stayed in Rosemary just due to its proximity to this place.

One cheap activity we did that we found really awesome involves a 30 minute drive from Rosemary, which was a visit to St Andrews State Park. $8 per car and has tons of hiking, fantastic beaches, and a lagoon which offers really fun--and safe for kids--snorkeling.

If you want something cheaper than Rosemary, I'd look next door at Seacrest Beach which is between Rosemary and Alys. Lots of much cheaper rentals there but still close to fun stuff in neighborhoods next door.
 

cwalen

Beach Comber
Apr 5, 2016
32
5
51
Baltimore
Thanks all - we found a cottage in Summer's Edge in Seagrove which is close enough to Seaside and a short car ride from Rosemary/Alys/Seacrest. I am thrilled! We snagged the cottage for around $1900 with free golf (one person per day) at Santa Rosa Gulf and Beach club and free bike/kayak. I'm thrilled!!

Husband, when assuming the golf, totally went for the deal. The house is on N. Ryan so south of 30A and Summer's Edge has the two pools - one of which is heated.
 

dcgoz

Beach Lover
May 12, 2008
87
19
Tell your husband when he leaves for golf he needs to get back on HWY98 to get to SR Golf. If he tries to drive down 30A (through seaside) he'll miss his tee time.
 
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