my husband heard from a friend that fall break is the best time to vacation on the 30a, and they were right. the weather was fantastic and the ocean was glassy and calm. the beaches were far less crowded and the rates were great!
my husband booked the forsythe house in seaside for our stay and we were thrilled with the accommodations. the house is a 3 bedroom, 2 ½ bath overlooking ruskin place. there is a rooftop deck for sunsets and sunrises and a telescope for stargazing.
in the master suite there is a clawfoot tub with l’occitane amenities, which smell fantastic. there are also two bedrooms for the kids, complete with two double beds each. on the ground floor, there is a great kitchen and a fun living room with comfortable leather sofas. what made this place over the top was that we were able to bring our dog, spike, which is unheard of in seaside. there is also a patio with a pergola and twinkling lights to eat dinner under.
since we had such a great kitchen, dan headed just a few steps over to modica and picked up ingredients to make omelets for breakfast. he used a fantastic local aged white cheddar, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and salsa. with hazelnut coffee, it was so yummy!! we also had a fantastic breakfast at great southern cafe. i had a mimosa and the eggs sardou, with a creamy gouda, artichoke and collard green sauce. it was served with the best smoked gouda cheese grits. the fresh corn kernels really added fantastic texture. when we were on the go, we grabbed a spinach croissant and an orangina from modica.
the days were fantastic for relaxing on the beach with my husband and kids. i picked up copies of garden and gun, town and country and vogue from sundog books and some sofia minis from modica and i was set. we always love to grab lunch from taco bar and have a picnic on the beach! it’s fun and fresh! also, our trip is not complete without a smoked portobello sandwich from barefoot bbq, which is great lunch fare.
we love to cap off our day with a dip in the west side pool, which is lined with birch and magnolia trees and is the perfect place to relax as a family. the chair cushions and towels are plush and my husband and son love the outdoor ping pong table. in the summer, they offer dinner and drink options, which is convenient and fun.
we definitely enjoyed the sunset views from our rooftop. since we were in such close proximity to such great restaurants we were able to get fantastic carryout. we tried the fried green tomatoes from great southern, which are sensational. another night, we had their collard green and artichoke dip with pita, which is very tasty. we also love pizza bar for carry out! one night we had the farmers market pizza topped with arugula and the kids dined on a cheese pizza. another night, we enjoyed the tomato bruschetta and mixed green salad with champagne vinaigrette and kalamata olives and mozzarella. it was super!
we love renting chairs and umbrellas from cabana man. the staff is helpful and attentive. they also rent boogie boards, kayaks and yolo boards. my kids rented a boogie board for an afternoon and had a blast. on a day where the water was smooth and glassy, my husband rented a kayak. we took turns going out with him and seeing seaside from the water was so beautiful. you could also see the ocean floor 20 feet below, which was super cool.
we love to shop at seaside. they have the most fun and preppy gear here! there are great sources for beach house chic interiors and wonderful options for clothing and gifts. i’ll show you what i picked up tomorrow and you can find my shopping picks on my 30a faves piece here.
on a day that had a few sprinkles, we headed down to alys beach to check out the new store that just opened! i love the architecture and landscaping in alys. it is fantastic!
the alys shoppe did not disappoint. they carry really fun alys beach merchandise, which is an upgrade on your usual embroidered beach towel and tshirt. the real draw is the best edited collection of goods in the area. they carry generation love sweaters, haute handcrafted hats, tom ford sunglasses and turkish t towels and robes. i am smitten with this shop and you shouldn’t miss stopping here.
we love taking a walk in alys and checking things out. the amphitheater is a great place to let the kids run after grabbing an americano at fonville. especially if you’ve let them have donuts from charlie’s!
charlie’s donut truck is awesome! these donuts are the best around, and i’m not the only one that thinks so. charlie’s opens at 6:30 and closes when they are sold out. the line usually snakes through the parking lot. get there early because these treats are worth the wait!
cheers!
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