15 Unique Things to Do in Seaside on a Beach Vacation
The picture-perfect beach community of Seaside FL is located right on the Gulf of Mexico in the Florida panhandle. Although the town of Seaside is quite small, it is packed with beautiful scenery, charming atmosphere, and fun activities!
Whether you’re looking for tasty food, live entertainment, or boutique shopping, Seaside offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy. In this post, we’ll provide a list of our top picks for the best things to do in Seaside FL, so you don’t miss out on any of the fun during your Seaside beach vacation!
Things to Do in Seaside FL
As mentioned above, Seaside Florida is located on the Florida Panhandle. This quaint beach town sits between the popular vacation destinations of Destin and Panama City Beach. In addition to serving as a picture-perfect vacation spot for families, Seaside is also well known for being the filming location of the movie, The Truman Show.
Since it is situated right on the famous Scenic Highway 30A, Seaside draws many visitors to its beaches, restaurants, shops, and events. If you are visiting Seaside, FL you will most certainly want to spend as much time as possible on the beautiful beaches! With powdery white sand and crystal clear water, the coastal community of Seaside is home to one of my top picks for beaches anywhere in the world.
In addition to sunbathing on the beaches, you may be searching for additional activities to experience in Seaside. These are our top picks for best things to do in Seaside FL:
1. Go Shopping
If you head into the Seaside town center, you will find several different shops and merchants offering all sorts of beach gear, souvenirs, gifts, and more! This is a great area to pick up some items you may have forgotten to pack for your beach trip.
Some of our favorite shopping spots in Seaside include Duckies, Sundog Books, and Mercantile. Duckies is a children’s store with fun toys, dolls, games, stuffed animals, etc. Mercantile is a super cute shop offering apparel and accessories for women and men. And Sundog Books is the perfect place to find a good beach read.
2. Watch an Outdoor Movie
Before heading down to Seaside, I like to check out their events website to make notes of any fun activities taking place during the dates of our visit. Seaside often hosts outdoor family movie nights with a kid-friendly film at the Seaside Amphitheater.
3. Listen to Live Music
During my family’s most recent trip to Seaside, we had the pleasure of seeing Huck and Lilly perform children’s music at the Seaside Amphitheater. This is a great spot to bring a lawn chair or blanket to enjoy a picnic as you listen to live entertainment. The kids in the audience had a great time dancing and singing along to Huck and Lilly’s live performance.
4. Grab Food on Airstream Row
Seaside offers lots of different airstream options where you can pick up a quick bite to eat. We particularly enjoy Bud & Alley’s Taco Bar and Cocina Cubana.
If you prefer to sit at a table while enjoying the live entertainment at the Seaside Amphitheater, you can find seating available around the edge of the lawn area. These are first come first serve, so you may want to arrive early to snag a seat.
***I wanted to note that if you are visiting with someone who has food allergies, Cocina Cubana is a great spot to eat! My husband follows a really strict diet (vegan AND gluten free) for health reasons. You can imagine how difficult it is to find meals he can eat at restaurants, but he was blown away with how accommodating Cocina Cubana is for those with food allergies.
5. Relax on the Beach
The beaches along 30A are some of the most beautiful in the world! With soft, white sand and crystal clear water, the Seaside beaches are a must-see. You can bring your own beach chairs and umbrellas down to the sand or rent a set from one of the local vendors.
6. Dine at an Amazing Restaurant
In addition to the many food truck options, Seaside also offers sit-down restaurants for visitors to enjoy. Our favorite full-service restaurant is Great Southern Cafe, and we highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Seaside area.
6. Cool Off with Some Ice Cream
If you’re looking to cool off from the humid summer weather, make a stop at It’s Heavenly for some ice cream or sweet treats.
7. Take a Photo of the Seaside Post Office.
The Seaside Post Office sits right in the town center. Guests can mail a letter, buy stamps, or just take a selfie with this iconic building in Seaside.
8. Visit the Art Gallery
Browse through the Red Bird Gallery to enjoy the beautiful artwork on display. In addition to the many pieces of art, guests can also purchase jewelry at the gallery.
9. Do Yoga at the Seaside Pavilion
Taking place daily from April through October, yoga classes at the Seaside Pavilion are a great place to stretch and get your day started.
10. Shop the Seaside Farmers Market
The Seaside Farmers Market takes place each Saturday and is a great place to find local foods, fresh fruits, and other products.
11. Catch a Show at The REP Theatre
The REP Theatre in Seaside produces amazing live shows for visitors. Some of the performances are even family-friendly and based on popular children’s stories.
12. Snap a Photo of the Truman Show House
If you’ve seen the Jim Carrey movie, The Truman Show, you’ll recognize the iconic house that’s sits in Seaside, Florida. Take time to stroll by the adorable home and snap a few pictures of this famous spot.
13. Walk to Watercolor
The picturesque town of WaterColor is a short walk from the Seaside area. WaterColor offers additional shopping and dining options for guests to enjoy. Stop in at WaterColor Grill, which is located at the Beach Club. This spot provides beautiful ocean views and features live music on select nights. (Note that this restaurant is only open to the public after 5 PM.
For more information on the WaterColor area, we highly recommend checking out our post on the Best Things to Do in WaterColor. In that article, we go into detail about all the amazing amenities that come with your stay in that community. This includes pools with water slides and a lazy river!
14. Picnic at Grayton Beach State Park
Grayton Beach State Park is located just west of Seaside and features all sorts of outdoor activities. Visitors can enjoy paddle boarding, fishing, hiking, and picnicking just to name a few.
15. Bike to Nearby Communities
If you are open to biking or taking a short drive, the nearby beach communities along Scenic Highway 30A offer additional fun things to do. Some of our picks for places to visit near Seaside include:
- Gulf Place Town Center in Santa Rosa Beach
- Rosemary Beach
- Seagrove Beach
- Alys Beach
Additionally, the Watersound community features a dining and entertainment area known as The Big Chill. This spot also offers entertainment like family movies and live music on select nights. If you plan on flying to this scenic vacation destination, you may be wondering which airports are near Seaside, Florida. Luckily, you have a few airport options close by, and they tend to offer really economical fares (depending on the time of year you visit).
Seaside, FL Vacation Rentals
If you are looking for a hotel near Seaside, we highly recommend checking out the Watercolor Inn. Located in the neighboring town of Watercolor, the Watercolor Inn provides beautiful accommodations; although, it’s important to note that they can be a bit pricey. If you would rather not splurge on a luxurious hotel, Seaside offers many adorable cottages, condos, and houses as vacation rentals.
My favorite place to find vacation rentals near Seaside is on the VRBO website. VRBO is full of attractive properties you can rent along the Emerald Coast in Florida. You can easily narrow down your search by price, amenities, dates, bedrooms/bathrooms, etc. The VRBO website allows you to read reviews of particular rentals while also viewing photos of the properties before you rent.
Final Thoughts on Things to Do in Seaside FL
Seaside, Florida is full of so many fun things to see and do right in the heart of town. Visitors who enjoy shopping will love spending time browsing through the art gallery, bookstore, and mercantile shops. Families who enjoy dining out while on vacation will find so many available options in Seaside that it will be hard to choose! From fine dining options to quick and easy food trucks, Seaside offers so many great dining venues that even the pickiest eaters will find something to enjoy.
And don’t forget to check out the most beautiful beaches in the world while visiting Seaside! The crystal-clear water and sugary white sand provide their own set of fun activities, including boogie boarding, kayaking, and sandcastle building!
If you’re looking for some planning and organizational help for your upcoming beach trip, check out my Family Beach Travel Planner! It includes over 30 printable pages to help you get ready for your big trip! With the Family Beach Travel Planner, you can:
- Compare prices for flights, accommodations, and transportation options.
- Plan outfits for each day of your trip.
- Keep track of your vacation budget.
- Create your daily itinerary.
- Get packing tips from our list PLUS print your own blank packing list.
Readers of this article can receive 50% off the price of the Family Beach Planner by use Code BEACH31 at checkout!
↓↓ Check out My Etsy Shop ↓↓
We hope you enjoy your time visiting one of the best beaches on Florida’s Gulf Coast! What are your favorite family activities in Seaside, Florida? Comment below and share them with us!
