This laid-back Florida beach town is perfect for an old-school beach vacation
Grayton Beach has a relaxed vibe that's even more laid-back than your typical beach town.
If a typical beach town is laid-back, Grayton Beach is fully reclining—in a hammock with an ice-cold margarita. Settled into the wild, unkempt land that makes up the surrounding state park, this small town doesn't worry too much about whether you like it. As town squares and pastel cottages sprouted in areas down the road, Grayton Beach kept its shell-speckled, sandy roads, sea-weathered homes, and groovy attitude. There may be a new strip of stores and restaurants, but this tiny coastal village remains old-school. Here's everything you need to do, see, and eat on your next trip to Grayton Beach, Florida.
Where To Eat
Order Breakfast At Black Bear Bread Co.
After a morning bike ride, trade dusty pedals for the whitewashed floors of Black Bear Bread Co. Once inside the cozy cottage, you'll be smacked with the pleasant aroma of toasty sourdough and Benton's bacon, mingling in perfect harmony with poached eggs. Warm, flaky croissants and cinnamon rolls tempt you as you wait to order at the counter. Enjoy a steaming plate of weekend-only biscuits and gravy.
End The Day At Bar Room
Named Bar Room, located next to Black Bear Bread Co., is a perfect place to end your evening in the area where your day began. You can close out your day with oysters, charcuterie, seasonal appetizers, and a selection of natural wines and local craft beer.
Take In The Vibes At The Red Bar
The Red Bar is a scarlet-lit, bohemian abnormality on the impeccably polished and planned Highway 30A. The Grayton Beach mainstay blends a '70s Parisian beatnik bistro with a beach vagabond vibe, and Southerners come for the perfectly blackened grouper and stick around for the house margaritas and live music by The Red Bar Jazz Band.
Dine Outdoors At Chanticleer Eatery
This laid-back restaurant is just Grayton Beach's style. Stop in for lunch or dinner at Chanticleer Eatery, and split a sandwich after a long morning in the sun. Check out their outdoor dining and enjoy all your favorite oceanside foods like crab cakes, jambalaya, and a seafood platter.
Soak Up Spanish Flavors At Chiringo
Head to Chiringo for gorgeous ocean views and a fresh Spanish-style menu, including fish sandwiches and tacos. Enjoy freshly made dips and a specialty 'Rita. Cocktails, made from freshly squeezed juices, are a great way to unwind while overlooking the pristine waters and clean, sandy beach.
Fill Up At Borago
For an evening out, drop by Borago for traditional Italian dishes and seafood dishes inspired by the Gulf, such as Creamy Seafood Fricassee loaded with shrimp, scallops, and lump crab. Add an Aperol spritz or one of their other hand-crafted cocktails featuring freshly squeezed juices. Reserve a table in advance since this restaurant is primarily reservation based.
Feast On Oceanside Specialties At Grayton Seafood Co.
Get your fill of seafood at Grayton Seafood Co., which has Southern staples like gumbo, fried green tomatoes, and New Orleans Praline Bread Pudding for dessert. Seafood dinners include fried, blackened, or broiled catch of the day, oysters, shrimp, or catfish along with two sides.
Head To Hurricane Oyster Bar & Grill
Eat like a local at Hurricane Oyster Bar & Grill. Grab oysters in any preparation: grilled, steamed, baked, and raw off the shell with specific international flavorings. Try the World Tour to sample one of each. Or choose from grilled and baked oysters with lump crab, sherry bacon, cajun, or jalapeno-bacon.
Hit The Taproom At Grayton Beer Company
Crack open a taste of local flair from Grayton Beach. The Grayton Beer Company started with two classic brews, an IPA and a Pale Ale, and vacationers and locals alike instantly fell head over hops. Visit the Taproom (with a tasty bar menu), hang out to play life-size Jenga or cornhole, or taste one of the more than 20 unique beers. It'll make your experience that much more authentic.
Where To Shop
Shop Clothing At Tribe Kelley Surf Post
On Hotz Avenue, Tribe Kelley Surf Post, owned by the wife-husband duo Brittney and Brian Kelley (who makes up one-half of the country duo Florida-Georgia Line), offers clothing, jewelry, and trendy knickknacks. Shop and go home with something you can't find anywhere else. The team designs and produces its off-duty chic collections ethically in the US.
Find Something Unique At The Zoo Gallery
The carefully curated artistic retreat The Zoo Gallery fills every inch of the space with eclectic, original artworks. Open since 1979, visitors will find everything from furniture and home decor to pottery, cards, and prints. Bring home a one-of-a-kind souvenir to commemorate your trip to 30A.
Browse The Shops Of Grayton
Roam the quaint village of the Shops of Grayton for unique jewelry, art, gifts, and food. Browse several art galleries that call the shopping area home. La Duna Gallery features oil paintings and glass mosaics by owners John and Dana Maher. Pieces focus on life at Grayton Beach.
What To Do
Explore At Grayton Beach State Park
Highway 30A is home to some of the most stunning dune lakes, which you can fully experience at Grayton Beach State Park. Fish, paddle, or explore the four miles of trails along Western Lake. The coastal forest consists of scrub oaks and magnolias. Or nestle into a sandy spot for a relaxing day on the beach.
See The Sunset By Paddle
Head out at sunrise or sunset with paddle boards from BOTE Grayton Beach or kayaks from Adventure 30A, and catch a coastal scene like no other. We're talking pastel skies and sparkling blue waters, folks. Once you're comfortable on the calm waters at Grayton Beach State Park, try the ocean on for size.
Cast A Line With Captain Phil's Charters
Take the whole family fishing on a Captain Phil's Charters excursion. After a pickup at Grayton Beach, you and your family will catch fish in no time. Popular fish varieties include red snapper, grouper, and trigger fish.
Dive Into Underwater Museum Of Art
In the waters near Grayton Beach, the first U.S. permanent underwater sculpture museum sits about a mile offshore. It's a perfect exhibit for art lovers and environmentalists, and the "underwater garden" provides an artificial reef habitat for local marine life. The Underwater Museum of Art's mission is to help expand fishing populations and conserve the environment. New sculptures from artists around the world are installed each year. Dive 30A provides regular visits to the dive site from Grayton Beach.
Create At The Shard Shop
Take a break from the sun, and let the coastal colors inspire an afternoon at The Shard Shop. There, guests can create their own works of art. Sign up for a class, or create your own one-of-a-kind art mosaic masterpiece using glass and resin.
Where To Stay
Sleep In At Hibiscus Coffee & Guesthouse
Grab a coffee at the counter at Hibiscus Coffee & Guesthouse, a little bed-and-breakfast hidden beneath Spanish moss, and head out to a shaded area behind the inn. Nailed to a tree outside is a rustic wooden sign that reads "Backyard of Love." Below it, another sign says, "Hug in...hug out." Choose from cozy bedrooms to small apartments, all awash with 1950s old Florida style.
Meander through a lush, fairy-worthy tapestry of ivy and narrow pathways forged throughout the B&B's history. Like most things in Grayton Beach, the Backyard of Love is nothing fancy and a little funky—the kind of place where you could imagine a Woodstock revival coming together. That suits a town with the unofficial slogan "Nice dogs, strange people."
Take Advantage Of Amenities At WaterColor Inn & Resort
Choose the WaterColor Inn & Resort for resort-style amenities, with 500 acres of pristine, private beaches and rooms overlooking the Gulf. You don't need to pack any bikes or water sports equipment for this trip because the resort offers complimentary bicycles, kayaks, and canoes, and you can even request beach bonfires.
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