Time is wild. I legit feel like I just posted the blog about our Babymoon to the Outer Banks, which was a full two years ago when I was pregnant with Stella! I’m now 36 weeks with baby boy, and reflecting on our Dream Baby Moon to 30A at 30 Weeks Pregnant just has me in all the sentimental feels (hello…hormones).
RELATED POSTS | OUR BABY SPRINKLE | BABY MOON TO THE OUTER BANKS
Are you pregnant and traveling with a toddler? Don’t let that stop you from enjoying a relaxing vacation on 30A in Florida!
With its stunning beaches, charming coastal towns, and family-friendly attractions, 30A is the perfect destination for a laid-back getaway. And with a little extra planning and preparation, you can make sure your trip is enjoyable for everyone, including you and your little ones.
First and foremost, make sure you talk to your doctor before embarking on any travel plans. They can advise you on any precautions or restrictions you may need to take, and provide you with any necessary medications or documentation. I loved that 30A gave such strong Caribbean vibes within the safety of staying in the U.S.
Travel through our Dream Baby Moon to 30A at 30 Weeks Pregnant with me, as I recap each day of our trip!
SUNDAY | DAY 1
As we were coming from visiting family in Chicago, we took a direct flight into VPS/Destin, such a cute small airport. All the staff were so nice and accommodating, and I loved that the rental car lot was on site. That meant one less shuttle. With a toddler, luggage, and big baby bump, I appreciate any opportunity to simplify my plans!
Made the drive to Inlet Beach, where we stayed at The Pointe on 30A, approximately a 1 hour drive from Destin. Don’t forget to make a quick stop at a local Publix to fill your condo with snacks and drinks for the week! *I was advised by my best friend Kym, who’s currently local to northwest Florida, to snag a box of their famous sprinkle sugar cookies – did not disappoint!*
Also at Publix, we grabbed a to-go dinner for our first night in the condo. After a long day of traveling with a toddler and a large bump, we were so happy to stay in and enjoy our space.
MONDAY | DAY 2
Praise Jesus, Stella slept in. Taylor hit the gym at the resort, while I sipped coffee on our private patio.
Brunch on site at Big Bad Breakfast. A 30A famous spot that was just steps from our door. I loved their big bad cold brew and homemade biscuit with blackberry jam. Tay filled up with their huevos rancheros grits bowl.
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After brunch, we threw on our beach wear and walked over to the Vacayzen hut for our bike rentals, included with our resort stay at The Pointe! We opted to add on an infant seat and helmet so Stella could join, about $20/day. So worth the additional cost! I must admit though, the service at the Vacayzen hut was stuuuuupid slow. In hindsight, maybe we should have secured our bike rental before brunch!
Beach chairs were also included in our resort stay at The Pointe on 30A, so we wore them as backpacks, while we biked to a nearby beach. Winston Avenue beach is a very short walk from the resort, and its the closest public access beach to where we stayed.
During Stella’s nap, we used the pool at the resort, before meeting up with Jessica Greene Photography for a family, maternity photoshoot on the resort grounds! We fell in love with the stunning rooftop at our resort. It was so serene, quiet, and empty!
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For Dinner, we made a quick 1 mile drive up 30A to Alys Beach, where we ate at George’s. Recommended to us by so many 30A travel blogs and friends that had visited. A covered, warmly lit patio, and a yummy coastal menu. Tay had a jerk seasoned snapper, and I indulged in a fried shrimp and hush puppies platter. Fabulous service, very family friendly. Easy parking. What more could ya ask for!
TUESDAY | DAY 3
I got up early and used the resort gym, it felt so good to move! Both Tay and I loved the private gym at The Pointe on 30A. Just enough cardio machines and weights to create a decent workout while on vacation.
For coffee and smoothies, we drove to Raw & Juicy in Alys Beach, THE cutest aesthetic. Wish we had more time to relax there. Honestly, a dream patio. Their menu is full of earthy, plant-based options. I’ll be honest I didn’t love my almond butter based smoothie, but the ambiance and overall vibe made it so so worth the stop.
We spent the morning exploring Seaside with some friends who are currently living close to the 30A area. Seaside is a vibrant amphitheater full of shops, food trucks, bars, and local vendors. Stroller friendly for Stella, and a yummy mocktail from Pop Alchemy for this pregnant mama.
Seaside Highlights | Post Office | Modica Market | Pickles Bar | Pop Alchemy | LaLa Links Jewelry | Meltdown on 30A
So many pregnant mamas and young families in this area. Beautiful day. Gorgeous water. Chile Lime lemonade from Pop Alchemy was a 10/10, as were our two sandwiches from Meltdown on 30A: Strawberry Fields forever – goat cheese, prosciutto, strawberry preserves; and Little Figgy – brie, bacon, fig jam. Must visit!
We spent the rest of the afternoon using the pool at our resort. Sun-Wed and end of April seem to be a low season with sunny, comfortable weather at The Pointe 30A.
SHOP STELLA’S POOL FLOATIE, SUNNIES, AND HAT HERE
For dinner, we walked to Rosemary Beach and visited The Pearl hotel’s restaurant, Havana Beach Bar & Grill. Honestly overrated. Food was great! I got the seafood pasta, and Taylor got shrimp and grits. But it was so overcrowded, and the service was so slow.
We opted to sit inside, as we couldn’t wait any longer for outdoor seating. I was bummed, as their outdoor aesthetic and view of Rosemary Beach is The Pearl’s claim to fame!
It was a late night, but the meal was yummy. There’s a sprawling grassy field just in front of The Pearl that is so picturesque, and a perfect spot to watch the sunset and let your toddler runaround. Next time, I would recommend just watching the sunset and snapping photos in front of the Pearl, to admire it from afar, and opt for somewhere else for dinner that’s less crowded with faster service. Moms of toddlers, I know you know where I’m coming from.
La Crema, Cowgirl Kitchen, and Gallion’s, were a few other spots we considered. Granted, an earlier dinner at The Pearl before sunset would have also been an alternative.
We were all so pooped after our dinner wrangling our toddler, and a walk back to the resort. The jacuzzi and outdoor fireplace at The Pointe on 30A are a perfect way to wind down after your little one goes to bed.
WEDNESDAY | DAY 4
Stella is not a morning person, knocked out til 9:30am. Hopped on our bikes and rode to brunch in Rosemary Beach.
Rooftop brunch at Pescado. 10/10 MUST GO!! Easily our favorite view in 30A, nicest staff. Family friendly. Their rooftop is 18+ after 4pm. But family friendly and open to all ages Wed – Sun for brunch. Highly recommend if you’re traveling with littles.
The water was so turquoise blue! Not to mentioned the cutest bathrooms. That morning, they had just launched a brand new and extended brunch menu so it was fun to chat with the staff about the items they had just tasted that morning. I had an iced coffee and a lobster roll, Taylor had their boujie burger. We were so grateful to have a smooth and well serviced meal with a great view after the mishap at The Pearl the night before.
SHOP MY BRUNCH LOOK HERE
Biked back to The Pointe and grabbed our beach chairs and swimsuits!
Walked to Winston Ave beach – closest public beach access to The Pointe, just across the 30A highway! Which, mind you, is a small 2-Lane “highway” with a speed limit of 35mph! Don’t stress about crossing this one.
We packed our complimentary beach chairs, towels, drinks, snacks, and sunscreen! Spent about 2 hours at the beach, Stella napped on my chest while nursing after splashing in the clear Gulf waters, yelling ‘Ocean, Deeper, Splash, Fly, Airplane, Fish, and Suit’ for awhile. Sis tired herself out.
SHOP STELLA AND I’S BEACH LOOK HERE
After the beach, we went back to the pool at The Pointe for the rest of the afternoon. Just barely starting to see a few families now here at the pool, but still so so empty.
Biked to Lola’s Coastal Italian for dinner. Another yummy, quick and easy family friendly dinner! You order at the front, and seat yourself. We had calamari with a creamy garlic aioli, meatballs, a Cesar salad, and an Italian meats pizza. A table next to us had a rosemary pomegranate spritz that looked to die for – a cocktail I may have ordered had I not been pregnant! Seating was outdoors, which we so appreciated with our toddler.
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Walked next door to a souvenir shop, then The Sweet Peddler for ice cream. The gal at the counter loved Stella’s outfit, she gave her a company sticker and a lollipop on the house, Stella was so excited. Her first dumdum! An easy dessert spot, definitely recommend. Next door was Small Cakes, another dessert spot that was recommended to us, but we didn’t get to go. They’re known for their mason jar milkshakes!
THURSDAY | DAY 5
Our last day in 30A 🙁
We requested late checkout at 11am, so we packed up our luggage to put in our rental car before driving the 30A highway to explore for one last day.
We drove to Fonville Press in Alys Beach. SO SO CUTE and feminine. Coffee and a great brunch menu in the most girly patio aesthetic. It was DUMPING rain so indoors was packed, but we snagged a covered table outdoors to watch the thunderstorm! Us San Diegans don’t get rain, thunder and lighting like this, so it was fun to be storm watchers while we ate our brunch!
Tay ordered the Calabrian chili shrimp po’ boy, and I had the fried chicken biscuit with hot honey, and an iced cookie butter latte. 10/10! The cutest spot to get stuck inside during a storm for a few hours. Had it not been raining, We would have ridden bikes thru Alys Beach admiring all the gorgeous beach cottages. Each one so stunning and unique.
SHOP MY LAST DAY TRAVEL LOOK HERE
Stella’s afternoon nap was a little dicey, as we had already checked out of our condo.
As the rain didn’t let up, and kept storming, we chose to drive around the neighborhoods of Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, Seacrest Beach, and Seaside – and admire those gorgeous cottages from the car. This allowed about an hour for Stella to nap, and a great way for us to kill some time while staying dry from the storm.
Alys Beach Highlights | Fonville Press | Raw & Juicy | Read the Alys Gazette | Summer Story | Barefoot Princess | Walking or Biking the Neighborhoods
For a late lunch, we ate in the heart of Seaside at Great Southern Cafe. Taylor had The Carson sandwich with fried okra, and I had The Great Southern Dip with collard greens. Some southern faves.
Our return flight home to San Diego wasn’t until 8pm out of Destin, so today felt very relaxed and drawn out. Which isn’t a bad thing! Our family is so used to being rushed and packing as much in as possible, it felt good to slow down and be present in such a beautiful place.
We made the 1 hour drive back to Destin, filled up gas, and retuned the rental car, all before our flight check in.
With a weather delay, we sprinted to our connecting flight in Dallas, and made it home to San Diego just after midnight. 2am Florida time, we were wiped!
TO SUM THINGS UP | dream baby moon to 30A
My top 5 highlights! Not necessarily in any particular order
- Dinner at George’s in Alys Beach
- Brunch at Pescado in Rosemary Beach
- Fonville Press and Raw & Juicy in Alys Beach
- The views from The Rooftop at The Pointe and the rooftop at Pescado
- Our condo, poolside cabanas, and bike rentals through our resort – The Pointe on 30A
WHAT WOULD I DO DIFFERENTLY
I would stay at the same resort! The condos were huge and so spacious. I loved the pool, the gym, the breakfast on site, and the beach chairs. The service was slow, and the front desk staff weren’t very helpful, but it wasn’t enough to ruin my overall experience. The location and quiet environment was key!
If we could stay longer, or in a larger group, I might consider renting a home in Seaside or Alys Beach.
Don’t waste your time worrying about getting beach codes to access the private beaches. Our first day, we biked to several acclaimed beach spots only to find out they were private and gated. The Winston Ave Beach we needed up at was free, public, beautiful, and so insanely close to our resort!
Don’t skip on Publix or Modica Market! A Florida famous grocer, and a Seaside famous market, both great stops to fill your condo with snacks and drinks for the week.
Admire The Pearl from afar. Even in a relatively off season time, this place was packed. And the lengthy wait and slow service was such a turn off for me. If you can afford to stay there, do it! Or if you’re without littles, grab a drink at sunset on their rooftop.
But if you’re a young mom traveling with toddlers – hit up the grassy field in front, and admire from a distance. Maybe even consider grabbing pizza to go from Pizza By the Sea and having a picnic on that field in front of The Pearl. That way you’d get the view and architecture, without a long wait or hangry toddlers.
LOOKING BACK ON OUR DREAM BABY MOON TO 30A
I am overwhelmed with sweet, sweet memories of our time spent on the Emerald Coast of the famous 30A highway. This destination truly has something for everyone, and it was exactly what our little family of three needed before we become a family of four in just a few weeks! I figure it will be awhile before we get both Stella and Graham on a family vacation, so this Babymoon to 30A was certainly one for the books.
I’d love to hear from any of you that have visited the 30A area! Connect with me on Instagram and check out more of my 30A style on my LTK.
Some photos throughout this blog by Jessica Greene Photography. This blog post contains affiliate links via RewardStyle. By shopping these links, you are supporting New Cotton Blend at no additional cost to you . Please note that I only recommend products that I personally use; and I always have my readers’ best interest at heart.
