I visited 'the Hamptons of the South'. My vacation in this Florida hidden gem wasn't as expensive as I expected.

• 30A is an up-and-coming beach area in Florida that's being called "the Hamptons of the South."
• I spent two nights in 30A and was blown away by its beautiful beaches and unique towns.
• The hype surrounding 30A is well-deserved, and I can't wait to go back.

I've lived in Florida for eight years but only recently heard of 30A, a growing travel hot spot in the Florida panhandle.

Nicknamed "the Hamptons of the South" by visitors, the area is located between Panama City and Destin and sits along a 24-mile stretch of highway known as County Road 30A.

30A is known for its white-sand beaches, stunning views of the blue-green Gulf of Mexico, and charming little beach towns.

Once only popular among Southerners who lived within driving distance, 30A continues to gain steam with vacationers around the country.

Florida's South Walton County, which includes the 30A area, had one of its busiest tourist seasons in 2023, seeing over $1 billion in spending and over 1 million visitors between March and May alone.

I was curious to see why 30A's communities like Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, and Seaside have been drawing so many, so I planned my own two-night stay in the area.

Here's what it's really like in Florida's up-and-coming beachfront hot spot.

I stayed in a studio, but there were a lot of rentals for larger groups available to book.

There are few hotels along 30A, as the area leans more heavily on vacation-home rentals through real-estate agents and services like Airbnb and Vrbo.

On my trip, I stayed in a studio apartment in a condominium building right between Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach.

Priced at around $250 a night, the Airbnb suited me perfectly and was located right in the middle of the 30A action.

There are also plenty of large homes available for rent all over the region, from cute beach cottages in Seaside to sun-washed townhomes in Alys Beach.

Much of 30A is walkable and bikable, though I was glad to have a rental car.

The area is incredibly well-suited for biking, with plenty of bike-rental companies and bike paths running down 30A.

Many of the towns were super walkable, though I was also glad I had a rental car so I could more easily explore attractions like state parks.

Having a car also saved me time since some towns were a 15-minute drive apart. Biking would've taken me much longer.

The beaches along 30A are some of the most beautiful I've visited.

Beaches along Florida's panhandle are known for their white sands and clear blue waters — the ones in 30A are no exception.

The road is dotted with small beach towns and villages like Alys Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Grayton Beach, and Rosemary Beach, each with its own beach-access points and powdery sand.

I visited multiple during my visit, and each was postcard-perfect and among the most gorgeous beaches I've been to.

However, I quickly realized 30A is big on keeping its beaches private.

The beaches of 30A (and ones of Northwest Florida in general) are almost always private, reserved for guests staying in vacation rentals or hotels nearby.

During my visit, I saw many beach-access areas, all of which were marked with signs saying they were exclusively for residents or guests of certain rental properties.

The only beach I was able to set foot on in 30A was the one near my Airbnb — my stay came with a wristband that got me access to it.

In every other town, I walked as far as I could up each beach-access point to see the shore but wasn't able to put my toes in the sand.

There are a few regional beach-access points and state parks along 30A that offer public beach access, though you may have to pay entrance fees to use them.

There was also more to see than beaches, though.

I could've stayed at the beach all day while in 30A, but I also wanted to see other parts of the area.

It's home to coastal dune lakes, which were created thousands of years ago when winds redistributed sands on the dunes to make shallow bodies of water that are usually about 5 feet deep.

These rare lakes can only be found in a few places around the world.

30A is also home to bayous and state parks, like Eden Gardens, the grounds of a gorgeous mansion with ancient oak trees covered with moss.

The area is also full of Southern hospitality and stunning sunsets.

30A is located between Panama City and Destin and is just close enough to states like Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana that it picks up lots of Southern influence.

I ate some amazing comfort food and found Southern culinary delights like shrimp and grits and Nashville hot chicken on a lot of menus. I felt the Southern hospitality at these places, too.

Even better, a lot of restaurants were located right on the beach. I enjoyed some amazing views while I ate, and one of my favorite spots was Bud and Alley's in 30A's Seaside. Its rooftop had the perfect view of the sunset.

The meals I had were pretty tasty and not wildly expensive.

Dining my way through 30A was a true pleasure.

Some of my favorite dishes were a smothered jalapeño breakfast biscuit ($16) topped with sausage gravy and scrambled eggs in Seaside at Pickle's and Nashville hot chicken mac and cheese ($25) at Idyll Hound Proper in Inlet Beach.

I also lunched at George's in Alys Beach, where I enjoyed a Nashville hot chicken sandwich ($18) while reading on the upscale eatery's sweeping outdoor porch.

Although 30A felt fancy, the menu prices at the restaurants I visited were on par with those in my own Central Florida beach town and other local cities I've visited, like Miami and Tampa.

Each small section of 30A had its own distinct vibe and was fun to explore.

In Seaside, I walked along Airstream Row , an outdoor line-up of travel trailers serving everything from crepes to gyros.

Seaside is also home to adorable beach cottages and a large amphitheater performance area. Plus, cinema fans might also recognize it as the place where the 1998 movie "The Truman Show" was filmed.

Rosemary Beach has a distinctly European vibe , with many cobblestone streets and Dutch-inspired architecture.

Alys Beach seemed to have a Grecian style, with white, sun-washed buildings and homes. I loved the artsy vibes of Grayton Beach, too.

But overall, the area had more relaxed vibes than party ones.

Some parts of Florida, like Miami , are renowned for their nightlife. I wouldn't put 30A in that category — the area didn't seem to have a lot of bars or nightclubs.

In fact, my Airbnb had signs noting a "quiet curfew" between the hours of 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., and most of the groups of friends I saw out and about were keeping things pretty tame.

The area felt luxurious and high-end, and the people who were visiting at the same time as me seemed to have gotten a collective memo that this wasn't a party town, but more of a gorgeous slice of Florida coastline designed for maximum relaxation.

30A also felt it catered to many groups and age ranges.

I felt 30A drew in a lot of well-off tourists who wanted to soak in beach-town vibes and relax. Still, the demographics and dynamics of the visitors seemed to vary.

I watched families bike along 30A, couples walk hand-in-hand through Rosemary Beach, retirement-aged groups have breakfast at waterfront restaurants, and 20somethings pose for photos at sunset.

The area never felt overly crowded, although I did visit in mid-August, once most Florida schools were back in session.

Two days in 30A didn't feel like enough and I can't wait to go back.

Although a full week in 30A could get pricey — small rentals average between $450 and $530 a night and larger homes can be around $2,500 a night — two nights felt like too short of a time to be in the area.

I was on the go nonstop to try to explore everything 30A had to offer, but I eventually ran out of time with so much left to see and do. I think three or four nights at minimum is a great amount of time to experience 30A.

Rental costs aside, the area felt on par with the rest of the state of Florida in terms of affordability for a vacation. Food prices were similar to what I find back home, and other costs, like metered parking or park-entrance fees, didn't feel exorbitant at all.

I can't wait to return to the area with my husband and teenagers since a family vacation seems like it'd be pretty doable and relaxing here.

Really, I'd go back to 30A with just about anyone — the area seems ideal for any traveler looking to relax somewhere beautiful.

Read the original article on Business Insider