Blake Walsh

20 Best Things to Do in Santa Rosa Beach, FL

  • Published 2022/12/15

The town of Santa Rosa Beach in Florida is situated in the Northwest stretch of 26 miles.

Given that Florida has numerous attractions, Santa Rosa Beach is one of the 16 best beaches in Walton County, which has unique styles and traditions.

Other than that, Santa Rosa Beach has various activities that you can enjoy together, whether as a group of friends or as family.

Without further ado, here are the 20 best things to do in Santa Rosa Beach:

Explore Grayton Beach State Park

Trees in Grayton Beach State Park

Ken Schulze / shutterstock.com

Insofar as the beaches in Florida are concerned, Grayton Beach State Park has been consistent in its rank as one of the best beaches in the country for having a tremendous and pristine environment.

Other than its beautiful beach, Grayton State Park has a lot to offer!

You enjoy lots of water activities such as fishing, paddling, kayaking, or even hiking over the trails a few miles away from the beach.

The waters of Grayton Beach State Park

Jacob Boomsma / shutterstock.com

What’s best in Grayton Beach State Park is that you can even camp for a night with your loved ones to have an excellent experience.

Indeed, there’s nothing more than a place like home, but visiting Grayton Beach State Park is something that you don’t want to leave.

Nature trail at Grayton Beach State Park

Captainess_travels / Shutterstock.com

Get Some Flavorful Beers at Grayton Beer Company

If you want to chill out and drink some of the best-tasting beer in Florida, go ahead and visit Grayton Beer Company.

Located at 217 Serenoa Rd, Santa Rosa Beach, Grayton Beer Company showcased the unique tap wall constituting their best brews.

Besides having time to chill out and enjoy their flavourful beers, you can also enjoy their various activities and games inside, such as cornhole, life-sized Jenga, darts, and many more!

The room where you can enjoy the games is called Taproom, and it is pet and kid-friendly.

The Grayton Beer Company is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm.

Don’t miss the chance to taste one of the best tasting and best-selling beers in Florida!

Find Gift Ideas at Ginger Leigh Designs

Why not visit the Ginger Leigh Designs in just 11 minutes drive time from Grayton Beer Company?

If you are looking for a great and unique gift for a birthday, anniversary, or Christmas, Ginger Leigh Designs got everything for you!

Stationary, ornaments, soy candles, flags, and others are available in the shop at a reasonable price!

If you haven’t decided what to give to someone you love for a special occasion, you can get the best answer in Ginger Leigh Designs as they have vast choices of gift ideas.

The staff is incredibly welcoming and polite, and their products are unique!

The store is open from Monday to Thursday from 10 am to 3 pm.

Visit the Justin Gaffrey Gallery

If you want to satisfy your eyes with the unique artworks of Justin Gaffrey, heed to the iconic Justin Gaffrey Gallery!

Justin Gaffrey discovered his talent in the painting by trying various techniques of famous artists in 2005.

He also utilized his style with the methods he learned from various artists and built his artistic personality!

He doesn’t have any mentors, and he is a self-taught artist who but an art gallery today.

Indeed, the story of Justin Gaffrey is inspiring, but seeing his artworks in the gallery is fascinating.

The Justin Gaffrey Gallery is one of the most visited destinations in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and its arts are impressively unique.

Admire the Arts From Mary Hong Studio Gallery

The exciting destinations in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, are limitless; in just a 7-minute drive from Justin Gaffrey Gallery, you can get into another art gallery of Marry Hong Gallery!

Mary Hong is an artist and entrepreneur from northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast.

What’s unique in her artworks is that she utilized the glass mosaic artwork and recycled glass to produce an extraordinary masterpiece.

After discovering her unique talent and forming artworks through these materials, she decided to open an art gallery in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

Eventually, her artworks were admired by many for the reason that it is genuinely unique and resourceful.

Just like Justin Gaffrey Gallery, Mary Hong Gallery is one of the most visited artworks galleries in Santa Rosa Beach!

Watch Live Performances at the Repertory Theatre – Seaside, Fl

Signage of Repertory Theatre

Andriy Blokhin / Shutterstock.com

The iconic theatre was established in 2001 and has become one of the most famous theater companies in the Northern part of Florida.

The theater, which has been in operation for over 18 seasons, produces high-quality theatrical performances in Santa Rosa Beach that draw some brilliant experts.

The salient goal of The Repertory Theatre is to provide an essential and meaningful performance to the people in their productions and programs.

They did not just fulfill their goals, but they became consistent throughout the years, which is why the people always find the theatre enjoyable and exciting.

Regardless of your age, you can watch their performances live.

Why not watch it together with your friends and family?

Dine at Blue Mabel Smokehouse & Provisions

If you are looking for a place where you can enjoy lots of affordable dishes with your family and friends, dine at Blue Mabel Smokehouse & Provisions!

The restaurant, just like anybody else, started from none before it became one of the most visited and famous restaurants in the city.

Its iconic trademark is that everything was made from a cloud of actual smoke, from meats to the sauce.

With hundreds of different delicious options that you can choose from, you will indeed have your taste buds satisfied in Blue Mabel Smokehouse & Provisions.

The restaurant is most visited by a group of friends and family, which made it famous.

What’s more, the staff consistently provide the highest standards of service, food, and cleanliness all the time.

Save the date, and don’t miss the chance to visit the iconic restaurant in the town!

Try Mexican Delicacies at Don Pedros Mexican Restaurant

If you are at Santa Rosa Beach and craving Mexican food, that would not be a problem at all!

Situated at 4942, 7 US-98 W Suite of Santa Rosa, you can have some of the best Mexican meals in the town at affordable prices!

The locally-owned and run eating restaurant provides daily deals along with catering services to the surrounding community.

You can have breakfast, lunch, and dinner with your family and friends and try different Mexican dishes.

Likewise, Don Pedros Mexican Restaurant is renowned for offering a pleasant cantina environment and outstanding customer service at competitive rates.

Satisfy your cravings at Don Pedros Mexican Restaurant, and everything will be worth it!

Shop at YOLO Board + Bike

If you need to buy some gear to try outdoor activities in the town, worry no more because YOLO Board + Bike got everything for you!

The company sells boards, paddles, gear, cruisers, electricity, tires, and so much more, and even coffee!

If you don’t want to purchase a bike, you can also rent them at affordable prices.

The bikes are unique, adjustable, and suitable for every kind of road in different places!

If you have little knowledge of choosing the best Bike that fits your style, don’t worry because an expert adviser in the store will also accompany you!

Just let them know what you are looking for, whether for rent or buying your own, so that you will receive prudent advice!

Wander Around the Point Washington State Forest

View of Point Washington State Forest

Captain Jim Hammond / Shutterstock.com

With approximately 15,000 acres and 27 miles of trails, Point Washington State Forest is an ideal place to visit if you are looking for an adventure!

The State Forest also has endless recreational activities that you can enjoy together with your friends and family to have a memorable vacation in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

A Bird in Point Washington State Forest

Drew Roberts / Shutterstock.com

It is the best place in the town for hiking and biking, having an enjoyable bumpy ride!

You can also camp for a night, have a bonfire, and genuinely spend time together by appreciating nature.

If you are planning to visit the Point Washington State Forest, it is a guarantee that there’s no chance that you will regret it!

Take a Stroll at Modus Photography

Modus Photography is the best in the town if you want to have a memorable shot at Santa Rosa Beach, whether for an occasion, special event, birthday, wedding, or even a solo picture!

Modus Photography is the best and most famous photography company in Santa Rosa Beach for its consistent performance in delivering exceptional outcomes and long-term satisfaction among its clients.

The standard clients they have are a group of friends and family who wish to have a remembrance picture from the city with the stunning attractions as a background.

Other than their photography service, you can also see one of the best captures from the clients at the site.

The excellent shots will give you a guarantee that the photography you will acquire will have the best results!

Enjoy the Splash at Christina D Swim + Resort

If you are looking for an excellent resort, include Christina D Swim as one of the choices in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida!

Situated in 3925 W County Hwy 30A Suite G of Santa Rosa Beach, this Resort is suitable for all ages.

You can bring with you your squad or family members to enjoy the splash and various water activities that you can do in the Resort!

The water is crystal clear, and it is consistent in having a spotless environment.

Besides its excellence in terms of the Resort, the site is prevalent in that it also sells swimsuits for the girls and other swimwear.

They are all perfectly fit for everyone, regardless of age and size!

If you visit Santa Rosa Beach, don’t miss the chance to enjoy the splash and avail the affordable swimwear of Christina D Swim + Resort!

Shop at the Shard Shop

If you’re looking for gift ideas or artworks displays in your house, don’t forget to include The Shard Shop at your destination!

The Shard Shop is a popular Art handcraft in Santa Rosa Beach that produces various artworks from different and unique materials.

It is not a typical painting you could ever imagine because it doesn’t use any liquid artwork.

Like Mary Hong, The Shard Shop also recycles glass, shells, or other objects that they find noteworthy and can be used as an art.

The creative minds of the experts had established a unique perception among the people.

What’s best in The Shard Shop, they share their skills with those who want to learn and become experts!

Are you interested in trying how they do their unique artworks?

You can enroll yourself or your sons and daughters in a lesson to teach them how to create impressive unique artwork!

See the various excellent artworks in Shard Shop, and discover your talent by creating them as well!

Buy Fresh Meats at Goatfeathers Seafood Market East

If you want to spend time with your family at home cooking your unique dishes instead of eating at one of the most outstanding restaurants in the town, Goatfeathers Seafood Market East is where you can buy affordable and fresh products!

Almost every plate of seafood that you are searching for, Goatfeathers Seafood Market East has it for you, such as king crab legs, snow crab legs, oysters, scallops, lobster tail, crawfish, sashimi, scamp, yellowfin tuna, pompano, amberjack, grouper, red snapper, mahi-mahi, flounder, and many more!

Not only raw meats, but you can also buy ready-to-eat meals that you can take to go!

Furthermore, Goatfeathers Seafood Market also sells wine perfect for a nice dinner together with the family.

After all, having dinner with your family in the house is always the best!

Meet New Friends at Distillery 98

Distillery 98 is made to link people and places like the ancient road that brought you there.

Since 2019, Distillery 98, a locally owned and run micro-distillery, has proudly serviced its clients.

Their creatively distilled, cleanly produced, and organically infused liquors transmit the essence of the panhandle from Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, to wherever great memories flow. They are made by hand in small amounts using locally obtained wild components and family-farmed harvests.

Try an Espresso Martini, a Pineapple Mule, a Kambucha Cocktail, or any of their Signature Cocktails.

Pick a beverage from their extensive menu, order some pizza, and purchase keepsakes like shirts at Distillery 98.

Learn about the Different Attractions Around at South Walton Visitor Center

Visit the South Walton Visitor Center for guidance, knowledge, supplies, maps, and souvenirs.

Santa Rosa Beach’s tourist center is accessible from Monday to Sunday.

Warm and friendly Information Specialists on their team are passionate about educating visitors about the stunning, internationally recognized location they call home.

To ensure that the day ahead will be worthwhile and memorable, be informed of great resources from South Walton and learn about different activities.

You may pick your ideal beach, make the ultimate experience while you’re here, or take a little bit of South Walton back with you with the aid of the Visitor Center, offering maps and various products.

Go on a Nature Walk at Eden Gardens State Park

View of a house at Eden Gardens State Park

jctabb / Shutterstock.com

Eden Gardens State Park features 163 acres of property formerly part of the renowned Wesley homestead.

The park’s centerpiece is a finely restored two-story home with magnificent white columns and a wraparound porch.

In particular, furniture from the late 18th century makes up a large portion of the house’s significant furnishings.

Picnic table along a trail at Eden Gardens State Park

GLBG / Shutterstock.com

Discover onsite a butterfly garden, a pond with huge koi and freshwater lilies, decorative gardens, and more.

There are fishing docks, picnic spaces, and nature walks for those who want a more rustic appearance.

Visitors may participate in a guided tour of the Wesley House, stroll through the grounds, or enjoy a family picnic.

Water fountain at Eden Gardens State Park

GLBG / Shutterstock.com

Enjoy your Lovely Stay at the Hibiscus Coffee & Guesthouse

Family-owned and managed, Hibiscus Coffee & Guesthouse offers a classic romantic retreat.

They have provided lodging ideal for single tourists, partners, groups, and families for the South Walton region and its guests for over 30 years.

The guesthouse comprises 13 unique housing alternatives, all equipped and arranged in a retro, “old Florida” style.

Three of the rooms allow pets, and one is designed with wheelchair accessibility for visitors.

They provide a variety of accommodations, including extremely cozy queen rooms and one-bedroom flats with king-size beds and full kitchens.

The onsite café offers a satisfying breakfast as part of your stay.

Their distinctive garden-style event space will hold up to 75 people if you’re searching for a fantastic location to organize your engagement, reception, luncheon, or other special occasions.

Prepare for an Exciting Water Excursion with Blue Sky Fishing 30A

Come by and visit Blue Sky Fishing 30A if you’re looking for an enjoyable, family-friendly deep-sea fishing adventure!

Blue Sky Fishing 30A services extend from Santa Rosa’s sugar-white sand beaches to Panama City Beach, Florida’s cold and crystal-clear seas.

They have you covered whether you’re a fresh beginner or a seasoned veteran!

The knowledgeable and skilled captains will take you across the stunning Gulf, get you hooked up with fish, and ensure you enjoy reeling them in.

Trips include equipment, bait, tackle, gasoline, and skilled guides.

Bring the whole family and enjoy an engaging, hands-on fishing experience!

Final Thoughts

You can enjoy the city as much as you want without any limitations aside from your energy from various restaurants, artworks, activities, parks, and many more.

If you happen to visit Santa Rosa Beach in Florida, refer to this list so you can have an initial idea of how good the city is.

With all the great activities in the town, you will indeed have a long vacation!

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