Grayton Beach State Park Review: Camping, Beaches, and Biking Along Florida’s 30A
Grayton Beach State Park is another of our favorite Florida State Parks, and we have camped there several times over the last few years. Grayton Beach State Park is tucked into its own little stretch of paradise along the Florida Panhandle in the town of Grayton Beach, but it is also very close to Seaside and WaterColor, two communities just to the east of the state park. The park sits directly on the Gulf and has access to more than a mile of beautiful white-sand beaches and clear, emerald-blue water. In addition to having one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Grayton Beach is also home to several rare dune lakes, with direct access to the water from a few of the campsites. These lakes are great for fishing, kayaking, and paddleboarding, but not for swimming because, like many other bodies of water in Florida, they are home to alligators.
Campground Overview
On each of our visits, we have found that the staff at the park is always welcoming and will even give you a call if you are running late for check-in. The park office closes at dusk each day, but you can always come and go with a gate code. The campground at this park is pretty small, with only 59 campsites, but for what it lacks in size, it makes up for in amenities. According to the park’s camping and amenities information, Grayton Beach State Park offers 59 campsites with RV-friendly accommodations.
There are two camping areas: the older loop, which is shaded and tucked into the trees, with a few sites offering direct access to the lake, and the newer loop, which has more open campsites that can accommodate larger rigs and provide more access to sunshine. Both camping areas have their own bathhouse, conveniently located in the middle of the loop. The bathhouses have nice showers, warm water, restroom facilities, and coin laundry machines.
We have stayed in both the older and newer campground loops. We usually prefer the older loop if we are lucky enough to reserve a campsite near the dune lakes so we have easy access to carry our kayaks down to the water. The older loop also provides more privacy and shade; however, some of the sites are a bit tight, and the bugs and other wildlife can feel more invasive with all the foliage. The newer loop is much better for the cooler months, as most of those sites are open and provide ample sunshine to help keep you warm. We also enjoyed being able to pull our rig right in without worrying about the low-hanging branches in the older loop.
The campground is about a mile from the beach. Once you turn out of the campground, it is a beautiful walk or bike ride, but be prepared for the wind because sometimes it makes the ride a little tougher. Many campground guests bring vehicles and load them up for a day at the beach. The park does fill up on busy days, so just be aware that you cannot park on the side of the road and may have trouble finding a parking spot near the beach. If you want a better sense of the shoreline and beach area before you go, the park’s official Grayton Beach beach guide is worth a look.
Biking Around Grayton Beach and Seaside
One of our favorite activities at Grayton Beach is biking. You can park your rig and literally bike anywhere and everywhere. Grayton Beach State Park allows easy access by bike to grocery stores, coffee shops, beach bars, hardware stores, and miles and miles of paved and unpaved trails.
One of the most interesting places to visit by bike from Grayton Beach State Park is the unincorporated community of Seaside. Seaside is a planned community built in the New Urbanist style during the 1980s. This community is adorable. Every building, both residential and commercial, has a similar style, and the whole area is both walkable and bikeable. There are all sorts of places to eat and shop in the central square, along with nice benches that are perfect for people-watching. Seaside was even used as the backdrop for the movie The Truman Show because of its “too perfect” charm.
My two favorite places in Seaside are Sundog Books and the Airstream food trucks. Along the main strip, you will find several food trucks offering all kinds of dining options. We enjoyed the crepes and the frose on our last visit, and both were delicious. Sundog Books is always one of our stops when we visit Seaside. This independent bookstore has all the latest beach reads, but it also stocks tons of classics, nonfiction books, and some amazing gifts. During our last visit, we stocked up on books for both of the girls, and I purchased two new pairs of Peepers readers for myself. One pair was sunglasses, so I could read on the beach.
The wild thing is that Seaside is such a cute town, but if you turn out of the campground in the other direction, you will find the town of Grayton Beach and eventually Blue Mountain Beach, as well as several other towns that are just as inviting and adorable as Seaside.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for beautiful beaches and the cutest little towns to explore, then Grayton Beach State Park is definitely the place for you. Because of its location on the Florida Panhandle, Grayton Beach State Park is a quick trip for us from Georgia and a great place for a long weekend or even a full week of vacation. This area, of course, books up early, so looking for cancellations is the best way to get a site.
One drawback is that around spring break it can get a bit crowded in the little towns surrounding the state park, but the park itself never seems overcrowded, and the beach area is specifically for state park visitors, so it never feels too crowded either. I would highly recommend camping at Grayton Beach State Park. I am positive we will be going back very soon. Hope to see you there!
For campground details, current alerts, and reservation information, visit the official Grayton Beach State Park website.