We started out our spring break road trip with a quick stop by Devil’s Den. I’m not a huge fan of freezing cold spring water, but its been on my bucket list for a while now. It’s hard to believe we live so close to so many beautiful springs and there are several I haven’t been to. Devil’s Den did not disappoint. Although a tad too touristy for my taste, it was gorgeous. Family friendly and easy to find. We took our own gear (snorkel and water shoes), but they do have rentals. We opted not to get wet suits, but you can for a more enjoyable time. The divers carry rank, so if there are divers present, you are asked to move to the side and allow them to enter. This can cause a back up, but we were lucky and didn’t have to wait too long. Best advice is to arrive early.
After Devil’s Den, we headed northwest to Seaside. Seaside is an adorable Florida beach town on the Gulf of Mexico. “30A” offers miles of beautiful white sand beaches, adorable shops and yummy food. Food trucks are all the rage these days and Seaside has some fantastic ones. One of my favorites is Five Daughters Bakery, a super cute airstream serving the best made from scratch, organic donuts. I discovered them in Nashville & was excited when I found out I could have one in Florida! Raw & Juicy is another one we love. They have a small cafe and an airstream. They make the best organic, raw, vegan juices and smoothies. Even my kiddos enjoy them! On this trip, we ate lunch at a local Seaside fav, Bud & Ally’s (Coastal Living ranked it one of the top 10 Best Beach Bars), breakfast at The Great Southern Cafe, Dinner at Harbor Docks (Destin) and lunch at Chairing (Grayton), In addition to Seaside, Santa Rosa, Grayton and Destin span along 30A and offer lots of accommodations (hotels, beach homes, campgrounds, condos, etc) and a ton of restaurants and shops. Best advice when visiting these beaches: bring your bike!
Bikes are a must, because parking is limited and well, you’ll look better on a bike in Seaside.
After a wonderful visit to north Florida, we headed south to Boca Grande for Easter. Easter is one of my favorite times on the island. The crowds tend to get larger every year, which is the only downfall of being on the Island this time of year. There is always a huge easter egg hunt downtown that the kids LOVE. Volunteers throw out thousands of pieces of candy and the kiddos rush out to fill their baskets. The Sunrise Service on the south end of the island is always beautiful and heart filling. I especially love how each denomination on the island is represented at this service. We have some super fun Easter traditions on the island that my family cherishes. As times change and the kids grow older, I hope they continue to love it as much as I do.
