Santa Rosa Beach

One of the nicest beaches on the west side of Florida and much less chaotic than Destin beaches. Free parking is available, but hard to find if coming in late. The views are beautiful and the area is rather quiet since there are no big hotels around. 

Dogs are not allowed, unless you are a resident and it's later than 3PM, but there's a dog-friendly park nearby.

Pay attention to the flags – yellow flags mean rip currents, which can be dangereous, especially for small children. 

Unfortunately, the amount of residential areas decreased the beach size – there are no trespassing signs everywhere!

Shops and restaurants available across the street. We very much enjoyed local ice cream.

What we loved

• Crystal-clear water
• Powdery white sand
• Great landscaping (no tall buildings in the area)