I’ve been pushing off writing this post for a couple weeks now, mostly because I’m in denial that our annual Rosemary Beach trip is already behind us. This was our third year in a row going to 30A in the month of May and of course I already want to go back. Our previous two trips took place closer to the end of the month, while this year we went the very first week. (You can see my posts about those here: 2014 vacay, 2015 vacay, and my Mom’s Guide). I was nervous about what the weather would be like, but we got off pretty lucky. While the water was a little cooler than in previous years, the daily highs were in the 70s and 80s. Some of our very good friends from Kansas City met us in Rosemary, where we had an ahhhh-mazing house rented.
Previously we’ve only stayed in small carriage houses, but this year we were able to upgrade. The house was right near the sweet, little town square of Rosemary Beach, which meant that dining, drinks, and shops were just a stones throw away. The home itself was huge, comfortable, and very unique. With its own tower, multiple outdoor decks, a full kitchen, a breakfast kitchen, the most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in, built-in sound system, small pool/hot-tub, walking distance to the beach…. This place was legit. And of course we still had all of the other amenities that Rosemary Beach had to offer: private beach, four community swimming pools, tree-covered boardwalks all through the town, etc.
While carriage houses have been great for our small family, I don’t know if we can go back after staying in this house.
As for getting to Florida, we started our journey on a Saturday and drove eight hours to Birmingham, Alabama. We’ve learned that this is a good way to break up the trip and make the drive not just a chore, but part of the vacation too. We stayed at a hotel downtown that had a roof-top pool and Todd was able to stock-up at his favorite beer store in town, Hop City Beer.
The next morning we were able to take our time on the remaining 4.5 hours of our drive. We got to town about an hour before check-in, so we swung by the grocery store to pick a few essentials. There’s a liquor store right next door that serves drinks while you shop, so I’ve made it a tradition to grab a margarita while we make sure we’re set in the drink department.
For the next five days we ate, drank, swam, and explored our way around 30A. From here, I’ll just let the photos do the talking.
To Birmingham & beyond!
Made it!
Moving in.
Exploring & enjoying.