30A tour: grayton beach

There’s a gorgeous sameness about the beaches of the Emerald Coast—just one mile after another of soft quartz sand running alongside an aquamarine shoreline that appears aglow, lit from within. The communities that populate this realm, however, are a different matter altogether. All they have in common is their distinctiveness from one another.

This funky little beach sits centered on 30A, where everyone’s friendly and things hardly ever change. This tiny hamlet is the longest standing community on 30A, and has been consistently ranked as one of the top beach destinations in the country. Locals and visitors alike are passionate about protecting its charm. A U.S. Army general named Charles T. Gray founded the settlement around 1911.

Gray created a homestead of small beach shacks (also known as “wash-aways”) tucked behind the native oak trees. Grayton’s pristine beaches were difficult to access for a lack of a passable road through the surrounding forest. The streets are still lined with trees and covered in oyster-shells. Everywhere you’ll see handmade store signs and spirited artwork. For years there were more dogs than people––at least until the 1980s when tourism finally began to boom. Hence the “Nice dogs. Strange people” motto stuck.

Stay tuned for future additions of our community tour along 30A, where we’ll highlight a different community in feature articles.