Seaside

The town that started a movement

Seaside was founded in 1981 by developer Robert Davis, who inherited 80 acres of scrubland on 30A from his grandfather and set out to build an old-fashioned beach town — front porches, picket fences, streets scaled for walking. Planned by Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, it became the first and most influential New Urbanist town in America, studied by architects and urban planners ever since.

Yes, it's the Truman Show town

If Seaside's pastel cottages and impossibly tidy lawns feel cinematic, that's because Hollywood agreed: the 1998 film The Truman Show was shot here, with the town standing in for Truman Burbank's artificial hometown of Seahaven. The white house used as Truman's residence still stands on Natchez Street, and spotting it is a rite of passage for first-time visitors.

Eat your way around the square

Seaside's semicircular central square is ringed with restaurants, shops, and the famous row of Airstream food trucks along 30A — grilled cheese, shrimp, ice cream, and frosé served trailer-window style. The Sundog Books and Central Square Records combo (books downstairs, vinyl upstairs) is a beloved stop, and the Saturday farmers market runs year-round in the square.

Making the trip

Seaside sits about 40 minutes west of Palmeras Marinas along Highway 98 and 30A — the drive itself, past the dune lakes and through the 30A towns, is part of the outing. Parking is free but scarce; arrive before 11 AM or expect to circle. Pair it with Rosemary Beach (ten minutes closer) for a full 30A day, and be back at the townhome before the evening beach walk.