A beach break behind the famous Bud and Alley's restaurant in Seaside, Florida, this spot is as much about the scene as the surf. SSE through SW swells push sandbars to life along Florida's Emerald Coast, with NNW to ENE winds keeping faces clean. Low-to-rising tide is the sweet spot. Waist-to-head-high on the inside is average at best, but overhead-plus outside sets on bigger hurricane or fall swells can deliver legitimate peaks. Suits all skill levels, and the crowd stays mellow, drawing more sunbathers and vacationers than serious surfers. Bottom: sand. Season: fall through spring, with hurricane pulses adding size. Consistency: low to moderate, typical of Florida Panhandle beach breaks. Bring a fish or longboard for small days, and a shortboard when size shows up.
The lineup is about as mellow as it gets on the Gulf Coast. Seaside draws a wealthy, mostly non-surfing crowd, so the water stays uncrowded. Locals are welcoming. Dawn patrol is rarely necessary here, but early sessions during fall swells will put you in cleaner conditions before the sea breeze fills in.
Park in the lot at the Seaside boardwalk and walk five minutes to the beach. Bud and Alley's is two miles east of Grayton Beach on Scenic Road C-30A. From Panama City, take Highway 98 west to Inlet Beach, turn left onto C-30A at the Tom Thumb store, and continue three miles. Food, water, and restrooms are steps away at the restaurant and boardwalk shops.
When Seaside is flat, Grayton Beach two miles west offers similar sandbars with slightly more exposure to swell. Blue Mountain Beach and Inlet Beach, a few miles in either direction on C-30A, are worth checking on the same swell, as sandbars vary and one stretch often performs better than another.
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