Watercolor, FL

Day 1: Arrive!

Morning: To maximize your time, fly in early to Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (Airport code: ECP). This airport is about 23 miles or a 30 minute drive to Watercolor, FL.

OPTION A: Get a rental car for the weekend! It’s not needed with this itinerary, but a rental car is an option if you’re more comfortable having your own car, rather than using ride-sharing services. A rental car for the weekend should run you about ~$200.

OPTION B: Use a ride-sharing service (such as Uber or Lyft) to get from the airport to your rental property. The ride should cost about ~$40 and will be easily accessible outside of the baggage claim area.

Afternoon: Settle in to your rental property. You have many choices when looking for a house in the Watercolor area, but we had a great experience at this VRBO. You’ll want to spend time in this house, so we recommend stopping on the way in to grab groceries at the nearby Publix (110 Watercolor Way, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459).

NOTE: The house slept 10 comfortably, is stunning, and comes with a large golf cart you can use to drive around the truly picturesque Watercolor neighborhood. This place will run you about $475/night, or only about $150 a person for 10 people if you’re staying the weekend. Not bad at all.

NOTE: If you are here on a bachelorette trip, as we were, then delegate some of the decorations to Mingle 30A. The balloons lasted all weekend and served as the perfect backdrop for pictures.

Evening: If you decide not to use the state of the art kitchen at the house to make dinner, pop over to The Wine Bar down the street where both the pizzas (hello, Chicken Pesto) and the appetizers (Black Bean Cilantro Lime Hummus) will give you a warm welcome to Watercolor.

Day 2: Explore & Shop

Morning: We like to start off our days with something active. Watercolor is known for their leisurely biking and walking paths. You don’t need to break a sweat, just enjoy the surroundings and explore the neighborhoods. Which house is your favorite? It’s hard to choose. If you want to bike, we recommend using Pedego Bikes and renting either by the hour, half day, or full day. This place is convenient since you can walk there and bike back.

Afternoon: No matter what, Great Southern Cafe should be your lunch destination and it’s very close to the house. Only 1 mile if you walk or ride a bike, and about 1.5 miles if you take a rental car or ride-sharing service. Parking can be tricky, and the roads can be congested depending on time of year and how many people are in town - so we encourage you to walk or ride a bike. This place is great for a group since you’re able to make a reservation in advance here. You have to get the Mac & Cheese with Bacon & Shrimp. You just have to. The Carson Chicken Sandwich claims to be the best chicken sandwich you’ll ever have, and we might have to agree.

The restaurant is in the middle of the action. Once you’re finished with lunch, make your rounds among the different shops of Seaside. For more information of what’s available here, check out the Seaside Community or replicate the ideal 30A Day.

Evening: Back to the house and that state of art kitchen we talked about. We’re not asking you to cook tonight. Instead - treat your group to a private chef who will come and cook for you. There’s a few options in the area for this service. We used Chef Kali and had a WONDERFUL experience, but Swiftly Catered has great reviews as well in case you’re wanting to compare a couple price points. Great opportunity to dress up and take advantage of that balloon wall back drop.

Day 3: Dinner on the beach

Morning: If you’re into Barre, there’s a Pure Barre studio about 5 minutes from the house. For a larger group, such as a bachelorette party, contact Pure Barre via their website to schedule a private class. The cost of a private class will be about $40, but it’s worth it! Select your own music playlist and have fun.

Afternoon: Freshen up before heading to lunch back at Seaside (back where you were yesterday). There’s a few cute Airstream Food Trucks, serving options ranging from grilled cheese to green smoothies. Bring a towel and a book and spend some time on the beach in the sun. We don’t need to give you instructions for that!

Evening: Okay, this is a must do. The white sand beaches are beautiful during the day, now enjoy it at sunset. Contact Light Me Up Beach Bonfires and choose from one of their bonfire packages, based on the size of your group. We elected to add a Shrimp Boil to our bundle, so not only did we have the fire, chairs, sparklers, s’mores, and table set up - they also brought us the food right out to the beach. We didn’t have to lift a finger.

Pro Tip: Light Me Up offers photography as an additional service (which I’m sure is great) but reach out to Mary Beth if you’re looking for something more robust. She’ll run you about $500, but split up between a group it’s worth it, especially considering the quality of photos you’ll get.

After your beach bonfire, head back home for a glass (or bottle) of wine on the deck.

Day 4: Travel day - head home!

Morning: However you got to the house, by ride-sharing service or rental car, you’ll head back to the airport the same way. Keep in mind it’s about 30-45 minutes drive time to the airport. Security was quick, from our experience, but we always recommend arriving at an airport 1.5 hours before your flight departure for domestic flights.

Ready to head to the mountains for your next vacation? Check out our Colorado itineraries.

Checklist Before You Go:

1. Book your roundtrip flight to arrive in Panama City Beach, FL at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) on Day 1 and depart from the same airport on Day 4.

2. Book your rental car (if you choose) to pick up and drop off at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport

3. Book your stay at at this Watercolor VRBO for 3 nights.

4. Make a lunch reservation at Great Southern Cafe

5. Inquire about balloons and decorations from Mingle 30A

6. Book Chef Kali for a private in-house dining experience

7. Book the Beach Fireside Dinner with Light Me Up Beach Bonfires

8. Book Mary Beth, the professional photographer for a beach session

9. Check the weather and pack accordingly!

Other Considerations

POINTS, POINTS, POINTS!!!!! All of the hotel recommendations are available on Chase Travel using your Chase Credit Card points. We cannot stress enough how valuable a credit card with a good points system can be. In our experience, Chase Sapphire Reserve is the best credit card for points.

Cost: This itinerary focused on value for your money, without sacrificing quality. To save $$$, opt to remove one or a couple of the activities.

Flights: If you can fly Southwest into ECP, do it! Coming from Houston or other major hubs, you can often find flights to ECP for under $300. We recommend booking well in advance, though.