Family Beach Vacations Your Dog Will Love Too

We call them “Man's Best Friend,” “Fur Baby,” and “Loyal Companion,” but it can be difficult to find a place to vacation that comes with a proper doghouse! Let's face it, for all the love we share with our shepherds, doodles, goldens, and rescue mutts, without a pet-friendly vacation home, our only choice is to leave our precious pups on a staycation at their local vet or with a pet sitter while the rest of the family heads to the beach.

Ironically, vacations are the only time of the year when we humans can actually live a dog's life—lounging all day, taking extra naps, spending all the time in the world with those we love (without licking their face). We need to bring the dogs along on our beach vacations to teach us how to get the most out of traveling with family and still be able to wag your tail after seven days of “togetherness” in a strange house. At Grayt 30A Vacations, several of our homes roll out the welcome mat for you and your dog, with no pet fee charges for up to 2 dogs. We even throw in a soft and fluffy dog blanket for your pet to enjoy during their stay.

Let’s see what some of our most recent four-legged Grayt 30A guests had to say about their vacation experiences in our pet-friendly homes!

Tupelo Honey

Reggie, a visiting English Cocker Spaniel, and his cousin Rosie recently stayed at Tupelo Honey, the one that started it all! With three screened-in porches on two different levels, a private pool, a large, comfy family room with hardwood floors, and abundant sunshine through lots of windows, you would have to be a crazy cat not to fall in love with this pet-friendly masterpiece.

Reggie and Rosie's Tupelo Honey Review:

Reggie & Rosie

"My family settled quickly in this Royal Palace with the big man meal-prepping in the kitchen while everyone else found a relaxing chair or swing on the widely scattered porches to stretch out after the long drive from North Alabama. Incredibly, the back porch opened to our own private oasis (aka swimming pool) where the kids swam, and we got splashed, and everyone was laughing and happy! A quick nap on the porch was well earned.

“Inside we spent our days racing up and down two flights of stairs exploring the many beds and baths. It's a big house with quiet porches where we could stretch out all afternoon without anyone stepping on our tails. Every day, we got on leash, walked to Seaside, met other nice people with strange smells, almost got run over by a bicycle, and met other dogs from the area. We're English, and this place said 'Fit for a King' from the first paw inside! We give it FIVE WAGS!”

Moondance

Like when an English castle has other homes on its property over which the Laird rules, Moondance is next door to Tupelo Honey and welcomes "wags" from all walks of life. This single-story home is perfect for a small family with three bedrooms and two baths, but it also features the private oasis (pool) and a welcome screen porch for people watching. A smaller house doesn't mean less space as two of our more well-seasoned, high mileage travelers, Oliver Pickles (a long-haired Chihuahua) and his wingman Goose from the land of tacos and tequilas experienced on their recent Moondance stay.

Oliver Pickles

Goose

"We could not believe our good fortune to arrive at such a beautiful casa with a long hallway for chasing each other and fetching our throw toys! The screened-in front porch was perfect for watching for approaching people and cars. Barking is encouraged when strangers are spotted, and siestas are a daily ritual here. It's a cultural thing.

“The secluded pool with crystal clear water and shaded by palm trees reminded us of our tropical home back in the native lands. We are Chihuahua, so this home is muy bueno for a ‘small’ family (of course, big dogs are allowed, too) and very close to ‘small dog walking’ towns and trails.

“Hardwood floors are so cool for lounging after a hot walk to the Seaside metropolis or under the tree canopy aligning the streets. Bring margaritas and let the fiesta begin. We are in paradise! We rate this casa ‘Cinco de Meneos’ (5 Wags).”

Gindarra

Our newest pet retreat is a rare pet-friendly home in Gulf Trace community! This community is tucked between the west side of Grayton Beach and the Grayton State Park providing splendid isolation from the crowds and yet keeping you close to all the action. While Grayton Beach is known for “Nice dogs, Strange people” (to keep it funky!), Gulf Trace to the west is ideal for quiet vacation relaxation.

Elvis (a 100+ dog years Maltese) and Bunker (an equally aged Bichon) had a relaxing Gindarra stay and had this to bark about:

Elvis lounging on the large, comfy Gindarra couch and the extra soft dog blanket from Grayt 30A

Bunker

"Of all the places to wake up after a six-hour nap on the car ride, we found ourselves in the best house ever! This place has a big open center room from front to back with plenty of places to find a human lap or just curl up on our own for a much-needed nap, with bedrooms at every corner for our escorts to sleep so they don't bother us.

“The most amazing feature is the humongous pool surrounded by swaying palms, where our hosts can swim while we sit comfortably on the deck overlooking them. Equally as exciting is the shady carport area next to the pool, just a short walk down the staircase. Two paws up to the one that was thoughtful enough to leave this cool space open for us to nap comfortably on a hot summer day.

“The complete wrap around porch and front screen porch let us look over the gorgeous state park landscape from the comfort and protection of the front screened section or the wide sections on both sides of the house. Old dogs like us can walk all around the house without using stairs! We rate this comfy gem FIVE WAGS (even though the old tail only wags one direction now, gotta get that fixed).”

50 Sea Turtle

A splendid Gulf-facing home, lofted for even better views, 50 Sea Turtle is nestled in a small, private, gated community south of 30A on the east end of Seagrove. Discerning 4-legged guests have reported impressive rejuvenation from beach breezes all day resulting in puppy-level energy spurts when they return home.

Texas-based Binks (a long-haired Dachshund with an impressive pedigree) was equally enthralled by this turtle-on-the-beach property for his recent visit to 30A:

Binks

Binks in uniform

“The first thing I noticed was the smell of sea life nearby, which thrilled my inner puppy self. A quick climb up the steps to the entry and a sprint to the back porch gave me fantastic views of the giant Gulf of America! I could almost see across the water to my home back in Texas!

“Sky high ceilings above the family room gave this house such a large presence, just what my Dachshund blood needed to feel at home. And meals were spent absorbing these endless views while dining on the finest American schnitzel and seafood.

“My convoy driver and his wife settled into the King bedroom on the first level, while the small ones climbed the stairway to the sky and to find more sleeping compartments for Queens (QBR), princesses (QBR) and the little prince (Twin Bunk). My long body allowed me to make that trip only once a day, so I climbed each morning for exercise and barked to wake my companions for a brisk morning walk in the gated community. The privacy was excellent (to keep invading breeds outside the gate), and I was lulled to naps both inside and out every day. Most days I had the place to myself as the humans took the short one-minute stroll to the beach while I stood guard. I offer my greatest 'Danke' for this 'Funf Schwanze' stay (Five Wags, fraulein). Now you know a little German, and I am pleased to be him!”