Alys Beach
Alys Beach is a hidden gem situated on the eastbound scenic 30A highway comprised of white buildings, wall-crawling flora, and pink sunsets typically only found in Greece.
HELLO Santorini Vibes.
I have wanted to do a beach Christmas for as long as I can remember, so this entire trip was a dream come true for me. Alys Beach was honestly the icing on the cake. Even my husband who is self-admittedly thrifty, confessed that Alys Beach was worth every penny, and that we will absolutely be returning as a family.
Getting to take our kids to the beach for Christmas made everyone SO happy amid this weird year; and it is not lost on me how blessed we are.
Alys Beach, and nearby Rosemary Beach, were bursting with Christmas cheer! Huge Christmas trees, light wrapped palm trees, and plenty of magic in the air.
With the exception of taking the boys to PCB to Dave & Busters and Hooters (yes, we took our 3-year-old son to Hooters), we hardly even left the stretch of land between the Alys Beach community and the east end of Rosemary Beach.
To Eat & To Play
The Caliza Pool, heated of course, was entertainment enough for 3 young boys in the dead of winter. There were no food or drinks being served since it was the off-season. I was told by several that Caliza is an amazing Mexican restaurant.
We found this to be quite the norm in the Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach communities, so be sure to keep that in mind if you are visiting during the holidays.
Many places throughout had signs posted they’d be back open for business on December 26th. A couple of people told me they LOVE George’s at Alys Beach. Same with Zuma Café.
For our first morning at Alys Beach, literally right outside our condo and across the grassy courtyard, was Charlie’s Donut Truck. Yes, a donut food-truck. Jacob and the boys came home with like $35 worth of crème filled donuts. Coconut Crème is on the menu, so you know what your girls favorite would be.
My cousin Taylor and I both got avocado toast from Raw & Juicy and oh, my God…. Maybe a re-creation of this soon because it was heaven.
Also on site is NEAT, a swanky little artisan bar with glassware sold inside.
The Beach Club was not yet open for visitors when we visited, but the exterior was finished which you can see in this photo below. This place is seriously INCREDIBLE.
Nearby eats:
Chocolate fondue at La Crema
Pizza & Pasta at Lola’s
Upscale dining at Paradis
Seafood with the best views in Rosemary Beach at Pescado (pictured below)
Cauliflower pizza (to die for) at Shade’s Bar & Grill.
Monster breakfast burritos at Big Bad Breakfast.
You can rent bikes on 30A in Rosemary Beach at Peddler’s. Rentable for 24 hours or longer. It does get pricey the more people you have, but biking around the communities to gawk at the Danish-inspired and Greekesque architecture is way better on bike than in car.
The bikes come with locks; you’ll be required to put a credit/debit card on file.
If you find yourself in Rosemary Beach on a Sunday morning, be sure to make a lap around the Farmers Market. Tons of fresh vegetables, homemade breads, kombucha, cookies, granola, all the delightful things to be found at Farmers Markets.
My personal favorite was Matt’s Mom’s Mustard. I have never met a cold cut sandwich that couldn’t Tinder-Match with the perfect tangy mustard. (Order online here). AND…
I saved the best for last. The view of the ocean meeting the sky from the top of Alys Beach’s private stairs is unbelievable. It is breathtaking. I tried to capture it the best I could.
This post is entirely because we loved Alys Beach so much, and I want everyone to know about this up-and-coming beautiful haven only a short flight from the Midwest. (Maybe with a connecting flight in Dallas).
