Last Updated August 1, 2026
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is at 7525 W County Hwy 30A, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459; (850) 267-8330; full hookups (no WiFi), paved sites and roads, beach tram (no dogs on tram or beach), reservations recommended; floridastateparks.org/topsail. Grayton Beach State Park is at 357 Main Park Rd, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459; (850) 267-8300; dog-friendly beach; floridastateparks.org/grayton-beach. Grayton Beer Company is at 217 Serenoa Rd, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459; taproom and patio.
Santa Rosa Beach is where Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is located. It’s a favorite because it has an incredible beach, plenty of roads and trails to walk for hours, and is close to Destin and Grayton Beach. Even though Topsail is pricey and sites are more crowded for a state park, the sites and roads are paved and they offer full service other than WiFi. This is our second stay here, third in the area. We love the beaches and all the great amenities that Destin has to offer.
Santa Rosa Beach
Santa Rosa Beach sits between Destin and Grayton Beach. The area is more rural and sedate compared to Destin, but it’s wonderful to have the bars, restaurants, and shopping that Destin has to offer just a short drive away. The entire coastline is amazing — huge white sand beaches that go on for miles. This time of year, not at all crowded.
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, Santa Rosa Beach
They have full hookups but no WiFi. We arrived when it was raining and in the 40s. Our 50-amp pedestal was not working — one of the legs was out, so a maintenance worker replaced the circuit breaker. We still needed our booster because we couldn’t run the coffee machine with the heat pump or heater without the voltage dropping below 112 and tripping a breaker. We plugged in our Hughes Autoformer which kept the voltage above 120 and all the electronics happy. In the past we stayed in the 100-series sites which are a bit larger and more private.
A squirrel frequented this tree about two feet behind the Airstream, which ended up in staring matches with Jake. The squirrel taunted him with his tail flicking!
We stayed during Christmas. Decorations were everywhere throughout the campground.
The beach is a 0.7-mile walk from the campground. There is a tram shuttle, but dogs aren’t allowed on the shuttle or on the beach itself. Sandy and I would walk the trail out on our own. The beach is stunning — the town of Destin is visible in the distance.
There are miles of hiking trails, either paved roads or sand. Jake watched a group of deer chasing each other through the pines. Longleaf pine are prevalent throughout the park — they were once prized for masts in sailing ships and the sap used to seal the cracks in hulls. The seeds and inner bark are edible if you’re ever in a pinch.
Powderpuff lichen. It’s apparently edible, but tastes like aspirin so they say. It reminds me of the material we used as kids to landscape our HO slot car tracks.
The coastal dune lakes at Topsail are a rare geological feature found in only a handful of places worldwide — freshwater lakes that form in the dunes from rainwater accumulation and periodically open to the Gulf. They’re beautiful and completely unexpected.
Sandy and I met Jen and Billy when we were at the Schoodic peninsula of Acadia National Park in Maine our first year RVing. It was really nice getting together again and catching up. They have a converted Greyhound bus that’s pretty cool — they’re taking a break from full-time travel and living in the Destin area now. Hopefully our paths will cross again soon.
Grayton Beach
One of the perks of Grayton Beach is that it’s dog friendly. We’ve stayed at Grayton Beach before and it’s nice to come back and explore the area more.
We enjoyed the murals and a nice pier.
Grayton Beer Company was open Christmas Eve so we stopped in for a beer and pretzels to tide us over until dinner.
Good to Know
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Campground
Topsail is one of the nicest state park campgrounds on the Gulf Coast — paved sites and roads, full hookups, clean facilities, and an extraordinary natural setting. The tradeoffs: no WiFi, pricey for a state park, and sites in the main loop are closer together than you’d expect. We strongly recommend the 100-series sites (sites 101–156) for more space and privacy. Dogs are not permitted on the beach tram or on the beach itself, which is a 0.7-mile walk from camp — so Sandy and I would leave Jake at the Airstream and walk out ourselves. Reservations fill up fast; book well in advance.
Coastal Dune Lakes
The coastal dune lakes scattered through Topsail and along 30A are a genuinely rare natural feature — only a few places on Earth have them, including parts of Australia, Madagascar, and New Zealand. The lakes periodically “outfall” to the Gulf when water levels rise enough to breach the dune. They support unique wildlife and are worth seeking out on any trail walk through the preserve.
Grayton Beach and the 30A Corridor
Grayton Beach State Park allows dogs on the beach, which makes it a great alternative to Topsail for a Jake outing. The town of Grayton Beach has great street art, a laid-back atmosphere, and Grayton Beer Company right in the village. The entire Scenic Highway 30A corridor — running between Topsail and Destin — is worth driving slowly: WaterColor, Seaside, Rosemary Beach, and Alys Beach are all along the route with good restaurants and shops.
