I love traveling with my children; my husband and I have been bringing the kids on getaways since they were just weeks old. But in what I’ll call the chicken-fingers effect, we noticed that as we started to prioritize family-friendly hotels and destinations, we lost a little of the polish and charm of those pre-kids resorts. Which was why on a recent trip to the Camp Creek Inn along Florida’s 30A, I was both surprised and delighted to find that family-friendly and luxury could blend together so effortlessly.
On a previous trip, I had visited the popular Florida Pandhandle towns along 30A with a friend, but this was our first time as a family of four. In an area that can feel overwhelming—there’s so much to do and see in the area—our stay at Camp Creek Inn simplified the experience and allowed us to truly relax.
My top tips for a Camp Creek Inn stay
- Camp Creek Inn is ideal for a long weekend for families, golf trips, a girls’ getaway, or really any reason to relax.
- 30A and its beaches can feel very crowded at times, but Camp Creek Inn solves that problem with access to multiple private pool areas and a private beach club.
- Take advantage of the hotel’s restaurants, but also be sure to get out and try other local eateries. I highly recommend Old Florida Fish House for dinner, The Donut Hole for breakfast/brunch (basically around the corner from the hotel!), and any of the airstream food trucks in Seaside.
- Take advantage of the complimentary bikes! My family loved exploring the property this way.
- Our room was perfect for the four of us for three nights, but if the trip were any longer, we probably would have wanted (and needed) more space.
Camp Creek Inn is a boutique hotel within a gated community that’s home to a scenic golf course and lovely single-family homes. From the minute we arrived, we were warmly welcomed. Our son and daughter were treated to a speciality drink in adorable cups and we all immediately felt how every guest, even the littlest ones, were made to feel special.
We checked into our room, which included two queen beds and a balcony overlooking the golf course. The space was beautifully decorated and comfortable for our three-night stay. After settling in, we ventured out to do my favorite part of any trip to a new place: explore!
Our first stop was arguably the kids’ favorite part of the trip: The Treat Suite. There’s a Treat Suite on every floor, open to guests 24/7, and packed with complimentary snacks, drinks, coffee, a water and ice machine, and even ice cream. When staying at a hotel with children, the inevitable moment they ask for a snack or a drink can be tricky. But Camp Creek Inn solved this issue with this brilliant amenity.
We wandered around the rest of the property and learned we could borrow bikes to take for a spin, checked out the on-site restaurants and extensive Wellness Center, the playground and sports areas, and of course, the pool. I’m still daydreaming about the pool area with the shaded cabanas, striped umbrellas, cool drinks brought right to your chairs, and the lazy river. It was both a parent and child dream come true.
During our stay, we enjoyed several good meals, but my favorite may have been our low-key evening in the lobby bar area, feasting on steak frites, watching basketball on TV, and spending quality time together. Those little moments on vacation are always my favorite and this hotel set the stage perfectly for so many of them.
On our last full day, we had more beautiful weather, so we decided to head to the Watersound Beach Club. A stay at Camp Creek Inn includes access to this private beach club, and now I honestly wouldn’t want to experience a beach along 30A any other way. We were totally spoiled! We opted to drive ourselves, but the hotel also offers a free shuttle to the club many times throughout the day. After checking in, we followed a boardwalk that took us through the impressive pool area (more on that in a minute) and out to a picturesque beach. The kind staff walked us right to four beach chairs and provided towels, and I grabbed a drink from the beachside bar. We had red flags that day (you can only enter the water up to your knees), but we took advantage of the small lake right there on the beach with warmer water and kayaks.
After a few hours in the sand, our kids were very ready to check out the pools we had walked past earlier. On a Monday in spring, it was pretty quiet, and we basically had the lazy river (yes, another one) and multiple pools to ourselves. My husband and I enjoyed margaritas and a dip in the heated pool. If our stay were longer, I know we would have planned another day at the Beach Club.
For my family, Camp Creek Inn was the perfect home base to explore the charm, natural beauty, and excitement of 30A without the common stressors of crowded beaches, packed pools, and traffic and parking nightmares, especially during peak season. Every member of my family appreciated the warm hospitality, family-friendly atmosphere, and luxe amenities of Camp Creek Inn. We’re already talking about what we’ll do there next visit.
My family was hosted by Camp Creek Inn for our three-night stay. All opinions, photos, and experiences are entirely my own.
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