Where did Seaside GO!!!!!!!

[tired0909]

Anyone remember Seaside, fun to be at, the airstrem selling shaved ice was fun for kids, you could walk out of B. & A.'s with a drink in your hand, Mo was happy, we knew everyone, 30A, was differen. , I bought a home years back in Seaside to retire someday,,, my wife and I could enjoy ourselves, worked very hard in the music biz to be able to enjoy the dream. The whole dream was only a dream, I been here a very short time and found out the little tiny world we enjoyed "30A" has changed, can't play music, to much noise, credit card up front, just to get a drink, when we never had to do that, RULES, are making a 57yr old man nuts, red shirt security (Seaside) are over stepping their bounds. Please someone help me make since of a retirement dream that has gone, wrong, WHAT HAPPENED to the old 30A we all enjoyed just a few short years ago. I am not ranting, just need to make some sense of all the madness

 

[wccop]

Please keep in mind the SO and the "red shirts" don't show up without someone complaining first. If someone calls the police "the red shirts" show up to try to resolve the situation first considering Seaside is private property. We hate be fun governors but if you call the SO and we didn't do anything about it, how would that look?

 

[2bohemians]

We realize security is around for a reason and that they are not the ones who picked out the "red shirts." But honestly, we were driving through Seaside on the 30a the other day .... and walking down the sidewalk was a "Red Shirt" .... it just looked so extreme .... the screaming red stop shirt, the black pants, and combat boots .... as an outsider it would make me wonder "what's wrong with this place?" To us, it gives the appearance that this is not a safe place to be ... which doesn't seem good for tourism.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I've suggested that they change uniforms to Tommy Bahama shirts and khaki shorts, but they ignored me.

I can certainly understand asking for credit card up front to start a tab. There are too many people visiting here for a bartender to know everyone and go find them if they walk out without paying their tab, which some people do by accident, and others intentionally.

 

[NE SoWaller]

I'm not sure, but from the sounds of it. I'll never get a chance to find out. From all the scuttle on this bb, it seems like I shouldn't waste my money and visit anymore. That would be sad.


It sure doesn't sound like the place We fell in love with a few years back.

 

[Scooter]

I was in Seaside for a week during the Seeing Red Wine Festival. Never once did I see a Red Shirt person. We spent plenty of time at Bud & Alley's and I walked out everytime with a drink in my hand. I know Seaside has changed since I first started going there some 20 years ago, but I had no problems.

 

[NE SoWaller]

Not that we've ever had problems on any of our visits, it just seems that there are a few bad apples that are stuffing up the joint. That makes me wonder if I want to take the chance to visit and have a problem. We do not live close (NE) so it's a real trek for us to visit either by car or plane. I just want to enjoy the area and not have deal with all this. Again, I'm sure it's just a couple bad apples, but it only takes one to ruin the bunch!

 

[Hop]

The area, as a whole, is still one of the most wonderful places on earth. With growth comes change and as a community, we have some kinks to work out, as with any community. Seaside is changing...but SoWal...is not Seaside. Seaside is Seaside. SoWal is brilliant.

 

[DD]

Not that we've ever had problems on any of our visits, it just seems that there are a few bad apples that are stuffing up the joint. That makes me wonder if I want to take the chance to visit and have a problem. We do not live close (NE) so it's a real trek for us to visit either by car or plane. I just want to enjoy the area and not have deal with all this. Again, I'm sure it's just a couple bad apples, but it only takes one to ruin the bunch!

NES, I understand your concern, since it's so far for you. I too must travel a considerable distance to paradise. I have been to SoWal enough to know that no matter what kind of "bad apples" show up on a message board or even in person for that matter, it in NO WAY ruins my perception of SoWal and all the wonderful things it has to offer. I personally don't spend a whole lot of time in just Seaside (which is what drew me to the area in the first place), although there are some things there I can't miss..B&A's, Modica, Sundog, etc. There is so much more to SoWal--you could spend days just discovering new things. I have no doubt all tourist areas have their issues, so don't let what you've read here discourage you. Go to SoWal if you want and enjoy all it has to offer!

 

[Smiling JOe]

good points, hop. Let me add that we who live here might be a little spoiled. When traffic backs up more than ten cars at the 30A/395 intersection, we call that a traffic jam, and we are totally serious. Some of our biggest worries are the color of the beach sand, whether or not to open the Lakes when water rises too much, which golf shirt to wear with the khaki shorts, should we take the scenic route through 30A and be ten minutes late to where ever we are going. I'm not discounting the seriousness of some issues with particular developments and particular property owners, but in reality, looking at the big picture, who cares? We live in paradise, with very few worries. I can leave my keys in my car, my house unlocked and windows open, all day and night. I can walk down any street in South Walton any time of the night, without feeling like I should be concerned for my safety and looking over my shoulder. I can put my kayak on top of my car on a work day, in hopes that I get a long enough break to stop and take a paddle on the water. My biggest worries, living here at the beach, are potential threats from distracted drivers of automobiles and golf carts, fear of running over a careless person on a bicycle or a person darting out from behind a car into the street, being sprayed by the poisons coming out of the Mosquito Control trucks, and running down my battery in my camera and missing a great photo opportunity.