How residents can use the free tram, plan a day along 30A and get an annual permit for designated paid beach lots

Parking, crowds and questions about access can make a South Walton beach day feel harder than it used to. Here’s one option locals can learn, use and share. Ask a Walton County resident about going to the beach, and you may hear two things at once: how much they love it and how often they think twice about making the trip.
We know what it can take to find parking during a busy season. We’ve heard the questions about beach access. Some of us have quietly begun choosing a different way to spend the day. Then friends and family come to town, and we become the people they turn to for advice. Where should we go? Where can we park? Is it worth trying to visit more than one place?

Beach Park and Ride is one answer we should know better.

HWY 331 met Tabby Bolen, Transportation Manager for Walton County Tourism Department Beach Operations, at the beach to learn how the service works. What stood out was its usefulness beyond the trip from a parking lot to the sand.

A Different Way to Plan the Day
Beach Park and Ride has routes serving destinations including Grayton Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, Gulfview Heights, Ed Walline, Dune Allen and Fort Panic. Depending on the route, you may be able to board at a stop near where you live or stay, rather than beginning at a Park and Ride lot. Routes, hours and seasonal service vary, so the first step is to check the current map and schedule. The ride is complimentary; parking fees may apply.

Bolen described how someone around Dune Allen could use the system to reach Grayton for lunch. A trip like that takes some planning and may involve a connection. But it suggests a question worth asking before the next outing: Could we leave the car in one place and let the tram handle part of the day?
That knowledge is useful whether you’re going to the beach yourself or helping guests find their way around South Walton.

One More Detail Locals Should Know
Walton County residents can purchase an annual permit for designated county paid beach parking lots for $5 per vehicle, plus a $3.50 transaction fee. That’s $8.50 per registered vehicle. Up to four vehicles may be registered per household address; proof of residency and vehicle ownership is required. Resident permit information is available here.

The permit won’t guarantee an open parking space, and the tram won’t solve every frustration that comes with a crowded beach day. Both are options worth understanding before deciding the trip is too much trouble.

Learn It for Yourself. Pass It Along.
The best local advice comes from experience. Look up a route you might actually use. Find the stop, check the return trip and give it a try on a day that works for you.
Then, when someone asks where to park or how to spend a day along 30A, you can share something more helpful than “leave early and hope for the best.”
Our beaches are one of the reasons people love Walton County. Knowing how to reach and enjoy them is something we can do for ourselves and for the people we welcome here.
Hear more from Tabby Bolen: Listen to “Connecting You to Beach Park and Ride in Walton County, Florida” on the HWY 331 Podcast for the routes, stops and details to consider before your next beach day.