Seaside -The Truman Town
Florida Guide > Places to Visit
Jim Carey' s Seaside in Florida
I dare say if it were not for the attention Hollywood brought to the coastal town of Seaside then it would just be be of a number of small towns dotted along the 30A in the Panhandle , but the fact it was chosen as the back drop for the Jim Cary film “The Truman Story “ has brought this lovely little town into the minds of thousands of tourists.
Once just a waste land that happened to be on the coast it spawned a dream for one man- J. S. Smolian, owner of a department store in Birmingham, Alabama. He paid $8, 000 for an 80-acre parcel in 1946. His family were not amused thinking it was a waste of money as the land was useless.
Years later Smolian grandson who had spent his summers in the area his grandfather loved , had the vision of a new town so he -along with others set about overseeing the birth of a new town selling homes for $15, 000 -which by the way are now in $1m bracket!
The town has a feel of the town of Celebration near to Disney but its homes are smaller and pastel coloured and of course there is the beach -white pure and clean and it stretches as far as the eye can see .
There are several choices of eating places but along the front of the natural amphitheatre where there are concerts going on at most weekends you will find an old American Airstream trailer in its permanent position . It is here you can grab a bite to eat whilst enjoying the sights or sit down and rest your feet. It is not 5* we are talking but cheese sandwiches /toasties.
The Meltdown food truck on The central square offers a variety of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. John ordered a grilled cheese with bacon he said it was a really good grilled cheese sandwich.
I had the grilled brie and bacon on Cranberry Walnut bread -absolute heaven all my favourites on one plate and it did not disappoint! It is rare to find a place that specializes in grilled cheese, so take advantage of the opportunity to get a really good one at the Meltdown in Seaside.
Wander away from the seaside front into the back of the town and you will find a whole selection of small shops that sell local artists work, antiques and curios and designer clothes.
One of the most iconic building in the area is the church The bell that calls the congregation is inside a simple tower rising almost seven stories above the trees and grass and sandy paths at the northernmost point of the community. Worth the walk to see it .
When you leave Seaside it will almost feel as if you have left an entirely different world behind so drive slowly along the 30 A and soak up all the sights found along this beautiful coastal road .
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