Uncrowded towns on Florida’s Emerald Coast are hard to come by—unless you know where to look. With kids off from school, summertime brings the added challenge of even larger crowds. Nonetheless, you can still find underrated, less-frequented vacation spots in Florida that are worth considering. In Blue Mountain Beach, a quiet morning might look like paddling past lily pads on a coastal dune. The endless stretches of sand and pier views in Navarre Beach will inevitably make you want to slow down to take a daily breather. Overshadowed, yet no less striking, each of the towns in this article promises crowd-free summer fun.

Blue Mountain Beach

Blue Mountain Beach is a best-kept secret of Florida’s Scenic Highway 30A. Locals say the community got its name from sailors who mistook the flower-covered dunes for mountains. Today, these 65-foot sandy hills remain a stunning centerpiece of Blue Mountain Beach. Still, even in the summertime, a residential atmosphere keeps this towering beach town laid-back and uncrowded.

Blue Mountain Regional Beach Access features spectacular access to the Emerald Coast. Nearby, Red Fish Taco pairs authentic Mexican food with refreshing margaritas after your time in the sand. For more outdoor fun with even smaller crowds, the town also has 3 rare coastal dune lakes. Draper, Little Redfish, and Big Redfish Lake are all epic recreation spots for kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing.

Navarre Beach

Santa Rosa Island is home to Navarre Beach, “Florida’s Most Relaxing Place.” Much like Blue Mountain Beach, this Emerald Coast suburb is a dream for introverted beachgoers. With zoning laws in place to prevent overdevelopment, Navarre Beach is less commercialized and less crowded than other resort towns.

Summer vacationers can snorkel and dive the artificial reefs at Navarre Beach Marine Park. Back above water, the 1,500-foot Navarre Beach Fishing Pier is a sweet spot for ocean views and angling. Capping its entrance, Windjammers on the Pier is a family-friendly restaurant and bar serving delicious seafood and tropical cocktails. On either side of this sightseeing haven, sunseekers can also sink their toes into the town’s white sands.

Gulf Breeze

Gulf Breeze is an ideal town for zen vacationers and families. Since it is mainly a suburb and retirement haven, life here moves at a slower pace. Opposite Gulf Breeze, Pensacola Beach is a resort-style town and tourist magnet. By comparison, Gulf Breeze is the laid-back neighbor you visit if you want to relax.

Gulf Breeze beaches are not only less crowded, but naturally calmer. At the Naval Live Oaks Nature Preserve, the shores are shielded by Santa Rosa Island. This natural buffer accounts for the calm waters that families and novice swimmers love. The same applies to Deadman’s Island, a gorgeous place to kayak, snorkel, and sunbathe on Pensacola Bay. Afterward, the Gulf Breeze Zoo is a hit with all ages. Nearby, Florida seafood is a treat at Dave’s Oyster Bar and Grill.

Inlet Beach

Back on Florida’s Scenic Highway 30A, Inlet Beach is another underrated beach town. Since the community is mainly residential, many will drive straight through to Rosemary Beach, a busier town with resort amenities. But if you avoid judging a book by its cover, this suburban seaside has a ton to offer, including the area’s largest public beach access.

The public shores in Inlet Beach have 3 boardwalks and plenty of sand to go around. Offshore, snorkelers and divers can also explore a unique fish-shaped artificial reef rich with marine life. On the eastern shore of Inlet Beach, Camp Helen State Park has even more to offer. Home to Gulf beaches and Lake Powell, the park is a serene place to swim, sunbathe, and beachcomb.

Niceville

Niceville is a Choctawhatchee Bay town with striking waterfronts. With no beaches of its own, it is often eclipsed by nearby Destin; even so, this solitude is far from a flaw. The little bay town is one of the best places in the Sunshine State to experience Old Florida at its most authentic.

Its diverse shores anchor Niceville’s best sites. Turkey Creek Park is a peaceful place to cool off in the summer, whether swimming, canoeing, or walking the boardwalk. Elsewhere, the Rocky Bayou is a centerpiece of Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park. Boating and hiking are a few of the best pastimes here, crowned with breathtaking Panhandle sunsets. Alternatively, head to The Locals Eatery for Boggy Bayou sunsets and award-winning food.

Freeport

30 minutes east of Niceville, Freeport is another laid-back place to cool down in the summer. Bordering Choctawhatchee Bay, nature lovers prefer the town for its unspoiled outdoors and unfussy attractions. You won’t find high-rise resorts or rowdy boardwalks here, which is just how Freeport locals like it.

Harry A. Laird Park is a great first stop for a boardwalk stroll along Four Mile Creek. Elsewhere, Grady Brown Park hugs the northern edge of Choctawhatchee Bay. The wide, scenic green space features picnic tables, a kayak launch, fishing piers, and a bayside beach. Just north of there, hungry parkgoers can find authentic bites at Mi Alma Taqueria Food Truck.

Mexico Beach

Mexico Beach flies under the radar despite its postcard shores. Located along Florida’s Gulf Coast Scenic Drive, the town’s sugar sands and emerald waters embody the best of the Emerald Coast. To the surprise of many, Mexico Beach lacks the congestion of other towns on this route—but you won’t find beachgoers complaining.

Mexico Beach is home to nearly 5 miles of beachfront and plenty of public access points. The shores stand out for their stark white color, attributed to quartz-crystal sands from the Appalachian Mountains. There are also plenty of restaurants within walking distance of the waterfront. At Caribbean Coffee & Cafe, you can recharge with sandwiches and island-inspired brews. Further east, Killer Seafood serves fresh and flavorful favorites like shrimp po’ boys and tuna tacos.

Seagrove Beach

Coastal bliss extends to Seagrove Beach, another uncrowded stop on Highway 30A. Since this seaside suburb is mainly residential, it is less well known to vacationers. Even so, the public beaches and seafood restaurants in Seagrove Beach are well worth the stop.

As of 2026, the new Seagrove Regional Beach Access is open with a 100-foot public beachfront. Nearly 9 years in the making, this addition makes Seagrove Beach more accessible than ever. Once you’ve had your fill of fun in the sand, Seagrove’s commercial sites are another must. The Seagrove Village Market has thrived here since 1949, serving as both a seafood restaurant and a souvenir shop. Right next door, Surfing Deer is a more upscale seafood restaurant with patio dining.

Explore Florida’s Uncrowded Emerald Coast

Summer heightens tourist congestion on most of the Emerald Coast. But if your heart is set on this Panhandle stretch, these 8 uncrowded towns are the exception. In Blue Mountain Beach, Gulf-facing shores are sprawling and spacious, while the town’s coastal dune lakes are even less crowded. In Freeport, Choctawhatchee Bay views are never obstructed at Grady Brown Park. All in all, these 8 Emerald Coast towns prove obscurity has a silver lining.

The Georgia Bulldogs are trying to flip cornerback recruit Preston Glasco just over a week after he committed to the Connecticut Huskies.

Glasco, a member of the class of 2027, announced his commitment to UConn on June 10. Since committing to UCONN, Georgia has hosted Glasco on an official visit and offered him a scholarship (back on June 18).

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound cornerback has excellent length and size. Glasco has impressive athleticism and ran a 4.47-4.57 second 40-yard dash (hand timed) during a recent workout with the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Glasco plays high school football for Grayson High School in Loganville, Georgia. He’s unranked as a recruit, but that’s bound to change soon. The unranked cornerback plays against a stout level of competition at Grayson, who is a Georgia high school powerhouse.

There is an old saying that there is no such thing as a minor procedure when it happens to you. But that’s exactly what happened over the spring football season as top transfer Lance Heard had surgery on an undisclosed injury that was deemed “minor.”

While Kentucky did not release what exactly the big left tackle had surgery on, anytime you are down your starting left tackle over Spring is not ideal. The good news is Heard has plenty of SEC experience, starting at LSU before transferring to Tennessee.

The biggest thing for an offensive line is reps, but offensive coordinator Joe Sloan told KSR he was happy with what he was seeing.

“You’re starting to see them work really well together, and they have an opportunity to be a strength of our team.” If that comes to fruition, Kentucky will have a really good year. As for the fans, expect a different style this year in Kroger Field.

Kentucky’s offense will be different

Under Mark Stoops, the calling card became a physical offensive line, a punishing run scheme, and a ball control style. That offense will be very different this year, not because of a shift away from the run game, but because there will be a lot more chances taken.

Sometimes, that is a good thing, and other times it causes turnovers. Will Stein said he never called a play he didn’t think would score a touchdown. That aggressive style is what will define Stein’s time in Lexington. He chose a defensive coordinator known for dialing up the blitz. He has gone after nearly all the top recruits, and he isn’t backing down from saying he expects to be the best head coach in the country.

Will it work? I don’t know, but I do know it will look different than what Mark Stoops was putting out. But it all depends on the health of the key players Stein brought in, and that starts with a healthy offensive line.