Need a Ride?

Need a Ride?

You’ve probably caught a glimpse of the Sunshine Trolley around the 30A area. Visitors and locals alike can hop on for free. This complimentary community shuttle service runs seven days a week from 11am to 11pm through Labor Day weekend. The 12-mile route along the west end of Highway 30-A in South Walton includes stops at Cypress Dunes, 30­A Suites, Stallworth Beach, Gulf Place, Highland Park, Dune Side, Blue Mountain Beach, Grayton Corner and Seaside.

The trolley is an amenity for the 30-A area, which is unique to this area. “People can drive in on a Saturday and park their car, whether they are here for the day or for a week or more, and leave it and use the trolley to go to restaurants, shopping or to the beach,” says John Finch, owner of Sunshine Shuttle and Limousine. “The goal is to get the cars off the road in the South Walton area, to make the experience more enjoyable for everyone.

Finch’s vision is to convert the whole resort area to a carless community by expanding the route from where it is now, with one trolley serving the west end of Highway 30-A to a total of four trolleys making each stop every 30 minutes, running the full length of South Walton’s Highway 30-A. This will alleviate the stress and frustration of driving and trying to find parking in an area that cannot accommodate the number of cars currently trying to share the narrow 30-A corridor.

“Driving is an addiction,” Finch added. “It’s a habit we need to break. You don’t have to rent a car at the airport when you fly in. Just take a taxi from the airport and then use the trolley while you’re here. The trolley has become part of the culture. You are not going to need a car here.”

So who pays?

Instead of the passengers paying for the ride, the businesses along the route pay for the service in exchange for making their business a stop on the route. “It’s a win­win for everyone,” Finch says. “Passengers can enjoy the ride along a scenic route, free of charge. Business owners enjoy the increased foot traffic as passengers get on and off the trolley in front of their businesses.”

Benefits

For an area where traffic congestion is a major concern, the Sunshine Trolley can keep hundreds of cars off the road each day. It’s a simple and hassle­free way for both locals and visitors to travel along the 30­A corridor during the summer. “The roads have fewer cars, easing traffic congestion, and vacationers can have a few drinks without having to drive,” Finch says. “It’s environmentally friendly, and everyone is safer on the road.”

Seaside Public Relations Director, Lori Smith, said the trolley has been a real asset to the area. “Riding the trolley is fun,” says Smith. “30A is a different kind of area, and people are coming in and having this wonderful experience by being able to ride the trolley, and not worry about their cars. They can just park it and leave it the whole time they’re here if they want to.”

Each participating business has a Sunshine Trolley sign displayed in the front window. For real­time info on where the trolley is and when it will reach your stop, you can visit sunshineshuttle.com for a live map.