Renting a home on 30A is a gift unto itself, but walking into a beautiful home and finding a personalized gift can make the experience feel extra special.
How Much Should I Spend on a Gift?
I wish I could remember where I read this information, but I can’t. However, somewhere along the way, I learned that an appropriate gift to give a guest is one valued at around 10% of one night’s stay. For example, if you are charging $300 per night, you would leave a $30 gift. If you charge $1,000 per night, you would leave a $100 gift. Below you will find gifts and gift baskets organized by value as well as a special offer for VRBO and Airbnb owners, but before we get to that, there are a few points to consider when selecting a gift.
- How many guests are staying in your home?
- Are there any children?
- If you plan to leave an alcoholic gift, have you first checked with your guest to make sure it is appropriate?
- Did they fly or drive? Sometimes, space is an issue and smaller gifts are best.
- Are there any allergies to be aware of (flowers, food, etc.)?
- Do you want your cleaning crew to leave gifts out for your guests or is delivery in-person or via email better?
30A Gifts Valued Under $50
The 30A Coloring Book – See Below
A little self-promotion never hurt anyone, right? That said, it truly is a good gift. We keep a box of books in our Seagrove rental which takes up very little space. Our cleaning crew simply grabs a book, a card, and a pack of colors for each guest.
Amavida Coffee – $14.50
Amavida is a local coffee roaster based in Santa Rosa Beach. They offer several blends that sell for under $15 including their Maya Vinic Cooperative which has notes of raisins, prunes, and molasses. You can order a bag of coffee online or pick up a few bags in person from their shop in Rosemary Beach or Seaside.
A bag of coffee would look really cute with a couple of “Praise the Lard” mugs from The Perfect Pig.
Blue Mountain Bakery or Dough Sea Dough Donut Delivery – $28
If you call in advance on behalf of your guests, you can schedule pastry delivery the morning after their check-in. Simply call Blue Mountain Bakery at the beginning of the season and give them your address and the dates. That’s it! For $28, they will deliver a box of pastries with a little note welcoming your guest to the beach.
If your home is located on the eastern end of 30A, Dough Sea Dough (Formally the Donut Hut) offers a similar service.
A Case of Beach Blonde – $40
The 30A company does an amazing job of branding, and its 30A Beach Blonde Ale is no exception. The packaging is very beachy and fun and you can pick up a case for $40 at Publix.
Occasionally, we will leave a few beers in the fridge with a couple of bottles of Perrier, and a large bottle of Acqua Panna. It makes a very pretty presentation which your cleaning crew can do or you can set up a Shipt delivery and ask your shopper to do the same.
Emailable 30A Gift Cards – $50
If you are looking for a last-minute gift, there are a few local companies who will email a gift card direct to your guest including Bud and Alleys, Cuvee 30A, Pescado in Rosemary Beach, The 30A Company, and the Blue Giraffe.
30A Gifts Valued at $50 and Up
Gift Basket from Chans Wine World – $49.99
A gift basket from Chans is always a good idea. Their Simply Superb White Wine Basket sells for $49.99 and includes Projection Chardonnay paired with Busseto Herb De Provence Salami, Love Of Fare Sesame Sticks, Ghirardelli Chocolate, and Macy’s Cheese Crisps. YUM!
Gift Basket Modica Market – $75.00
If you aren’t sure if your guests drink, Modica Market in Seaside can make a lovely non-alcoholic gift basket that includes food items as well as their Modica Market coffee mugs or koozies. To order a basket, stop by the store or give them a call at 850-231-1214.
Luxury Welcome – $100
Of course, you can combine several of the aforementioned inexpensive ideas to create your own Welcome Basket. My suggestion is to make room in your owner’s closet and ask your cleaning crew to set the following out for each guest: Two 30A Coloring Books, a pack of Crayola crayons, two round belly mugs from Sundogs, a bag of Amavida coffee, a gift card for sunset drinks at Bud and Alleys, and a handwritten note.
Pedego 30A – $100+
There’s nothing that says “gift” like a 30A experience. Pedego has two locations along 30A and they offer electric bike rentals by the hour. You can rent four of their premium electric bikes for your guests for just over $100 with each additional bike adding another $25 per hour. It really is a fun way to explore 30A!
Sand Castle Lessons – $299.99
Beach and Sculptures offers beachside sandcastle lessons for groups. Pricing will depend on the number of people in the group with a group of five set at $249.00, going all the way up to $399.00 for twenty people.
The experience lasts a full two hours and includes a demonstration as well as professional sand sculpting guidance. In the end, your guests will be left with a very Instagrammable moment.
30A Bulk Gift Discount
If you are interested in providing a copy of The 30A Coloring Book to your guests, we offer bulk discounts to owners. The coloring book is packed 30 to a box and you can email hello@the30Acoloringbook.com for box pricing.
*Donut photo via SHARON MCCUTCHEON/PEXELS.COM