Walton County's off-season beach tram schedule began on Oct. 1. It cut back most of the routes. The Grayton Express was left alone. It still leaves Grayton Beach Park and Ride every 10 minutes, daily from 6 a.m. to 9:45 p.m., and runs straight to the Bets "Beachmama" Haynes Regional Beach Access at 44 Hotz Ave. That matches the schedule 30A.com published for the route in August.
Starting in November, all-day parking at the county lots drops to $5. With the new access open since June, Grayton is the easiest Gulf access on this part of Santa Rosa Beach to reach until spring. The details are below.
The one route the off-season didn't touch
You can see the difference by comparing the Grayton Express with the other routes on the county's current timetable.
| Route | Leaves from | Off-season frequency | Off-season hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grayton Express | Grayton Beach Park and Ride | Every 10 minutes | 6 a.m. to 9:45 p.m., last departure 9:40 p.m. |
| Blue Mountain Local | Grayton Beach Park and Ride | Every 60 minutes | 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., last departure 6 p.m. |
| Ed Walline Express | 393 Beach Park and Ride | Every 10 minutes | 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., last departure 6:50 p.m. |
| Dune Allen Local | 393 Beach Park and Ride | Every 60 minutes | 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., last departure 6:30 p.m. |
This summer, 30A.com listed the Blue Mountain Local every 30 minutes. It now runs once an hour. It stops at Blue Mountain, Gulfview Heights, Dune Allen and Fort Panic Regional Beach Accesses and the 393 lot. The Grayton Beach State Park Express ran every 30 minutes as a Memorial Day to Labor Day service. It isn't on the off-season timetable.
So the Grayton Express is the only route on the off-season timetable that runs before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. If you want to be on the sand at sunrise in October or catch a December sunset, it's the only county tram that will get you there. Every route is free to ride, and all trams run daily.
What the lot costs, month by month
The ride is free, but the parking isn't. Grayton Beach Park and Ride at 1505 County Hwy 283 S and the 393 lot at 1668 S County Hwy 393 are both in the county's paid parking program. Under the county's seasonal rates, October still counts as peak season:
- March through October: $5 an hour or $15 for the day
- November through February: $5 for all-day parking
Payment is required every day of the year, from 5 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. You pay when you arrive, by card at the kiosk or by scanning the QR code or using text-to-pay on the signs. Cash isn't accepted. You'll enter your license plate during payment, and the county asks you to make sure it's typed correctly. Paying doesn't reserve a space, and your spot may be gone if you leave and come back.
A full Saturday in October costs three times as much as the same Saturday in November. Even so, the resident pass beats both rates for anyone who qualifies.
The $8.50 pass and how to get one
Walton County residents can buy an annual parking pass for $5 plus a $3.50 convenience fee per vehicle. With the pass, you don't make the daily payment at designated county paid beach lots. At $8.50 per vehicle, one pass costs less than a single all-day October visit at $15. To apply:
- Start the application from the Annual Walton County Resident Parking Pass page on the Park Walton County passes page. The application runs through ParkLync.
- Upload one proof of Walton County residency. A valid driver's license, a current voter registration card or a valid homestead exemption card all qualify.
- Upload current registration for each vehicle. A household can register up to four vehicles at one address.
- Plan for approval to take up to 72 hours, and renew every year.
Once your ParkLync account is set up, you can update your license plates yourself in the system. That helps if you replace a car partway through the year. Because approval can take three days, apply before your beach day, not from the kiosk.
What's at the other end of the ride
The Grayton Express takes you to the newest regional beach access in the county. The Bets "Beachmama" Haynes Regional Beach Access opened June 9, 2026. Its 1,600 square feet of beachfront amenities include restrooms, a 360-degree observation deck, rinse showers, a boardwalk, a Beach Tram stop and an information station on the founding and history of Grayton Beach. WMBB reported it as Walton County's 11th Regional Beach Access and said many of its amenities are a first for the Grayton Beach community.
The name is part of local history. According to WMBB's coverage of the dedication, Haynes was a Grayton Beach resident who led the grassroots campaign that convinced the State of Florida to buy nearly 900 acres of coastal land in 1985. That purchase protected what is now Grayton Beach State Park from high-density development.
The lot is also worth knowing beyond the tram. Grayton Central cost $12.9 million and opened in July 2025. It has 204 parking spaces, with dedicated spots for ADA-accessible vehicles, electric cars, low-speed vehicles and bicycles. It connects to the multi-use path. 30A.com counts nine ADA-accessible spaces, seven LSV spaces and four EV charging stations, plus an air-conditioned lobby with restrooms. SoWal points out a boardwalk nature trail at the north end of the lot. It runs through a wetland bordering Grayton Beach State Park.
The walk you can add before or after the beach
A paid parking session stays useful after the beach because the village is close enough to walk. In its Grayton Central story, SoWal notes that dozens of shops, restaurants and offices sit across the street, and downtown Grayton is within walking distance. Here are the listed hours for some of those stops this fall:
- Black Bear Bread Co., 26 Logan Ln., Unit G, in the Shops of Grayton: daily, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Raw & Juicy, 85 DeFuniak St.: breakfast, lunch and light bites daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., plus pizza Thursday and Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. Hibiscus says Raw & Juicy now runs its on-site café.
- Chanticleer Eatery, 55 Clayton Ln., across the street from the lot. SoWal mentions its full bar, indoor and outdoor seating, and takeout for the beach.
- The Red Bar, 70 Hotz Ave., a short walk from the new access: lunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., drinks and appetizers 3 to 4:30 p.m., and dinner 4:30 to 10 p.m. every day.
- AJ's Grayton Beach, 63 DeFuniak St. Under its "Fall Hours 2026," it opens at 11 a.m. Thursday through Sunday and at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, and it's closed Monday and Tuesday.
- Borago, now back at its original Grayton location at 80 E County Hwy 30A: 5 to 9 p.m., six nights a week, closed Mondays.
- The Zoo Gallery, 89 Hotz Ave.: an art and gift shop.
One change to know about: 30A.com's August 2026 update says both Grayton Beer locations are closed, including the Brewpub on 30A, while the brewery prepares a new location in Freeport.
A fall calendar built around the lot
Because the Grayton Express runs so early and so late, you can fit Grayton's listed events for this quarter around a single parking session. Listings change, so check with the host before you go.
Thursdays are the busiest day. SoWal's calendar lists the Grayton Locals Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 8, 15 and 22. The Grayton Beach Wine Walk, hosted by Shacks Art and Grayton Corner Wine Shop, is listed on the third Thursday of each month from 5 to 7 p.m. That puts the remaining dates on Oct. 15, Nov. 19 and Dec. 17. The host's own event page wasn't loading during our research, so confirm before you go.
Wednesday through Saturday evenings, The Red Bar lists its jazz band from 5:30 to 9 p.m., with live DJs at 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The last Grayton Express leaves the lot at 9:40 p.m.
Second weekends bring the Locals Weekend at The Shard Shop, 26 Logan Ln., Cottage E. It's listed for Oct. 10, Nov. 14 and Dec. 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with 20% off classes for locals and snowbirds. The November and December dates fall under the $5 winter parking rate.
Sundays, AJ's lists Sunday Funday, with brunch and music at noon and The Picked Pickers at 5 p.m. The next date is Oct. 4.
On Monday, Oct. 5, 30A.com lists a Walton County Master Gardeners Plant Clinic in Grayton Beach from 9 a.m. to noon.
One more outdoor spot nearby is still under construction. Walton County says the Kellogg Park Nature Center at 855 E. Nursery Rd. in Santa Rosa Beach should be finished "late this fall." The plans include an 1,800-square-foot nature center building, ADA-accessible sidewalks, a picnic pavilion at the existing trailhead and three more pavilions along a trail network that links to Kellogg Bayside Park. Until it opens, there's the wetlands boardwalk at the north end of Grayton Central, right by the tram stop.
If you'd like help thinking through a home near Grayton's new beach access, or want to know how the tram and parking setup affects a rental near 283 and Hotz Avenue, Resort Real Estate Group can walk you through it. Contact our Sandestin team today.
