Duckies Shop of Fun

Duckies Shop of Fun anchors a corner of Central Square, Seaside’s original town green, as the toy store and kids’ gift shop that families end up ducking into at least once during a 30A vacation. It belongs to the I Shop 30A family of stores, the small local retail group that also runs Mercantile a few doors away in Seaside, along with Disco and Harbor in neighboring Rosemary Beach. That shared ownership gives Duckies the buying reach of a larger operation while keeping the personality of a shop built purely around delighting kids, and the adults who can’t resist joining in. Seaside itself was one of the first New Urbanist towns built in America, and Central Square was designed from the start as the kind of place families would circle back to more than once a day, which is exactly the role Duckies plays.

Seaside’s own visitor guide describes Duckies as a “whimsical store” that “delights kids and the young at heart,” and that description holds up the moment you step inside. Wooden tables and open shelving display toys and games at kid height, while racks of children’s clothing, dress up costumes, and baby gifts fill out the rest of the compact floor plan. The shop also stocks books, beach ready gifts, and small souvenirs, giving families an easy stop for a last minute present or a quiet the kids toy before the walk back to the beach.

True to its name, Duckies keeps a dedicated rubber duck section, a category the shop lists right alongside toys, baby gifts, dress up wear, and its own line of Duckies branded apparel. Look for surf and beach themed youth and adult tees printed with duck graphics, a nod to both the shop’s mascot and Seaside’s beach culture. The rubber ducks themselves range from simple classic yellow to novelty styles, and they have become something of a collectible for families who make an annual trip back to Seaside and like to grow the flock year after year. Staff regularly restock the bins with new duck characters tied to holidays and seasons, so the selection looks a little different depending on when you visit, which keeps the display fresh for families who stop in more than once during a single trip.

Duckies keeps generous hours for a small town shop, opening daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., with Sundays trimmed to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Find it at 45 Central Square in Santa Rosa Beach, an easy walk from the Seaside amphitheater, the Airstream food trucks, and the rest of Central Square’s shops and restaurants. The store can be reached at 850.231.4800, and its inventory, along with that of its sister I Shop 30A locations, is browsable online at ishop30a.com.

For families staying anywhere along 30A, Duckies is worth building into a Seaside afternoon specifically because it solves a real vacation problem, keeping kids entertained without a big production. A stop here after ice cream at Central Square or before a sunset walk to the beach almost always ends with a new toy, a duck themed tee, or at minimum a handful of rubber ducks added to the beach bag. It’s a small shop, but it plays an outsized role in making a family trip to Seaside feel complete, and its Central Square location means it fits naturally into whatever else is already on the day’s agenda. Because it sits inside Central Square rather than off on its own, Duckies also benefits from the steady foot traffic generated by Seaside’s amphitheater events and food truck lineup, so it rarely feels like a special trip is required just to pop in.