Seaside Florida looks like a glossy, over-produced version of a coastal village, bleached by the blazing sun and set on the sugar-white sands of the Gulf. It’s all whitewash and effortlessly chic high-end retail. But most importantly, it’s an easy bike ride from our home of the moment.

I’d like to say that I resisted it’s Stepford-esque charms, but after weeks on the road, I was feeling homesick for creature comforts. And if there’s one thing Seaside has an abundance of, it is comforts. Because it was designed that way.

Located between Panama City Beach and Destin, Seaside was one of the first examples in America of New Urbanism. It’s founder, Robert Davis sought to create a place where one could live, “a simple, beautiful life.” Now in his 80s, Davis quite literally owns the town and still asserts substantial influence. This we learn from Chris, our server at Bud & Alley’s Taco Bar. He’s lived here for most of his life and is a veritable fount of information.

Here’s a weird fact: the community has more than a dozen restaurants and eateries with absolutely no duplication. Davis has stipulated that there will be no competition—neither in menu items, nor among retail offerings. Apparently, no detail is too small to escape his attention. Legend has it that Davis personally dictated a change in the crab cake recipe at one establishment and forbid menu additions at another.

That seems a little creepy somehow, but it is hard to put a finger on why. And you can’t argue with the results. The town is lovely, the food great and the people were all friendly, authentic and had plenty of time to talk. I feel a little guilty, but I really enjoyed my time here.

Eat: Bud & Alley’s Taco Bar offers a limited but finely curated menu that’s a perfect blend of casual and conscious dining. We sat in the bar, which is tiny, bright and cheerful, but most everyone else opted to sit outside at one of the sunny courtyard tables. What can I say? We love sitting at bars and chatting up locals. This, it turned out, was a good place to do that.

Shop: Chris, our server at Bud & Alley’s, recommended the Saturday farmer’s market in the town center. And just like everything else in Seaside, it was lovely (and slightly more expensive than we are accustomed to). We try to buy local produce and goods as much as possible, and there was a nice variety on offer here. The fridge is now stocked.

Stay: We loved our 4 nights in site 22 at Grayton Beach State Park. We could bike, hike and kayak literally from our campsite which featured a view of white sand dunes across the estuary. Pretty sweet.