Santa Rosa beach vs Rosemary vs any other suggestions

Both are very crowded during summer

Santa Rosa and more of the Destin area is mostly condos you can stay at and everything you need is pretty close by from restaurants and entertainment.

30 A area and Rosemary is a little more pricey and less condos more beach houses and things of that sort. Not as many restaurants but close enough to Destin area if you want to do both.

With school back in it might not be as bad but even through Labor Day it's crowded

Are you a go to the beach and do nothing but hang out on the beach person or go to the beach and play mini golf, shop, eat out, etc...person.

Nothing wrong with either approach but would probably guide which area to visit. If the latter, go to Santa Rosa, if the former Rosemary/30A area.

Well then yeah its a toss up.

My .02. With a 10 month old you are likely going to be hauling out a shite ton of stuff everyday to the beach and then bringing it back an hour later. I found it is easier to do that in Rosemary. Get a carriage house on the gulf side (assuming just you, spouse, and baby), this is a pretty good way to stay gulf side without having to rent a whole house. I find condos and elevators can be a real hassle with a newborn and all the attendant "stuff" (of course just an opinion, and there are counterarguments to that line of thinking). What I like about Rosemary also is you drive there, check in, go to the Publix 2-3 miles away, drive back, and then if you want you never have to drive again.

In Rosemary, you pretty much have a kids toy store, Cowgirl Kitchen outpost, a book shop, a coffee shop, and 5-7 restaurants of decent quality. Beach restaurant food is always less good than it should be for the price.