6 Gorgeous Beaches To Visit On Florida’s Panhandle

If you head east from the Florida condition line around Pensacola, on the scenic routes of U.S. 98 and Condition Street 30A, you will come upon some of the most attractive shorelines in the place, if not the world. 

Situated just a minor additional than 100 miles in the Florida Panhandle is the space known as the Emerald Coast. When you gaze at the miles and miles of the Gulf of Mexico’s blue-eco-friendly waters washing the white sandy shoreline, you promptly see how the area acquired its nickname.

The bleached gypsum that kinds the glistening bone-white sand is discovered all alongside the Emerald Coastline. The sand truly has its origins in the mountains of Appalachia, and feeds the beaches by using inland rivers meandering to the sea. The seashores you see today commenced forming in the course of the melt off from the very last ice age additional than 12,000 yrs in the past. As the glaciers melted, sea amounts about the world started to increase and the coastline in this article expert a extraordinary modify. Most notably, the coastline receded as considerably as 80 miles farther inland than it was in the course of the Pleistocene period Ice Age.

Make The Drive Together A Florida Scenic Highway

Our Florida panhandle street journey started with dawn at Pensacola Beach. The cool early morning breeze off the gulf mandated prolonged sleeves. But before long the sunshine mirrored off the close by pier and introduced a definite warmth to the working day. 

Pensacola Seashore is portion of the Gulf Islands Countrywide Seashore, which essentially begins in Mississippi. It will get interrupted in Alabama, and then stretches about 80 miles alongside the Panhandle. 

Driving alongside the pristine seashores is a preference involving U.S. 98 or Point out Street 30A. Wherever you have the alternative, 30A in fact gets you correct along the h2o and is the ideal scenic route, whereas 98 can take you inland in some spots. 

Navarre Beach Pier.
Fred Mays

Navarre Beach

The coastal freeway, which is selected a Florida Scenic Highway, affords beach access factors and picnic shelters every several miles. Soon after Pensacola Seashore, the very first seashore town you arrive to is Navarre Beach front, lined with condos and a signature pier jutting out into the Gulf of Mexico.

At Navarre Beach front, you have to cross the causeway to the mainland and decide on up U.S. 98 in get to arrive at the subsequent seashore town, Fort Walton Seashore. There is a channel out to the gulf at Fort Walton, and the area delivers a variety of deep sea fishing charters. This part of the coastline is strongly affected by Eglin Air Pressure Foundation on the mainland. Warplanes and helicopters are widespread sights along this expanse of the coastline. There is an Air Power Armament Museum that includes aircraft dating from Entire world War I to the current that is worth a look-see.

Henderson Beach State Park

Next in line is the town of Destin, a tourism magnet for midwesterners looking for gentle sand and heat waters. Having out on the water in a boat or on jet skis is a key attraction in Destin. Hundreds of smaller craft fall anchor in the shallows of Destin Bay, day-to-day forming a modest flotilla of boat dwellers in the pristine waters. No boat, no dilemma! Boat and jet ski rentals are accessible. Spots like Blue Crab Water Athletics and Destin Family vacation Boat Rentals can repair you up with pontoon boats and jet skis. 

Continuing east on U.S. 98 brings you to the prepared group of Seaside. This location is not normally accessible to outsiders, except you are renting a home in the city. Seaside was the location of the motion picture The Truman Present starring Jim Carey, in which each and every resident was an actor and the total town was a huge soundstage. The 1998 film garnered three Oscar nominations and place the town on the map. Art stores and galleries are also observed together this extend of freeway. 

Grayton State Park, Florida.
Fred Mays

Grayton Seashore Condition Park

A single of my favorite stops in this place is Grayton Seashore Condition Park. This is a modest park, with a strolling path powering the dunes, a kayak path in the back waters, an RV campground, and of training course, a wonderful seashore. Parking is limited, and when all spaces are taken, the park gate is shut. Heading early is advised, and all over mid-afternoon the park will reopen as parking spaces turn out to be offered.

While you wait around for the gates to reopen, consider a lunch end at Crackings, just west of the state park. It specializes in omelettes for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, and has loads of shaded, outside dining. Following having, check out out a number of art galleries and stores nestled in the identical location. 

Panama City Beach, Florida
Fred Mays

Panama Metropolis Seaside

Further more east, most people knows about fabled Panama City Seashore, the spring break haven for university learners who pack the shorelines, beachside accommodations and condos, bars and restaurants each March. The finest time to check out is April and May well. It’s significantly less crowded and off-year rates are commonplace. Targeted traffic picks up once more in the summertime, and beach locations are pretty crowded until eventually Labor Day. Slide is another great time to stop by, when temperatures drop a little and you have off-time costs return.

New construction in Mexico Beach, Florida
New building in Mexico Beach, Florida (Photograph Credit history: Fred Mays)

Mexico Seashore

East of Panama City you go as a result of Tyndall Air Pressure Base and occur upon rejuvenated Mexico Seaside. This town was literally flatted by Hurricane Michael in 2018, with only a handful of structures left standing. These days it is on the comeback trail. Building is everywhere … new properties, condos, compact enterprises. On the east facet of city is a very long community beach park, where the shoreline is embraced by the emerald seas of the Gulf of Mexico. With design underway, there are even now constrained lodge rooms and condos for lease, but if you can come across a spot, this is an suitable location for a quiet seashore getaway.

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park

The last cease on a tour of Panhandle beach locations is my own beloved of all Florida seashores … St. Joseph Peninsula Condition Park. It has huge, pure white seashores and towering sand dunes. Unfortunately Hurricane Michael caused considerable damage to the campground and cabins, which are still less than repair. There is restricted beach obtain, and a place to start boats and kayaks on the bayside of the peninsula. The park is not expected to entirely reopen until finally 2022.

The scenic travel together Florida’s panhandle is rated just one of the most effective in the place. The elegance of these beach locations is often overshadowed by publicity specified to beach locations even further down Florida’s coasts, but Emerald Coast seashores are unmatched 

Finest Inns Together The Emerald Coastline

I divided my Panhandle journey into two times, starting up with sunrise at Pensacola Seaside. You can catch a fantastic night’s snooze at numerous hotels that line the seaside, together with the Hilton, a Hampton Inn, and the laid back again Margaritaville Lodge

We stopped for the evening at Panama Metropolis Beach front. Hotels here are dear, and I opted not to get a area on the seaside. Beachside accommodations contain the Hampton Inn, Spring Hill Suites, a Sheraton, and a more price range-minded LaQuinta

Just a be aware of warning: Resort price ranges wherever together the seaside can double or even triple on weekends, regardless of the year. 

View on Wakulla River at Wakulla Springs State Park, Florida.
Wakulla Springs Point out Park, Florida (Photo Credit rating: Fred Mays)

Very best Restaurants Along The Emerald Coast

The Native Cafe on Pensacola Beach serves a good breakfast. For a seafood meal, try out Peg Leg Pete’s. At Panama Town Seashore consider Pineapple Willy’s for a typical Florida beach front-meals dinner (can you say fried shrimp, make sure you!). You can even get your pet if you want to dine outside on the pier. 

No excursion to north Florida is finish devoid of a quit at The Lodge at Wakulla Springs Condition Park, south of Tallahassee. This lodge is approximately 100 a long time aged, has relaxed rooms and stately grounds, with loads of oak trees and the major freshwater spring in Florida. Go swimming in the spring, and just take the a person hour boat excursion alongside the stunning Wakulla River, where a lot of Hollywood movies ended up shot a long time back. Cypress trees together the river are as much as 600 years previous. The spring is a excellent position to snorkel or scuba, with crystal apparent water and accessibility to a submerged cave community.

The Lodge has a total service restaurant. Progress reservations at The Lodge are needed, specifically on weekends.

Footprints in Florida sand
Fred Mays

Pro Ideas

I have traveled all over Florida and visited seashore cities all over the condition. There are fantastic shorelines everywhere, but in my view, none are superior than those people you locate in north Florida along the Emerald Coast. The sand is smooth and amazing on your toes the dunes are large and attractive, and the h2o is thoroughly clean and apparent. The shoreline is considerably less lined with large-rise condos and motels than you usually find in the metro locations along the lower Florida peninsula. 

The Gulf of Mexico is normally calmer, with light-weight surf, except when a storm develops offshore. It really should be noted the Florida Panhandle is additional susceptible to hurricane and tropical storm strikes than other places of the state, except, potentially, the Florida Keys. Bear that in intellect when scheduling drop visits, and travel insurance coverage is a very good thought in the course of hurricane period.

The most effective time to go to listed here is late spring and early drop. My recommendation is April and May perhaps, then involving Labor Day and Veterans Day. In the course of the winter, quite a few north Florida seashores can actually get too cold and windy for seaside pleasurable. In summer time, the beach locations are commonly overcrowded with travellers and locals.