5 must-see beaches from Destin Florida (views!) 🌞 day trip, swimming, picnic + camping 🌞 Florida Panhandle vacation travel tips

Hi there!

So Destin FL is one of the main Florida Panhandle beach towns along the Gulf Coast.

Destin is known as one of the best beach destinations in Florida.

And you have a number of beaches to choose from in the Destin area!

I spent some time in the Florida Panhandle, including an overnight stay in Destin, and here’s what you need to know!

 

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Here are the beaches you must consider visiting during your stay in Destin!

 

 

 

1. Norriego Point

 

There’s a bit of a walk from the parking lot (more if you want to go further!) and there’s limited (paid) parking at Norriego Point Park.

Because of these things (probably!) you’ll find less people at Norriego Point. (Read the Norriego Point reviews.)

Or, the beach at Norriego Point is also something to enjoy the views from above! (Paid parking and walk also required!)

There is a bridge that connects Destin and Okaloosa Island. (map)

 

👆 Driving across the Marler Bridge to Destin from Okaloosa Island. (map) You can see the Destin Harbor.

 

Like many causeways and bridges in Florida, you can walk across the bridge between Destin and Okaloosa Island.

Walk on the south side of the bridge (the Destin Harborwalk side), and you can get views of Norriego Point from above!

Once you are near the Destin Harborwalk Village, you will see signs for parking. There is parking around for $5-10.

 

 

Walk on the other side of the bridge, and you can get views of Crab Island.

Crab Island is one of the most popular spots in Destin in the summer. (video)

 

Explore the map.

 

 

🌞

 

 

 

2. Henderson Beach State Park

 

There are a few Florida state parks with beaches along the gulf coast of the Florida Panhandle.

Henderson Beach State Park is THE beach state park of Destin!

You’ll get the conveniences and beach facilities of a Florida state park with a Destin beach trip to Henderson Beach State Park.

You can head to Henderson Beach State Park for swimming, a picnic spot, or just the views!

 

 

If you are looking for camping in Destin, then there is the Henderson Beach State Park campground.

 

 

There’s a trail from the campground to the beach in a separate area from the beach parking lots, so it’s like a private camper’s beach for you and your fellow campers!

Florida state park camping reservations are made through the official Florida state park camping reservation website.

 

 

Destin Harbor to Henderson Beach State Park

Explore the map.

 

See more for your Destin beach trip:

• Henderson Beach State Park
• Camping in Henderson Beach State Park
• Best camping in the Florida Panhandle

 

 

3. Grayton Beach State Park

 

Grayton Beach State Park is another one of the Florida state parks near Destin with beach access.

So once again, you’ll get the conveniences of beach facilities here.

Grayton Beach is considered a 30A beach, as it’s located off of the Florida 30A Highway.

Grayton Beach State Park is one of the best beaches in Florida.

It was previously named the #1 best beach in America by Dr. Beach.

 

 

Grayton Beach State Park is one of the Florida state parks with cabins.

And, if you stay at a Grayton Beach State Park cabin, you’ll be in a separate (gated!) area of Grayton Beach and you will have private beach access shared only with your fellow cabin campers!

 

Destin to Grayton Beach State Park (Destin to 30A beaches)

Explore the map.

 

Destin to Grayton Beach State Park is around a 40 minute drive towards Panama City Beach.

For another 30A beach if you can manage to find parking (aka go early if it’s a good weather day!) is Blue Mountain Beach.

If you have plans to drive towards Panama City Beach afterwards, then you might want to continue driving along 30A through Alys Beach!

 

See more for your Destin beach trip:

• Grayton Beach State Park
• Snorkeling in Grayton Beach State Park
• Camping in Grayton Beach State Park

 

See more Florida state parks with beaches near Destin: Best state parks in the Florida Panhandle

 

 

4. Navarre Beach

 

Navarre Beach calls itself the most relaxing place in Florida.

When you’re in Destin, head to Navarre Beach to see if it’s true?!

 

 

The way it goes for Navarre Beach is that there is one main beach and then smaller beach access spots.

The main beach is at the Navarre Beach fishing pier. This is where you’ll find beach facilities.

As for the Navarre Beach pier, you can walk out onto that for a fee of $1 per person. See current fees.

So first, go for a walk on the Navarre Beach pier so you can see Navarre Beach from above.

You might even see dolphins from the Navarre Beach pier!

 

 

And then head down to sea level to take in the water up close and personal!

 

 

Also at the Navarre Beach pier is Windjammers on the Pier (menu / reviews), a waterfront restaurant with open-air dining aka a restaurant to eat with VIEWS! 

 

 

And then aside from the main beach at the Navarre Beach pier, you can continue driving down the road and you will find a number of small public beach parking lots with a path to the beach.

 

 

You might try looking for shells at Navarre Beach!

 

 

Destin to Navarre Beach

Explore the map.

 

Destin to Navarre Beach is around a 40 minute drive towards Pensacola.

 

See more for your Destin beach trip:

• Navarre Beach
• Navarre Beach shelling
• Dolphins at Navarre Beach

 

 

5. Opal Beach, Gulf Islands National Seashore

 

A national seashore is a type of national park, managed by the National Park Service.

And while you are in Destin, you make a beach trip to Gulf Islands National Seashore!

Opal Beach is in the Santa Rosa area of the national seashore. (There are other national seashore areas with gulf coast beach access too.)

 

 

There is a national park entry fee of $25 to go to Opal Beach, where you will find the conveniences of beach facilities.

If you have an annual national park pass, then that will be good for Gulf Islands National Seashore too.

Otherwise, you can also drive through the Santa Rosa area of Gulf Islands National Seashore without passing through a national park entry station (aka without paying anything), and you will also come across some (free!) beach parking spots from which you can walk out onto the beach.

You just won’t have the beach facilities at these other beach parking spots.

 

 

 

 

Destin to Gulf Islands National Seashore on Santa Rosa Island

Explore the map.

 

Destin to Opal Beach is around a 45 minute drive towards Pensacola.

 

See more for your Destin beach trip:

• Opal Beach
• More Gulf Islands National Seashore beaches

 

 

Can you swim at beaches in Destin?

Yes, it’s possible to go swimming at beaches around Destin!

That is, if you can don’t think the water temperature is too cold for swimming!

In the winter, spring, and fall, the highest water temperature you will encounter will probably be in the low 60s… mid 60s if you’re lucky! 🥶

For many people, this is too cold for swimming.

But there will almost always be a few people swimming along Florida’s gulf coast even in these temperatures!

I was at another Florida Panhandle beach and there were people who had just come out of the water when the air temperature was in the 40s!!! 🥶🥶🥶

Yes that’s another thing about Destin.

In the cold weather months, you never know what type of weather you’ll get in Destin! You can get great weather with 70s and sunny, or you can get 40s and cloudy!

 

 

The boring safety message about swimming at Destin beaches!

 

In short, take care!

 

 

Swimming in Destin CAN be generally safe… IF the water is calm!

The ocean is powerful! The Gulf of Mexico is powerful!

Rip currents exist! Know before you go!

 

 

Take care out there!

Look for the beach flag warnings… and take extra caution based on the color of those beach flags!

You will see a green flag, yellow flag, or red flag.

 

 

And even if there is a beach flag indicating “calm conditions” meaning it’s relatively safe for swimming in Destin, it’s still the ocean, so take care!

 

 

Destin dunes

And, at a few of these beaches you can also see coastal dunes!

 

 

And it is just to SEE the dunes!

You don’t want to walk across the sand dunes in an effort to preserve them.

 

 

There may also be some nesting shore birds in the dunes… and on the beach too. So take care not to disturb them!

Dune grass is said to be fragile and an important part of the coastal ecosystem so take care not to step on any no matter where you are!

 

 

Map of Destin

👆 Map of where Destin is located in Florida. Explore the map. Explore more things to do in the Florida Panhandle!

 

And those are some ideas for making it a Destin beach trip!

 

More for your Florida road trip:

• Driving from Destin to Tallahassee with nature stops
• Driving from Destin to Orlando with nature stops

 

HAPPY VISIT TO A DESTIN BEACH IN FLORIDA!