Hi there!
So Langdon Beach is a part of Gulf Islands National Seashore.
It is one of the many spots where you can get gulf coast beach access in Florida.
You can also see the low-lying coastal dunes at Langdon Beach!
And it is just to SEE the dunes!
You don’t want to walk across the sand dunes in Gulf Islands National Seashore in an effort to preserve 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!
More specifically, Langdon Beach is a part of the Fort Pickens area of Gulf Islands National Seashore.
There are many different areas to the national seashore in Florida around Pensacola, Navarre Beach, and Destin, in completely separate areas that aren’t connected… like the Santa Rosa area and Perdido Key area. (There are also Gulf Islands National Seashore areas in Mississippi too!)
The Fort Pickens area is also the only Florida area in Gulf Islands National Seashore with a developed campground. That would be the Fort Pickens Campground.
👆 National Park Service map: The Fort Pickens Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore is located at the end of one of the Gulf Islands west of Pensacola Beach.
So the way it goes in the Fort Pickens area of Gulf Islands National Seashore is that there is one main beach.
And then there are a few other beach access spots you’ll find as you are driving through Gulf Islands National Seashore in the Fort Pickens area.
Langdon Beach is the main beach of the Fort Pickens area of Gulf Islands National Seashore.
This basically means that it has the basic conveniences of beach facilities.
Beach facilities at Langdon Beach
Most notably beach facilities means that there is a bathroom.
There are also basic outdoor beach showers at Langdon Beach so you can rinse off sand.
Fort Pickens beach pavilion in Gulf Islands National Seashore
Langdon Beach is also one of the day use areas in the Fort Pickens area.
As a day use area of Gulf Islands National Seashore, there are also many picnic tables at Langdon Beach so you can eat with views just a short walk from the parking lot!
Stop by a Publix grocery store on your way to Langdon Beach, and have a picnic along the coast at Gulf Islands National Seashore!
Depending on which route you take to get to Langon Beach, there is a Publix in Gulf Breeze FL (map) and Navarre FL (map).
Lifeguards at Langdon Beach
As per the National Park Service about Langdon Beach:
Lifeguards are on duty between May and September.
Outside of summer months, you can still go swimming at Langdon Beach if there is no lifeguard.
That is, if you can don’t think the water temperature is too cold!
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!
The boring safety message for swimming at Langdon Beach and any of the Florida gulf coast beaches!
The ocean 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 those beach flags!
As you approach the national park entry station for the Fort Pickens area of Gulf Islands National Seashore, you can look for the beach flag.
Cost to visit Langdon Beach
There is a national park entry station for the Fort Pickens area of Gulf Islands National Seashore.
This means that there is a cost to go to Langdon Beach, and Langdon Beach is not free.
So the cost to visit Langdon Beach is $25 per car.
This will get you a 7-day pass for Gulf Islands National Seashore, and it will be good for all areas of the national seashore park.
If you have an annual national park pass, then you can use that at Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Gulf Islands National Seashore beaches in Florida
Whether it’s for swimming, picnic, or VIEWS, for gulf coast beaches in Gulf Islands National Seashore, you will want to go to one of these 3 beach areas:
- Langdon Beach (Fort Pickens beach)
- Opal Beach (Santa Rosa beach)
- Johnson Beach (Perdido Key beach)
aka if you’re just driving through and want to stop somewhere so you can go to a “national seashore,” then navigate to one of these Gulf Islands National Seashore beaches!
More below about getting to Langdon Beach parking!
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Side note!
Here's some info on Florida trip prep!
- Things to do in the Florida Panhandle for VIEWS!
- Best beaches in the Florida Panhandle
- Best state parks in the Florida Panhandle
- Best campgrounds in the Florida Panhandle
- Driving from Florida Panhandle to Orlando
- Best Ocala National Forest springs
- Things to do in Southwest Florida
- Things to do in the Florida Keys
Save the Florida Panhandle video playlist to watch on youtube later!
Langdon Beach of Fort Pickens area in Gulf Islands National Seashore
My visit to Langdon Beach was in March 2022.
Your experience may vary!
Your experience with the views may especially vary if you go during the day when it’s sunny!
Getting to Langdon Beach parking
Langdon Beach is on google maps.
To get to Langdon Beach, you will drive through Pensacola Beach FL. Consider stopping at the Pensacola Beach pier!
Driving along, once you are near, you will see the entry sign for the Fort Pickens area of Gulf Islands National Seashore!
You will then pass through the Fort Pickens national park entry station.
And then you will continue driving with coastal dunes on both sides of you!
The ocean will also come into view at times too!
It will be a slow drive… to save the shore birds! (You don’t want to hit them!)
And as you continue to drive along, after around 10 minutes from the national park entry station, you will see a sign for Langdon Beach.
It will be a turn-off from the main road.
And this will take you to the Langdon Beach parking area!
Then after you park, you can head for the beach!
Beachcombing and shelling at Langdon Beach
I wasn’t looking very hard for shells, but I did come across some small shells and broken shells.
So you might try beachcombing at Langdon Beach!
As per the National Park Service about beachcombing and shelling in Gulf Islands National Seashore:
You may collect sea shells from the national seashore that do not have living creatures in them.
Langdon Beach to Fort Pickens
The Fort Pickens area of Gulf Island National Seashore is also where you can visit the fort called Fort Pickens, yes!
To get to the Fort Pickens historical site, you will just continue driving along the same road. It is one main road through the Fort Picks area, and the historical fort is at the very end of the road.
As you are driving to Fort Pickens, you will also pass by the road to the Fort Pickens Campground, the only regular campground on the Florida side of Gulf Islands National Seashore.
And that’s a bit about going to Langdon Beach in Florida!
More of Gulf Islands National Seashore in Florida:
More of the Florida gulf coast:
Also see: What to pack for Florida beach vacation
In addition to national seashores, there are also national lakeshores in the US, also managed by the National Park Service:
- National lakeshores with amazing views
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
HAPPY OCEAN VIEWING OR SWIMMING AT LANGDON BEACH!