Florida Panhandle Beaches: Pensacola Area - Pensacola FL Beach Vacation

Preview: Santa Rosa Island is the longest barrier island in the Panhandle, stretching for 40 miles from Fort Walton beach to Pensacola. Most of the eastern half belongs to Eglin Air Force Base, with a short interruption of festive public beaches below the inland city of Fort Walton Beach. The fantastically long Okaloosa Island Pier is one of the hubs that activity revolves around. While the 3.5 miles of Eglin property on the eastern tip of Santa Rosa—between the Fort Walton beaches and Destin Pass—are open to the public, the 15 miles west of western beaches are not. The people assigned to Eglin live within a virtual paradise of recreational opportunity, but are usually too busy protecting our nation to utilize it. The rest of us can go many places in the interior of the huge Eglin base with a recreational permit, but not the western beaches. Where the off-limits Eglin property comes to an end, the town of Navarre and its beachfront pop up. It’s an unassuming little town that is the only spot of coastal development in the middle of Santa Rosa Island. The only controversy that Navarre has experienced in recent times revolves around the tradition of nudists using the secluded area of beach adjacent to Eglin. The Gulf Islands National Seashore returns the coast to its original wilderness state, uninterrupted until the town of Pensacola Beach. This community takes up 8 miles of the island, and provides an outlet for the city of Pensacola. There are restaurants, bars, and hotels packed along here, and busy beaches full of young people, suntan lotion, and socializing. Throughout the year there are Mardi Gras celebrations, a triathlon, wine tastings, a summer music series, boat racing, and the annual Blue Angel air show in July featuring the navy’s precision flying team. At the western tip of Santa Rosa, the national seashore resumes and encompasses the Fort Pickens area, which is part of the rich naval history of Pensacola. Across Pensacola Pass is the lovely barrier island of Perdido Key, which is accessed via a detour inland through Pensacola. This chapter includes detailed descriptions of these beaches: Eglin Air Force Base, Beasley/Brackin Wayside Parks—Okaloosa Island Pier, Navarre Beach, Opal Beach—Gulf Islands National Seashore, Casino Beach, Fort Pickens Gate and East Park, Langdon Beach/Fort Pickens—Gulf Islands National Seashore, Johnson Beach—Gulf Islands National Seashore, and Perdido Key State Park.
© Copyright George Hurchalla published by Falcon Publishing all rights reserved.


Best Time to Go: Year-round
This travel guide comes from:
Exploring Florida's Gulf Coast Beaches Guide Book