Relaxing on the Beach at St. Andrews State Park, Florida

Take a weekend to recharge and relax on the beach at St. Andrews State Park in Florida. Located near Panama City, Florida, it offers emerald green waters and white sandy beaches. The perfect place to enjoy water sports, wildlife watching and of course camping.

Campsites

We were lucky to score a campsite at St. Andrews State Park over Memorial Day Weekend. This is a hard park to get into and we made our reservations almost a year in advance. Our campsite was small, but worked out well for us since our camper is on the small side as well.

These are well maintained sites with full hook-ups; electric, water and sewer. A picnic table, fire ring and grill are also provided. Bath Houses are conveniently located in the campground. There is a camp store that sells firewood or other items, but it does close at 5:00 pm, so keep that in mind.

There are water view sites available, but we loved our site because of the friendly neighbors that came to check on us and say hello.

The roads throughout the park and campground are paved, making bikes a great way to get around the park for campers. We didn’t remember to bring ours, so we drove to the beaches. There was plenty of parking available at the times we went.

Beach and Pier

Currently the “T” portion of pier is closed for repairs, but you can still walk out on the pier for some amazing views.

The beaches are beautiful and can get a bit crowded throughout the day. Claim your spot early and enjoy soaking up the sun.

Don’t forget the sunscreen, beach tent, beach towels and your snorkel gear. Check out my post on Camping Beach Gear to get an idea on what to pack.

Shell Island Shuttle

If you plan on taking the shuttle and ferry from the park to Shell Island, I highly recommend making a reservation online here. The shuttle leaves the pier on the hour to the docks, where the ferry will take you to Shell Island. It is about a 15 minute ride. The ferry departs from Shell Island at the bottom of the hour until 4:00, the final ride back to St. Andrews State Park.

This is a nature preserve and a great way to experience unspoiled beaches without buildings lining the coast. That also means no buildings are on the island. No restrooms, or a snack bar. You will want to plan accordingly.

It is a great location to snorkel, so bring your gear. We saw dolphins and schools of fish. But honestly not very many shells.

If you want an uncrowded beach with stunning views this is the beach for you.

Gator Lake

If you have the time, take a stroll around Gator Lake. Only my son saw an alligator, but they are there. Maybe you will be lucky to catch sight of one.

More Information

For more information visit St. Andrews State Park. To make a camping reservation at the park or any other Florida State Park visit their reservation page here. This is a popular state park so book early and check back frequently to grab your spot. Happy Camping!

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