Looking for secluded beaches near Pensacola? Try these five spots
When we enter the heart of summer, finding a secluded or quiet spot at Pensacola Beach feels like a pipe dream.
Last year, Visit Pensacola recorded over 2 million visitors to Escambia County and many of those headed right to Pensacola Beach. Most Pensacola Beach tourists frequent the area’s hotspots, like Casino Beach, but there are still plenty of areas along Pensacola Beach where you can grab a less crowded spot and even more areas around Pensacola where you can soak up some sun along our famous sandy white beaches.
Here is where you can beach without the crowds. Mostly.
Fort Pickens
If you’re already on Pensacola Beach, heading westward to Fort Pickens is a great option. Fort Pickens is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and requires an entry fee to visit. You can find the prices below.
Once you’re in, you can do more than lounge around the beach, though that’s a good idea, too. You can explore the historic fort, which served as one of several Third System forts built along the U.S. coastline to protect important waterways in the early 1800s.
Fort Pickens also offers the perfect campgrounds for those wanting to enjoy a bit of nature, history and the beach. The campgrounds are part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and are located on Santa Rosa Island, south of Pensacola and Gulf Breeze.
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Site amenities include fire pits, picnic tables, a paved pad for parking, heated showers and restrooms. There are both electric and non-electric sites available, but RV campers should be aware of some size restrictions due to low limbs and bushes.
Entrance fees for all Gulf Island National Seashore areas are the same:
Per person (pedestrian, cyclist, etc.): $15
Motorcycle: $20
Vehicle: $25
Park annual pass: $45
For non-commercial groups:
Vehicles with a capacity of 15 or less: $25
Vehicles with a capacity of 16-25, ages 16 and older: $15 per person with a max fee of $45
Bus/motor coach with a capacity over $26, ages 16 and older: $15 per person, max fee of $100
Johnson Beach
Perdido Key Beach has some nice beach spots, too, but the main beach area can get crowded, too. Johnson Beach National Seashore is another option that requires you to pay that entry fee, but you can’t put a price on the tranquility offered by peace of mind.
Part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, Johnson Beach is a designated recreational area along the barrier island. You’ll find lifeguards, facilities and a parking lot that is ideal for water-based recreational activities and even some light hiking.
The park includes parking areas, seven accessible boardwalks, a pavilion and a half-mile bike and pedestrian trail. Please note that pets aren’t allowed.
Park East
Well beyond the restaurants, the bars, the iconic beach ball tower and even Portofino resides Pensacola’s own quiet, oceanfront oasis − Park East. There isn’t much to say about Park East, which is exactly why it’s on this list.
It’s a simple public beach access point well out of the way from the commotion of Casino Beach, where you can throw down a towel, pitch a beach umbrella and not have to worry about accidentally getting stepped on by someone struggling to navigate more crowded beaches.
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What’s also great about Park East is that it’s not simply out in the middle of nowhere. It has public restrooms, showers, over 100 parking spaces, a snorkeling reef, and if you have a pet you can easily walk to our designated dog beaches at lots 21.5 and 28.5.
Park East is located about 1.8 miles east of the Portofino Island Resort. This link will bring up the access point’s coordinates on Google Maps.
Navarre Beach
Before it was dubbed “Florida’s most relaxing place,” Navarre Beach in neighboring Santa Rosa County was known as “Florida’s best kept secret.” Regardless of which slogan you believe fits the most, both can be applied in equal parts as Navarre Beach is a quieter and more relaxing version of Pensacola Beach.
You won’t find the same options when it comes to restaurants and bars, but what you will find is miles of sugary-white beach and emerald-green water that stretch as far as you can see. While you can certainly enjoy a relaxing afternoon soaking up the sun, you can also kayak, paddleboard, snorkel, rent private tours and more.
Opal Beach
Last and certainly not least is Opal Beach, located almost smack-dab in between Pensacola and Navarre Beach. The Opal Beach Complex is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and sits along Highway 399.
This stretch of beach got its name in 1995 after Hurricane Opal flattened the dunes, essentially creating the beach. Amenities include public restrooms, drinking water, outdoor showers, picnic shelters and plenty of opportunity for fishing.
Like Fort Pickens and Johnson Beach, access to Opal Beach requires an entrance fee.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Beach too crowded? Try these secluded Pensacola area beaches
