The white sugar-sand beaches of Florida’s Panhandle are something to behold with their majestic, rolling dunes, sweeping views of the emerald-green Gulf waters, sailboats sliding past, and far out to sea, fishing trawlers reeling in the day’s catch.
Roughly 200 miles of mostly unspoiled beaches on the Gulf of Mexico run non-stop from St. George Island west to Perdido Key, the exception being the tourist center around Panama City, affectionately known as the “Redneck Riviera.”
In Gulf Islands National Seashore, which encompasses islands off Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, pitch your tent right on the beach, while seven state parks offer more developed campgrounds that can accommodate both RVs and tents. Some even have cabins. And there are a few private campgrounds, although expect to pay more than national and state parks.
From west to east, here is our guide to the best beach camping in Florida’s Panhandle:
Perdido Key at Gulf Islands National Seashore — Primitive camping
You can no longer backpack into the isolated east end of Perdido Key, but experienced kayak campers can still pitch their tents there.
A park ranger cautions this can be a harsh climate, so only experienced kayakers with a healthy respect for nature should consider it. A comfortable knowledge of rapidly changing weather patterns is a prerequisite.
There is no fee for camping, but there is an $20 per vehicle entrance fee, which is good for one week.
Driftwood is not abundant, so bring your own firewood (or Duraflame logs).
You still must register and obtain a free camping permit at the Perdido Key Entrance Station so park rangers know you’re out there in the dune-filled wilderness. Boaters do not need to register if they originated outside the park.
Be aware there is a section of beach that is clothing-optional, something to consider if you are taking children.
Florida Rambler guide to Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Big Lagoon State Park — Gateway to Perdido Key
This campground is not on the beach, but it’s close.
Big Lagoon State Park’s 75 sites are set in pinewood flats and accommodate both tents and RV’s. The beaches on the lagoon are just a short walk, and it is not much of a stretch to hike, bike or paddle over to Perdido Key and Gulf Islands National Seashore.
There are three full-service restrooms and a dump station in the campground. Pets are welcome.
All 75 sites include water and electric hookups, picnic table and fire ring, and the campground will accommodate RV’s up to 45 feet.
Hikers enjoy a mile-long boardwalk and a 3.5-mile-long nature trail for bird-watchers.
For more information, visit Big Lagoon State Park
Gulf Islands National Seashore, Fort Pickens Campground
This spectacular 200-site campground is on the west end of Santa Rosa island within the protected Gulf Islands National Seashore.
The campground is named after a historic fort found on the island’s westernmost point, built in the early 1800’s to protect Pensacola Bay. It was one of four forts that did not fall into Confederate hands during the Civil War.
You have to hike some to see the fort, but history buffs will love it.
All 200 Fort Pickens’ campsites have water, electricity, grills/fire rings, and picnic tables. The sites range in length from 16 ft for tent sites to 50 ft for larger RVs. Restrooms and dump stations are nearby.
Read More: Gulf Islands National Seashore
Henderson Beach State Park – Big dunes, white sand near Destin
The sugar-sand beach and convenient location near Destin shopping make this beachfront campground an attractive destination for RVers.
A nature trail winds through the rolling dunes. Surf fishing is popular, and the catch includes pompano, red fish, flounder, catfish, whiting and the occasional cobia.
The campground has 60 sites with a mix of back-in and pull-through sites. All sites have water and electric (some 50-amp), picnic tables, ground grills and clothesline posts.
Restrooms with showers have both heating and AC, a nod to this coast’s wide range of seasonal temperatures, and coin-operated washers and dryers are available. Pets are welcome, and maximum RV length is 45 feet.
Read More: One of Florida’s best beaches with camping
Topsail Hill State Preserve, Santa Rosa Island
While this state park’s campground is not directly on the beach, you can hike, bike or take a tram on the half-mile trail that takes you to 3.2 miles of secluded, white quartz sand.
The park has 13 miles of trails, including a nature trail through ancient dunes and coastal scrub communities that harbor a variety of birds and other wildlife.
There are 140 campsites in the RV campground and 20 tent sites in a separate loop. The park also offers one-bedroom bungalows and two-bedroom cabins for those who want to “rough it” in comfort.
RV sites have full hookups, including 30/50-amp electric, cable TV, sewer. Tent sites have only electric and water.
The campground features an unheated swimming pool, laundry facilities and shuffleboard courts. Bathrooms with showers are heated in winter and cooled in summer, and there is a campground store.
Read More: Topsail Hill Preserve: Towering dunes, perfect beach, rare lakes
Grayton Beach State Park – Beautiful beach
Grayton Beach State Park embraces one of the most beautiful beaches in the U.S., often ranked in the Top 10, a sugar-sand paradise that stretches for a mile along a peninsula between Destin and Seaside.
The 2,000-acre park features a 4.5 mile trail for hiking and biking, and there’s a boat ramp where you can launch your canoe or kayak for paddling Western Lake.
A new campground loop has added 24 new sites with water, 50-amp electric and sewer hookups, bringing the total number of sites to 52. Both camping loops have restrooms with hot showers, although the restrooms in the old loop are closed until the end of the year for renovations.
The park also has 30 two-bedroom, one-bath duplex cabins that accommodate up to six people each, so invite your friends to spend a week or a weekend when you’re here. Pets are welcome in the campground, and the maximum RV length is 40 feet.
Read More: Grayton Beach State Park: Camp, kayak and bike at America’s No. 1 beach
St. Andrews State Park – Beautiful beach, large campground
With its proximity to Panama City, in the heart of the Redneck Riviera, you can just imagine how crowded this beachfront park can get in summer.
But the rest of the year it is all yours to enjoy swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking and canoeing.
There are two fishing piers, a jetty and a boat ramp. Two nature trails offer opportunities for birding, especially in spring and fall.
The state park has 176 sites on two campground loops, each with water and electric, picnic tables and grills. Five restrooms with showers and a laundry facility are available in the campground. Pets are welcome at campsites, and the maximum RV length is 45 feet.
Read More: 10 best beaches in Florida based on a scientist’s ratings
St. George Island State Park – All beach, and lotsa oysters
One of my favorite state parks in the Panhandle, St. George Island State Park is on the east end of the barrier island that frames Apalachicola Bay, one of the most productive oyster beds in the world.
Miles of pristine, white-sand beaches await your for swimming, sunbathing, shelling and beach combing.
Two boat ramps on the bay side offer access for canoes, kayaks and small boats. And you are close enough to the commercial fishing port of Apalachicola to enjoy fresh fish, especially oysters, at any time of the year, although it’s generally not advised to eat raw oysters in summer.
Each of the 60 campsites has electric and water hookups with a dump station nearby. Six sites have concrete pads, and the rest are hard-pack sand. The campground is tucked behind rolling dunes, less than a quarter mile from the beach.
The campground has two restrooms with hot showers, and nature trails meander through nearby pine forests and coastal scrub. Pets are welcome in the campground, but not the sprawling beach, and the maximum RV length is 43 feet.
Fair warning: Exposed sites can get very hot in spring and summer!
Read More: Apalachicola & St. George Island: Delightful town; spectacular beach
St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, Cape San Blas – Best beaches!
Oh, my! These beaches are unbelievable, and they consistently rank among the best in the nation.
St. Joseph Peninsula State Park offers 10 miles of white-sand beach and some of the tallest sand dunes in the state.
You can launch your kayaks and canoes from the beach, or from the boat ramp on the bay side. There are three hiking trails, including the 6-mile Wilderness Preserve Trail that meanders through 1750 acres of an unspoiled coastal eco-system brimming with wildlife. Swim in the Gulf or the bay.
There are two campgrounds with a total of 119 sites, each with 30-amp electric, water, a picnic table and fire ring, and all are just a short walk to the beach.
The Shady Pines campground has more shade. Pets are welcome in the campground, but not on the beach or other day-use areas. Some sites can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet, but most are much smaller with individual limits. Eight cabins are available for $100 a night overlooking St. Joseph’s Bay.
For more information, visit St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
Bob Rountree is a beach bum and camper who has explored Florida for decades. Bob and his wife Kathy live in South Florida and roam the Sunshine State in their RV with kayaks and bicycles on board. A retired news editor for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Bob co-founded FloridaRambler.com with fellow journalist Bonnie Gross in 2010.
Joy
Sunday 6th of February 2022
I take my dog Elby to the dog park on the beach in Pensacola, he loves running through the waves! I am a responsible dog owner and btw you are welcome to those of you who forget their potti bags, I do pick up those land mines *^# along our way.