How Northwest Florida Beaches will turn you into a fun parent again

You don’t need to plan ahead for family adventure holidays in Northwest Florida Beaches. All you have to do is rediscover your spontaneity and plan to be a fun parent again.

Shelling at sunset, Gulf County family adventure holidays

Seems everyone is talking about family adventure holidays these days. But how many of us are taking it beyond dreaming and into doing? Don’t get us wrong, we’re not suggesting families aren’t adventurous, it’s more about finding the right adventure.

We’re talking about the type of outdoor adventures you always dream about having with your kids and which come naturally as breathing to Northwest Florida Beaches. These are experiences you don’t have to plan for months in advance. Sometimes you don’t even have to think an hour ahead, you can just decide and then do.

There are always paddleboards and kayaks for hire and expert guides to take you out on tours. Or, if you’re confident going it alone, you’ll find a local to give you advice about paddling trails, where to see wildlife, right down to where’s the best place on the river for a sandbar picnic.

Open for adventure holidays, Shell Island, St. Andrews State Park

Kick off your spontaneous adventure holidays with incredible state parks

A bit of a natural playground, Northwest Florida Beaches is home to 30 state or federal parks and preserves where flawless beaches and clear waters are a common theme. Take a look at our top three for starters.

Sail away for the day to idyllic Shell Island

We can practically guarantee your kids will never have seen anything like Shell Island in St. Andrews State Park.

Reached by ferry from Panama City Beach – or on a fun, self-sail lagoon pontoon – this seven-mile long island lies between the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrews Bay and there’s nothing here, apart from sun, sand, wildlife and birds. There’s also a high chance you’ll spot dolphins on the sail over.

Local hire companies in Panama City Beach can supply everything you need from snorkelling equipment to bikes, so it’s easy to come prepared. Then all you have to do is see where the day takes you.

Paddleboarding coastal dune lake, Grayton Beach

Add some natural wonder to your adventure holidays

Grayton Beach State Park is another natural wonder that you won’t believe is so easy to reach. Set between Destin and Panama City Beach, it’s famous for its coastal dune lake which is both spectacularly beautiful and very calm; good as made for paddleboarding or kayaking, or both if you feel energetic. On dry land, over four miles of hiking trails let you explore quite a bit of the 2,000 acre park: look out for the twisted trees sculpted by the Gulf Coast’s salt winds.

Then factor in some time for just lazing on the beach, swimming in the clear, green seas and soaking up the perfect peace.

The end of another lovely day, Gulf Islands National Seashore

Get to know the locals all along the Gulf Islands National Seashore

Pick any beach between Navarre Beach and Perdido Key in Pensacola and you’re on the Gulf Islands National Seashore. A national park that contains some of the loveliest beaches in Florida, you can do just about anything here from kayaking and paddleboarding to hiking and biking. Five species of sea turtle are at home in the protected waters, so bring your snorkelling kit.

Or better still, have it delivered. Local hire companies from Navarre to Pensacola will happily bring equipment to the beach of your choice. Proving, yet again, that adventures come easily in Northwest Florida Beaches.

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Navarre Beach fishing rodeo, Northwest Florida Beaches

Every day adventures and where to find them, every day

Remember we said you’d rediscover your spirit of spontaneity on Northwest Florida Beaches adventure holidays? Well, good as our word, we’ve handpicked some great examples of easy adventures that need next to no planning, come with heaps of local help and could restore you to full fun-parent mode in no time.

Paddleboarding, Pensacola

Pick up a paddleboard in Pensacola

The warm, clear Gulf Coast waters in Pensacola are perfect for paddleboarding, but once you get the bug, don’t limit yourself to the ocean.

Big Lagoon State Park is another paddleboard paradise, and just as exciting as it sounds, not least because it’s the start of Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Trail. Or rent a board (or a family of them) and take to the calm waters of Big Sabine Bay or Bayou Grand. Handily enough, hire companies are nearly as plentiful as places to paddle in Pensacola.

Fishing charter, Destin-Fort Walton Beach

Learn to fish on family adventure holidays

Fishing starts early in Northwest Florida Beaches, it’s a passion for life and one the locals love to share with families.

Never too young is a good rule of thumb for beginners, and one of the best places for kids to pick up the bug is on the serene Choctawhatchee River in Destin-Fort Walton Beach.

Charter companies here specialise in shorter runs (ideal for first timers) so you can go out for as little as two hours at a time. Also, you get to customise your charter, so have a chat with one of the local charter captains and just take it from there.

Offshore coral reef, South Walton

Go snorkelling with a dolphin in South Walton

It’s not unusual to spot dolphins offshore on Miramar Beach in South Walton. But this lovely stretch of sand goes one better, by having a coral reef planted in the shape of a dolphin offshore too. It’s about 185m from the beach – easy kayaking or paddleboarding distance – and an amazing adventure for young first time snorkellers.

If you like the dolphin, South Walton also has coral reefs in the shape of a turtle, a manatee, a seahorse and a cobia fish.

Wreck diving, Panama City Beach

Try a diving adventure in Panama City Beach

Who is Black Bart? Panama City Beach answers that question on thrilling guided dives. Although, we’re not giving too much away by telling you it’s a 56m long, oilfield supply vessel sunk offshore to create an artificial reef. It now rests upright in about 25m of water and divers can visit the intact wheelhouse, the deck and even the galley (complete with kitchen appliances, strange, but true).

Discover the magic of horse riding on the beach – beginners welcome!

Few beaches in the US allow horse riding, so it’s all the more precious to discover gorgeous Cape San Blas in Gulf County where not only can you ride on the beach, you can also do so with no experience.

Children and novices are welcome, and gentle, beginner-friendly horses let almost everyone enjoy this rare and magical experience.

Why beachside camping is the ultimate adventure in Franklin County

Franklin County is known as Florida’s forgotten coast, because of its lack of developed beaches, so no surprise to find Dr. Julian G. Bruce State Park here. Famous for its nine-mile stretch of untouched sands, this remarkable park also does a nice line in stunning sunsets and star-filled skies, both of which are best enjoyed from one of its campsites.

Camping beachside is an iconic childhood memory maker and there’s no limit to how much kids will love stargazing here after a day spent exploring the park’s wild nature trails and flourishing marshlands.

Come kayaking on Coldwater Creek and bring a picnic

Love to kayak or new to kayaking, you’ll be thrilled by Coldwater Creek in Navarre Beach. A 19 mile paddling trail here is easy going, with a number of mini-rapids to keep things interesting. If kids comment on the colour of the water, you can tell them it’s filled with tannins and that’s why it looks a little like tea.  Fed by natural springs, the creek also stays deliciously cool, even in high summer and you can stop off at sandbars along the trail, so bring a picnic.

Several local rental companies hire kayaks – double ones are a good idea with kids, as you can sit upfront doing most of the work. And if you’re unsure of going it alone, guided kayaking is a great way to learn about the creek as you paddle.

Wakulla Springs diving platform

Dive into one of the world’s largest freshwater springs in Wakulla County

Wakulla County in the far east of Northwest Florida Beaches is home to one of the largest freshwater springs in the world.

Simply called Wakulla Springs, the waters are brilliantly blue, clear and a cool 21°, even when the air temperature is much higher. Swimming is allowed – there’s even a diving platform – and the springs are surrounded by ancient cypress forest.

Unsurprisingly, they’re also a haven for wildlife, including manatees, so one of the best ways to explore them is on a riverboat tour where you can sit back, enjoy the ride and let a local answer your kids’ questions: there will be many.

St. Andrews State Park, North West Florida Beaches

The best time for adventure holidays in Northwest Florida Beaches

Northwest Florida Beaches is warm and sunny most of the year, with temperatures round about 35° in June, July and August. To really take advantage of the area’s outdoor adventures, spring or autumn are great times to visit. The water is warm, there’s plenty of sunshine and blue skies, but the heat is a little less intense than it is during summer.

Now visit Northwest Florida Beaches to start your adventure