Welcome to Florida's Gulf Coast
White sand runs for miles along this stretch of Florida's Gulf Coast, but there's plenty to pull you off the beach too when visiting Navarre and Pensacola Beach. Connected by a gorgeous drive across Santa Rosa Island, these two beloved Florida destinations sit close enough to enjoy the best of both in a single trip, with even more to explore on the mainland in Navarre and Pensacola.
Below, we'll share the places we love to swim, eat, paddle, explore, and spend a rainy afternoon around Navarre and Pensacola Beach.
A Quick Hello From Us
At Gulf Coast Getaways, we offer a handpicked lineup of vacation rentals along Florida's Gulf Coast, and we've gotten to know this stretch of shoreline pretty well over time. Our destination blog is full of helpful posts, from beach day tips to where to grab the best craft beer and even a bit of local history.
Navarre Beach & Mainland Navarre
Beaches, Coastal Nature, Water and Outdoor Adventures
Navarre Beach Main Access
Start here for the classic Navarre Beach experience: powdery white quartz sand, emerald Gulf water, and convenient access to restrooms, showers, pavilions, beach rentals, restaurants, and the fishing pier. Come early on summer weekends and holidays when parking fills fastest.
Beach Access 33A
Prefer fewer people between your towel and the Gulf? Beach Access 33A is quieter than the busy pier area and offers vast stretches of open sand, dunes, and a more stripped-back beach day. Facilities are limited, though. Make sure to pack water, food, towels, and shade.
Sound Side Park
Families with small children should bookmark this one. Facing Santa Rosa Sound instead of the Gulf, the park has shallow, gentler water suited to wading, swimming, kayaking, and first attempts at paddleboarding. Stick around for sunset over the sound. It's truly beautiful!
Opal Beach
Part of Gulf Islands National Seashore, Opal Beach offers Santa Rosa Island at its wildest. We're talking about white dunes, sea oats, open Gulf, and almost no development. There are restrooms, showers, parking, and picnic pavilions at the main day-use area but no restaurants or shops. The $25 private-vehicle pass is valid for seven days across Gulf Islands National Seashore, including Fort Pickens.
Navarre Beach Fishing Pier
Stretching 1,545 feet into the Gulf, Navarre's pier is worth walking even if you have zero interest in fishing. Look into the water for dolphins, rays, sea turtles, and schools of fish, or rent a rod and join the anglers. Sunrises and sunsets are highly recommended.
Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center
Meet resident green sea turtle Sweet Pea and learn about the wildlife sharing this coastline. Exhibits cover sea turtles, local marine ecosystems, plastic pollution, and conservation.
Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary Reefs
You don't need a boat trip to snorkel around Navarre. The marine sanctuary includes three artificial reef sites, with one in the Gulf and two in Santa Rosa Sound. Confident swimmers should tackle the Gulf reef only in calm conditions. Beginners and families are better suited to the protected sound-side reefs.
Navarre Family Watersports & Glow Paddle
For an action-packed family day, this waterfront complex is Navarre's go-to. Rent a jet ski, pontoon, kayak, or paddleboard for daytime exploring, or send the kids onto the floating Wibit obstacle course. After sunset, Glow Paddle sends illuminated clear-bottom kayaks and paddleboards across the water for a different look at Santa Rosa Sound.
Navarre Dining, Bars, Sweet Treats
Beachside Waterfront Dining
- Andy D's: From breakfast to seafood baskets, pizza, and piña coladas, Andy D's has you covered throughout the day. There's often live music later in the day, best enjoyed with a drink and a Gulf view.
- Windjammers on the Pier: Located right beside Navarre Beach Fishing Pier, you couldn't get much closer to the action than at Windjammers. Order fish tacos, grouper, shrimp, and a cold drink, enjoy regular live music, and admire the Gulf views.
- Juana's Pagodas & Sailors' Grill: Grab a waterfront table for mahi sandwiches, frozen rum drinks, and sunset views across Santa Rosa Sound. At Juana's Pagodas, you can also join a beach volleyball match and listen to great live music performances that give this local hangout a more vibrant atmosphere.
- Beach House Social: For dinner overlooking the Gulf, head to Beach House Social, where the menu is packed with seafood dishes, steaks, and well-crafted cocktails. Their second-story balcony is perfect for golden hour.
Mainland Local Culinary Favorites & Sweet Treats
Drive to Navarre proper to enjoy more options. These are our favorite spots in town.
- Scooter's Fish House: No ceremony required here, just seriously good seafood. Try grouper, mahi, shrimp tacos, or the Original Scooter's Platter, and save space for Key lime pie. Go early to dodge the dinner line.
- Dewey Destin's Navarre: Order at the counter and grab a picnic table beside Santa Rosa Sound. Don't miss the Royal Red shrimp, smoked fish dip, or blackened local fish.
- Where Y'at Seafood Market & Restaurant: Louisiana comes to Navarre through gumbo, crawfish étouffée, jambalaya, and stuffed po'boys. The adjoining seafood market is handy if you want to stock your vacation-rental kitchen and cook with your crew.
- Bella Luna Italian Bistro: Craving Italian food? Head here for scratch-made pasta, pizza, seafood fettuccine, and its much-loved garlic rolls. Reservations are worth considering on weekends.
- Tommy's Snowballs: Cool down with finely shaved flavored ice. The local move is ordering yours "stuffed" with vanilla ice cream.
- Navarre Bakery & Creamery: A famous stop in Navarre for giant cinnamon rolls, donuts, croissants, and other scratch-made pastries.
Rainy Day Backups & Local Shopping (Navarre Area)
For rainy-day backups and shopping options, heading to Navarre mainland is a good bet. Here are some spots to keep an eye on:
Boutiques & Artisan Shops
- Saltwater Cottage: Shop coastal artwork, jewelry, books, candles, homeware, and souvenirs with a little more personality than the usual Florida T-shirt.
- A Special Place: Here you'll find pottery, paintings, woodwork, soaps, and jewelry by local makers.
- Pik-itz Art & Antiques: Hunt through vintage furniture, coastal objects, original artwork, and unpredictable antiques.
- Foxy Boutique & Fannie's Boutique: Stop here for swimwear, sundresses, beach cover-ups, sandals, and accessories.
Indoor Relaxation
- The Spa Navarre: Trade an afternoon in the sun for facials, beauty treatments, and a little vacation downtime.
- Navarre Beach Yoga Studio: Choose from hot and warm Vinyasa, aerial yoga, and other classes when your muscles need a break from paddling and swimming.
Pensacola Beach & Mainland Pensacola
Beaches, Landmark Attractions & Water Activities
Casino Beach
Pensacola Beach's main hub has the famous Beach Ball Water Tower, Gulf Pier, restaurants, showers, restrooms, and a broad sweep of white sand all within a compact area. The central location and plentiful facilities attracts a lof of families, first-time visitors, and anyone who likes having lunch, drinks, and beach essentials close at hand.
Pensacola Beach Boardwalk
Take an after-dinner lap around this sound-side cluster of shops, restaurants, bars, and entertainment overlooking QuietWater Beach. It is also home to The Shell amphitheater and several popular stops for ice cream and frozen drinks.
QuietWater Beach
Also called "Mom's Beach," this sound-side beach has shallow water and almost no Gulf surf. If you're traveling with kids, this is a great option. The Pensacola Beach Boardwalk sits directly behind it for lunch, ice cream, and shopping.
Park East
Drive roughly four miles east of Casino Beach for dunes, sea oats, fewer businesses, and more breathing room. You still get parking, restrooms, and showers, so this is wilderness-lite rather than full expedition.
Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier
Walk toward the end of the pier for expansive views back across Santa Rosa Island and keep watch for dolphins, rays, turtles, and other marine life below. Local anglers come for pompano, Spanish mackerel, cobia, redfish, and king mackerel. You can join them if you want.
Dog Beach East & Dog Beach West
Found at parking lot 28.5 toward the eastern side of the island, Dog Beach East is a designated stretch where leashed dogs can join the beach day. Through October 31, sea-turtle-season hours run from 7 a.m. to sunset.
To find Dog Beach West, head toward Fort Pickens Road and parking lot 21.5. Leashes are mandatory, and early morning is especially pleasant for cooler sand and fewer people.
Fort Pickens
Completed in 1834, this huge brick fortress once guarded the entrance to Pensacola Bay and remained under Union control during the Civil War. Explore tunnels, arches, batteries, and surrounding trails inside Gulf Islands National Seashore. Bring a flashlight for darker sections and reuse your national-seashore vehicle pass if you already visited Opal Beach.
Laguna's Adventure Park
The little ones will have a blast here with climbing walls, zip rails, a ropes course, and splash areas. There's also a waterfront tiki deck serving food and drinks, plus sports screens for the adults.
Dolphin & Sightseeing Charters
Several Pensacola Beach operators run dolphin cruises through Santa Rosa Sound and Pensacola Bay, generally lasting around 90 minutes to two hours. Sunset departures are highly recommended. Even when the dolphins decide not to perform on cue, the views are worth the trip. Chase-N-Fins, Frisky Mermaid Dolphin Tours, and Jolly Sailing & Adventures are some of the top-rated operators in Pensacola Beach.
Dining & Nightlife
Island Dining & Beach Bars
- Peg Leg Pete's: Pensacola Beach go-to spot for oysters, grouper, big seafood platters, live music, and an unpretentious atmosphere. Expect waits at prime dinner time, but the wait is worth it.
- The Grand Marlin: Dress things up slightly for Grouper Piccata, oysters, seafood, cocktails, and sunset views across Santa Rosa Sound. Make sure to reserve ahead for dinner.
- Flounders Chowder House: Big portions, seafood chowder, tropical drinks, live music, volleyball, and a sandy backyard where families like to hangout after dinner.
- Crabs We Got 'Em: At this Casino Beach restaurant, make sure to grab a deck table for fresh seafood, frozen drinks, a sea breeze, and Gulf views.
- Red Fish Blue Fish: This trendy restaurant features cool shipping-container architecture surrounding a large sound-side yard with fire pits, games, cocktails, sunset views, and, of course, stellar seafood dishes.
- Native Cafe: One of the island's go-to breakfast spots for Crab Cakes Benedict, seafood omelets, French toast, and strong coffee.
Beach Bars & Nightlife
- Paradise Bar & Grill: Enjoy live blues and rock paired with waterfront seating, po'boys, and a proper Bushwacker.
- The Reef: For casual beach-bar energy without much fuss, add The Reef to your itinerary. It serves delicious smash burgers, wings, and cold drinks.
- Sandshaker Lounge: You can't leave Pensacola Beach without visiting this historic haunt, which has been serving its famous frozen Bushwacker since 1977. Their live music lineup is super fun, and the old-school beach-bar energy is on point.
Downtown Pensacola & Mainland Eats
- McGuire's Irish Pub: Step inside a former firehouse covered with more than a million signed dollar bills. At McGuire's, the menu is filled with steaks, Irish comfort food, and house-brewed beer. Don't miss the famous 18-cent Senate Bean Soup.
- Joe Patti's Seafood Market: Staying somewhere with a kitchen? Shop Gulf shrimp, oysters, grouper, snapper, and seasonal catches, or have seafood steamed on site.
- The Oar House: The Oar House serves up amazing fish tacos, seafood baskets, burgers, and beers. Beyond the food, the fun gets even better with lawn games and marina views beside Bayou Chico.
- Scenic 90 Cafe: Go retro at Scenic 90 Cafe with all-day breakfast, pancakes, biscuits, steak and eggs, burgers, and classic American diner plates.
Rainy Day & Cultural Attractions (Pensacola Mainland)
- National Naval Aviation Museum: Explore more than 150 restored aircraft tracing the history of U.S. naval aviation, from early flying machines to fighter jets and spacecraft. Admission is free; check current NAS Pensacola identification requirements before visiting.
- Pensacola Lighthouse & Maritime Museum: Climb 177 steps to the top of the 1859 lighthouse for views across Pensacola Bay, and explore maritime exhibits in the keeper's quarters.
- Blue Angels Flight Viewing: NAS Pensacola is home base for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, and catching a practice flight is quite a Pensacola experience. Public practices generally take place on selected Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from late March through October, starting around 10:30 a.m. and lasting about 45 minutes. Dates change each year, so check the official schedule before heading to the National Naval Aviation Museum.
- Historic Pensacola Village & Museums: More than 30 historic properties introduce over four centuries of Pensacola history through museums, preserved homes, archaeology, and guided tours.
- Seville Quarter: Seven entertainment spaces fill this downtown institution, including Rosie O'Grady's dueling-piano room, karaoke, dancing, bars, and an outdoor courtyard.
- Kidz Empire at Cordova Mall: Slides, climbing structures, tunnels, ball pits, and toddler zones offer younger children somewhere to burn energy indoors.
Day Trips & Travel Tips
Nearby Day Trips
- Gulf Breeze Zoo: Located between Navarre and Pensacola, this 50-acre wildlife park has hundreds of animals, a safari train, and giraffe feeding.
- Air Force Armament Museum: Head east to Fort Walton Beach for a free collection of military aircraft, missiles, bombs, and aviation exhibits near Eglin Air Force Base.
Travel Tips
- Route 399 Coastal Drive: Don't rush the road between the two beach towns. The route crosses Gulf Islands National Seashore, with protected dunes, white sand, and water replacing the usual roadside development.
- Opal Beach & Fort Pickens: The $25 Gulf Islands National Seashore private-vehicle pass lasts seven days, so hang onto it if you plan to visit both areas.
- Beach Flag System: Check the flags before heading into the Gulf. Conditions shift, and red or double-red flags indicate dangerous or prohibited water access.
Ready, Set, Gulf Coast
Now that you're covered with the best local tips, it's time to plan the next steps for an epic Gulf Coast vacation.
Make the most of your trip with a stay through Gulf Coast Getaways. From spacious beachfront homes to modern condos just steps from the sand, our vacation rentals give you your own easygoing base by the water. With thoughtful service and local know-how, we'll help turn your Florida getaway into a relaxed, memorable Gulf Coast experience.
