Florida’s Navarre Beach is a Naturalist’s Paradise

Situated between two Florida hotspots — Pensacola and Destin — lies a more natural coastal getaway. Navarre Beach sits nestled around the Santa Rosa Sound with a quick bridge crossing to Santa Rosa Island with both public beaches and the Gulf Island National Seashore, a protected natural coastline. It’s the best of both worlds. Great dining, attractions and accommodations are to be had in Navarre Beach but alongside there’s a naturalist’s paradise for those who wish to escape the crowds and see wildlife in their natural habitats. For more information, visit getrelaxing.com.

Do

Santa Rosa County gets folks on the water in several ways. Visitors may enjoy public beaches near the center of town, cast a line off the longest fishing pier in the Gulf of Mexico or enjoy the pristine dunes and beaches of Gulf Islands National Seashore, one of only 10 national seashores in the country. The Seashore encompasses eight miles of undeveloped Gulf-front beaches on the west side of Navarre Beach and a Visitor Center at Naval Live Oaks where four out of the world’s seven sea turtle species nest. Gulf Islands National Seashore is also home to migratory and resident bird species and miles of trails to explore. 

On the east end of the island, learn more about sea turtles, such as loggerheads and green sea turtles, at the Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center at Navarre Beach Marine Park. Afterwards, explore the park’s dunes and have a picnic beachside.

Dine

You can spend all day at Juana’s Pagodas & Sailors’ Grill, situated right on the Santa Rosa Sound within walking distance of the Gulf waters and fishing pier. Juana’s is a bar, restaurant and watersports rental shop all in one so it’s easy to enjoy a meal at Sailors’ Grill, rent a kayak to work it off or play on the volleyball courts, then grab a drink at the beachside bar. There’s even live music at night!

The Navarre Bakery & Creamery “mom and pop” café serves up homemade pastries, desserts and lunch menu items from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday. This might be the ideal place to stop on your way into town to stock up on goodies for the trip. Or perhaps for the drive back home.

Stay

To open your balcony doors to the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico, check into SpringHill Suites Navarre Beach where the crystal sand is mere steps away. All rooms are suites with fridges and microwaves, plus there’s a restaurant on-site, so it’s easy to bring the family and settle in for a long holiday.

For the nature lovers, Coldwater Gardens in nearby Milton, above Interstate 10, offers numerous fun accommodations in the 415-acre piney woods adjacent to Coldwater Creek: private cottages, treehouses, cabanas and luxury tents. Visitors may enjoy the resort’s sustainable greenhouses, animals such as chickens and rabbits and a vibrant butterfly garden.

Great paddling opportunities also exist in the neighboring town of Milton, known as the “Canoe Capital of Florida.” Blackwater River State Park is a short drive from the historic town and offers numerous ways to get on the water, and Adventures Unlimited hosts canoe and kayak trips. Visitors may camp at Blackwater, while Adventures Unlimited features a variety of rentals, from camping sites to secluded cabins.