St Andrews State Park

St Andrews State Park is found just south of Panama City Beach and Grand Lagoon Beach. A military reservation in its former life, the park is now a recreational destination that provides a variety of fun activity options. Among the most popular activities is spending time at the beach. More than a mile of beaches await visitors at St Andrews State Park, and as is true of the area beaches in general, they offer sugary white sands and emerald green waters.

Sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling are among the most popular beach activities at St Andrews State Park. Many visitors also look to do some boating, as the park provides easy access to both the Gulf of Mexico waters and the waters of the Grand Lagoon. Shell Island is often the destination of choice for boaters, and boat tours to the island can be arranged at the St Andrews State Park concession in the spring and summer seasons. Tours that involve visiting the island on a wave runner can also be arranged, and as is true of the boat tours, they tend to include some dolphin watching. Of course, one of the main reasons to venture out to Shell Island is the opportunity to relax on its long, wide and relatively uncrowded strips of sand.

While spending time at St Andrews State Park, visitors might interest themselves in the other numerous things to do. These options include bicycling, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, scuba diving and surfing. The park is also a great place to have a picnic, thanks to the picnicking areas and the picnic pavilions. Regardless of the reason for visiting St Andrews State Park, it is possible to stay overnight. There are two full facility campgrounds on the Grand Lagoon side, and they offer more than 150 sites for tents and RVs. Also available is a more primitive camping area that is reserved for small, organized groups of the non-profit variety.