Shoreline Park Boardwalk 

Shoreline Park’s Wetland Trail Boardwalk stretches more than a third of a mile over wetlands and through ecosystems teeming with wildlife to the beach shoreline near a small tidal creek. This 1,600-foot, elevated boardwalk directly connects the City of Gulf Breeze’s 4-mile multi-use loop, Gulf Breeze Community Center, Shoreline Park South, wetlands, and Santa Rosa Sound.

It also provides ADA beach access and an uncovered nature viewing gazebo with bench seating. Whether you’re into birding or wildlife viewing or just looking for a day at the beach, be sure to check out the seagrass beds found along the shore, which provide food resources, nursery grounds, and protection from predators to a variety of fish, shellfish, and waterfowl species.

Soundside Foundation Nature Preserve

Named for its half mile of Sound Frontage, Soundside Foundation Nature Preserve is a 55-acre nature reserve and Audubon Bird Sanctuary. Take a hike on one of its many trails to witness its diversity of habitat, including shoreline, coastal woodland, pines, freshwater ponds, and more.

At low tide, sand flats create “tide-pool”-like pockets. Also located within the reserve is the Godwin Connector, a 10-foot-wide, 1,150-foot long path with 880 feet of raised boardwalk through a natural wetland area, connecting the Soundside and Tiger Point communities.

The Connector provides a safe path for kids and adults alike to walk or bike to Tiger Point Park and is fully accessible.

Navarre Beach Marine Park

Located in the Santa Rosa Sound, Navarre Beach Marine Park/Sanctuary and Artificial Reefs allow you the opportunity to visit the estuary up close, underwater. The site is especially popular in the months from June to September when you can kayak Navarre Beach Reef with a 45-minute, clear-bottom kayak tour of the gulf-side reef.

The region includes seagrass and other habitats that attract sea turtles, fish, and more, and is located near the protected nesting location of Black Skimmers at the causeway, an important foraging habitat.

It’s a great place to enjoy other calm, sound-side recreational activities like swimming and fishing, as well.

Wind & Water Center

Located in Wolf Bay, the Wind & Water Learning Center is a unique waterfront facility providing on-water educational opportunities for sailing, paddle sports, and experiential outdoor learning for people of all ages and skill levels.

Offerings include youth sail camp, private sailing, and kayak classes, all taught by certified instructors. You can also take advantage of special activities such as full moon paddle events, Float & Flow Yoga classes, Paddle & Paint, Summer Camp, and more. Wolf Bay—the westernmost embayment in the Perdido Bay Basin—is designated as an Outstanding Alabama Water, sustaining diverse plant and animal life so keep your eye out for the American Alligator, Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle, and West Indian Manatee.

Orange Beach Waterfront Park

Open to the public year-round, Orange Beach Waterfront Park is a beautiful park with offerings for the whole family. The park includes seven picnic shelters with grills situated throughout the park—not to mention gulf-side beach access, a fishing pier, paved walking paths, and a kids’ park with slides, swings, and climbing areas.

Orange Beach Waterfront Park is located in the westernmost embayment in the Perdido Bay Basin, Wolf Bay, which has been designated as an Outstanding Alabama Water. The bay sustains diverse plant and animal life, so keep your eye out for the American Alligator, Alabama Red-Bellied Turtle, and West Indian Manatee.

FloridaTown Park

Rich in local Native American history, FloridaTown Park is one of Santa Rosa County’s oldest and most historic parks—in fact, a protected Native American mound resides on the property to this day.

The park has recently undergone upgrades and renovations, including the ongoing installation of a living shoreline to protect the park with limestone rip-rap breakwaters and marsh plantings. In the past, seawalls have often been made of steel or concrete to protect the shores, but these are prone to breaking during major storms which worsens erosion.

Today the park is a popular destination for nearby residents and visitors alike thanks to its picnic grounds, playground, basketball courts, walking paths, and more.

Bayview Center

Anchoring one of Pensacola’s most frequented parks, the Bayview Community Center provides affordable outdoor and recreational/sports equipment rentals, a popular event venue, and a meeting place for residents and tourists alike to enjoy the beautiful Bayou Texar area.

Did you know that Bayou Texar was once a popular swimming spot in Pensacola, complete with a large diving tower? Though the region suffered poor water quality in the past, water quality has much improved in recent years and work continues today to restore Carpenter Creek and Bayou Texar to its former glory. Be sure to kayak out to the small islands before you reach Graffiti Bridge, or check out the fishing and wildlife at Dog Beach.

Bruce Beach (Coming Back in 2024)

Washer Woman’s Creek, formally known as San Gabriel Creek, is a spring-fed stream that runs through downtown Pensacola and once served as a water source for drinking and bathing/washing water for early Spanish and British settlers.

The creek was undergrounded in the 1800s as development covered the stream, and currently there is only a small section of the creek above ground, which empties into Bruce Beach. The area later served as home to Bruce Drydock Company’s shipyard in the 19th and early 20th century. Bruce Beach is more commonly known as a historically Black beach and recreation area along the Pensacola waterfront.

During segregation, black citizens would gather here as they were prohibited from enjoying most other public beaches and recreation facilities in the area. Funded with money raised by the black community, Bruce Pool was built at this site in 1956. People of color living in Pensacola’s Tanyard, Belmont-Devilliers, and Eastside neighborhoods frequented here, avoiding the dangers of swimming in the polluted waters of Pensacola Bay.

The western portion of Bruce Beach includes a tidal marsh which provides excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing, fishing, and more. 

Sanders Beach

Sanders Beach was once a neighborhood full of fishermen with fishnets hanging in backyards and boating materials on proud display. In 1908, Pensacola Mayor Calvin Goodman requested a land donation from the Maxtend Land Company for the 3.5 acres of waterfront property that is now Sanders Beach Park, named for Frank Dent Sanders, a prominent civil servant.

The region now boasts beach access and boat launch, picnic tables, grills, playground and more.

Maritime Park

The Vince J. Whibbs, Sr. Community Maritime Park is a multi-use, public-private park development located on the waterfront in Historic Downtown Pensacola. This beautiful waterfront park features more than 38,000 square feet of exhibition space, an amphitheater, an inclusive playground, and festival grounds.

It’s also home to the Blue Wahoos, the AA affiliate of the Miami Marlins. Whether you’re looking to fish or just soak in some spectacular waterfront views of Pensacola Bay, you won’t want to miss this gorgeous maritime park.

James P Morgan Memorial Park & Gardens

Looking for a beautiful place to watch the sunrise? Look no further than James P. Morgan Memorial Garden and Parks. This tranquil oasis is filled with native plants adapted to a coastal environment, which means they’re able to grow in sandy, nutrient-poor soils and tolerate drought conditions, constant winds, and plenty of sun.

Providing respite from the commercial core on Pensacola Beach, the lush tree cover provides habitat for a number of bird species, including green herons, osprey, snowy egret, and more.

Park West Escambia County Snorkel Reef

Escambia County Snorkel Reef Park is a shore-accessible, saltwater dive site, with snorkel reef and artificial reef balls to attract fish and other wildlife. The current doesn’t get too strong so it’s a calm, Sound-side swimming area with pockets of seagrass habitat.

If fishing is more your speed, you won’t be far from the Fort Pickens Aquatic Preserve–a great resource for commercial and recreational anglers alike. The Preserve includes the protected underwater archaeological site, the USS Massachusetts, an ideal location for diving and fishing.

Explore this region and you’re likely to see bottlenose dolphins, as well as a variety of fish and shellfish.

Perdido Key Coastal Demonstration Garden

Funded by the Pensacola & Perdido Bays Estuary Program’s Community Grant Program, the Perdido Key Coastal Demonstration Garden was installed in 2022 to showcase native coastal species and landscaping techniques for coastal and barrier island homeowners. The garden’s plants are all native to Perdido Key’s barrier island ecosystems, and as such thrive in salty, sandy, and sunny conditions. Visit the Garden to learn how you can mimic the natural dune ecosystem to create a coastal yard that supports wildlife, including the endangered Perdido Key Beach Mouse. Don’t live on the beach? No problem—many of these garden lessons can be applied to other yards, as well. You can also learn tips to attract pollinators and much more!

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