The Happiness Function

If you’ve never been to Perdido Key, I’m so excited that you’ve stumbled upon our little corner of the internet to learn more. It’s one of our favorite places to vacation in the U.S.

The beaches are epic, and the water is crystal clear. There are two state parks and one national park to explore, and I’m sharing more details about each in this article.

Perdido Key is a paradise for beachgoers, road-trippers, and campers. This area makes for the perfect beach getaway.

Where Is Perdido Key?

Perdido Key is a barrier island located along the Florida panhandle outside Pensacola. It is about 30 minutes from downtown Pensacola.

Perdido Key Map

Below is a map to help orient yourself.

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Join us as we adventure to all three of these parks over two days. We want you to see how beautiful the parks are — the water is insanely blue.

Beautiful Beach Parks To Visit

We think Perdido Key has some of the most gorgeous beaches in America. Here’s a breakdown of each park.

1. Perdido Key State Park

Perdido Key State Park is known for its miles of white sand beaches against the turquoise green water of Florida’s famous Emerald Coast.

Within walking distance of the park, you’ll find a hopping coastal scene with condos, beach shops, and restaurants.

Things To Do at Perdido Key State Park

This slice of paradise offers activities to keep you busy all day long, from swimming, fishing, and sunbathing at the beach to walking the strip for shopping and dining on local seafood.

What We Did: The park is perfect for walking the beach, catching a sunset, and taking photos.

Entrance Fee

Visit the Florida State Park website for the most updated fees.

Hours

Open every day from 8 am until sunset.

Parking

There are state park-specific parking areas where you can park along Perdido Key Drive and walk the boardwalk through the dunes to the beach.

If you’re not going to park at the state park-specific areas, there are multiple places to find pay-to-park public parking next to the beach.

2. Gulf Islands National Seashore Perdido Key

Gulf Islands National Seashore is a prized national park along the Gulf of Mexico, stretching from Mississippi to Florida.

Johnson’s Beach is a great spot to soak up the sun and enjoy the waves. There are miles of undeveloped white sand beaches.

Things To Do at Gulf Islands National Seashore

Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins and sea turtles. We spent half the morning towards the east end of the island and got to see dolphins swimming near the beach along the Gulf side. We were in awe because the dolphins were so close to the shore.

Along with catching the sun at the beach and swimming, you can find folks fishing, shelling, boating, kayaking, snorkeling, and stand-up paddleboarding. People like to run the paved road along the coast as well.

Here you will find some of the most beautiful beaches in Florida. It is one of my favorite places to vacation along the Gulf.

Entrance Fee

It costs $25 to enter, covering your vehicle for seven days.

The Annual National Park pass is accepted.

Hours

March 1 – October 31: Open every day from 5 am until 9 pm.

November 1 – February 28: 5 am to 6 pm

Parking

Pavilion: When you first enter the park, you’ll see a pavilion area with a large parking lot. The Johnson’s Beach Pavilion area has beach facilities such as grills, shade, restrooms, and showers. There might even be a local food truck (we saw one). This part of the island has more crowds (probably because of the facilities).

Along the Road: The beaches further along the island are less crowded, but there are no facilities. Keep driving across the island and park along the road in designated areas (only).

3. Big Lagoon State Park

Big Lagoon State Park is located on the north side of the Big Lagoon across the Perdido Key Bridge. The park is famous for its boardwalk trails leading through the marshes and intercoastal forest.

There is a great campground here. Because of its proximity to the Gulf, it is a nice place to base your adventures. We like making this our home base and then driving to all the beaches from here.

Things To Do at Big Lagoon

Check out the trails leading through the park, and keep your eyes peeled for alligators and other wildlife while walking along the boardwalks. You can bike the paved road throughout the park. There are great spots for fishing, too.

We saw folks kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding in the Big Lagoon. The water is more calm in the lagoon than on the Gulf side, so it is easier to paddle.

The park is only a short 30-minute drive to downtown Pensacola if you want to grab a bit to eat in one of the local restaurants.

Entrance Fee

Visit the Florida State Park website for the most updated fees.

The entrance fee is included in your camping reservation if you are camping. This also covers parking for Perdido Key State Park, so you just hang the park pass on your windshield, and you can visit both state parks.

Hours

Open every day from 8 am until sunset.

Parking

There is a parking area near the boat launch into Big Lagoon. From here, you can access the coast and the trails. If you’re camping, you can access the trails from the campground. If you’re not camping, you may also park near the entrance station.

Want to learn more about Big Lagoon State Park? Watch our campground review on YouTube.

Why We Love Visiting Perdido Key

Along with beautiful beaches and pristine emerald-green water, what we love about the Perdido Key area is that it is an affordable beach vacation destination.

Camping at Big Lagoon State Park allowed us to be less than 10 minutes away from so many beaches. With Big Lagoon State Park being our home base, we were in the perfect spot for fun day trips from Pensacola. We explored Gulf Islands Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island, Pensacola Beach, and Navarre Beach and drove the famous coastline from Gulf Breeze to Opal Beach. It was a blast.

From Perdido Key, you are also a short drive to the Flora Bama state line, Gulf State Park, and Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Have a great time out there.

Ashlee & Pablo

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