Our family loves visiting National and State Parks. Ever since I can remember, our vacations have involved at least one visit to a National Park or a State Park. We recently took our first real family vacation with the baby. Although we took her to Myrtle Beach when she was only three weeks old, our recent trip to Pensacola, Florida, was the first trip she was really awake for. In true family tradition, we took the baby to several National Parks. Did you know that 2016 marks 100 years of National Parks? To celebrate, the National Park Service had pins at the welcome centers. We grabbed one and put it on the baby for some cute photo opps.
We started out at the Naval Live Oaks Area. This park is located in Gulf Breeze, and is the site of one of the first naval reserves building United States warships out of- you guessed it- live oaks. This park has a welcome center featuring the history of the naval reserve and why live oaks were used in ship-building. There’s a wheelchair accessible nature trail directly behind the welcome center, and several miles of coastal hiking. Fishing is also offered at this location, but don’t tell my husband that!
If you have children, the Naval Live Oaks area offers a small beach on the Santa Rosa sound that has mild surf. We saw lots of parents and their kids in the water, which had no waves to speak of. There are restrooms, picnic pavilions, and even outdoor showers for getting all that sand off after a day at the beach.
After the Naval Live Oaks area, we visited Opal Beach. Opal Beach is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, a protected area of seashore in both Florida and Mississippi. Opal Beach is (obviously) in the Florida part of Gulf Island National Seashore, located just down the road from the Pensacola Pier and Pensacola Boardwalk. This park features white sands, gorgeous blue surf on the Gulf of Mexico, and has plenty of parking along with outdoor showers and picnic areas. This area does have an entrance fee of $7 per vehicle. However, you can buy a Gulf Islands National Seashore Annual Pass for only $30!
Opal Beach is much less crowded than the main beaches in Pensacola, which means more space for you and your family to spread out, like ours did. The white sand is perfect for walking along the shoreline. If you’re lucky, you’ll see some wildlife, like we did. Sadly, we didn’t see a sea turtle. Maybe next time!
Another popular area on the Gulf Islands National Seashore is Fort Pickens. This is located west of Pensacola Beach, and also has an entrance fee. Fort Pickens offers a welcome center with a bookstore, and also features a snack bar and museum. Lifeguards are on duty at the Fort Pickens beaches from 9:30 am.- 5:30 pm. during the summer. Fort Pickens also offers camping, so if you’re looking for a low cost way to enjoy the Pensacola Beach area, look no further! While camping at or visiting Fort Pickens, you can choose from ranger-led programs, biking, swimming, hiking, bird-watching, fishing, or tours of the historic structures in the park.
Also located near Pensacola Beach, and on our list to hit next time we’re in the area, is Big Lagoon State Park. Not a National Park, and a bit of a drive from Pensacola Beach, this 655 acre State Park offers a little of everything. There’s fishing, geo-caching, kayaking, camping, and swimming on the intracoastal waterway. And that’s just to name a few. I’ve heard good things about the fishing at Big Lagoon, and I’m excited to visit when the baby is older and let her swim in the calm waters and maybe even play on the playground. (If we can pull her away from the water!)
There’s a lot to do and see near Pensacola, Florida. Have you visited any of these parks?
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Wow, I love going to beaches! That beach looks so amazing!
I haven’t been to Pensacola since I was around 11. The beach looks great though!
This sounds like such a lovely place to visit. I really want to head East and explore.
We live in Georgia so we vacation in Florida a lot! I’ve been to Pensacola, but I’ve never been to any of these parks. I loved the National Park in St George Island!
Omg what beautiful photos!!!!!! We love going to parks!!!! Nature can be so much fun!
Florida is a nice place according to a friend of mine who lives there. The views look so relaxing.
Don’t you just love Florida? BB has been blessed to live in both extremes of the state (Miami/Tallahassee) and can honestly say that all parts have their beauty. Glad you’re sharing your love of the outdoors with you baby; it’s a wondeful legacy. BB2U
Florida is such a beautiful place. So many aspects and different beaches to visit. Glad to see your family enjoy yourself.
Ive to go visit! I live in the Tampa Bay area this would be a great road trip!
I Have not visited these particular beaches just yet. I’m down in Central Florida. But these sound great.I love that they are not busy beaches!
There’s so much to do in Florida. But you can’t beat the natural beauty. Looks incredible!
This excites me even more for our trip this September! This is where we start out at!
Looks like wonderful place to get your child out and bond as a family! Great scenery, clean air and warm sunlight are good health builders for your kid! 😀
That picture of the baby and the water/sand behind is just adorable! I would love to go this part of Florida for a vacation instead of my usual work-related stuff.
My parents live in Florida half of the year, they’re snow birds. We love to visit them there. Such a beautiful place.
I love going to the beach with my kids, it’s really amazing how excited they get every time I mention the beach. I would love to take them here some time soon. It’s really nice out there!
Opal beach looks really refreshing. It is even better since its not crowded unlike other beaches.
These parks and beaches sound amazing. I love any beach with white sand and it is a plus when they have the public showers too I believe. Gulf Islands National Seashore Annual Pass for $30 sounds like a perfect thing to get if you are going to be in that area for a couple of weeks on vacation or live around there. Thanks for sharing the awesome places and information.
The Gulf Islands seem like the absolute best vacation destination for a family like mine. Sun, sand, surf?!?! YES please! And it is only a short plane ride away!
What beautiful sandy beaches and scenery! It must’ve been wonderful.
So much natural beauty! We stayed at crystal river in Florida and it was very much an experience entrenched in nature and remains one of the most incredible vacations I’ve ever taken!
I’ve never been to Pensacola before, and your pictures on making me want to hop on a plane and go! It looks like there’s so many things to do there! My kids would love it!
I have family that lives in Pensacola, but we have never visited. I would definitely love to explore it in the future. It seems like there is a lot of beauty to see!
Such a beautiful place to get away to. Makes me yearn for a vacation
What a gorgeous place! I have been to Orlando a few times but never anywhere else. The next time I plan a trip for Florida I’ll have to add this in.
I have never explored the gulf areas of Florida, but love the balance of beach and greenery. The idea of possibly seeing sea turtles is so exciting too!
There is so much to see in Florida. The list of mine is getting longer by the day, with each new blog post I read! This looks lovely!
Opal Beach sound so nice and so does the beach in the Naval Live Oaks area. I think doing some hiking and touring at Fort Pickens would be great too.
Looks gorgeous! Would love to visit, I’ve never been to Florida so hopefully one day. Baby girl is adorable and getting so big!
What a beautiful place! I love FL because of its breathtaking beauty!
What a gorgeous place to visit. I have actually never been to Florida. I need to get there soon.
This looks like a fabulous place. I’m planning on visiting Florida in a few months, but I don’t know if we’ll be in this area. The views of the water are so beautiful!
I haven’t been to any of these parks, but they look beautiful! I also didn’t realize this makes 100 years for the national parks. I need to be more aware of parks when traveling so my kids and I can visit more of them.
Gulf Island is such a gorgeous area! I would love to take a week long siesta there with the fam.
We enjoy visiting parks and exploring. I haven’t been to Florida but if I am ever there, I’d love to visit these parks. They appear to be a relaxing place to visit.
It looks beautiful there! I’ve never been to Florida before but if I do I’ll have to check out Fort Pickens, It looks like a lot of fun!
What a gorgeous place to stay! I love the beaches and the weather. And let me just say how adorable the baybah is! <3
Everywhere you look along the coast in FL is paradise! This is breathtaking!
I haven’t been to Pensacola in years! We’re planning a trip to Florida this year, so maybe that will be on the list! Opal Beach looks amazing!
This looks absolutely gorgeous! I love going to the golf, we tried to go there every couple years. I cannot wait to go there again!
I would love to spend the day at Opal Beach. We haven’t been to Florida lately and I really need another trip to the beach. Looks like a great place for a family vacation.
We live by the beach here in the northeast, but the summer is coming to an end. This is perfect for the winter time 🙂
That sounds like a lovely place to visit with the family. I would love to visit that part of FL one of these days.