Henderson Beach State Park
Henderson Beach State Park things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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Road trip with Oz to Henderson Beach State Park! #servicedoglife #handicapaccessible #hendersonbeachstatepark #beachaccessories #hendersonbeach #servicedog #greatdane #workingdog #greatdaneservicedog #greatdanesofinstagram #greatdanesoftiktok #florida #floridalife #floridaman #floridadog #beachvibes #beach #beachlife #floridabeach #beachesoftiktok #escape #rupertholmesescape #rupertholmes #pinacolada #pinacoladasong #dogs #dogs #greatdanes #beachday #roadtrip
service_dog_ozservice_dog_oz
1596
Amazing place. Loved it. Camping was great with camp site so cute that I felt we were on a film set. And of course the beach was fabulous. Easy camping - gravel sites have sturdy large picnic tables and bbq pits. Easily wide enough for slide outs and we had no problems parking RV and tow. We were in 3 different sites and the walk to the bathhouse was never longer than a minute on a level, smooth asphalt road. The dump station was easy to use, very clean and pull through from both directions. Rangers were very nice and offered the beach wheelchair when I asked about handicapped access to the beach. Camp hosts were helpful, but not quite as friendly. One of them expressed her irritation when I stopped to talk to her 15 minutes before we were due to leave our site. Even when I said we were ready to go she continued to reiterate we had to be out in 15 minutes. Stridently. And then followed us to hide behind bushes next door to wait for us to leave…. Tips: campgrounds and baths easily accessed with short walks and with wheelchairs. The regular showers did not have grab bars and were narrow. Family showers have room for a wheelchair and have grab bars. We had a few short waits to access these rooms. (Benches are provided outside along with laundry facilities) There are no shower chairs under the water - a bench is provided away from the water in all showers - so one must stand or bring your own chair to shower. (The beach wheelchair may fit - we didn’t think to try it!) The beach wheelchair is very cool and the rangers thoughtfully brought it to our site. We used it once and returned it. For us it was easier to drive to the furthest parking lot, park in handicap parking and take the very short walk to the beach rather than maneuver the beach wheelchair through the long camping walkway to the beach. The Ranger did warn us it wasn’t easy to use the beach chair on harder services, but we couldn’t figure out any other way to use the beach chair as it’s too bulky to be able to put it in the back of the car and take it to the beach. So the first day we took the wheelchair from our campsite through the camping walkway over the dunes to the beach. It was an adventure. I would not recommend doing this unless the person pushing the wheelchair is fit. The dunes are high and the walk is at times a little steep - both up and down. The beach wheelchair steers like a cinder block and while it provided hilarity, we decided not to try it again. In addition, the beach chair worked really well on the more packed sand, but once the sand became looser, it was a struggle. There are fabric walkways into the sand to allow access to the beach, but they stop on very soft deep sand and the wheelchair was not happy about this. All in all it was a wonderful trip, but involves some effort to access the beach if someone in your party has mobility issues. We managed it by taking it slow, and using handicapped parking, handicapped walkways and handicapped beach access to limit the amount of walking. We also made certain to have everything we might need with us when we left the car for the beach. The sand is wonderfully white and soft but very difficult to walk in if you have mobility problems. We were glad we did it and we will do it again. Just takes a little planning
Vicki AVicki A
30
We camped here for a week. It is a fantastic campground. There were only 2 things I would've changed. 1st - the boardwalk for campers to walk to the beach was closed. We had to drive down to the area where the public accessed the beach and it was NOT ideal. If we wanted to be in an area that wasn't as populated, we had to walk a LONG ways. I understand that the boardwalk needed repairs, but it was an inconvenience for sure. Since you HAVE to book this place 11 months in advance, I couldn't just change my reservation. 2nd - the bath house was closed daily between 9-10 AM for cleaning. I totally get needing to clean the restrooms, but the timing was less than ideal. We had three tween girls with us and they typically woke up right around the 9:00 hour.... and would have to wait an hour to go to the bathroom. So, this wouldn't affect those campers that had bathrooms in their camper/RV, but those of us without bathrooms or tent campers would be out of luck for an hour. Now that we have the negative out of the way... The sites are all super private. The foliage provided excellent seclusion. There were times I would forget that we were camping around other people. There were very few sites that I felt were small. We stayed in site 50 on loop D. I only saw maybe 2 sites that I wouldn't stay in due to the size. Our site held 2 vehicles, an 18 ft travel trailer, a canopy over the picnic table, and 7 chairs set up spaciously around the camp fire. Most sites are that big. Almost every site I saw had a place to hang clothes to dry. It was a nice feature. There's nature galore! From squirrels to geckos.... we saw it all. Lots of birds, tiny mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. The kiddos will enjoy trying to catch the frogs and lizards. When you camp at the state park, you get exclusive access to the beach in the early morning and at night! You'll feel like you've got a private beach, just about! Since the public has to pay to get in, the beach also isn't overly crowded during the day. It's still crowded. Just not packed to the point where you have to walk a mile to put up your umbrella. Or at least it was that way when we went. The campground has wifi. I've seen some reviews saying they don't get the wifi, but I got it out in loop D. I was able to work a little, when necessary. All in all, I'd camp here again, but only once the boardwalk is repaired.
Rebekah ConatserRebekah Conatser
50
CHANGED OUR WEDDING SITE THE DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING WHICH WAS A NIGHTMARE! The only reason this got 2 stars is because it’s probably the best place to get married in Destin primarily because alcohol is not allowed on the beach and it is soo beautiful. Keep in mind if you get married on this beach, you cannot use rose petals for the flower girl and they won’t tell you this until you’ve already booked. In fact, the only thing that the flower girl can throw are these small starfish that Henderson state beach park sells and you can’t buy anything you have to buy it from them and it’s $30 for a bag of them. What a buzz kill. The event manager Angela is absolutely impossible to get a hold of - I spent two weeks calling and leaving voicemails for her and she was replying by email which I I still don’t understand why because I was asking for her to call me. Our wedding company told us that we needed to buy a back up pavilion for our event just in case of rain and Angela recommended that we not pay and that we would “figure it out” in the chance of rain. I did not feel comfortable with that because we were paying six months in advance, and I knew that I wanted the center boardwalk for our event. even though we paid in advance the day before the wedding, she didn’t talk to us she called us and left us a voicemail saying that she decided to switch our wedding to a smaller portion of the beach that’s further away from the bathrooms because she wanted to put a “someone else” at the main boardwalk ((I have to assume it was a birthday party because there were no other weddings that day from my understanding)) which really pissed me off. I wound up calling my wedding company, Gulf Beach Weddings, and luckily they were able to take care of it but that put me under so much stress on one of the most stressful days before the wedding. I cannot stress this enough they need to have a better process or a better manager. Regardless, We had a beautiful wedding there - just because it’s there. No thanks to the staff or the process at all. Keep in mind we paid $975 for the beach wedding and $150 for for the pavilion in January and then we got married in June
Cassandra HughesCassandra Hughes
20
Where the emerald green waters meet the sugar-white sands 🌊☀️🏖️ Henderson Beach State Park, the ultimate paradise in Destin, Florida #beachlife #paradise #destinflorida Henderson Beach State Park is a gem of a destination located in the heart of Destin, Florida. I can confidently say that this park is a must-visit for anyone looking to experience the natural beauty and tranquility that Florida has to offer. The park boasts miles of pristine white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush vegetation that provides ample shade for visitors. The beach is perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and even fishing. The park also has picnic areas, a playground, and a nature trail that takes visitors through a beautiful coastal forest filled with native plants and wildlife. One of the most notable features of Henderson Beach State Park is its impressive sand dunes. These dunes are not only visually stunning but also serve as a vital habitat for a variety of coastal creatures such as sea turtles, birds, and small mammals. The park has done an excellent job of preserving these dunes and educating visitors about their importance. The park's amenities are also top-notch. There are clean restrooms, outdoor showers, and a well-maintained parking lot. The park staff is friendly and helpful, and there are plenty of signs and maps to help visitors navigate the area. The park also offers camping facilities for those who want to stay overnight and experience the beauty of the park after dark. In terms of accessibility, Henderson Beach State Park is easily accessible from Highway 98 and has ample parking. The park is also wheelchair accessible, making it an ideal destination for families with differently-abled members. 🌊 #GrimaldisPizzeria #MiramarBeach #PizzaParadise #BeachVibes 🗺️ 📍 #DestinFL #TravelGoals ☀️🌊🌴 #beachvibes #paradise 🌴🌊✨ #FloridaLife #BeachVibes #CoastalParadise #DestinVibes #CrabIslandEscape #FloridaParadise #CrabIslandAdventures #OkaloosaCountyParadise #HarborwalkVillageVibes #RumRunners #Sandestin #Florida #BeachVibes #TropicalParadise 🐊✨ #GatorBeach #DestinFlorida #AlligatorPark #WildlifeAdventure
Dixon IrizarryDixon Irizarry
30
This is a beautiful beach about 5.5 hours away from Atlanta. My neighbor Gabby and I woke up at 3 am, left at 4 am EST, and arrived there by 9 am local time, which was 10 am EST. It was my first time at a state park: $6 to enter, friendly staff, safe and large parking lot, beautiful cleanup facility with a changing area, large clean bathrooms, excellent beach showers, covered OCEANFRONT picnic area, short few feet walk to the water, and I just felt like I arrived to heaven. Water is so gorgeous, clean, warm, and healing. I inhaled some accidentally and it simply cleared my sinuses. The sand is as white as my favorite Russian snow. It was magical. We brought our picnic from Atlanta, and, after a long walk on the beach, we ate, napped, I ran barefoot on the beach for miles, and then, we explored the pier, saw dolphins and turtles there, and watched sunset. We arrived back home by 2 am EST. I highly recommend it! P.s: beware the highway is toll and they charge twice on the same highway, so it was $8 to drive there. P.s: I went to Henderson Beach multiple times now and it’s my favorite place on earth.
Anna SzaboAnna Szabo
170
Nearby Attractions Of Henderson Beach State Park
Gator Beach - The World's Greatest Alligator Park
The Home Depot
Fairfield Inn & Suites Destin
HomeGoods
Island Palm Shoppes
Marshalls
Best Beach Getaways | 30-A, Destin and Miramar Beach Rentals
Tru by Hilton Destin
Friends of Emerald Coast State Parks
Southern Harvest Destin

Gator Beach - The World's Greatest Alligator Park
4.5
(1.4K)Click for details

The Home Depot
4.1
(565)Click for details

Fairfield Inn & Suites Destin
4.3
(459)Click for details

HomeGoods
4.4
(312)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Henderson Beach State Park
Fudpucker's Beachside Bar & Grill
Osaka Japanese Hibachi Steakhouse & Sushi Bar
Fat Daddy's Arcade
Sea Market
La Famiglia italian restaurant
Jasmine Thai
Bitterroot
Firehouse Subs Kelly Plantation
Hooters
Wendy's

Fudpucker's Beachside Bar & Grill
4.6
(9.7K)Click for details

Osaka Japanese Hibachi Steakhouse & Sushi Bar
4.2
(982)Click for details

Fat Daddy's Arcade
4.2
(542)Click for details

Sea Market
4.9
(385)Click for details
Basic Info
Address
17000 Emerald Coast Pkwy, Destin, FL 32541
Map
Phone
(850) 837-7550
Call
Website
floridastateparks.org
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.8
(3.4K reviews)
Ratings & Description
outdoor
adventure
relaxation
family friendly
pet friendly
Description
Henderson Beach State Park is a Florida State Park located near Destin, in northwestern Florida. The address is 17000 Emerald Coast Parkway. Named after Sir Chris Ashly Henderson. Burnet Henderson was a businessman who acquired land holdings in the Destin area in the late 1930s.
attractions: Gator Beach - The World's Greatest Alligator Park, The Home Depot, Fairfield Inn & Suites Destin, HomeGoods, Island Palm Shoppes, Marshalls, Best Beach Getaways | 30-A, Destin and Miramar Beach Rentals, Tru by Hilton Destin, Friends of Emerald Coast State Parks, Southern Harvest Destin, restaurants: Fudpucker's Beachside Bar & Grill, Osaka Japanese Hibachi Steakhouse & Sushi Bar, Fat Daddy's Arcade, Sea Market, La Famiglia italian restaurant, Jasmine Thai, Bitterroot, Firehouse Subs Kelly Plantation, Hooters, Wendy's

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