The secrets out! (well, at least for those reading this post…so, shhhh!)
If you like white sandy beaches with Aqua blue waters, but don’t like all the crowds that usually go along with it, then Navarre Beach, Fl. might be the perfect place for you. Navarre Beach is located on Santa Rosa Island, a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico. It is also located in between the more popular cities of Pensacola and Destin.
My family has enjoyed endless days on these gorgeous beaches, in fact, my husband and I were born very close! So you could say the salty beach air runs deep in our veins, haha! I’m not too particular though, really most beaches will do.
The sound that the sand makes when you walk on these beaches are somewhat nostalgic for me, kind of like a seal noise. My daughter says it sounds like a dog barking with each step you take. You might be thinking…that’s weird! It’s a pleasant sound to me. It brings back so many memories, like how I would beg my sister to stay for just “five-more-minutes”.
The Gulfcoast beaches are my favorite…even compared to the Bahamas. My mother-in-law has family close and so do I, which works out nicely. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to visit once a year. My in-laws rent a condo or beach house for any of us that want to join for a yearly family reunion. This year they rented a beach house on the sound side of the island, about a 3-5 minute walk from the beach, for all eighteen of us!! I repeat, we are SO blessed and very thankful to them!
*little fun fact- much of the film Jaws 2 was filmed at Navarre Beach. Many of the hotel scenes were filmed at the Holiday Inn on the island, which was destroyed by hurricane Ivan.
To do:
-Lounge on the beach…long picturesque walks, sunbathing (don’t forget the sunblock), shell collecting, maybe read a book?!
-Rent paddle boards, kayaks, jet ski’s, bicycles and more!
We rented paddle boards and a kayak at a little rental place on the island. This rental company is owned by a guy named BZR (yes, that’s how he spelled it for me…pronounced Beazer). He told us he works seven days a week, seven months out of the year. Then he travels to places like Hawaii and California for the other five months. Plus, he gets to play work on the ocean all day! Sounds like a perfect situation to me!! I would definitely recommend this rental company…Navarre Beach Ski and Sail Beach Rentals. This place has the perfect setting for water sports and has competitive prices. Make sure to let our new friend, BZR, know that TADA sent you!
You can also rent bikes, scooters, etc. at a little shop called…The Boardwalk Shop located at 8460 Gulf Blvd. It is also a little shop that sells beach supplies and locally made jewelry. We bought some sunglasses at an affordable price. Karlie, the owner’s daughter, was super sweet and informed us that they live on the island. You can also get shaved ice and hotdogs here!
-Take a walk or go fishing on the longest pier in the Gulf!
-Volleyball courts are everywhere
-Enjoy beautiful sunset after beautiful sunset!! This is one of my favorite pastimes, collecting sunsets for my memory bank.
To eat:
We ate mostly at our beach house and with family, but there are a few places to eat on the island.
This is a great place to grab lunch. I love coming here for a few drinks at sunset! Also, the best place to rent paddle boards, jet ski’s, kayaks, etc. are on the property. I mentioned this place more in detail in the ‘To Do’ section of this post.
*all of these restaurants are ocean front:-)
–Tommy’s New Orleans Snow Balls
Last, but definitely not least, you should definitely treat yourself to one of these delicious frozen treats!!! So many flavors! Might I suggest the Butter Beer flavor…butterscotch, caramel, and cream soda! Mmmm…mmm! This great little place is actually right before you go over the bridge to get on the island.
To sleep:
As I mentioned earlier, we rented a large beach house ($3,000 for the week including tax), but there are many other rentals to include even more affordable smaller condo’s. Click on the following link for rental details…Navarre Beach Rentals!
There are no hotels on the island, but I did hear rumor that there will be one soon…not sure when. I kind of like the more un-commercial feel, though, and hope it stays that way. There are mainstream hotels just before you get on the island, if you prefer.
There you have it! Navarre Beach might be a small, unheard of island for most, but it’s a “happy place” for sure!
Where are your favorite beaches?
Looks like you had a great time! How nice to have a place right there on the water too..I’ll take that drink and one of those sunsets, please 🙂
Thanks for sharing and letting us live vicariously through you! 😉
We had a great time! Thanks, Joscelyn:-) I loved the time we traveled to OBX with you guys!! That was too long ago, we really need to plan another trip together soon…somewhere near the ocean, of course;-) Thanks again for reading!
We love St. George Island, also a barrier reef on the Gulf Coast. We rent a large house (with no less than 4 adult bedrooms with their own bathrooms for my large family, plus kids rooms) for not much in the off season. It’s a short drive from Apalachicola, which is the “forgotten coast” and rated one of the most scenic drives in the US. Plenty of good shopping and eats in Apalachicola. Even mini golf. I highly recommend the Oyster Bar, which looks like a dive, but has a balcony to watch the boats and wildlife. Great food! And The Owl, which I believe is four-star or ought to be.
Half of the island is a reserve, so there are very few homes on the island. But you can rent kayaks and canoes. The reef itself goes for miles out from the beach, so you can easily see all sorts of animal life while getting only half wet…sometimes a little too much wildlife.
WoW, Cathy! Thanks for all the travel tips:-) sounds like a dreamy place for sure!! I just love finding places like these…I definitely prefer the more uncommercial feel of these places, don’t you?! Thanks for reading and sharing:-)
Looks very Good i love to spend vacations in mostly in Navarre Beach or Sail Beach
Thanks for article