Henderson Beach State Park
Henderson Beach State Park
4.7
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.7
2,425 reviews
Excellent
1,885
Very good
412
Average
89
Poor
26
Terrible
13
buffalogirl1961
Flippin, AR179 contributions
Nov 2022 • Solo
Beautiful white sand beaches. The gulf was a lovely blue-green while I was there. In November, it wasn’t too crowded and there are plenty of places to easily access the beach.
The sand is a soft, powdery white and easy to walk in. I did forget that walking in the sand will work those muscles you forget about. It was easy to walk the 1 1/2+ miles I walked.
Entrance fee varies by how many people are in the car and I saw that camping is available.
There are also buildings with restrooms and rinsing showers if you are worried about tracking sand into your vehicle. I saw a couple of access points for those in wheelchairs.
The sand is a soft, powdery white and easy to walk in. I did forget that walking in the sand will work those muscles you forget about. It was easy to walk the 1 1/2+ miles I walked.
Entrance fee varies by how many people are in the car and I saw that camping is available.
There are also buildings with restrooms and rinsing showers if you are worried about tracking sand into your vehicle. I saw a couple of access points for those in wheelchairs.
Written 3 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
S4136XSdavidb
Texas464 contributions
May 2023
This small state park (entry fee was minimal) was not crowded, but not a huge amount of parking. A boardwalk takes you to the white-sugar sand beach and the beautiful water of the Gulf. In my opinion, this area of the Florida panhandle has the prettiest water from Texas all the way to the Keys. The water is clear, and green on a sunny day. The beach was not crowded and the restrooms at the park were clean. There is a roughly half-mile nature trail that winds between high sand dunes with wildlife and trees, shrubs, grasses that we enjoyed.
Written 12 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lifetraveler1
Atlanta, GA1,386 contributions
Nov 2021 • Couples
I have been to Destin Florida many times. I have driven past the entrance of the Henderson State Park several times and never went in. This visit to Destin I decided to take a look. What I found was a very nice natural State Park. It had basically four separate parking areas for day tourist, each area had its own gazebo with tables and chairs for eating your foods and snacks. A short little bridge over the sand dunes will it take you down to the pristine and beautiful Santa Rosa beaches.
The cost for the two of us to get in was $6, and the parking was plentiful. It is centrally located in Destin, so we ordered food for takeout from The shrimp basket restaurant, and then take it back to Henderson State Park to eat at one of the gazebos.
Santa Rosa Destin beach has many free parking areas that are beachfront. But when it is heavily travel during holidays, this place would probably be a better alternative, with a little bit less crowd, because there is a fee. The beach itself is just as good as all the beaches along this coastline, but it is nice that it has facilities as well as a gazebo and some walking trails. So if you find the other beaches to be too heavily populated when you go down to the panhandle area, you might want to try Henderson Beach State Park.
The cost for the two of us to get in was $6, and the parking was plentiful. It is centrally located in Destin, so we ordered food for takeout from The shrimp basket restaurant, and then take it back to Henderson State Park to eat at one of the gazebos.
Santa Rosa Destin beach has many free parking areas that are beachfront. But when it is heavily travel during holidays, this place would probably be a better alternative, with a little bit less crowd, because there is a fee. The beach itself is just as good as all the beaches along this coastline, but it is nice that it has facilities as well as a gazebo and some walking trails. So if you find the other beaches to be too heavily populated when you go down to the panhandle area, you might want to try Henderson Beach State Park.
Written 9 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heather Johnson
Sterling, IL52 contributions
Apr 2023 • Family
This was probably the best $6.00 we spent our entire week exploring the beaches along the Gulf Shore National Seashore. It's also amazing how $6.00 is what separates the crowds. We were vacationing all along the Gulf Shore, and while people visit Destin for a myriad of reasons, the emerald water and squeaky quartz sand along this stretch of beach was a dream!
Written 12 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gone Coastal
Surfside Beach, SC65 contributions
Dec 2021
1st time visit. Park entrance fee included in camping fee. Campsites are huge, very private and priced inexpensively, especially for being on the beach. Many campsites are pull through. Camp hosts were great and delivered large reasonably priced bundles of wood. Water and electric worked great. We were unable to get TV reception over the air. The beach boardwalk looks cool but was closed for reconstruction when we visited. Hope to use it for quick beach access on our next visit. Nature trail is very pretty and pet friendly. We were walking so a bit of a jaunt back to park entrance if you plan to go out to eat. There is a bike lane. Would recommend a cruiser to get around if you plan to stay a while. Dump station available along the road between campsites and entrance.
Written 9 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rhonda P
2 contributions
Aug 2021
We love this place. We strongly recommend that you spend the $25 to get two chairs and an umbrella. It's a much more comfortable situation than carrying chairs and holding an umbrella. The waters so clear and you can see forever. My only suggestion for a change would be that they open earlier and stay open later. We would have loved to watch the sun come up and set there. Beautiful. With all the crowded beaches we couldn't figure out why this one wasn't, but we were so glad. Peaceful and Beautiful.
Written 5 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MELISSA C
SOUTH ELGIN7 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
White sand beaches were gorgeous and the sand doesn’t get hot! Water is beautiful, clear, and emerald green. There was a long (slow) line to get in, but entrance fee is only $6/car, and despite the line, the beaches weren’t nearly as crowded as other public beaches we visited in Destin. Rinse showers available, as well as picnic pavilions and restrooms.
Written 16 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BangkokSachse
Bangkok, Thailand53,277 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
We paid $5 a car to get in Henderson Beach State Park. We parked at the first pavilion. The first pavilion offered two chairs for rent at $50 a day or $25 for a half day. The beach was wonderful with white sand and clear water. The pavilion has good restrooms and outdoor showers. We spent about 5 hours at Henderson Beach State Park.
Written 4 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brkann
Carbondale, IL310 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
So, we stayed at the Emerald Grande. This condominium does not have a walk out with beach access since it is on the Destin harbor. We looked on Google earth for public beaches. While there are some, many do not have a lot of parking and showers were not a guarantee. Across from Destin Walmart, is Henderson Beach State Park. If you’re a camper, there are places to do that. From the entrance, it is very wooded and full of dunes. You drive the paved road to be a little building, were you pay six dollars for two people or more… Just per carload. It is four dollars if you are by yourself. We were in Destin six days and went to Henderson every single day. It is a much lower key beach experience in the public beaches. There are less people, there’s more room to spread out, bathrooms, showers, and pavilions. Although a few miles from our condo, we almost felt like it was the best kept beach secret.
Written 8 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Panteranegra07
Berrien County, MI37 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
One of the best locations to enjoy the Emerald Coast. Plenty of parking, away from the crowds along Scenic Gulf drive, parking is $6 with in and out privileges, just have to show receipt. 6 pavilions, restrooms, hiking, staff comes around and cleans up regularly. Beach is wheelchair accessible. Many other amenities. Great place. Helicopters are a nuisance, as well as some low flying planes but we still enjoyed it and would rather deal with that than the traffic and lack of parking at the other beaches.
Written 22 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How packed does it get at the beach shore to set up at the beach? And which days of the week would be the busiest?
Written 26 June 2024
I’m sure it depends when you go, we were there in April and it was empty, nicest beach we have ever been to
Written 1 February 2025
Is it okay to set up a 12x12 tent on the beach sand for a family of 6 and take it down by the end of day?
Written 26 June 2024
Judy S
Kannapolis, North Carolina
I have 40 adults and kids for Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov 23rd. I would like to be able to picnic at the park and wondered how we can do that
Written 18 September 2023
Judy S
Kannapolis, North Carolina
We will have a group of 40 adults and children at Thanksgiving. We would like to reserve a picnic area for our Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, November 23rd.
Is this possible?
Written 18 September 2023
They close at Dusk so I would say no
Written 28 October 2021
I’ve been trying to snag a campsite here for months. I get online 11 months ahead and am ready to click an open site right at 0800, which is the earliest you can book. Still no luck. Any ideas?
Thanks.
Written 28 April 2021
I've been trying also, wish someone would give some advice
Written 12 June 2021
Is there a good place to launch kayaks in this area?
Written 11 March 2021
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