Region:
Northwest
HENDERSON BEACH STATE PARK
Destin, FL
Contact Information
17000 Emerald Coast Parkway
Destin, Florida 32541
Phone: 850-837-7550
Henderson Beach State Park is located just
east of the city of Destin on U.S.98, approximately
1.5 miles west of toll road 293 (Mid Bay Bridge).
From the Northwest, take I-10 to highway 85 south
until you reach highway 98. Drive east for approximately
10 miles and you will see signs for the park on
the right. From the Northeast, take I-10 to Highway
331 South to Highway 20 West to Toll Road 293 South
(Mid Bay Bridge). Go across the Mid Bay Bridge and
turn west (right) on Highway 98. Drive approximately
1.5 miles west and park entrance will be on your
left.
Hours of Operation
Florida state parks are open from 8 a.m. until sundown
365 days a year.
Driving Directions
Henderson Beach State Park is located just east
of the city of Destin on U.S.98.
ACTIVITIES
Full Facility Camping
The camping area at the park has recently doubled
in size, from 30 to 60 full facility campsites.
All the sites can accommodate either tents or RVs
and a number of them are pull-through which are
easily accessible by larger RVs. Each of the camping
areas has a bathhouse with hot water and showers.
Fishing
Known as the luckiest fishing village in the world,
visitors wishing to try their luck in the surf may
catch popular species such as pompano, red fish,
flounder, catfish, whiting, and sometimes cobia.
Bait & Tackle can be purchased just outside
of the park!
Nature Trails
A three-quarters-of-a-mile nature trail begins in
the day use area. The trail will provide not only
a winding tour through the dunes, but a beautiful
vista of the park from atop one of the dunes. This
high dune has developed around the remnants of a
bunker built decades ago when the military was using
the area.
Picnicking
Henderson Beach State Park has both a day use area
and a campground, each of which has its own beach
area. The day use area has two picnic pavilions
with grills, picnic tables, restrooms, and soft
drink vending machines. These pavilions provide
the only shade on the sun-drenched beach, unless
visitors bring their own umbrellas. For visitors
in wheelchairs, an all-terrain wheelchair is available
to provide access to beach areas.
Showers
Bathhouses with outside showers are also provided.
Swimming
Henderson Beach State Park has one of Florida's
most prized assets, pristine white, sugar sand beaches
and more than 6,000 feet of scenic shoreline bordering
the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico.Please
Use Caution! Visitors to coastal parks are reminded
to pay close attention to the colored flags posted
at welcome stations and on the beaches. These flags
indicate the wave and swimming conditions at the
beach. Red means no swimming because of high winds
or undertow currents, yellow means swim with caution
and stay close to shore, blue means that the waters
are safe.