Family Travel Ideas

10 Reasons To Visit Gulf County Florida With Your Family

There are so many reasons to visit Gulf County Florida with your family. If you are looking for beautiful beach destinations in Florida, Gulf County is the place to be!

10 Reasons To Visit Gulf County Florida With Your Family | Gulf County beaches | things to do in Gulf County FL

Things to do in Gulf County, Florida

When you think of Florida, I am sure you think of sunshine, beaches, oranges, and gators. Most people tend to think of other destinations, but there is so much more to explore in the “sunshine state”! If you’ve got an outdoor loving family that is looking for adventures that involve sun, sand, sea, and surf, you don’t necessarily have to leave the U.S. Look no further than your own backyard in Gulf County, Florida!

You’ll love Gulf County beaches, weather & more

If I could take my family to visit Gulf County, Florida, I would make sure to plan to do things that are unique to the city. Gulf County is a destination in Northwest Florida that boasts 43 miles of white sand beaches and spectacular sunsets over St. Joseph Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. When I vacation, I like to be sure that there is a mix of relaxation and fun, and Gulf County’s got it all!

Cape San Blas stump hole, Gulf County, FL

photo: GCFL Tourism Board

We are a beach-going family, so it’s no surprise that the majority of the activities we’d be interested in are near –  and IN the ocean. Looking through the Gulf County Adventure Guide, it looks like in addition to kayaking, deep-sea fishing, camping, snorkeling, hiking, and many more activities, there are a few fun things that are unique to the area. Here are a few adventures I would put on the itinerary during a visit to Gulf County.

1. Bay Scalloping

I have never heard of this, but there is a time when scallops are in season and you can go ‘scalloping’, or catch some fresh scallops! June – September is the time to snorkel your way through the bay waters and grab your dinner for the evening.

2. Spend a day at Port St. Joe

It’s off the beaten path, but full of stuff to do! With restaurants, shops, fishing spots, playgrounds, hiking trails, boat rides, and beautiful scenery, we could definitely enjoy a day on St. Joesph Bay!

3. Enjoy Cape San Blas beaches

This area of the bay is protected by the peninsula, making the calm, shallow waters perfect for families. Lots of safe play and discovery time for kids in these gentle bluish-green waters.

4. Horseback riding around Cape San Blas

We’ve never gone horseback riding, so this is one of the top Gulf County things to do on our list. Experienced guides take you and your family of up to 10 people on a slow and serene ride on your very own horse. What better way to take in the views and trot along the beach?

5. Camping at Dead Lakes Park

We love to go camping, and apparently, this area is the place to do it! There are plenty of trees and greenery, various wildlife, and campground activities available here.

Kayaking the Dead Lakes in Gulf County, FL

image: Gulf County Florida Tourism

6. Exploring Turtle Beach, and swimming with turtles!

I have always wanted to swim with sea turtles, this would be my chance! They are so majestic and grand, fascinating creatures, to say the least. Turtle Beach lives up to its name, they nest here and lay eggs year after year, an incredible sight I’m sure.

7. An unexpected wildlife encounter

Apparently, there are tons of wildlife creatures that you’ll see while visiting Gulf County. Dolphins, fish, and sea scallops in the water, plenty of species of birds, and even sea turtles who come to shore to nest. You never know just what you’ll see!

8. Snorkeling and shelling

My kids love collecting shells, but they haven’t been able to try snorkeling yet. I would love to stop by a beach here with shallow waters so the kids could practice snorkeling, looking into the water for their favorite shells.

Baby turtle, Gulf County, Florida

9. Nesting turtle watching patrol on the beach

I think it would be a fun educational experience for us to see baby sea turtles nesting on the shores of North Florida. A tour guide will take a very small group to look for signs of nesting, allowing tourists to take part in protecting each loggerhead turtle site found. Seeing the turtle’s eggs in their camouflaged nests, and perhaps a turtle hatching would be so amazing!

10. Enjoy a sunset cruise with Seahorse Water Safari

A sunset cruise sounds like a wonderful way to end the day! There’s truly nothing like watching an evening sunset, and what better way to get closer than on the water with a cruise? Seahorse Water Safari offers cruises at sunset that I would just love to take my family on, what a wonderful way to create memories!

Sunset over the water in Gulf County, Florida

What would you love to do in Gulf County, Florida with your family?

What a beautiful, natural place! There’s nothing better than getting outdoors, exploring new places, and living life. Gulf County, Florida is a place to do whatever you feel, unfiltered. Oh, I would just love to be able to relax and unwind in Gulf County. Such a sense of calm, yet so much fun with the people I love most!

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This post brought to you by Gulf County, Florida. All opinions are 100% mine.

2 Comments

  • I live in Florida and have been looking for a place to go close to home to relax and enjoy some scenery. This looks like the perfect place

  • This looks like a great place to visit. I use to live in Sarasota Florida and it was a beautiful place. I would like to go back down in the next couple years and this may be one of the contending places to visit!

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