Grayton Beach State Park – Complete Guide

Get ready for this amazing Florida’s beach, by Jules Romero.

Grayton Beach State Park serves not only as one of the best beaches in Florida but also as one of the best beaches in all of the United States.

The beach boasts the best of the State’s oceanfront attributes, including dunes, scrub oaks, gentle tides, and turquoise water. The beautiful sights allow you to forget that you’re just a short drive away from a bustling city filled with skyscrapers.

Today, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about Grayton Beach State Park. Be sure to read until the end to make your next beach trip worthwhile.

Location

Grayton Beach is located in Grayton Beach State Park, which happens to be the oldest coastal settlement in Southern Walton. The park runs along both the south and north of County Highway 30A.

To the west of the beach is the central park. There are campgrounds, a coastal lake, and all sorts of wildlife. You’ll also find several hiking and biking trails just north of 30A.

How to Get in Grayton Beach

Especially if you’re traveling from a different state, the simplest and most straightforward way to get to Grayton Beach is via plane. You’ll touch down at one of two nearby airports.

1. Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport

Destin-Fort services flights from several regional airlines such as Allegiant, United Express, and American Eagle. Depending on the season, more airlines may be available for landing here.

To get from the airport to the beach or your hotel, you can take rental cars, taxis, buses, shuttles, or limousines. Conveniently, Uber and Lyft are also available.

2. Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport

The second airport you may find yourself in is Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. It’s a recently constructed airport just north of Panama City. Like Destin-Fort, it serves regional airlines. It, however, mostly offers Southwest flights.

The entrance to Grayton Beach State Park is just a quick drive east of County Road 283, which connects directly to Grayton Beach itself. Do note that there is an admission fee. The entrance fee, however, is less for pedestrians and cyclists than it is for those who are coming in with their cars.

Check out the best domestic flight deals.

Parking in Grayton Beach

Since Grayton Beach is located in a state park, finding a parking spot should be relatively easy. You’ll find the main parking lot along the mile-long beach strip fully equipped with bathrooms, foot showers, and several vending machines. Alternatively, you can also find parking near the boat launch into Western Lake.

Parking shouldn’t be a problem for you if you’re looking to explore the trails in the northern section of the park. You’ll find a small parking lot just north of 30A.

Many people visit the beach via bicycle. You can take the bike trail that runs parallel to 30A. It’s about 19 miles long and stretches from Dune Allen to Inlet Beach. For your convenience, there are many bike racks throughout the beach with accommodations for bike locks and chains.

The Beach

We’ve briefly touched on some of the other aspects of Grayton Beach State Park, and we’ll go in-depth on these later. However, the main attraction is the award-winning mile-long Grayton Beach.

If you haven’t visited yet, you may have done your research and may be wondering what the hype is all about. Before we move any further, it’s safe to say that Grayton Beach truly lives up to its hype.

Once you get to the surf, which is the area that breaks on a rise in the sand and the edge of the water, you’ll be able to see straight to your feet well offshore. For those of you who don’t like the feeling of seaweed and other marine life brushing against your feet, you’ll be able to see exactly where you’re stepping. Yes, the water is just that clear.

Grayton Beach is a public beach, meaning anyone can visit. It’s a favorite destination for families. This means that alcohol is not allowed at any time on the beach. Unfortunately, your family dog is not allowed as well. Don’t worry, dogs are allowed at the nearby campsite. Chairs and umbrellas are permitted, but you’ll have to remember to bring your own.

Camping in Grayton Beach

You have many options in terms of where to stay throughout your visit – click here to see the options. An excellent choice, however, would be to stay at the park in its campground cabins. That way, you’ll have easy access to the beach.

All available RVs and tent sites are equipped with electricity and water. Some are even connected to sewage systems. Showers and restrooms are available, and some sites are handicap-friendly. As we mentioned earlier, your dogs will be allowed.

If you’re not a fan of tents and RVs or are traveling with a large group, there are also cabins. These cabins accommodate up to six people and offer almost everything you need except TV and wifi. The cabins provide gas fireplaces and their private beach sections.

Tips from Locals

We’ve compiled a few tips from the locals and frequent visitors:

Biking. Biking is the best way to get around the beach and the park. If you don’t have one or didn’t bring one with you, you can rent one directly from the park. It makes exploring and getting around much more accessible and much faster.

Beach on the Western End. The beach on the Western end can practically be deserted since a keypad code is necessary to access it. If you’d like 24/7 access to the beach, consider renting out one of the cabins. As stated earlier, the cabins come with your private beach section.

Not a Beach Fan? Even without visiting the main beach, a trip to the Grayton Beach State Park is worth it. There’s plenty to do, such as hiking and biking.