St. Andrews: The Panama City Beach Park With a Calm Cove

Tucked at the end of the Panama City Beach strip, St. Andrews State Park feels like a different world: sugar-white sand, emerald water, and a rock jetty that creates a calm, clear cove where snorkelers swim among fish and families let their kids splash in safety.

A Sheltered Slice of Paradise

St. Andrews State Park sits on what was once a military reservation, now more than a thousand acres of beach, dune, pine, and marsh at the eastern tip of Panama City Beach. Its signature feature is the jetty, which tames the Gulf into a sheltered swimming and snorkeling spot often called the kiddie pool. The water there is calm and clear, and the rocks attract fish, making it one of the best easy snorkeling spots on the Panhandle.

More Than the Beach

Beyond the famous cove, the park rewards exploring. Nature trails wind through pine flatwoods and around Gator Lake, where alligators sometimes bask, and an old turpentine still recalls the area’s history. A shuttle boat runs across the pass to undeveloped Shell Island, a wild barrier island prized for shelling and solitude. Dolphins, shorebirds, and the occasional sea turtle round out the wildlife, all within sight of the bustling beach town.

Plan Your Visit

St. Andrews State Park is at the east end of Panama City Beach and is open year round. You can swim, snorkel the jetty, fish, hike, camp, or catch the boat to Shell Island. The park is popular, so arrive early in season before it fills. Bring a snorkel and mask for the cove, sun cover for the open sand, and water, and plan to spend the whole day in some of the prettiest water in Florida.

Official page: St. Andrews State Park