Experiences & Amenities

A popular pastime at the park is to take a leisurely ride on the park’s 2-mile paved road. To preserve the natural areas of the park, bicycles are limited to roadways and are not permitted on footpaths, boardwalks or the trail that leads to the beach.

Stop by the Camp Store to rent bicycles for a fun experience riding around the park.

• Helmets are highly recommended for all cyclists, and Florida law requires helmets for cyclists age 16 and under.

Ride the official Shell Island Ferry to Shell Island for hours of fun. Shell Island can be accessed only by boat. This ferry is the easiest, safest, quickest way to the island.

• See more information and make your reservations today.
• Tram ride to the marina starts at the Pier Store.

Hours

• March: Departs St. Andrews 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m.
• April to October: Departs from St. Andrews hourly, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• November and December: 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m.

*Weather dependent.

Boaters enjoy access to St. Andrews Bay, Shell Island and the inlet to the Gulf of America.

• Tickets for boat shuttle service to Shell Island are available online through the park’s concessionaire.

Design your own boat excursion! Pontoon boats can be rented at the park for half and full days.

The campground is open for reservations. Most sites have a view of Lower Grand Lagoon. 

Each campsite features water, 30- and 50-amp electric, and sewer connections. Each site has a picnic table and grills.

Trails, beaches, a boat launch and concessions are located a short distance from the campground.

• All sites have water and electric (30 and 50 amp) and are equipped with sewer hookups.
• The sites will accommodate camping units ranging from tents to RVs up to 50 feet in length.
• Three accessible restrooms are available.
• Pets are welcome in the campground but are not permitted in swimming areas or buildings.
• Laundry facilities are available.
• For reservations, visit the Florida State Parks reservation website or call 800-326-3521 or TDD 888-433-0287.

Construction continues on the remainder of the campground. Please do not enter the construction zone.

Glamping

Glamping is now available at St. Andrews State Park. Unplug, relax and reconnect with nature in an eco-tent, each with a water view. Modern luxuries include electricity, a queen bed, a twin-sized cot and many other amenities. See more details and make your reservations today.

Sandy Point Group Camp is located near Sandy Point, the inlet and Grand Lagoon. The camp is available for organized youth or adult groups affiliated with a recognized nonprofit or community organization, such as Scouts, Boys & Girls Club, Sierra Club or church groups. Priority is given to youth groups with over half its members under 18 years of age.

Sandy Point Group Camp provides space for tents, a covered pavilion with picnic tables, a barbecue grill and fire pit. Restrooms and outside showers are available.

• Minimum capacity is eight people. Maximum capacity is 30 people.
• No pets.
• No alcohol.
• Check in time is 3 p.m. Check out time is 1 p.m. Quiet hours are 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Making a Reservation

• Reservations can be made up to 11 months in advance for organized youth groups.
• Reservations may be made up to 30 days in advance for adult groups.
• Youth group requests will not bump a prior adult group reservation made within the 30-day window.
• Call the park at 850-708-6100 for reservations, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fees

• $1 per night for youth (age 17 and under).
• $5 per night for adults (age 18 and older).
• One adult chaperone (age 21 or older) required per 10 children. Chaperones must stay with the group while they are in the park.

Checking Into the Park

• Payment is due upon check-in at the park.
• Organizations must provide a copy of their tax-exempt certificate. Payment must be made with a credit card or check with the same name as on the tax-exempt certificate.
• Cash, personal cards and personal checks are not accepted.

Fishing opportunities include deep-sea jetty and surf fishing. The fishing piers and jetty rocks provide excellent vantage points year-round. Catches include Spanish mackerel, red fish, flounder, sea trout, bonito, cobia, dolphin and bluefish.

A boat ramp and fishing pier are located on the Grand Lagoon. A concession offers snacks, souvenirs, bait, limited grocery items, and seasonal rental of chairs, umbrellas, snorkeling gear, canoes and kayaks.

• All fishing within the park must conform to regulations concerning size, number, method of capture and season. A Florida saltwater fishing license is required. More information is available at the Florida Wildlife Commission’s Fishing in Florida.

Geocaching is an outdoor game using hand-held global positioning systems (GPS) devices. It's effectively an inexpensive, interactive, high-tech treasure hunt that's a great way to learn geography. Participants use location coordinates to find caches. Some caches are easy to find; others are more difficult.

The biggest reward is the thrill of the search and the discovery of a place where you have never been. Geocaching should have minimal impact to the environment and conscientious land-use ethics should be followed.

• Operation Recreation GeoTour

There are two half-mile trails in the park to choose from: Heron Pond and Gator Lake trails.

• The Heron Pond Trail takes you on a hike through the flatwood pine forest and out toward Sandy Point.
• The Gator Lake trail provides a scenic lakeside view.

Kayaks are available during the summer season via the park’s boat rental shack located just beside the boat ramp. Opportunities are unlimited from just paddling around Grand Lagoon or across the boat channel to Shell Island.

• Kayaks and paddleboards are available for rent at the park’s concessionaire.

There are three picnic areas in the park: the jetties use area, gulf pier use area and at the boat basin. 

Scuba diving is an adventure along the jetty rocks in both the inlet lagoon and the Gulf of America. The extensive shoreline and rock jetties offer excellent opportunities to study marine life. 

• Snorkeling equipment (masks, snorkels, fins) are available for rent at any of the concession stores on the property or bring your own.

For everyone's safety, the following rules must be observed:

• All persons participating in scuba diving activities do so at their own risk.
• Each diver must dive within the limits of their certification.
• A dive party must consist of at least two divers.
• A diver-down flag must be displayed.
• Fossils and artifacts must not be disturbed or removed. Aquatic plants must not be trampled or disturbed.
• Do not carve or otherwise deface rocks or any other surfaces.
• Keep a minimum distance of 50 feet between you and manatees at all times.
• Dives must be completed one hour before sunset.
• Spearfishing is not permitted within state park boundaries.

This activity is an adventure in either swimming area. The extensive shoreline and rock jetties offer excellent opportunities to study marine life.

• Equipment is available for sale at any of the concession stores on the property or bring your own.

The gulf side of the park is very popular for surfing - bring your board and catch some waves!

Swimming is one of the most popular activities at St. Andrews, with over a mile-and-a-half of beautiful white sandy beaches.

The park not only offers beach access from the mainland, but it also offers daily trips to Shell Island where visitors can enjoy the beach as well.

• Trips to Shell Island are limited to seasonal dates only, from March until Labor Day weekend.

Have a perfect beach wedding or private event at St. Andrews State Park. The park’s concessionaire is happy to help you plan a memorable event. Contact them online or by calling 850-907-4355.

Wedding days are special at St. Andrews State Park.

• Call 850-708-6100 for information and reservations.

The Gator Lake Trail and Overlook provide visitors with a beautiful vantage point for spotting alligators and a variety of waterfowl, wading birds and other small animals.

At Button Bush Marsh Overlook, a host of birds can be viewed. Herons and ibis feed along the fertile marsh edge as a variety of waterfowl swim and feed in the depths. Throughout the interior of the park you will see raccoons and white-tailed deer.