Cottondale FloridaBEACHES & WATERFRONT ESCAPES
Listed below are the best beaches and waterfront escapes near Cottondale, Florida.
1. Florida Caverns State Park
UNDERGROUND SPRINGS AND CAVES
Florida Caverns State Park features stunning underground caverns with natural limestone formations surrounded by lush woodlands. Visitors can enjoy hiking trails, fishing spots, and camping facilities while exploring the unique cave system with guided tours. The park's natural springs and water features provide a refreshing escape during hot Florida summers.
2. Blue Springs Recreation Area
CRYSTAL CLEAR SWIMMING HOLE
Blue Springs Recreation Area boasts a first-magnitude spring with crystal clear 68-degree water year-round. The spring creates a natural swimming area surrounded by cypress trees and provides excellent visibility for underwater exploration. Visitors can swim, snorkel, picnic, and enjoy the wooden boardwalk that meanders through the scenic natural area.
3. Merritt's Mill Pond
PRISTINE SPRING-FED POND
Merritt's Mill Pond is a spring-fed waterway known for its crystal-clear waters and exceptional visibility reaching depths of 20 feet or more. The 4-mile long pond offers swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing opportunities with several public access points. Spring Creek and the numerous underwater caves make this destination particularly popular with scuba divers and underwater explorers.
4. Panama City Beach
WHITE SAND GULF PARADISE
Panama City Beach features 27 miles of sugar-white sand beaches along the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Visitors can enjoy swimming, sunbathing, paddleboarding, jet skiing, parasailing, and dolphin tours in one of Florida's most popular beach destinations. The vibrant beachfront is lined with restaurants, shops, and entertainment options for the perfect coastal getaway just a short drive from Cottondale.
5. St. Andrews State Park
PRISTINE COASTAL WILDERNESS
St. Andrews State Park encompasses over 1,200 acres of pristine coastal habitat with beaches on both the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrews Bay. The park offers swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, hiking, and camping opportunities in a natural setting away from the more developed beaches. Visitors particularly enjoy the jetty area where clear emerald waters and abundant marine life make for excellent snorkeling conditions.
6. Shell Island
UNDEVELOPED BARRIER ISLAND
Shell Island is a pristine, undeveloped 7-mile barrier island accessible only by boat or shuttle ferry from St. Andrews State Park. The island features untouched white sand beaches, clear waters, and natural dunes without any commercial development or facilities. Visitors come to experience the island's unspoiled beauty, swim in the crystal-clear waters, snorkel among diverse marine life, and collect seashells along the shoreline.
7. Lake Seminole
EXPANSIVE RECREATIONAL RESERVOIR
Lake Seminole is a 37,500-acre reservoir straddling the Florida-Georgia border with numerous access points and recreation areas. The lake offers excellent fishing, boating, water skiing, and swimming opportunities with several beaches and designated swimming areas. Visitors can enjoy camping, picnicking, and wildlife viewing along the shoreline while exploring one of the region's largest bodies of freshwater.
8. Ponce de Leon Springs State Park
HISTORIC NATURAL SPRING
Ponce de Leon Springs State Park features a natural spring pumping 14 million gallons of crystal-clear 68-degree water daily into a circular swimming area. The spring's sandy bottom and consistent water temperature make it an ideal swimming destination year-round for visitors of all ages. Nature trails, picnic facilities, and interpretive exhibits about the spring's history and ecosystem complete the experience at this natural oasis.
9. Morrison Springs Park
CLEAR BLUE DIVING WONDER
Morrison Springs Park showcases one of Northwest Florida's most beautiful springs, producing 48 million gallons of water daily and creating a 250-foot diameter spring pool. The crystal-clear blue waters reach depths of 300 feet in underwater caverns, making it a premier destination for cave diving, swimming, and snorkeling. A boardwalk system with viewing platforms allows visitors to appreciate the spring's beauty from above while picnic facilities and a boat ramp provide additional recreational opportunities.
10. Grayton Beach State Park
AWARD-WINNING NATURAL BEACH
Grayton Beach State Park encompasses one of the most beautiful and pristine beaches in the United States with its sugar-white sand and emerald green waters. The park features a rare coastal dune lake, Western Lake, offering both saltwater and freshwater recreation opportunities in one location. Visitors can enjoy swimming, paddling, hiking nature trails, and staying in the park's cabins or campground while experiencing Old Florida charm in a natural setting.