Gulf Coast Scenic Drive

Reviews of towns, scenic attractions, things to see and do along the Florida Panhandle Gulf Coast Scenic Drive.

Visiting the Chiefland Quilt Museum

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Levy County Quilt Museum

The Levy County Quilt Museum, in rural Chiefland, is more than a museum of antique quilts and sewing machines. Sprinkled among the quilts for sale by local quilters, are other uniquely crafted items. It is a great outlet for unique handcrafted gifts by Florida artisans. The museum also serves as a quilting supplies outlet, offering … Read more

Cedar Keys Florida – Top Things to See and Do

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cedar key florida gulf beach town

The fun island community of Cedar Key (see our first article here) is to date our favorite Florida Gulf Coast Beach town. It is what a friend termed what “Key Largo” used to be. An artsy, fun place that has some neat restaurants and attractions . . . but remains very accessible. You can find … Read more

Chiefland Florida Visitor Attractions

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manatee springs state park

The Chiefland Chamber of Commerce (https://www.chieflandchamber.com/) calls Chiefland the “Gem of the Suwannee Valley.” It is a city of about 2000 residents, with a few thousand more in the Greater Chiefland area. As stated in the Chamber of Commerce website, people in and around Chiefland enjoy the best of two different worlds. It offers the … Read more

Cedar Key, Florida Fun Gulf Beach Town

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Cedar Key Beach

Looking for an Affordable Vacation Beach Town?

Whether RVing or Vacationing, are you looking to escape to get away from the madness of South Florida? Consider Scenic Cedar Key. It is a slow-pace Gulf Beach Town Gem along the Hidden Coast, with lots of fun and interesting things to do and places to see. Read On.

> > > Discounts on Lodging in or near Cedar Key

> > > March 2025: What’s Open in Cedar Key

Cedar Key Voted Top Ten Small Town Culture & Affordable Gulf Vacation Beach Town

Located on what is known as Florida’s Hidden Gulf Coast, the island city of Cedar Key has managed to retain its small town feel while providing a very hospitable vacation experience for visitors. USA Today ranks it in the best Top Ten Small Town culture scenes, # 6 in the nation and #1 in Florida. And UpGradedPoints rates Cedar Keys as the USA least expensive Vacation Beach Town.

Cedar Key has lots of neat shops and galleries, some great restaurants serving up some great seafood, top notch kayaking and paddle-boarding, island tours boat trips, charter fishing, sunning and swimming at the spacious Cedar Key Beach & city park, some interesting hiking trails, and just plain fun hanging out in a friendly island community.

Cedar Key Florida Waterfront Restaurants
The restaurants and shops along Dock Street hangout over the water.

RVers Note: There are several RV campgrounds in and near Cedar Key and several choices in nearby Chiefland, Florida. We profile these camping options lower down this page, with descriptions and links.

Top Things to Do and See in Cedar Key, Florida

Cedar Key Florida Welcome Center
Stop at the Welcome Center for info on neat things to see and do.

See our list of Top 10 Things to Do, Places to see in Cedar Key, Florida

Kayaks, Swimming, Sunbathing, Picnicing at the City Beach and Park

cedar key public beach
Picnic, Swim or just relax and enjoy the breezes and sunshine at the city Beach and Park.

There is a decent city swimming and sunbathing beach adjacent to the city park that has picnic tables, a playground area, a pavilion, and a bath house. Nearby, within walking distance of the beach are several good restaurants and raw bars offering fresh seafood, some of which is locally caught.

Cedar Key Florida Beach & Kayaking
Kayaks are popular because the many bays and channels among the islands provide protection from big waves.

Cedar Key Dining and Entertaining

cedar key dockside restaurants
Many of the top restaurants and bars are located along dock street.

Most of the bars, restaurants, and boutiques are located along Dock Street which runs down the center of a narrow hook-shaped peninsula that juts out into the Gulf and Suwanee Sound. The buildings on the Gulf side of the street are built on stilts and actually sit out in the water.

See our reviews of Best Restaurants and Places to Eat in Cedar Key

Walking Around Downtown Cedar Key

Cedar Key Florida Artists Gallery
Cedar Key has its share of artists and artisans, including some with a sense of humor.
Cedar Key Emporium
Humorous artistic touches all around town
Cedar Key Cottages
One of several “unique” cottages in Cedar Key
Cedar Key Florida Gift Shops Boutiques
Wouldn’t be a beach community without some gift shops and boutiques.

Away from downtown, there are some interesting walks along the Cemetery Point Trail and the Trestle Nature Trail (see them here)

While the town of Cedar Key is situated on about 6 islands, the Cedar Keys Wildlife Refuge that surrounds the town of Cedar Key has thirteen named islands, plus perhaps hundred more islands too small to have a name encircle the town. The many islands of the Cedar Keys Wildlife Refuge provide great shelter for kayaking and canoeing and also a chance to see dolphins, birds, and other wildlife or do some fishing.

Cedar Key Fishing Pier
Cedar Key’s Fishing Pier, Swimming Beach of Atsena Otie Key in the background

The Island Tours Boat Rides offers an interesting narrated tour of a few of the islands in the Keys. Seeing some dolphins is just about a guarantee as they seem to be attracted to the boat, as if they were hired performers!

Island Tour Boat Ride
Watching the Dolphins perform on the Island Tour Boat.

See our list of Top 10 Things to Do, Places to see in Cedar Key, Florida

Lodging in Cedar Keys

The town has a very hospitable beach resort community that is more laid-back and has far less commercial glitz than you’d find in Destin or Panama City Beach. There’s no high-rise resort buildings or huge apartment complexes. There are a few medium-size ocean-side condos and hotels, but a good deal of the lodging for visitors is provided in quaint cottages and mom & pop style motels.

Camping, Campgrounds, RV Parks Cedar Key, Florida

There are three private RV parks/campgrounds located within Cedar Key or within 5 miles of the center of town. As you might expect, you pay a premium to be located in or close to town. We drove through two of these three parks and found the sites too cramped together for our tastes.

Our favorite Cedar Keys RV Campground is a few miles out of town at the North end of the Keys Wildlife Refuge, Shell Mound County Park. The park offers both RV and Tent Camping and the nearby nature trails provide some interesting hiking and bird-watching.

**Shell Mound County Park Campground (see our review and article)

The nearby Cedar Keys Nature area offers a boardwalk, a fishing pier and a canoe/kayak landing. We camped at the County RV park and found the camp hosts very friendly and helpful. The RV sites offer water and electricity; the bath houses have running water and showers; and the campsite fees were quite reasonable. The campground is first come, first served – no reservations.

Can’t Find Campground Vacancies in or near Cedar Keys?

If you are willing to drive about 30 miles, there are several good RV camping options in Chiefland (see our reviews). One that we like is Manatee Springs State Park. The state park offers very nice RV sites, good spacing, nice shading, 8 miles of hiking trails, kayaking, biking, and swimming/snorkeling in the spring pool. And the rates are quite a bit less than the private parks nearer to town.

Another decent RV campground for visiting Cedar Keys area is Strawberry Fields RV Campground

Beside being able to get a reasonable campsite somewhat near Cedar Key, another reason we like to RV camp in Chiefland is the Chiefland Golf Course, only about a mile from Manatee Springs. We found it a nicely, maintained 18 hole golf course, with a friendly staff, and modestly priced green fees. It is also a very walk-able course.

More Places to Visit and Things to around Cedar Keys:

Have you been to Cedar Key Florida? If so tell us how you liked it in the comments below.

Your Scenic Travel Guide: Ross Reinhold

Pensacola Beach Florida

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Pensacola Beach by Red Fish Blue Fish Restaurant

Visitor Attractions Pensacola Beach on Santa Rosa Island Pensacola Beach is a beach community located near the western end of  Santa Rosa Island, a thirty mile long, narrow barrier island strip of dunes and grass lands that protects Pensacola Florida from the hurricanes and storms that roll across the Gulf of Mexico. To the east … Read more

Dauphin Island Golf Course | Dauphin Island, Alabama

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Dauphin Island Golf Course

Is the Dauphin Island Golf Course Open? Also see our article on things to see and do on Dauphin Island 2024 Isle Dauphine Golf Course Update The Dauphin Island golf course was originally part of the Isle Dauphine Club. Constructed in 1957 as an effort by local boosters to make the island a “Modern Vacation … Read more

Dauphin Island Alabama

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dauphin island water tower

Dauphin Island, a worthy detour from the main Mississippi-Alabama Gulf Coast Scenic Drive (Hwy 90). Take a detour off the main highway to experience the unique, low key, friendly community of Dauphin Island. No Casinos, No high-rise hotels, very light traffic, but lots of interesting places to visit and things to do for anyone who … Read more

Dauphin Island-Fort Morgan Ferry

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mobile bay ferry to dauphin island

Traveling the Gulf Scenic Drive from Gulf Shores to Dauphin Island Alabama Traveling West of Pensacola along the Gulf Scenic Drive you drive through the resort communities of Perdido Key, Orange Beach, and Gulf Shores. But after Gulf Shores the highway leaves the gulf to go North along Mobile Bay to Mobile, Alabama. If your … Read more

Camping at Fort Pickens National Park

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Fort Pickens Beach Sunset

Fort Pickens Campground RV Park Review, Pensacola Beach Florida Pros & Cons, What to like and not like about camping at Fort Pickens. See campground maps, pictures, information and links below. The Fort Pickens Gulf Islands National Park RV park and campground is set about a half mile east of the old fort, nestled between … Read more

Big Lagoon State Park | Likes Dislikes

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big lagoon state park boardwalk

Review: RV Camping, Hiking & Recreation Pensacola’s Big Lagoon State Park

Big Lagoon State Park is located along the Gulf Beach Highway that connects Fort Morgan and Gulf Shores at the western end to Pensacola and then east to Destin, Panama City Beach and beyond. Technically it is not on the Gulf but on the mainland side of the “big lagoon” formed by Perdido Key which forms a barrier island between it and the Gulf of Mexico. The park does offer some sand beach swimming areas on the lagoon but they don’t compare to what you find in nearby Pensacola Beach.

boardwalk big lagoon state park
A view from the park tower of one of the many boardwalks that are part of the hiking trail system at Big Lagoon State Park near Pensacola Florida

Big Lagoon Amenities and Activities

The lagoon and the interior lakes within the park offer lots of protected-water paddling territory for canoeing and kayaking. If you don’t have your own watercraft, kayak, canoe, and stand-up paddleboard rentals are available from the Ranger Station.

The hiking trails through the coastal forest and boardwalks along the shoreline plus a three-story observation tower provide lots of bird-watching and excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. There are over 5 miles of varied hiking and nature trails plus several boardwalks.

big lagoon state park
If you stand just outside the little camp store, you can get free Wi-Fi
big lagoon state park hiking
The hiking trails are wide and sandy or are wooden boardwalks.
big lagoon state park boardwalk
One of the Boardwalk/Nature Trails in the park

The park offers a full-boat launch area giving access to the lagoon and gulf for fishing and boating.

Biking is another popular recreational activity along over 3 miles of lightly traveled paved park roads. Gulf Beach Highway borders the North edge of the park. It provides additional biking opportunities as there’s a sidewalk running adjacent to the highway. That sidewal allowed us to safely bike to Shopping Plaza a mile or two West of the park entrance to do some shopping. If you are ambitious enough, you might also be able to bike across the Theo Baers Bridge all the way to Rosamond Johnson Beach along the gulf on Perdido Key. There you can enjoy a day on the outstanding several mile long white sand gulf side beach that is part of the National Gulf Island Seashore Park.

big lagoon state park
Lots of trails for biking and hiking plus several picnic areas

March 2023 Note: On our recent visit to Big Lagoon, we found, due to storm damage, the East Beach area and the central pavilion section of the park was closed. So some of the swimming, hiking, biking, and boardwalk area was off-limits. Unsure how long it will be before repairs are completed.

Review: Big Lagoon RV Campground Facilities

The campground has 75 campsites with 30 & 50 amp service and is served by 3 full-service restrooms. The main park roads are paved but the campsites themselves are sand with some gravel. Most of the sites have good plant screening providing some privacy separation. Some of the sites along the edge of marsh are subject to flooding in heavier rains. The maximum RV length is 40 feet. Several areas of the park, including the washrooms, are wheelchair accessible and there are a few designated accessible camp sites that are paved.

big lagoon state park
Typical Big Lagoon Campsite

There is a small camp store with limited hours at the eastern end of the campground. But a decent sized shopping center including grocery and adult beverage stores is only about a mile from the park entrance. Also nearby is one of our favorite Pensacola Golf Courses – Perdido Bay GC and Triggers Restaurant – a great family owned seafood restaurant. A library that offers Wi-Fi is located just across the street from the park entrance. Other popular Pensacola attractions, like the fantastic Naval Air Museum, Fort Barrancas, and the Pensacola Lighthouse Museum are about 8 miles east along the Gulf Beach Highway.

What to Like or Not Like about Big Lagoon State Park and Campgrouond

Pros: The Hiking, Nature and Boardwalk Trails. Easy access from Gulf highway, convenient to shopping and many Pensacola area visitor attractions. Modest camping fees and less competition for reservations, compared to Fort Pickens and other popular State Parks.

Cons: The sandy campsites mean you track a lot of sand into your rig. And those sites along the South edge of the campground can be wet. While there are some swimming beaches, they are less attractive than those on the Gulf itself and you have to keep an eye out for Alligators.

Rosamond Johnson Beach
Rosamond Johnson Beach on the Gulf is about 3 miles from the State Park

Things to see and do in the Pensacola area

Chiefland Golf Course

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chiefland golf course, chiefland, florida

Golf Course Review: Chiefland Golf Course – Chiefland Florida

Chiefland Golf and Country Club, an 18 hole course located 4 miles west of Chiefland, Florida and about 1 mile east of Manatee Springs State Park. Its location close to the state park is ideal for RVers and campers who also like to golf and is one reason we chose the Manatee Campground.

Teeing off on the #1 hole
Can have a brew or sandwich outside or inside at the clubhouse.

What to Like about the Chiefland Golf Course

We golfed there in late February and were pleasantly surprised how much “green” was in the fairways and greens themselves compared to other courses we’ve played in Northern Florida and the Panhandle. We later found out it was because of the Rye grass mix they use compared to Bermuda grass commonly used throughout Florida. Bermuda is great for withstanding hot and dry weather but it dies back in the winter and is slow to come back in the spring.

Another feature we liked about the course were the five sets of tee boxes, a tee for every level of golfer. And my wife particularly liked that the ladies Red Tees come in at under 5000 yards (4843). Too often we see the ladies tees set up for around 5400 yards, which can be too long for the average lady golfer. As my wife Jo is a fairly new golfer she appreciated having a chance of reaching most greens with only one more shot above regulation. But if you are a lower handicap player, the Blue Tees run out over 6500 yards and there are three more choices between the extremes of the Red and the Blue tees.

I also liked that mature trees line most of the fairways – providing good definition of each hole, particularly helpful if you a new to the course. As during our stay we experienced unseasonably warm weather, the shade the trees provided was also a plus.

The tee boxes were in good shape and the sand in the bunkers was firm but it wasn’t caked up like we’ve found at some of the places we’ve played.

The green and cart fees are very reasonable and the pro shop staff (as well as members) were very hospitable. We loved the course and the people and look forward to spending more time there in the future. Note to Rvers, nearby Manatee Springs State Park (see our review) has decent campsites: level with nice trees and shrub screening and/or spacing between the sites.

Google Maps overview of the course. Directions
Teeing off from the Red Tees

What not to like

Rough Texture of the Greens. It is not the smooth bentgrass or bermuda grass carpet you may be used to playing on. But I found them adequate for the time of the year.

Modest Course Challenge (a negative for some, but for others this is a positive). There isn’t much elevation change over the course nor many water hazards. Most of the fairways are wide enough to give you some latitude on your drives. Except for the perimeter around the course itself, the “rough” adjacent to the fairways were light cover; we didn’t lose many balls that missed the fairway.

The driving range is quite basic, a large open field with no targets. The condition of the range balls is poor to average.

Bottom Line

Chiefland Country Club is an attractive and friendly golf course for mid to high handicap golfers. It is also a very walkable course. The layout of the holes provided easy navigation from the green to the tees for the next hole.

Chiefland Area Tourist Attractions

Treasure Camp Restaurant On the Suwannee

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Treasure Camp on the Suwannee River

Best Seafood Restaurant Chiefland, Florida Great Seafood and Outdoor Dining on the Shores of the Suwannee River. In our opinion it is the best place to eat outside near Chiefland, FL. The Treasure Camp Restaurant & Resort is located along the famous historic Suwannee River about 14 miles South of Chiefland in the tiny village … Read more

Florida Gulf Coast Scenic Drive

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Pensacola Beach by Red Fish Blue Fish Restaurant

Interesting things to see and do along the Gulf Coast from Pensacola to Destin Florida.

In this article we cover the interesting towns and places to visit along the Florida portion of the Gulf Scenic Drive from Pensacola Beach to Destin. In the article we provide links to visitor worthy attractions, campground reviews and some of our more detailed articles on these places to visit and camp.

Pensacola Beach
On the beach at Fort Pickens Gulf Islands park, ranked one of the top beaches in the country.
pensacola beach
fun things to see and do in Pensacola Beach
the swimming beach at Cedar Key Florida
Discover Funky Cedar Key, a neat island community
Fort Pickens Gulf Beach
On the beach at Fort Pickens Campground

The scenic coastal drive from Pensacola or Pensacola Beach to Destin is about 43 miles and without stops would take about an hour. If you are staying in the Pensacola area, you could easily do the trip as a day trip including a few hours stopping at destinations along the way.

Save money on Lodging from Pensacola to Destin Florida
– – Choose your destination, dates, and number of rooms

Top Pensacola Attractions

Pensacola is one of the oldest cities in Florida (some claim the oldest) and it has done a great job in preserving history in the businesses in its downtown Palafox Historic District and homes in the nearby Seville neighborhood. The Naval Aviation Museum is a fantastic attraction for its wonderous exhibits of planes from the dawn of naval aviation to the present as well as the history of its role in various military and space endeavors. Fort Barrancas offers more Military History together with Fort Pickens across the bay. Top seafood restaurants abound, some decent golf courses, lots of interesting boutiques and shops, musical entertainment, and more. It is a very walkable city and we’ve never had trouble finding parking close enough to all the attractions we’ve wanted to experience.

Carmen's Lunch Box Cafe Sidewalk Dining Pensacola Florida
Sidewalk dining and socializing outside of Carmen’s Lunchbox Cafe in Pensacola.

Articles and Links to our Favorite Attractions in Pensacola Florida.

What to see and do in Pensacola Beach

While Pensacola itself has some beaches, “Going to the Beach” for Pensacola people is driving a few miles across the bridge of Pensacola Bay to Pensacola Beach on Santa Rosa Island, which offers pristine white sand beaches on the Gulf and loads of dining and entertainment attractions to supplement your day at the beach.

Pensacola Beach on Santa Rosa Island is Pensacola's Gulf playground
Pensacola Beach on Santa Rosa Island has top rated beaches on both the Gulf and Pensacola Bay.

Adjacent to Pensacola Beach is Fort Pickens National Park, more history exhibits, a large camping and RV park, many miles of uncrowded white sand beaches, and nice hiking and biking trails.

Top Things to Do and Places to see in Pensacola Beach.

Gulf Coast Drive Attractions East of Pensacola/Pensacola Beach

gulf scenic drive map
Map, with links, of the gulf scenic drive from Pensacola Beach to Grayton Beach, Florida

If you are staying on the mainland in Pensacola, you’ll follow Highway 98 across the bridge to the town of Gulf Breeze and then continue East towards Navarre Beach.

However, I think the more scenic drive is to cross the bridge into Pensacola Beach and then go East on State Highway 399 on Santa Rosa Island from to Navarre Beach. The island along this stretch of road is a narrow strip of sand dunes with Santa Rosa Sound on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other. After leaving the community of Pensacola Beach proper, there are no homes or buildings along the route, just dunes and water as far as the eye can see. Every few miles, however, there is a designated beach and parking area. The rest of the terrain however is a protected natural area – off limits.

Navarre Beach Village  

A smaller version of Pensacola Beach with high rise beach front condos, a compact shopping-dining-entertainment district and 1500 feet long pier that stretches out into the Gulf of Mexico. Great for fishing or just a walk far out away from shore to catch the ocean breezes. Another attraction is the Navarre Beach Marine Science Center located at the entrance to Marine Park. The Marine Park itself is designed for both snorkeling and diving, the park includes two reefs in Santa Rosa Sound and one in the Gulf of Mexico. Informational kiosks stand at the beach near each reef.

Highway 399 ends at Navarre Beach even though Santa Rosa Island continues for over twenty miles. There is a half-mile gap in the road from the Marine Park to the end of Santa Rosa Boulevard that extends out from the community of Okaloosa Island. So unless you are driving a dune buggy you are going to have to cross back to the mainland across the bridge to Highway 98 (Navarre Parkway).

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It is about 16 miles to Fort Walton Beach. This stretch isn’t very scenic just typical semi-urban landscape of homes and businesses.

Fort Walton Beach

Fort Walton is located at the western end of Choctawhatche Bay and has a number of attractions for those interested in sampling what the city has to offer. These include the DeFrance Indoor Flea Market, The Bluewater Zoo, and the Heritage Park & Cultural Center.

Kite flying on the public beach of Okaloosa Island.

Most visitors or tourists however will do a drive through of Fort Walton Beach and cross the bridge back onto Santa Rosa Island to the community of Okaloosa Island, which is essentially the beach and gulf playground for residents of Fort Walton Beach. Like Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach there are huge modern high rise condo-hotels on the beach, sugar sand parks and public beaches on both the gulf and bay sides, and an entertainment district.

Emerald Grande Hotel
The Emerald Grande luxury condo-hotel anchors Destin’s Harborwalk Village

Destin Florida

The drive from Okaloosa Island to Destin is a divided highway and normally takes about 10 minutes. Destin is a bigger and more glamorous version of Pensacola Beach with the requisite high-rise hotels and condos along the beach, a harbor boardwalk and harborwalk village (see our article with pictures and links) with lots of dining and entertainment venues, charter fishing and cruise ships, theaters, galleries, specialty shops, etc.

Destin is a big time resort community. Although less than 15,000 residents, they entertain over 4 million visitors a year.

Destin’s most famous beach is in Henderson Beach State Park  and hosts one of the top rated beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. Henderson Beach is located east of the main high rise hotel and condo section of Destin.  It has 6000 feet of beach on the Gulf and is one of the most popular state parks for campers and RV travelers  in Florida’s panhandle. Just East of Henderson Beach, you can access old highway 98, now called Scenic Highway 98, turning south on Matthew Blvd.

Destin and South WaltonTownhomes
South Walton Townhomes & Condos

Driving East of Destin

Once on Scenic 98, you’ll exchange high rise condo-hotels of Destin for low rise condo-townhouses of the community known as South Walton. Every few blocks there is a public access to the beach for visitors whose lodging isn’t directly on the beach. Beach umbrellas stretch for a few miles all along the beach to the community of Miramar Beach, where the line of umbrellas picks up again until you encounter Topsail Hill State Preserve State Park. Topsail Park has a large section of camping for RV travelers. Prior to the arriving at Topsail park, Scenic 98 actually rejoins US Highway 98 in order to go around Topsail Hill park.

While this section is called Scenic 98, unless you stop at one of the beach access parks or one of the several restaurants and pubs along the route you won’t be able see much of the Gulf or the scenic white sand beaches. It is mainly town homes and condos lining both sides of the road. But shortly the scenery improves! icon_biggrin

Gulf Beach at Grayton Beach
The “beach” at Grayton Beach is one of the finest along the gulf coast.

See the Next Section of the Scenic Gulf Drive which covers the Emerald Coast from Destin to Grayton Beach to Rosemary Beach along Scenic Highway 30A. This portion of the Gulf Drive includes unique coastal dune lakes, some of Florida’s most attractive beaches, and top campgrounds.

—See our Directory of all of our Gulf Coast Scenic Drive articles.

Links to More Articles on Places to Visit along the Florida Gulf Coast Drive

See the Google Map below for driving directions and links on this scenic drive. If you are RVing or camping, we’ve included links to 3 state parks and one national park that offer decent camping, spacious beaches, and hiking trails.


Dockside Dining Review | Dauphin Island

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Dockside Seafood Restaurant Dauphin Island

Best Outdoor Dining on Dauphin Island Dockside Seafood Restaurant offers the best outside dining options on Dauphin Island. Located below the Pelican Pub, it overlooks the Aloe Bay Channel of the Gulf between the island and the mainland. Formerly known as JT’s Sunset Grill, the current owners began operations in March of 2021 and have … Read more