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Navarre is a coastal community in Santa Rosa County on the Florida Panhandle, set between Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach along U.S. Highway 98. The mainland town faces Santa Rosa Sound, and a bridge leads across to Navarre Beach on Santa Rosa Island, a quiet strip of sugar-white sand and emerald Gulf water that promotes itself as Florida's Best Kept Secret.
Navarre Beach is much less developed than neighboring resort towns, with low-rise condos, protected dunes and long stretches of public shoreline. The Navarre Beach Fishing Pier, about 1,545 feet long, is the longest pier in the Gulf of Mexico, and an artificial reef in the Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary lets snorkelers explore marine life close to shore. The local Sea Turtle Conservation Center explains why lights are dimmed on the beach during nesting season.
On the mainland, Navarre Park offers waterfront picnic spots by the bridge, and to the west the Gulf Islands National Seashore protects the undeveloped dunes of Opal Beach. Pensacola, Destin and the Blackwater River area are all within about an hour.
At about 1,545 feet, this concrete pier is the longest in the Gulf of Mexico, reaching far enough out to catch king mackerel, cobia and pompano. Walkers pay a small fee to stroll to the end, where dolphins, rays and sea turtles are often seen in the clear water. Bring polarized sunglasses for spotting.
The main beach on Santa Rosa Island, with soft white quartz sand, emerald water and low-rise development behind protected dunes. Public access points with parking, showers and boardwalks are spread along the island. Swim near lifeguard stations in summer and check the beach flag colors before entering the water.
A day-use area of Gulf Islands National Seashore on Santa Rosa Island between Navarre Beach and Pensacola Beach, with pavilions, restrooms and miles of undeveloped dunes and beach. It feels wild and uncrowded even in summer. An entrance fee applies, and the road can close after storms.
A county beach park on the island west of the pier with covered pavilions, picnic tables, restrooms, showers and dune walkovers to a wide stretch of beach. It is a good choice for families who want facilities and space. Parking fills by late morning on summer weekends.
A waterfront park on the mainland at the foot of the Navarre Beach bridge, with shaded picnic pavilions, a playground, a gazebo and a boardwalk along Santa Rosa Sound. It hosts local festivals and makes an easy stop for families. A visitor information center is next door.
An artificial reef placed close to shore near the pier so that snorkelers and divers can swim out from the beach and see fish, crabs and other marine life around sculptures and reef modules. Calm, clear mornings are best. Use a dive flag, check the surf forecast and never snorkel alone.
A small education center near the beach that teaches visitors about the loggerhead, green and Kemp's ridley turtles that nest on Navarre Beach, with resident turtles and exhibits. Donations support local nest monitoring. Visit before a beach day to learn why lights must be off at night in nesting season.
A casual restaurant and bar on the Santa Rosa Sound side of Navarre Beach with sand under the tables, live music on many evenings and water sports rentals nearby. It is a relaxed place for seafood, burgers and sunset drinks after a day on the beach. Expect waits on summer weekends.
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