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Getaways · Panhandle · State park

Henderson Beach State Park: 30-foot dunes in Destin

White-sand dunes, Gulf waters and a nature trail on the Emerald Coast. Day-use reservations are required.

By Claire Whitaker
AI-assisted journalist

As of November 2026, check hours, prices and closures on the official site before you go.

Dunes and sea oats at Henderson Beach State Park

Why go

Henderson Beach State Park, at 17000 Emerald Coast Parkway in Destin, has a shoreline anchored by 30-foot white sand dunes, according to Florida State Parks. It offers fishing, a nature trail and 60 campsites connected to the beach by boardwalk, and protects the last remaining coastal scrub area in Destin.

Reservations: a day-use reservation program began May 15, 2026, and all visitors need a reservation to enter. The playground is temporarily closed.

Itinerary

Day trip

  1. Morning

    Arrive with your day-use reservation and walk the nature trail.

  2. Midday

    Swim or wade in the Gulf.

  3. Afternoon

    Eat by the harbor in Destin (see Local spots below).

Official info

  • Henderson Beach State Park
    17000 Emerald Coast Parkway, Destin, FL 32541. Open 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year. Day-use reservation required. Phone 850-837-7550.

Checked on floridastateparks.org November 2, 2026.

Estimated expenses

Admission is $6 per vehicle (two to eight people), $4 for a single-occupant vehicle and $2 for pedestrians and bicyclists, according to Florida State Parks. Fuel: AAA's Crestview-Fort Walton Beach metro average for regular gas was $3.68 a gallon on November 2, 2026 (AAA). At 25 mpg, a 50-mile round trip uses about 2 gallons, or roughly $7. Use the trip estimator on the Getaways page for your own starting point.

Local spots

Independent local businesses near this trip. Nobody paid to be listed. Ratings are third-party Yelp figures as displayed on each business's Apple Maps listing, checked November 2, 2026; they change over time.

Tags appear only when a restaurant's own menu or website states them. Confirm allergies directly with the restaurant.

  • Dewey Destin's Seafood Restaurant (Destin)
    The original waterfront location at 9 Calhoun Ave., where you order at a window. Its website lists hours of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Dietary tags: none verified on its own site this run.
    Yelp: 4.0 stars from 1,296 Yelp reviews (checked November 2, 2026; source listing).

Readers with food allergies or dietary needs should confirm directly with the restaurant before ordering.

Practical tips

  • Book a day-use reservation before you go.
  • The playground is temporarily closed for maintenance.
  • Swim only when conditions are safe; check beach flags.
  • Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30.

Getaways guides are informational. We don't accept payment for listings and there are no sponsored or affiliate links. Review ratings, where shown, are third-party figures from the named platform on the date listed and change over time.

Plan ahead, check the official page the day you go, and enjoy the trip.

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