Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park
St. George Island, FL
Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park holds nine miles of undeveloped Gulf beach at the island's east end, backed by dunes and pine flatwoods with almost none of the development found on the rest of St. George Island. Apalachicola Bay runs along the other side, calm enough for kayaking where the Gulf side gets rougher.
Nine miles of genuinely undeveloped Gulf beach this easy to reach is rare anywhere in Florida, and the bay side option when the Gulf gets rough adds real range, though summer's heat with limited shade is a real factor to plan for.
How we score beachesDrive out to the far east end past Sugar Hill if the goal is genuine solitude, the crowds thin fast the farther you go from the main entrance. Bring your own shade, the beach stretches on with very little of it beyond the picnic pavilions near the entrance.
The entrance fee is 6 dollars per vehicle for up to eight people, 4 dollars for a single occupant, 2 dollars for pedestrians or cyclists. Several lots are spread along the road in, so it rarely feels as crowded as the fee-per-car system might suggest.
Paved paths and boardwalks lead from most lots over the dunes to the beach, flat and easy going. The far eastern stretches require more walking over natural sand once you're past the main developed areas.
Leashed dogs are welcome at the campground and on paved areas, but pets aren't allowed on the beach, boardwalks, or pavilions.
Spring and fall bring the mildest weather for the nine mile beach walk, while summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, are the main things to plan around. Gulf water here warms into the 80s by midsummer.
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