St. Joseph Peninsula State Park beach

Address: 8899 Cape San Blas Rd., Port St. Joe, FL

Phone Number: 850-227-1327

Web Site: http://www.floridastateparks.org/stjoseph/

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park has miles of pristine sugar-white sand beaches, striking dunes and a forested interior. The entrance to the 2,516-acre park is about halfway down a narrow strip of land that juts out into the Gulf of Mexico and St. Joe Bay, which means easy access to deep sea and inland fishing.

The sparsely populated cape is dotted with places to buy supplies, rent canoes and eat out. Its slow pace picks up when the bay opens for scallop season from July 1 to Sept. 10, and people flock to the area to snorkel and pluck shellfish out of the bay grasses. There’s also plenty of room to roam, cabins and full hook-up sites for camping and ample opportunity to view an array of wildlife – from deer and dolphins to almost 250 species of birds.

While Panama City Beach, which is less than 50 miles up State Rd. 98, is known for its wild nightlife and spring break parties, the cape is famous for its wildlife, laid-back atmosphere and beautiful sunsets. This is the pick on the Panhandle.