When choosing Perdido Key, you can shape your stay around different coastal and nature themes. For your travel plans, the first question is whether you want to focus on dunes and wildlife, a cycling route, or activities on the water.
Coastal Landscape and Wildlife
Perdido Key is a barrier island with gently curving white sand dunes. Quiet Gulf waters lie along its southern side; north of the island are wetlands and estuaries, as well as diverse wildlife. The island’s eastern end is surrounded by the 34,000-acre Fort Pickens State Park Aquatic Preserve.
The Perdido Key beach mouse lives in the coastal dunes along the island and is protected as an endangered species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The Perdido Key State Park is home to the mouse, as well as nesting shorebirds and nesting sea turtles. Nature enthusiasts can therefore find both a distinctive dune resident and several groups of animals that nest in the state park.
Beach Access Points and Johnson Beach
Perdido Key has public beach access points. Johnson Beach is a designated recreation area in Perdido Key at Gulf Islands National Seashore. It has lifeguards, facilities, and a parking lot. Beach amenities also include seven accessible boardwalks, a pavilion, and a 0.5-mile cycling and walking path. This makes Johnson Beach a specific point of reference if you want to combine beach visits with a short walk or bike ride.
Cycling Routes of Different Lengths
The Perdido Key Multi Use Path is a 6.5-mile cycling route from the Theo Baars Bridge to the Florida-Alabama state line, passing through Perdido Key State Park. The Perdido Key Bike Loop is shorter at 4.3 miles and offers views of the Gulf Coast, a dog park, and a kayak launch. The two routes therefore differ in more than just length: the Multi Use Path runs through the state park to the state line, while the Bike Loop includes Gulf Coast views and the attractions mentioned.
There is another shorter route at Johnson Beach: its cycling and walking path is 0.5 miles long. You can use the stated lengths to compare the routes and decide which one fits your planned itinerary.
Old River, Islands, and Snorkeling
A canoe and kayak launch on the north side of Perdido Key provides access to Old River. A public kayak launch on River Road provides access to small islands in the coastal waters of Perdido Key. These coastal waters include small sandy islands with some vegetation and white sand beaches, making them suitable destinations for paddling.
You can explore and photograph seagrass beds in Old River; snorkeling and fishing are also possible there. For another snorkeling option, the Perdido Key Snorkeling Reef is just offshore from Perdido Key Beach Access #1. There are several water activities to choose from, from exploring seagrass beds to paddling to the small islands.
Culture and Live Music
Flora-Bama Lounge & Package is a cultural landmark of the Gulf Coast on the Alabama-Florida border. Live music is performed there 365 days a year. Entertainer Charters, LLC has been providing visitors to Pensacola with access to fishing charters in the area since 1988.
Live music and culture offer another dimension.
Discover more destinations: Myrtle Grove, Pensacola, Goulding, Brent, Gulf Breeze, West Pensacola
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