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    Opal Beach

    4.8 (28 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

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    Goldie M.

    One of the most beautiful quiet and private beaches around. When in Pensacola I pass by this area each time.

    Speechless.... Pure Heaven
    Karyn K.

    The beaches/coastline in the Gulf are some of the prettiest you'll ever see! Perhaps luck and timing, but there's a stretch on Santa Rosa Island along Country Road 399 that appears time has stood still. Stay where your feet hit the sand or go just a Iil' East or West of Opal Beach and you'll be immersed in uninhabited, beautiful stretches of preserved crystal beaches n colorful water as far as the eye can see. 3 words... Pure Stateside Paradise. PS - park in *designated* areas... not only to preserve dunes n habitat, but to not be the one (and we saw a few) to get their car stuck.

    No lifeguards, no bathrooms, no dogs, no crowds, no problem.
    Cheri Y.

    I'll always love you, for the rest of my days, you have won my heart and my soul, with your soft, white beaches & crashing waves. You gave me hope when I needed a swimming beach that was near, now you bring me happiness, everyday of every year. And I'll always love you, for all that you are, you have made my life complete, you're my fave Opal beach, my lucky star. You are the quiet one that I have been searching for, you have no crowds, no bathrooms, no lifeguards, no dogs, tell me who could ask for more? And I'll always love you Opal Beach, my love will never end! I need your sand between my toes, You're my fave beach, my fave place to swim, the only place I recommend! Oh, Opal Beach your waves gave my world boogie board thrills I've never known, you filled my days with gnarly wipeouts, like in a tidal zone. And I will always love you, you must know how much I do, you can count on me forever, and I will take good care of you. Visiting you I take with me only the memories, leave only my footprints, not a nasty plastic straw from my tasty freeze. I'm so happy I found you, the best beach of all time. There will never be another with such vivid colors of the violet hour as you, watching the sunsets from you Opal Beach, so incredibly beautiful it should be a crime. That's why I will love you Opal Beach, will love you, forever & ever, till the end of time. Highly recommend.

    Sunset at Opal Beach

    Great shells and beautiful sunsets!! You do have to pay to get in but they have passes you can get as well. We are retired military so we were able to get a free year pass which is super nice!

    White sand beaches

    One of the prettiest drives and beaches I've ever seen. $25 for 7 day pass. Lots of room to play and have your own space. Some of the restrooms were closed off, but there was another one close by. Absolutely stunning.

    Jamie J.

    If this beach wasn't an hour away, I would have been there every day during our week long vacation. The sand was silky (yes, I said silky), the water was clear, and the waves were gentle. I don't know if this beach gets crazy just because we were there last week which doesn't seem to be peak season, but it was beautifully calm. It was also Saturday afternoon so I expected more traffic then what we experienced. However, I am all about avoiding the crowds and enjoying the scenery and we were able to do just that. We went to a few other beaches closer to our home, but they were crowded, aggressive waves, and we were continually eaten alive by sand flies. That didn't happen every day on those other beaches, but don't forget the bug spray just in case. Regardless, I am definitely coming back to Opal Beach on my next trip to Pensacola which I hope to be sooner rather than later.

    No one at the drive in to pay and give info, instead only a link to pay online. Difficult to navigate website. Due to reviews we thought there would be restrooms and a spray off area. So we get everything set up and play for an hour till someone needs to go to the restroom. They are locked and state they are winterizing the restrooms. The water was also off, so no rinsing off before the 20 min ride back. The ocean water was not clear, clumps of seaweed everywhere and so much in the ocean we couldn't look for shells or enjoy swimming. It was honestly the worst experience at the beach we have ever had. We strictly visited off of reviews so I had to leave a review so no one else had to experience this for their beach day. It could be an awesome area and sounds like it used to be. Hopefully they can get it back to how it is portrayed in previous reviews.

    Lailaa W.

    What an amazing place!!!! I took a friends trip with 7 of my friends. I was expecting warm water but was not expecting so much white sand. The beach was quiet, clean, and beautiful. We had enough space to set upour tent, umbrella and beach towels. We had enough space to play soccer in the sand. At night the stars were amazing. We found easy parking. It was everything we were looking for. If you are looking for a place away from the tourist crowds to enjoy quiet beautiful beach area, this is the spot to go.

    Such a beautiful hidden gem on Gulf Shore Island! Love this beach! Water was so warm and so clear and the sand is so fine and white.

    Jerry M.

    Perfect spot to take in the Ocean. Never to busy so always a good time. No dogs allowed here

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    2 years ago

    Opal beach is absolutely stunning!! It's a bit annoying to get to sue to the speed limit through the conservatory, but so worth it

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    4 years ago

    Seriously the best kept secret that isn't a secret. Very private area, had the entire beach to ourselves.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Very pretty beach it has clear water really never has any sharks or anything so over all great beach

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    4 years ago

    Love this beach area and all the amenities. Well kept and on a beautiful stretch of beach.

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    Ask the Community - Opal Beach

    Review Highlights - Opal Beach

    Bathrooms, showers, covered picnic tables, and miles of white sand beaches with completely clear water.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier - "The Pensacola Pier" on Pensacola Beach.

    Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier

    4.3(34 reviews)
    11.0 mi

    Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier is the pinnacle of Pensacola. If you want the real Gulf Coast experience,…read morethis is the spot. The pier stretches about 1,471 feet out into the Gulf, and the water is so clear you can see straight down like you're looking through glass. Schools of fish cruise by, anglers line the rails pulling up mackerel and pompano, and every once in a while you'll see something bigger glide through the blue. I've seen rays, sharks, and more fish than I could count swimming right below my feet. It feels like standing above a living aquarium. The original pier here dates back to the 1930s, but the modern one was rebuilt stronger in 1998 after storms took the earlier versions. Today it draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and it's easy to see why. The beach is bright white, the water is emerald green, and the whole place has that laid-back Gulf magic. Walk the boards, feel the breeze, Watch the Gulf roll with ease, Fish below and sky above, Simple place you can't help but love. For me, this pier wasn't just a stop it was the highlight of the whole trip.

    Yes, you need to pay to walk the pier. $2.25 per person. Seven dollars if you plan on fishing. Tons…read moreof people fishing off the pier. Lots of strict fishing rules so the pier didn't smell fishy and it was very clean. A fun walk to the end and back. The view of the beach is great.

    Photos
    Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier
    Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier - Fishing is everywhere for everyone

    Fishing is everywhere for everyone

    Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier

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    Premier Dolphin Cruise - Premier 1 top deck

    Premier Dolphin Cruise

    3.9(31 reviews)
    10.9 mi

    (May 22, 2024) I highly recommend this 2 hours dolphin and…read morebay cruise excursion. If you're staying on Pensacola Beach, it's a super easy drive and park situation. Park near Felix's restaurant and enter downstairs under Felix's. There is a little ramp that takes you to the bay side where you catch the boat. No signs mark the area, but you will see others waiting in the area. These are most likely your fellow boaters. They suggest you arrive 45 minutes prior to departure. Our tour was scheduled for 10:00 AM; we arrived at 9:20 AM. The wait is easy with the beautiful scenery are lovely breeze. There are tables and chairs to sit at while waiting. The boat came out of the bay to get us, so don't be surprised if you don't see a boat when you first arrive. You will walk in the sand for a short distance before taking the pier to get onto the boat. A gentleman will take your last name that you made the reservations under, so you don't need tickets to show the reservation. The guys can help you on the boat if needed. The boat is a double decker. The lower area is shaded with large 3-3-1/2' port type widows which are open for a great breeze and maximum viewing. The captain will briefly go over safety instructions and what to do in case of an emergency. This is standard procedure on any chartered vessel. Don't be late! We had a group of 4 board at the last minute so all the instructions they missed had to be restated. Very annoying and rude, so don't be THAT person/group. You must stay seated while leaving the pier, but after you leave, you are free to roam the vessel. All seats are around the perimeter of the boat and each side of the boat has 7 windows. There's plenty of room for viewing. The captain does a great job of turning the boat so everyone gets to see the dolphins no matter which side you are seated. They sell canned sodas, bottles water and chips; no alcohol. There are plenty of grab bars to steady yourself once the boat gets going. It was a very smooth ride. Even when fishing boats went by us and created wake, we didn't feel much at all. I don't think anyone would have trouble with sea sickness. There is plenty of room for strollers, adult walkers, etc. No restrictions on purses. Several people had diaper bags for the kids and backpacks. There is a restroom onboard. We saw several pods of dolphin. It was a so neat how they come very close to the boat. Dylan/Dillion, of the boat hands, was so good at engaging with our group. Though he is young (born in 2001), he has been in Pensacola all his life and is very knowledgeable about the dolphins and the history of Pensacola. He was a pleasure to meet. After the dolphin viewing we took a cruise around the entire bay. We saw Ft. Pickens, the haunted lighthouse, million dollar homes, the military base area and so much more. I wasn't expecting the cruise to be as much fun as the dolphin viewing. They played reggae music while we cruised. I'm so glad we decided to do this tour! We were returned to the same area we left originally. For only $30 (plus taxes/fees and not including cancellation insurance you can add), this was a great deal! The vessel staff work for tips, so please remember to take care of them.

    Great Experience. Little confusing finding the dock where we board. Had a great time. Saw plenty of…read moredolphins. Crew were super laid back and chil. I would recommend.

    Photos
    Premier Dolphin Cruise - Dolphin watch

    Dolphin watch

    Premier Dolphin Cruise - Blue Angels Cruise

    Blue Angels Cruise

    Premier Dolphin Cruise - Guided Dolphin Cruise

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    Guided Dolphin Cruise

    BeachBumBB - Emerald Isle #201 "Emerald Gem"

    BeachBumBB

    2.5(6 reviews)
    10.3 mi

    I have been a customer with Beach Bum for years and have stayed in numerous properties and my…read moreextended family has as well. This particular year, I had a reservation with them, and my 17-year old daughter was hospitalized a few days prior to my check in (UNEXPECTANTLY). I notified them and made them aware of the situation and that her doctors did not authorize her for travel upon her release from the hospital. Stephanie said, well, that's too bad, you should have gotten trip insurance because we cannot refund your payment or push your reservation to another time. SO, if you are considering EVER using this company, know that they will NOT give you a refund of 100%....it will be 50%, doesn't even matter if it is for a DEATH in your family. They just do not care why OR about you. So, do not book with this company unless, a.) you get trip insurance OR b.) you have so much money that you don't care that you lose thousands of dollars. Note: At no point during the booking process was travel insurance mentioned, offered, or recommended--something that could have made a significant difference in how this was handled. Only after I requested a change due to my daughter's hospitalization was insurance brought up, which felt reactionary rather than proactive.

    Don't book with them, they will let you book and then call and say, you have to stay longer or…read morechange your days. Total BS.

    Photos
    BeachBumBB - Beach Club #1906 "Paradise Found"

    Beach Club #1906 "Paradise Found"

    BeachBumBB - Beach Club #1906 "Paradise Found"

    Beach Club #1906 "Paradise Found"

    BeachBumBB - Beach Club #1101 "Heron's Hideaway"

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    Beach Club #1101 "Heron's Hideaway"

    Opal Beach - beaches - Updated May 2026

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