Shell Point Beach

Located in the community of Shell Point, Shell Point Beach - also known as Shell Point Beach Park - is a small white-sand beach with some pebbly portions, patches of grass, and a few trees. This beach is situated along the shores of the Apalachee Bay in the Florida Panhandle region. Shell Point Beach was previously a privately-owned beach, but it is currently owned and managed by the Wakulla County Department of Parks and Recreation.

 Although Shell Point Beach does not have lifeguards, it has many other amenities including restrooms, a pavilion, a volleyball court, a boat ramp, and sun shelters. 

Shell Point Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, picnicking, volleyball, swimming, scuba divers, surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing (also known as sailboarding), kayaking, canoeing, boating, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, water-skiing, parasailing, and wakeboarding. Shell Point Beach gets seasonally windy, which makes it considerably popular among windsurfers and kitesurfers. An interesting wind ceremony is conducted on the beach during spring by a local sailboarder’s group to commemorate the natural elemental processes of the sun, water, and the wind and ensure prevalence of favorable weather in the future. If you are a beginner sailboarder, the Shell Point Sailboard Club offers interesting lessons for beginners at the eastern end of Shell Point Beach. In addition, the Shell Point Yacht Club also organizes many races and regattas in the water near Shell Point Beach - one of these regattas is the Stephen C. Smith Memorial Regatta, which is held on the last weekend of April and sees hundreds of participants and spectators gather on the beach. 

If you are planning to enter the water near Shell Point Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents. The water here is also known to occasionally have high levels of microbial contamination. Depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of animals in the water near Shell Point Beach including turtles, dolphins, and a large variety of fish and marine invertebrates. If you like birdwatching, you can view many kinds of birds around Shell Point Beach including short-billed dowitcher, willets, migrating peregrine falcons, American oystercatchers, and marbled godwit. Shorebirds can be seen on the beach between September and April, and you can also see many birds including black scoter and lesser scaup here in winters. If you are planning to fish in the water near Shell Point Beach, we recommend following the local fishing regulations. Shell Point Beach is also a great spot for watching the annual Fourth of July fireworks displays. In addition, the area near Shell Point Beach also hosts a fun golf cart parade on Memorial Day.

Getting to Shell Point Beach is easy - the beach is present near 117 Beaty Taff Drive and it is easily accessible from Wakulla County Road 365 (which is also known as Spring Creek Highway). A parking lot is also present near this beach.

There are many attractions near Shell Point Beach within a 25-minute drive. San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park is a state park that is set around a historic fortification (initially built during the Spanish Colonial era) named San Marcos de Apalache - this state park offers many activities including wildlife watching, fishing, geocaching, hiking, and picnicking. This state park also has many historic sites, nature trails and interpretive trails, and restrooms, along with a museum that offers a unique insight into the state park’s interesting history. Wakulla River Park is a park that has many amenities including picnic areas, water fountains, showers, restrooms, playgrounds, pavilions, concession stands, and a dock. In addition, the park also offers many fun activities including wildlife watching, hiking, biking, kayaking, canoeing, picnicking, and swimming. If you are looking for another attraction near Shell Point Beach, Azalea Park is a park that has many amenities including picnic tables, gazebos, restrooms, workout stations, and walking trails.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Shell Point Beach within a 25-minute drive. The Seineyard at Wildwood serves amazing seafood, salads, steaks, burgers, sandwiches, and poultry dishes. Riverside Cafe is a waterfront restaurant which offers amazing seafood, burgers, steaks, poultry dishes, pork chops, sandwiches, and salads. The restaurant also offers live music performances. Hamaknockers BBQ offers amazing barbecued dishes, along with delicious sandwiches, salads, and burgers. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Shell Point Beach, Savannah’s at Wakulla Station is a buffet restaurant that is known for serving amazing seafood, Southern-style dishes, and breakfast dishes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Shell Point Beach, there are many great nearby options within a 35-minute drive. Sweet Magnolia Inn offers many amenities including multiple porches, lush gardens, complimentary breakfast, and a lobby with a massage chair. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Best Western Wakulla Inn & Suites which offers many amenities including a courtyard with a gazebo and a fountain, a seasonal pool, a fitness center, and complimentary breakfast. As another moderately priced option, the 3-Star Magnuson Hotel Crawfordville offers many amenities including a fitness center, a pool, tennis courts, a restaurant, and a complimentary breakfast. If you are looking for another attraction near Shell Point Beach, the 2-Star The Lodge at Wakulla Springs was built in 1937 and offers many amenities including two restaurants, a lobby bar with a fireplace and live music performances, and complimentary breakfast. The hotel also offers hiking trails and boat tours.