James Lee Beach(James Lee Park)

Located in the city of Destin, James Lee Beach - also known as Crab Trap Beach, James Lee Park Beach, and James Lee Park Public Beach - is a large and popular beach. This beach is present near the county border between Okaloosa County and Walton County. As an interesting fact, this beach got one of its alternative names (Crab Trap Beach) due to the presence of a popular nearby restaurant named Crab Trap. 

James Lee Beach offers many amenities including lifeguards (available from the second Sunday of March through October), restrooms, showers, picnic areas, playgrounds, and beach chairs and umbrella rental facilities. 

James Lee Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, fishing, picnicking, swimming, surfing, skimboarding, bodyboarding, paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing, boating, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, water-skiing, wakeboarding, and parasailing. The water near James Lee Beach is a popular spot for water activities and it is often frequented by paddle boarders, kayakers, canoers, and occasionally even surfers. However, if you are planning to enter the water near James Lee Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have rip currents. Depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of animals in the water near James Lee Beach including dolphins and sea turtles. If you are planning to fish in the water near James Lee Beach, we recommend following the local fishing regulations. The beach is popular among families as it has a more family-oriented and laid-back ambiance as compared to other nearby beaches. If you like yoga, Destin Yoga by the Sea offers relaxing yoga sessions on James Lee Beach. In addition, James Lee Beach is also a popular spot for hosting weddings.

James Lee Beach also offers accessibility to visitors with disabilities. In addition, the Destin Fire Control District offers complimentary beach wheelchairs at James Lee Beach for visitors with disabilities. If you want a beach wheelchair, you can visit Destin Fire Control District’s website for more information regarding beach wheelchair rules. 

Getting to James Lee Beach is easy - the beach is present near 3510 Scenic Highway 98, where a free large parking lot is also present. However, we recommend visiting this beach early as the parking here is known to fill up quickly.   

There are many attractions near James Lee Beach. Selfie Spot Destin (also known as Selfie Museum Destin) offers amazing art installations and backdrops which offer excellent Instagram-worthy selfies. The Track - Destin is an amusement park that offers five go-kart tracks, two mini-golf courses, an arcade, and blaster boats. In addition, this amusement park also has many exciting rides including Hurricane 360 and the SkyFlyer. If you are looking for another attraction near James Lee Beach, Henderson Beach State Park protects one of the last remaining coastal scrub habitats in the Florida Panhandle region. In addition, the park also has an interesting dune system. You can explore the park’s vibrant landscape through the nature trails and hiking trails present here. You can also view many kinds of animals in this state park including bobcats, gopher tortoises, and rabbits. Depending on the time of the year, you can also see migratory birds and monarch butterflies in this state park. The state park also has a paved road which offers a fun biking experience. The park also has remnants of a United States Air Force Clausen Tracking Site, which was established in the 1950s for supporting national security-related programs and rocketry testing programs. The state park also has 60 campsites that can accommodate both tents and RVs. If you are planning to camp in these campsites, you can visit Florida State Parks’ reservations website or call the state park authorities at 800-326-3521 or TDD 888-433-0287 for more information regarding the camping rules and charges. Henderson Beach State Park also has a beach that offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, picnicking, fishing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, paddle-boarding, surf-skiing, jet-skiing, snorkeling, water-skiing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, surfing, boating, and parasailing.  

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near James Lee Beach. Boshamps Seafood & Oyster House is an upscale restaurant that offers an amazing waterfront dining experience. In addition, the restaurant also offers excellent seafood and Southern United States-inspired dishes. This restaurant also offers live music performances. Crab Trap Destin is a popular restaurant that offers an amazing waterfront dining experience. This restaurant also serves amazing seafood prepared from fresh and locally-sourced ingredients including bronzed grouper and Alaskan crab legs. The Black Porch is a waterfront restaurant that offers amazing views of the Gulf of Mexico. The restaurant is immensely popular for serving delicious seafood including oysters and its signature chargrilled amberjack. 

If you are looking for a hotel near James Lee Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort offers many amenities including a marina, four golf courses, fifteen tennis courts, hiking and biking trails, four pools, and seasonal tram service. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Hampton Inn & Suites Destin which offers many amenities including a fitness room, a pool, complimentary breakfast, and breakfast bags (available during weekdays). If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near James Lee Beach, the 2-Star Holiday Inn Express & Suites Destin E - Commons Mall Area, an IHG Hotel offers many amenities including a pool, a fitness center, and complimentary breakfast.