Mashes Sands Beach(Mash Beach)

Located in Wakulla County, Mashes Sands Beach is a white-sand beach with nearby oak and pine trees. This beach is present along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. As an interesting fact, this beach was the site of a military operation during the American Civil War in 1863, when two Union ships (USS Stars and Stripes  and USS Somerset) attacked Confederate salt manufacturing facilities present around the beach. 

Although Mashes Sands Beach does not have lifeguards, it has a few other amenities including a pier, restrooms, and boating ramp. The pier at Mashes Sands Beach is currently closed due to damage from Hurricane Michael. 

Mashes Sands Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, kitesurfing, paddleboarding, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, water-skiing, parasailing, picnicking, and boating. The shallow water near this beach is ideal for beginner swimmers, kayakers, canoers, and paddle boarders. Kayakers and canoers also launch their watercraft from this beach and explore the beautiful Northern Florida shoreline around the beach. In addition, an aquatic paddling trail named Mashes Sands Paddling Trail is present near this beach. However, if you are planning to enter the water near Mashes Sands Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents. The water here is also occasionally known to have high levels of microbial contamination. Depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of animals in the water near Mashes Sands Beach including crabs and sea turtles. If you like birdwatching, you can view many kinds of birds around Mashes Sands Beach including sanderling, gulls, and egrets. The receding tide creates interesting geometric patterns on the sand in Mashes Sands Beach - these natural patterns occasionally offer amazing Instagram-worthy pictures. If you are planning to fish in the water near Mashes Sands Beach, we recommend following the local fishing regulations.

Getting to Mashes Sands Beach is easy - the beach is present near the eastern end of Mashes Sands Road, which is a part of County Road 372, where a parking lot is also available. 

There are many attractions near Mashes Sands Beach. Gulf Specimen Marine Lab has exhibits and aquariums which offer a unique insight into Northern Florida and Gulf of Mexico’s vibrant marine wildlife. The lab also offers many fun and educational programs primarily for kids. Woolley Park is a recreational park that offers many amenities including a playground, restrooms, walking trails, and a boardwalk. If you are looking for another attraction near Mashes Sands Beach, Ochlockonee River State Park is a 30-minute drive away - this state park offers an insight into the scenic landscape and vibrant biodiversity along the banks of the Ochlockonee River. The state park offers many activities including biking, wildlife watching, boating, geo-caching, camping, hiking, kayaking, swimming, canoeing, and star gazing. 

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Mashes Sands Beach.  Angelo’s Seafood Restaurant serves amazing seafood, salads, steaks, and poultry dishes. Posey’s Steam Room & Oyster Bar serves excellent seafood, salads, sandwiches, steaks, poultry dishes, grits, and French fries. Tropical Trader Shrimp Co. is known for serving amazing seafood and it also serves delicious steaks, salads, and soups. The restaurant also hosts live music performances, primarily by local artists from Wakulla County. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Mashes Sands Beach, Panacea Pizzas serves amazing pizzas.

If you are looking for a hotel near Mashes Sands Beach, there are many great nearby options. Sweet Magnolia is a 30-minute drive away and 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. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Mashes Sands Beach, the 3-Star Magnuson Hotel Crawfordville offers many amenities including a fitness center, a pool, tennis courts, a restaurant, and complimentary breakfast.