Langdon Beach

Located in Santa Rosa Island, Langdon Beach is a large beach with white sand and sparse vegetation that is part of a larger national park named Gulf Islands National Seashore. The beach is situated near a 19th-century military structure named Fort Pickens, which was one of the only four forts in the Southern United States that were under Union control throughout the American Civil War. As an interesting fact, this beach is named after Loomis L. Langdon, who was one of the commanders of Fort Pickens. A gun battery named after Loomis L. Langdon is also present near this beach. 

Langdon Beach and the area around it have many amenities including lifeguards (generally between Memorial Day and Labor Day), picnic areas, restrooms, showers, and hiking trails. The beach also offers accessibility to people with disabilities. Dogs are not allowed on Langdon Beach.  

Langdon Beach offers many fun activities including beachcombing, sunbathing, picnicking, wildlife watching, swimming, kayaking, surfing, canoeing, paddleboarding, snorkeling, and boating. If you are planning to go into the water near Langdon Beach, we recommend being careful as the water near this beach is known to have rip currents. Depending on the time of the year, you can see many kinds of animals in the water here including dolphins, manatees, and sea turtles. The picnic tables present in this beach offer a fantastic oceanfront picnicking experience.

Getting to Langdon Beach is easy - the beach is located along Fort Pickens Road and is easily accessible from Pensacola Beach Boulevard (which is a part of Florida State Road 399). A parking lot is also available near this beach. However, it is important to note that you need to pay an access fee for accessing the beach as it is part of a national park

The nearby Fort Pickens is a pentagonal-shaped fort that was named after renowned American Revolutionary War hero Andrew Pickens. This fort offers an interesting insight into Florida’s and Southern United States’ military history. The fort’s premises also offer interesting exhibits about the local cultural and natural history. In addition, the fort also has a picnic area, a campground which accommodates both tents and RVs, a fishing pier, and a bookstore. If you are planning to camp in Fort Pickens, you can visit the National Park Service’s website for more information regarding camping rules, charges, and amenities

There are many attractions near Langdon Beach within a 30-minute drive. Plaza De Luna is a recreational park that is named after the Spanish conquistador Don Tirstan De Luna. The waterfront park has a children’s splash fountain, walking paths, a life-size statue of Tristan De Luna, and concession stands. In addition, the park also offers an amazing fishing experience. Pensacola Museum of Art has interesting exhibitions specializing in modern art. In addition, the museum also has a decorative arts collection of European, American, and African tribal glass-based artworks. The museum also has artworks by many reputed artists including Salvador Dalí, Alex Katz, and Milton Avery. If you are looking for another attraction near Langdon Beach, Pensacola Museum of History has interesting exhibitions about the vibrant history of Pensacola and North-Western Florida.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Langdon Beach within a 25-minute drive.  The Grand Marlin of Pensacola Beach is an upscale restaurant that has a casual ambiance and offers a pleasant waterfront dining experience. In addition, this restaurant also serves fresh locally sourced seafood and is known for serving delicious oysters. The restaurant also serves amazing steaks and poultry dishes and hosts live music performances. Peg Leg Pete’s offers a pleasant oceanfront dining experience. In addition, the restaurant also serves amazing steaks, seafood, salads, sandwiches, burgers, poultry dishes, Cajun dishes, and pastas. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Langdon Beach, the modestly priced Cafe Bistro serves excellent breakfast dishes, salads, pizzas, desserts, sandwiches, and burgers.

If you are looking for a hotel near Langdon Beach, there are many great nearby options within a 20-minute drive. The 4-Star Margaritaville Beach Hotel – which was started by the music legend Jimmy Buffet – offers many amenities including an oceanfront pavilion, a 24-hour fitness center, a pool, multiple bars, and a cafe.  In addition, the hotel also offers seasonal live entertainment. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Hilton Pensacola Beach which offers many amenities including five restaurants, three bars, a fitness center, and two pools. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Langdon Beach, the 2-Star Surf & Sand Hotel offers many amenities including a private beach area, a sundeck, a pool, barbecue grills, guest laundry services, and continental breakfast.