Regional Guide · 56 beaches
Gulf of Mexico Beaches
Gulf coverage spans the white-quartz panhandle beaches (Destin, Panama City, Pensacola, St. George Island) east through the Forgotten Coast, down Florida's west coast (Clearwater, St. Pete, Siesta Key, Naples), and west along Alabama (Gulf Shores, Orange Beach), Mississippi (Biloxi, Gulf Shores), and Texas (Galveston, Port Aransas, South Padre). The Gulf is a different sea than the Atlantic — warmer, calmer, shallower, with sugar-white sand on the eastern third and progressively browner sand moving west.
Current Conditions
Average water temperature: 88°F
Across 56 monitored stations on the Gulf of Mexico.
When to Go
March through November for warm water (high 70s to upper 80s). Peak season is June–August; spring break (March) is the loudest stretch. Hurricane season (June through November) brings the risk of beach closures and red-tide events.
Watch Out For
Karenia brevis red-tide blooms can cause respiratory irritation and fish kills along Florida's west coast July through November — check the daily FWC red-tide map. Rip currents are present even on calm-looking days; respect lifeguard flags. Box jellyfish and Portuguese man-of-war wash up after onshore winds.
Florida · 31
All Florida beaches →Sanibel Island Beach
Ideal for fishing.
Coquina Beach
Great day for a beach walk.
Lido Beach
Great day for a beach walk.
Captiva Island Beach (Alison Hagerup Beach Park)
Great day for a beach walk.
Longboat Key Beach (Bayfront Park Access)
Great day for a beach walk.
Lovers Key State Park
Great day for a beach walk.
St. Pete Beach
Great day for a beach walk.
Manatee Public Beach (Anna Maria Island)
Great day for a beach walk.
Siesta Key Beach
Great day for a beach walk.
Bonita Beach (incl. Bonita Beach Dog Beach)
Great day for a beach walk.
Clearwater Beach
Great day for a beach walk.
Fort Myers Beach (Lynn Hall Memorial Park)
Great day for a beach walk.
Vanderbilt Beach Park
Great day for a beach walk.
Naples Beach
Great day for a beach walk.
Marco Island Beach
Great day for a beach walk.
Honeymoon Island State Park
Decent day for sunbathing.
Rosemary Beach (30A)
Skip the beach today.
Destin Beach
Skip the beach today.
Mexico Beach
Skip the beach today.
Seaside Beach (30A)
Skip the beach today.
Cape San Blas (Salinas Park)
Skip the beach today.
T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
Skip the beach today.
St. George Island
Skip the beach today.
Grayton Beach State Park
Skip the beach today.
Panama City Beach
Skip the beach today.
Miramar Beach
Skip the beach today.
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
Skip the beach today.
Navarre Beach
Skip the beach today.
Henderson Beach State Park
Skip the beach today.
Perdido Key State Park
Skip the beach today.
Pensacola Beach
Skip the beach today.
Texas · 14
All Texas beaches →South Padre Island Beach
Great day for swimming.
Boca Chica Beach
Great day for a beach walk.
Padre Island National Seashore
Great day for a beach walk.
Port Aransas Beach
Skip the beach today.
Mustang Island State Park
Skip the beach today.
Jamaica Beach
Skip the beach today.
East Beach (Galveston)
Skip the beach today.
Stewart Beach
Skip the beach today.
Galveston Seawall
Skip the beach today.
Surfside Beach (TX)
Skip the beach today.
Matagorda Beach
Skip the beach today.
Pirates Beach
Skip the beach today.
Sea Rim State Park
Skip the beach today.
Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)
Skip the beach today.
Mississippi · 5
All Mississippi beaches →Bay St. Louis Beach
Great day for a beach walk.
West Ship Island
Great day for a beach walk.
Biloxi Beach
Skip the beach today.
Gulfport Beach
Skip the beach today.
Pass Christian Beach
Skip the beach today.
Alabama · 4
All Alabama beaches →Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge
Skip the beach today.
Dauphin Island Public Beach
Skip the beach today.
Gulf Shores Public Beach
Skip the beach today.
Orange Beach
Skip the beach today.