St. Joseph Peninsula State Park Campground

I spent a whole weekend at St. Joseph Peninsula State Park with the family.
It was a great experience for all of us. We discovered a variety of plant species while walking through the natural beauty of the park.

As far as the publicity of the place is concerned, a certain amount of cyclists were around enjoying their ride.

It was really great to see the different species of birds !!!

After walking through the park we ended at the beach which is fantastic to walk. We saw people fishing and next time we visit we will definitely have the fishing equipment!!

We were able to snag a couple of cancelled nights at St. Joseph State Park and enjoyed this quiet and practically empty beach in Florida...in April!

This state park is definitely a destination in itself as there is not a city nearby or any entertainment to speak of. Stock up before heading this way because we only found on small grocery/gift shop with an okay selection at unfair prices. Also, send all emails and make phone calls before heading this way as we were unable to get any usable internet.

The good: The beach. Absolutely pristine. And a few people here and there. And a very short walk from our campsite across the dunes via boardwalk to the beach. $24 a night for 30 amps and water.

The okay: The sites are tight. Some are setup awkwardly. Our picnic table was behind our rig and we had to park our truck creatively to fit it in the site although we were in an appropriately sized site. We stayed in the Shady Pines loop and would recommend any of the sites 90-102 which are just across from the beach with no neighbors across the street. (There isn't a beach view from any sites due to the dunes). We did walk through the Gulf Breeze loop and didn't like it at all. Much less vegetation and much less privacy.

There is a nice boardwalk that connects the two loops which passes through marshes, dunes and controlled burn areas where baby palmettos are making their comeback. We took the dogs for walks along this boardwalk but of course, they aren't allowed on the beach.

There is a concessionaire at the marina which rents out kayaks to use on St. Joseph Bay, not sure on pricing but we were perfectly content just hanging out on the beach!

We absolutely loved this state park! We were able to snag two nights as a walk up (Thurs-Sat), this park books up far in advance. We called when we were about an hour away and they had one spot, so we took the risk and drove out there. It's a pretty drive out to the barrier island. Follow the other review and come stocked, there is nothing nearby...there is a grocery and small town in Port St. Joe...but nothing down the street so-to-speak. We were actually in the Gulf Breeze Loop and loved it...BUT, it's because we had a great site...site 11...which gave us tons of privacy and we had a beautiful view of the marsh behind us...it is gorgeous! The sites around us were great...but I would not choose the rest of the sites in that loop if given the choice. We were surprised that the beach on the bay was much more calm than the beach facing the gulf. The beaches were pristine...one with miles of endless sand and very few people, the other was spotted with shells and horseshoe crab remnants....a beach peddlers paradise. We enjoyed hiking through the preserve. I would go back in a heartbeat and will plan to stay much longer the next time we are in the area. This is one now one of our favorite places in FL. Be sure to visit Shipwrecks Restaurant one night for the best oysters and cheapest happy hour prices you will find for seafood and drinks. The oysters and crab cakes are amazing. Our site had Electric & Water, a fire pit, table and clothesline poles...and a sufficient amount of plants to create a favorable wall between our neighbors. Note, this campground is in the Central Time Zone, although half of your electronics will say you are on East Coast Time.

Can I just say that I love this park. The beach was so close and so beautiful. There were plenty of roads to ride bikes. The campsite was lush. The bathrooms were decent. Free wifi was available. I will be back.

Not much that I can add other than the fact that this CG is a great place to take it easy or find adventure.

The camp hosts were friendly, helpful and kept the Shady Pines loop immaculate!! We took a tip from Wander Wasi and found a spot between sites 90-100. 92 had been a tent only spot in the past but it has water and electric now. It appeared that all sites did. 92 was a bit tight but we have a truck camper so it worked. Path to the beach was across from our site and it was a quick 1-2 min. walk over the dunes to a huge,white sand beach. You can also follow trails to the bay side of the peninsula.

We would highly recommend this CG for respite or fun or both!!!

We stayed here over a weekend. The campsite was level, and provided adequate privacy. No problems backing in our 34 foot Excella.

Showers were clean and warm. There is a small laundry that you can use.

The beach, like most Florida Beaches doesn't allow dogs. Most of the beaches in Port St. Joe do though. There is basically only one walking trail other than the beach. That trail is less than a mile but gives you good views of the bay.

We had an Omincell boosting our Verizon signal, but we had a good signal the whole time.

Sunsets were spectacular.

Was on way from Texas to Jacksonville FL. Stopped at this park. I could only book one night online. When I got here the ranger told me to come back at 7:30am and get on the site list. Sure enough someone cancelled and I could get up to 12 days more. The bay and gulf beaches are nice. People were catching fish on the Gulf. They have kayaks to rent and a boat launch on the bay side. I stayed at both Shady Pines and Gulf Breeze. Some of the spots are pretty small, so big rigs would have to be careful. I made a youtube video at: https://youtu.be/EYJVHVL8-1U

Cell Download/upload rates (Mbps) measured with Speedtest
ATT 7.36/0.04
Verizon 0.32/0.28
T-Mobile 8.99/0.25

With Weboost Cell booster:
ATT 8.83/2.89
Verizon 0.36/0.32
T-Mobile 17.1/4.41

Beautiful park, sites are right on the beach and the beach is beautiful. Only issue I have is THERE IS NO CELL SERVICE in the park. I use Verizon and our stay was in May 2018. I had to drive to the end of the island, about a 20 minute drive, to use the phone. I know I should be camping and not on my phone, but my job requires me to be in touch so it made it quite difficult.

Aside from that, definitely worth going back. Bring a good book and enjoy this beautiful beach!

The other reviews pretty much have it covered...I'd just like to add you have to be prepared for the full Florida wildlife experience if you are going to stay here. Expect deer, armadillos, rats, tons of mosquitos, birds and maybe even snakes/water moccasins to wander through your site at some point. We never had an alligator visit but there were signs saying they are on the nature trails and in some other areas of the park. The Park and Preserve keep this diverse ecosystem in check with prescribed burns when needed. That said, be aware. Enjoy what Mother Nature has going on down there and you won't even notice the lack of cell service.

Feb 2018 was my 3rd trip to this park. I love it. I stayed 7-10 days (I don’t remember) total THIS year. There are 1 or 2 “walk in” sites...if you are lucky, once you get one, you can stay up to 2 weeks. This is NOT advertised. I’d booked for 3 days after which a “walk in” became available. Nice site, too. There is a $6.75 reservation charge (I HIGHLY recommend having a reservation if you are traveling in the winter months) plus taxes. I travel in Feb and March. I’ve hit HOT weather as well as long sleeve, really chilly windy weather. Be prepared for both. The park is right on the border of Eastern to Central time so your phone never knows what time it is...neither do you. But, what’s an hour when you’re in paradise? The sunsets are fabulous. The beach is LONG. Most campsites are spacious...some are very private. The closer you are to the marsh, the more private BUT more mosquitoes and no-see-ums...especially if there is no breeze. Dogs are not allowed on the beach (as one photo suggests), but they are allowed on the boardwalks and in all other outside areas. There are beaches just outside the park that DO allow dogs (on lead)...and the beaches are FREE. Within the park you can rent kayaks. Outside the park you have access to horseback riding on the beach as well as some fairly good restaurants. As other folks have said, there are regulated burns that can leave the place looking pretty grim. When you book your reservation, there will be notification if a burn has just occurred. And yes, there are snakes...saw two on one occasion. So far, I’ve seen no rats. If you want a resort time place, this is NOT a good choice. If you want to spend some time in wild Florida, this is the place to go. Rangers/visiting experts offer nature programs.