The sand here is unusual: almost pure Appalachian quartz, washed down the rivers over millennia. That is why it is blinding white, squeaks underfoot, and stays cool enough to walk on in August.
## For families Panama City Beach has the most public access points with facilities — restrooms, parking, lifeguards in season. Okaloosa Island in Fort Walton Beach is a close second and slightly calmer.
## For swimming Pensacola Beach and Navarre Beach tend to have the clearest water and the gentlest slope. Always check the beach flag warning system before you get in — double red means the water is closed, and the Gulf's rip currents deserve respect.
## For solitude Cape San Blas and St. George Island are the emptiest accessible beaches in the region. Drive a little, walk a little further, and you can have a stretch to yourself even in summer.
## For shelling The bay sides — St. Joseph Bay especially — and the eastern end of St. George Island after a storm.
## For sunsets Anywhere facing west, but Grayton Beach and the Destin jetties are the classics.
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