With close to 175 state parks residing within its borders, Florida is a haven for those who love to explore nature and take part in outdoor recreational activities.
A winner of the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence on no less than four separate occasions (1999, 2005, 2013 and 2019), Florida’s state park system boasts landscapes that encompass everything from immaculate beaches and verdant wetlands, to flowing rivers and deep caverns.
For those who live near Mexico Beach, there are plenty of public recreational spaces, within easy reach of the city, that offer lots of opportunities for swimming, fishing, hiking, camping and boating.
Should you need a break from the pressures of work and daily life, these destinations are all easy to get to, if you have a car and an adventurous spirit.
If this is you, then why not check out these 6 state parks near Mexico Beach? They are all perfect places to visit next time your biophilic juices start to flow.
Map of State Parks Near Mexico Beach FL
Below is a map of the state parks in Florida covered in this post:
List of State Parks Near Mexico Beach
All 6 of the state parks showcased below can be reached within a 2.5-hour and 4-hour drive from Mexico Beach. So some of them are a bit too far away from the city to be considered a day trip destination.
However, all of them offer overnight camping options. Which means at each of them, you will be able to spend a few days to really immerse yourself in the beauty of their surroundings.
1. T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
Distance from Mexico Beach: about 13 miles south of Mexico Beach (straight-line).
Location: 8899 Cape San Blas Road
Port St Joe, FL 32456
On the St. Joseph Peninsula near Port St. Joe, this park pairs white-sand Gulf beaches and tall dunes with bayside marsh; you can stay in the 46-site Shady Pines campground, one of eight cabins or 14 primitive sites in the Wilderness Preserve. Source: Florida State Parks, checked October 2026.
See our full T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
2. St. Andrews State Park
Distance from Mexico Beach: about 23 miles northwest of Mexico Beach (straight-line).
Location: 4607 State Park Ln, Panama City, FL 32408
Tucked in between St Andrews Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, this gorgeous Florida State Park is the perfect place to soak up the sun.
See our full St. Andrews State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
3. Orman House Historic State Park
Distance from Mexico Beach: about 30 miles southeast of Mexico Beach (straight-line).
Location: 177 5th St
Apalachicola, FL 32320
The Orman House (built in 1838) is a Florida State Park and historic site located in Apalachicola, in northwestern Florida.
See our full Orman House Historic State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
4. Camp Helen State Park
Distance from Mexico Beach: about 41 miles northwest of Mexico Beach (straight-line).
Camp Helen State Park is a Florida State Park and historic site located west of Panama City Beach, in northwestern Florida.
See our full Camp Helen State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
5. Pine Log State Forest
Distance from Mexico Beach: about 42 miles northwest of Mexico Beach (straight-line).
Pine Log State Forest covers 8,037 acres in Bay and Washington counties, Florida. Established 1936. It is a state forest, not a state park: the Florida Forest Service manages it and sells its own day-use pass.
See our full Pine Log State Forest guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
6. St George Island State Park
Distance from Mexico Beach: about 44 miles east of Mexico Beach (straight-line).
St George Island State Park is a state park in Franklin County, Florida. Established 1963.
See our full St George Island State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
