Fort Pickens Area, Florida, United States

5imahappy 5:00 PM Dec 2, 2021

Arches everywhere!
Arches everywhere! Great place for history buffs, photographers, bird lovers, & just about anybody else. We have done just about everything here. If you have kids, there are 2 Junior Ranger badges they can earn. We have tent camped here, & walked to the beach at night to gaze at the stars & play in the moonlight. Tent campers have their own section away from the RV's section (thank you!). You can see endless dark skies here at night. We have climbed on top of the fort & other structures. This is one of my favorite places to shoot photos. The light changes depending on the weather & time of day, creating many dramatic moments. You can usually see a wide variety of birds, both on the beach & at the fort. Great spots for picnics, & cookouts. Educational center fun & well thought out, interesting exhibits & videos. If there is a hurricane or water event, the roads do close & the park will evacuate campers before hand. Sand has covered the roads MANY times, so make sure you have a back up plan. The fort is not 100% accessible for mobility impaired people, due to the nature of the structure but there is still a lot that can be seen from lower level.

5Maureen G 5:00 PM Feb 24, 2022

Extensive and very interesting.
We intended to visit Fort Barrancas however we could not reach anyone by phone and the website states that only visitors with DOD IDs are allowed in. So instead we visited Fort Pickens, and we were delighted. Very impressive. They say it is one of the most historically notable structures along the Emerald Coast, and I believe it. You can almost get lost in the low-ceiling, winding tunnels. The fort was constructed in 1834 to protect Pensacola Bay, and there are some beautiful views. Interesting to see cannons mounted in a way that allowed them to swivel 360 degrees. $25 is a steep entry fee, however if you have a National Parks Pass you don’t pay.