Your favorite adventurers are back this week with a breezy nature walkabout. This classic landmark of Gulf Breeze is one of our favorite trails to do. Tucked into a natural preserve off of Shoreline Drive you’ll find a dog park, paved/natural trail routes, picnic areas, pavilions, and a boat launch.
Over the years, the city has poured time and resources into beautifying the area to be more accessible and clean for travelers of all kinds. (Including the occasional black bear!) These efforts have expanded the walkable areas, while keeping the integrity of the natural beauty that surrounds the park.
Similar to Florida weather, our life is not always sunshine and rainbows. This particular adventure day had a few challenges leading up to our decision to go for a walk. I share this because these adventures together were initially inspired by the hard days.
The steady grind of single parenthood has its fair share of challenges for both Lou and I. We’ve found that quality time, exploring together, and making fun memories help us make the most of our precious lives.
Born and raised in the Pensacola and Gulf Breeze area, I’ve always seen Shoreline Park as more than just a boat launch with some trees. This park has been a lifelong source of healing, fresh air, and adventure. We hope our adventures here inspire you and your family to check it out!
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Location: Shoreline Drive, Gulf Breeze FL
Admission: Free for walking/biking, parking fee
For more information on the City of Gulf Breeze and park locations, you can visit their website here.
A Quick Review:
Despite our challenging day, we knew that the walk would take all of our worries away. We even tried to convince each other that we didn’t want to go. Thankfully, we’re learning that two wrongs don’t make it right, so we hit the road.
We remembered the bug spray but forgot the close toed shoes. We agreed that both are a necessity, along with sunscreen depending on the time of day you go.
Parking is available at the head of the trail near the dog park or down by the shoreline near the public bathrooms. There is a small fee to park if you aren’t a resident, though totally worth it for how I’ve seen the city pour our money back in. We parked at the water and hiked the hill to the trail head.
There is a nice seating area with a fire pit, lounge chairs, and swings. The first thing we noticed along our walk was how grateful we were for the breeze! It’s much easier to let go of the challenges you face when you have a breeze to help you blow them away.
We began our walk along the boardwalk trail and were surprised to see as much wildlife as we did! Rabbits, turtles, lizards, and fish. It was a beautiful time of day, the sun was setting, with all of the life around us seemingly golden and glowing.
Periodically, we would stop and listen. The hum of traffic was non-existent. All we could hear was the croaking of frogs and an orchestra of crickets. Foot traffic was light, with the expectation of a family photo shoot happening on the beach. We’ve found ourselves here many times over the years for photos, picnics, and hermit crab searching!
The trail takes you in a full circle along the shoreline and back to the car. There is a dock that jets out into the sound. We finished our adventure by sitting at the end while we watched the sun blow its last kiss.
Mak & Lou Rating:
On a 5 star scale, we’d give the a 4.5 out of 5.
Lou say’s, “It’d be a 5 for sure if we hadn’t been to this park before. We are lucky to live in such a cool place!”
Our goal with our adventure this week is to share the reality behind the highlight reel you see. Yes, we are outdoors in a beautiful place, although there were challenges ALL DAY that tried to get in our way. It takes intentional time and effort to make the most of the hard days.
We hope that this week’s adventure encourages you to push past the hard days AND GET OUTSIDE TO PLAY!
Peace, love, and fun.
Mak & Lou
Mom & Daughter Writing Duo
Local Pulse Pensacola
