It was our last morning and we were looking at a day of driving to get back home. Alabama had proved a fun weekend and we were hesitant to have it end. We were following our route from the last few day on a map of the Mobile Bay and Brad points to a spot just east of where we are on the map and says “You know, we’re pretty close to the Gulf Islands.” And just like that we changed our route for home to include a detour into the Florida panhandle.
The Gulf Islands are barrier islands in-between the mainland and the Gulf of Mexico. There is one in Mississippi and one in Florida and these islands are parts of the Gulf Island National Seashore. The country has a few seashores such as Gulf Islands that are preserved and maintained by the national park service.
We walked down to the beach through the palm trees and across the sugar soft sand. When we lived in Florida we lived right on the beach of the Atlantic Ocean, but beaches on the Gulf Coast are a completely different experience. The sand seems softer and the water seems more clear and blue.
We walked down along the beach with our feet in the water. The different colors of blue in that Caribbean water were just stunning against the white sand.
Because it is considered part of the national park system, you’re really not suppose to take anything from it. But we couldn’t resist collecting just a few shells from the sand and putting them in a pocket to take home.
We came across a huge tide pool near the beach. The tide had come in this far but when it receded again it left some of the water where it created a small pool. Brad walked next to the tide pool and happened to step on the small strip coming off the pool. All the sudden he was knee deep in sand and struggling to free his leg. These sand traps look like the rest of the beach but are much more fluid. We were glad that it was not Tessa who had found the sand trap because she would have sunk to her shoulders.
We were also glad that it was me and not Tessa that almost stepped on a giant jellyfish in the sand. I was walking along and had turned my head to say something and Brad yells to stop. I looked down and there is a jellyfish the size of a watermelon only a few inches from my foot. Of all the jellyfish we saw this weekend, this one was definitely the largest. This one was more clouded and marbled looking than others we had seen. Between Brad and his sand trap and me with my jellyfish, it made for a pretty eventful walk along an otherwise peaceful beach.
We walked along the beach for awhile, delaying the inevitable long car ride home. The blue sky and the gentle lap of the waves was so beautiful and we probably could have spent the entire day there.
With one final look towards the Gulf we turned back and headed to the car. We had a long drive ahead of us and we would be getting home much later than we thought. But it was all worth it to be able to tell people the next day that we had touched the Gulf of Mexico from the Florida shores of Gulf Islands.
Gulf Islands is a new favorite beach for us to visit, but here are some other favorite beaches.
Prince Edward Island National Park, Canada
I’m so glad we took a detour to check out the Florida part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. The Gulf of Mexico is just beautiful and offers the best places to enjoy the beach.
Those white sand beaches look absolutely stunning, and that is indeed one big jellyfish. Looks a gorgeous place all round.
thank goodness I didn’t step on it- a jellyfish that size could cause some major pain. The beach though was really beautiful with those clear blue waters and white sand 🙂
Oh lord, “idyllic” almost seems like an understatement. What a fantastic spontaneous diversion before the long haul home. My parents have spent some time on The Gulf Coast and always get doe-eyed when talking about it. Glad you didn’t come away with a whole other jellyfish story….
me too- a trip to the emergency room would not be a great way of ending the trip! I’ve been to different spots of the Gulf down in the body of Florida but they were not as pretty as this spot. I don’t know what it is about these barrier islands but they are a paradise of their own.
Wow it looks so beautiful, the beach is just perfect! 🙂
We are driving to Florida soon ..Love to escape the cold . Great beach but the Jelly fish would freak me out.
How fun! What part of Florida are you going to?
We are driving down and staying in St. Augustine..
Oh we absolutely loved St Augustine when we visited. Cant wait to see your pictures from it 🙂
Great way to escape our frosty weather.
What a gorgeous place! I can see why you were hesitant to leave.
It was so beautiful! We use to live right on the Atlantic coast of Florida and its so interesting how different all of the beaches are
That beach is stunning, the sand traps sound scary. Was it easy to pull his leg out? Would you swim there, I don’t see anyone swimming
He didnt have a hard time getting out but I think because he is so tall. But I probably would have had a harder time. It was a little chilly the day we were there which might be why no one was swimming but after seeing the jellyfish I dont think I would swim there
Oh no me neither!
What a beautiful beach! ❤
It was incredible-I just couldnt get enough of the different colors of blue in that clear water!
Don’t you just love the spontaneity of road trips. Interesting to hear the difference between the two coasts. I didn’t know that.
Road trips are my favorite because you discover so much betwern point A and B 🙂 if you go to Florida for the beach, then the Gulf Coadt side is where to be. The water there is more warm, blue, and clear
Filed in my brain for future use! 🙂