FAQ's on Mexico Beach

The small coastal community of Mexico Beach, located 20 miles east of Panama City on Florida's Undiscovered Gulf Coast, is a serene destination. It offers a small-town atmosphere filled with the charm of the Florida Panhandle. Here, the preserved natural beauty of the land and the sea combine to create a spellbinding destination. Shelling, watching the dolphins play at sunset, and dipping into the Gulf of Mexico for a refreshing swim are favorite pastimes for visitors and locals. The residents are relaxed and cordial, and the local restaurants, with their fabulous menus, provide the perfect setting to meet with family and friends.


Geologically, Mexico Beach beaches are quite rare. The sand found on the majority of the world’s beaches contains a mixture of approximately twenty different materials. The sugar-like white sand found in Mexico Beach, however, contains only one: evenly sized quartz crystals. This quartz sand originated millions of years ago in the Appalachian Mountain range. Because our area lacks the influence of silt-bearing rivers, our sand remains pure and white. This white quartz sand is highly reflective—which is the reason our beaches remain cool, even during the hottest summer months!

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Easy access to great dive sites makes Mexico Beach a great destination for scuba diving, snorkeling, and spearfishing. Our waters offer natural reefs, artificial reefs, and historically significant shipwreck sites; there is a natural, hard rock bottom beginning offshore.

Since 1997, the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association (MBARA) has developed an extensive artificial reef system just offshore from Mexico Beach. The organization has three functions:

■Conservation and environmental improvement of natural and artificial reef systems near Mexico Beach, Florida
■Research and evaluation of artificial reef designs, biomass development, and fish production
■Educating the public about the importance of reefs to the marine ecosystem and their impact on coastal communities
MBARA also hosts one of Mexico Beach’s best events: the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association Kingfish Tournament; the organization also publishes a regular newsletter.

Crooked Island is actually not an Island at all, but a combination of two narrow peninsulas that form a nice sized saltwater lagoon. Located just west of Mexico Beach, Florida, the Crooked Island area is a favorite location for surf fishing, shelling, kayaking and possibly overnighting in a small boat.

Access to the eastern peninsula is via a generally-well-maintained dirt road off US Hwy 98, approximately 1.4 miles west of the Mexico Beach Visitor Center. Follow the dirt road to a nice parking lot located approximately 800 feet from the water's edge. The gulf-front hike to the tip of the eastern peninsula is at least 5 miles, so pack something to drink if you plan to make the trip.

There is also a boat launch area for the lagoon located at the end of a nice paved road (see marker). From the Mexico Beach Visitor Center, follow US 98 west 2.6 miles and take a left at the first paved road. The lagoon at this point is a great example of a salt marsh coastal eco-system. This would also be a great location to begin a longer kayak trip inside the protected lagoon, with access to the Gulf.

The mouth of the lagoon where small boats can enter from the Gulf of Mexico has no managed channel, so mariners must use caution when attempting to navigate across the sandbars. Once inside, the lagoon offers a large sheltered area to anchor overnight.