Now here’s a beach that’s easy to miss. I frequent Amelia Island (a fantastic drive-able beach) and somehow had passed the entrance to this beach repeatedly, until I saw a friend tag it on facebook.
Naturally, I had to check it out, and WOW! Huguenot Memorial Park will not disappoint a beach lover!
Heading down on Heckscher Drive, Huguenot Memorial Park is just to the right before you head over the bridge that takes you to Little Talbot Island. Alternatively, you could take the ferry over from Mayport ( northern tip of Atlantic Beach).
There is a small fee to park. The park offers campsites, a playground, picnic areas, fishing, and swimming. Sorry - no dogs!
Now the best part of this beach (at least to me) is that you can drive through to the end of the park, and just drive right onto the beach and park wherever you like! No more lugging your stuff from the parking lot! Just pack your car for the beach and you are done!
Like most of the beaches in Jacksonville, the shore itself is spectacular. Across the water you can see Little Talbot Island, and large sandbars between the two beaches appear towards low tide.
Thousands of birds surround and use the opportunity to catch the fish caught in the tidal pools and on the sandbars.
During low tide, you can walk through the water to these sandbars. Wading through the water and onto the sandbars as hundreds of birds circle around and pelicans dive in and out of the water around you is an experience not to be missed! Just be careful, as the currents can get pretty strong at times in this area. There are lifeguards on the beach and beach police on jet skis that circle by periodically.
A 4X4 vehicle is recommended for beach driving here, but the road to the beach is pretty well developed, the sand is well packed and many cars of all types seem to have no issues driving here.
For such a fantastic beach, I expected larger crowds, but have been happy to find plenty of personal space here, and on a weekday afternoon, almost no one else at all. Huguenot Memorial Park is a little out of the way, so it takes a little more effort to get there, but you will certainly be very well rewarded!
There are not too many beaches near Jacksonville that you can actually drive on, and this one takes the cake! Not to be missed!
Last Updated on September 9, 2022 by Minna Reid