Jacksonville's Island Beach Has Surfing And Car Camping Right On Soft Florida Sand

Surfs up at Huguenot Memorial Park, an oceanfront paradise on a horseshoe-shaped peninsula off of Fort George Island in Northeast Florida. Flanked by the St. Johns River and the Fort George Inlet, with the lapping waves of the Atlantic Ocean beyond, it's certainly a great place to hang ten. According to Visit Jacksonville — the official tourism website for Florida's giant coastal resort city — "the waves are cranking all year" in this part of the Sunshine State.

Aside from all the stellar breaks, the shoreline itself is another big draw. "What a beautiful beach!" a visitor raved in a Tripadvisor review, adding, "Clean beach with soft sand. Marvelous sandbars to play on or walk." In some sections, you can even drive your car right onto the beach and go boondocking in a campground overlooking the water. 

If you just want to enjoy the beach during the day, Huguenot Memorial Park is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. from November to March and from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the rest of the year. You'll have to pay either $3 or $5 to enter, at the time of writing, depending on whether you're walking/biking or driving in. Day-use beachgoers will have to leave Fido at home — only registered campers can bring their dogs, although even their furry hounds aren't allowed to frolic in the sands and must stay in the campground. The beach is located just half an hour from downtown and 40 minutes from Jacksonville International Airport.

It's easy to see why Huguenot Memorial Park ranks so high on Tripadvisor's list of the best things to do across Jacksonville. The oceanfront beach is certainly one of the city's most popular haunts for surfing and windsurfing, and the ocean swells and the rushing currents from the St. Johns River produce a pretty eclectic mix of waves, drawing thrill seekers from far and wide.

The breaks can be very powerful, though, which is probably why Visit Jacksonville has recommended the park for advanced surfers. The larger swells usually barrel in during the winter months, but you can always scope out the current wave conditions ahead of your trip on Surfline. As one past visitor warned on Tripadvisor (in all caps): "The tides are severe and the tide comes in fast!" So, newbies and everyone else are warned to surf, swim, or paddle at their own risk.

If you don't feel up to tackling the waves on a surfboard, fret not. A kayak launch point can also be found on Haulover Creek, located on the southwestern corner of the peninsula. If you do opt to brave the waves for a swim, know that lifeguards are only on-site from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Huguenot Memorial Park's silky soft sands could easily rank among some of the best Florida beaches. If you want to hunker down for the night in the campground, you will have to shell out a few extra bucks; as of the time of writing, tent camping will run you $22.70 per night, while parking an RV will cost $27.24. Restrooms and shower facilities can be found on-site. The park also has a playground and garden, as well as a concession stand and picnic tables if you want to tuck into an oceanfront meal. 

Be sure to check out the park's complete list of regulations before reserving a spot. If you do decide to drive along the beach, make sure your vehicle has four-wheel drive and can handle the terrain. Be sure to steer clear of the sand dunes, and always share the shore as you cruise along by watching out for other beachgoers as well as birds. 

Huguenot is one of the best birdwatching destinations in Florida — at least when it comes to the state's east coast. Nearly 300 species of birds have been spotted in the park, according to the online birding database eBird. Do a bit of bird gazing as you meander along the Huguenot Memorial Park Loop, a trail that circles around the right arm of the peninsula for just over 3.5 miles, offering fantastic views of the surrounding waterways and wondrous wildlife that call the place home.