Between Destin And Panama City Is Florida's Panhandle Lakeside State Park For A Coastal Getaway

With about 175 state parks in the Sunshine State, travelers can easily find one offering a beautiful sandy beach or a peaceful lake. However, the Panhandle's Camp Helen State Park, nestled between the coastal Florida fishing city of Destin and the popular hub of Panama City, offers both. Located in Inlet Beach, a quiet town with the vibe of "Old Florida," this scenic state park occupies about 180 acres with prime waterfront on Lake Powell and the Gulf of Mexico (renamed the Gulf of America in 2025 by U.S. President Donald Trump), which are connected by Philips Inlet.

The property's history dates back to the late 1920s when the land was purchased by Robert and Margaret Hicks, who built a lavish lakefront lodge in 1931. After Robert's death, Margaret oversaw the addition of Rainbow Cottages, which were available for rent. After the textile company Avondale Mills purchased the Hicks' estate in 1945, the company's founder named the camp after his daughter-in-law, Helen. The property was then used as an employee summer retreat for over 40 years. After the camp was sold to the state, it opened to the public as Camp Helen State Park in 1997. Many of the original buildings are now part of the Camp Helen Historic District, which is listed on the National Register for Historic Places. 

Today, the park welcomes visitors for a fun coastal getaway filled with lake and beach adventures. Travelers can explore the historic district, kayak and fish in Philips Inlet and Lake Powell, hike forested trails, and relax or swim along the white-sand beach on the Gulf. Camp Helen State Park is open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset, with a small admission fee collected via an honor box. If you're coming from out of town, the park is about a 25-minute drive from Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. 

Upon arrival, travelers should stop at the Visitors Center to pick up a park map. The center sits adjacent to the Camp Helen Historic District, where you can take a self-guided tour that passes original buildings, such as the lodge, Rainbow Cottages, the1950s-era Recreation Hall, former stables, and more. The lodge and cottages overlook Lake Powell, a nearly 800-acre coastal dune lake that's the biggest in the country. Since the lake flows into the Gulf, the waters here are brackish (a fusion of freshwater and saltwater). In front of the lodge, a fishing dock extends into the lake, where you can catch lake-dwelling species, such as redfish and speckled trout, as well as saltwater fish that sometimes enter from the Gulf.

North of the fishing dock, there is a kayak and paddleboard rental kiosk for paddling around the tranquil waters and enjoying the park's flora and fauna. However, at the time of writing, these rentals are temporarily unavailable, so visitors should bring their own. "We hiked all the trails and kayaked for a couple of hours," reported a Tripadvisor reviewer. "Saw about 8 great blue herons roosting in the trees, an osprey, and a king fisher." 

Back on land, hiking paths wind through the park's forested interior and along the lake. Visitors should start with the Oak Canopy Trail, a short 0.4-mile path that passes the historic recreation hall and runs beneath a natural cathedral ceiling of Spanish moss-lined oaks and flowering Southern magnolias. The park's longest hike is the nearly 2-mile North Trail, which follows a paved lakeside trail into the northern inland reaches of the park where it transitions into a dirt path.

After you've enjoyed the lakeside parts of Camp Helen State Park, head straight to Inlet Beach via the Beach Trail, a little more than a half-mile path that runs alongside Philips Inlet. Here, you can witness the confluence of the lake and gulf at the watery trail, called an outfall, which snakes through the sandy beach. The wide, half-mile sandy swath is a scenic spot for a leisurely beach day, from relaxing in the sand to strolling along the shoreline. Active travelers can swim in the Gulf's famously turquoise waters or even surf fish for pompano, redfish, and other saltwater species in the waves. Every visitor should enter the water at their own risk, as there is no lifeguard supervision along the beach.

While Camp Helen State Park does not permit camping, there are plenty of accommodations near the park. Rental beach homes flank Inlet Beach, which allows easy pedestrian access to the park. For a hotel experience, try The Pointe on 30A, just a mile away, where families or groups can stay in modern multi-bedroom suites. 

Further along Scenic Highway 30A, Rosemary Beach, a dreamy little beach town, is renowned for its European-style architecture, breezy inns, and family-friendly parks. For dining, consider checking out Shades Bar & Grill, a casual 30A institution open since 1994 that serves up classic bar fare like burgers, fried fish sandwiches, wings, and flatbread pizzas.