5 Things in Nature You May See While Staying at Our Destin Florida Hotel on the Beach

Florida is known for its vast amount of wildlife and beautiful, unique scenery, and with Henderson Park Inn resting directly next to a state park, you can expect to catch a glimpse of some spectacular sights while staying at our Destin Florida hotel on the beach.

1. Sea Turtles

Four different types of sea turtles can be found on our beaches: loggerhead, green turtle, leatherback and kemp ridley’s turtle. They nest all along the Emerald Coast. It’s part of the reason why our area doesn’t allow overnight set ups on the beach. There are educational turtle walks you can sign up to be a part of, or you may be able to catch a glimpse of one while strolling on the beach at night. All sea turtles are protected by the U.S. Endangered Species Act and Florida state law, so please remember to keep your distance to not startle them and to utilize the turtle safe flashlights our Destin Florida hotel on the beach provides.

2. Dolphins

While you can drive up the road from our Destin Florida hotel on the beach and book a dolphin cruise where you’re guaranteed to see one of these beautiful creatures, you may be able to see a few swimming while relaxing in one of our complimentary beach chairs or enjoying the view from your room’s balcony. They, at times, do come in pretty close to the shore, but keep in mind they’re also a protected animal. It’s best to admire them from a distance, or book a visit to the Gulfarium for an up close and personal visit with a bottlenose dolphin.

3. Monarch Butterflies

Who doesn’t love to see a beautiful butterfly fluttering past? These beautiful creatures migrate in our area in the late summer and fall. You can see an abundance of them at Henderson Beach State Park, which we neighbor. But, our incredible team of landscapers installed beautiful plants that attract them to our property as well. You can walk through the sidewalk in front of our Destin Florida hotel on the beach and have them flutter all around you. It’s a simple but really beautiful experience.

4. June Grass

It’s not as exciting to see June Grass in comparison to the others on this list, but what may seem like a minor beach annoyance can actually be quite interesting. First off, it’s not grass; it’s a form of algae that helps keep our beaches healthy. It re-nourishes our beaches, providing food for birds, crabs and more. It’s hard to escape from, especially this time of year, but it’s perfectly safe to swim in. Thankfully, our Destin Florida hotel on the beach sits far enough away from freshwater inlets that we don’t see overwhelming pockets of it on our beach. Still, if you’re worried about June Grass, Henderson Park Inn does give its guests access to the amenities of The Henderson, including their resort-style pools.

5. Sunrises & Sunsets

Viewing the sunrise or sunset is key to any beach vacation, and because we’re in the Panhandle, our Destin Florida hotel on the beach gets incredible views of both the sunrise and the sunset. We suggest waking early to enjoy the sunrise on your room’s balcony with a cup of coffee and toasting the sunset while enjoying dinner on the veranda of our in-house restaurant, Beach Walk Café.

Still, there’s so much more nature has to offer in Destin, so if you’re looking for more nature-focused adventures while you’re staying with us, our guest services staff is always happy to supply you with suggestions.

Haven’t booked your stay yet? Head to our accommodations page now to reserve your space.