Miscellany: Gulfstream Park

The go-to beach spot for my family has been Gulfstream Park, a small county park located near the town of Briny Breezes, FL. It's nice to have a decent beach that's only a 20 minute drive away. I've been to better beaches, but most of them were either in the Caribbean or the Pacific.

Parking can get pretty hairy sometimes, especially when the weather's nice. There's a great sandwich shop a short walk from the park entrance; buy some grilled chicken sandwiches and some potato salad, grab a beach umbrella and a chair, and you've got a little slice of heaven for an afternoon. The beach also has a playground and restrooms.

The various hurricanes in the past decade (especially Hurricane Frances) have messed up the park somewhat. The picnic area past the sand dunes was once overrun with trees, which provided plentiful shade. Now, with most of the trees gone or damaged, the tables can become unbearably hot in the direct sunlight. The tide waters seem to have changed - the ocean is rougher and underwater rocks are more numerous. I'm hoping time (and perhaps some human effort) will restore the beach I grew up with.