BeachesWith
Aerial view of Shell Point Beach in Florida, shoreline and surroundings, USDA NAIP imagery from May 2023
Aerial imagery: USDA NAIP 2023 via USGS National Map, public domain (source)

Shell Point Beach

Florida

Ocean beach in Florida, facing south-west, with parking and bathrooms within walking distance.

  • Calm water 8.6
  • Pier
  • Free parking
  • Bathrooms
  • HoursClosed now, opens 6:00 am
  • ParkingFree, 3 lots within 1,310 ft
  • DirectionsGoogle Maps
5.0/ 10Fair
How we score beaches
Calm water
8.6 of 10
Water
87 Ftoday
Sunset
7:48 pmover land
Parking
Free3 within 1,310 ft
Families
Very good
81of 100

Today, Thursday, Sep 10

Good beach day

Calm water · very warm water · light wind. Watch: 31% rain chance.

78 Fpartly cloudy
High
86 F
Sea temperature
87 F
Waves
0.9 ftup to 1.0 ft
Wind
8 mphup to 10 mph
Rain chance
31%
UV index
7high
Sun
7:19 am to 7:48 pm
Tidesnext high at 3:02 am
  1. High3:02 am3.7 ft
  2. Low8:41 am1.1 ft
  3. High2:54 pm4.4 ft
  4. Low9:29 pm0.4 ft
  1. 8:00 am79 Fclear, 17% rain, 7 mph
  2. 11:00 am83 Fmostly clear, 15% rain, 5 mph
  3. 2:00 pm84 Fovercast, 16% rain, 7 mph
  4. 5:00 pm · best86 Fovercast, 14% rain, 8 mph

Forecast for Thursday, Sep 10, local time (GMT-4). Weather data by Open-Meteo.com, refreshed hourly. Sea temperature and waves are model values for the nearest offshore point. Tides from NOAA CO-OPS station Panacea, Dickerson Bay (8728269), 6.1 mi from the beach, heights above MLLW.The rating rule is on the methodology page. Planning a future date? See typical weather by month.

Great for

  • FamiliesVery goodCalm water 8.6, bathrooms nearby
  • SwimmingVery goodWaves around 1.5 ft, sea 74 F on average
  • SunsetsFairover the water 3 months a year
  • ConvenienceLimited3 parking lots, no food mapped
How the Beach Score is calculated: 5.0 of 10

The score is the sum of the components below. Clear water counts only where a clarity source exists. Rankings never take revenue as an input.

ComponentPointsFact
Facilities1.8 of 3Within walking distance: parking, bathrooms.
Calm water1.7 of 2Mean daily maximum wave 1.5 ft.
Warm water0.5 of 1Mean sea temperature 74 F.
Sunset over water0.0 of 13 months a year, November to January.

Ranks #29 of 46 for calm water in Florida, #31 of 38 for free parking in Florida, #33 of 41 for showers in Florida, #37 of 67 for pier in Florida, #57 of 81 for bathrooms in Florida. All beaches in Florida.

Verdicts on the cards come from the same facts. Sources: OpenStreetMap (Sep 10, 2026), Open-Meteo (Sep 10, 2026). The formula is on the methodology page.

Amenities

  • Parking3 nearby
  • Free parking1 nearby
  • Bathrooms2 nearby
  • Showers1 nearby
  • Restaurants and barsNo
  • Beachfront hotelsNo
  • Hotels nearbyNo
  • LifeguardsNo
  • Beachfront campingNo
  • Camping nearbyNo
  • Pier2 nearby
  • BoardwalkNo

Water, sand, and nature

  • Calm water8.6 of 10
  • Warm water5.3 of 10

Nearby means within walking distance of the beach centre (980 ft to 1,640 ft, by kind), from OpenStreetMap. Scores are 0 to 10. Sources: OpenStreetMap (Sep 10, 2026), Open-Meteo (Sep 10, 2026); the method for each is on the methodology page.

Hours, fees, and rules

Hours
6 a.m. to 12 p.m., daily
Operator
Run by Wakulla County
Address
Beaty Taff Drive, Shell Point, FL 32327

From Wakulla County, checked Sep 6, 2026. Hours and fees change; the official page is the final word. Address from OpenStreetMap (nearest road, approximate).

Sunset and sunrise

The shore faces south-west (218 degrees). The sun sets over the water in 3 months, November to January.

Computed from the OpenStreetMap coastline and the sunset azimuth for each month.

Planning a trip

Early October is usually warm, with warm water and little rain.

Water
77 FWarm
High
81 FWarm
Rainy day
19%Rain is rare
Waves
1.5 ftUsually calm
Sunset
Noover land in October

What to expect

  • Warm swimming water, around 77 F
  • Typically calm conditions, waves around 1.5 ft
  • Rain is rare in October
  • October is within Atlantic hurricane season, at its peak
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, peak from mid-August to late October. Storm history near this beach

2 October storms within 62.1 mi since 1980, about one every 23 years, 1 at hurricane strength. Most recent in any month: Hurricane Helene, September 2024, 34.4 mi away. Source: NOAA HURDAT2 best tracks, counted at tropical storm strength or stronger. Season dates from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Shell Point Beach through the year

Warm water
Low rain
Calm water

Darker is better: warmer water, fewer rainy days, calmer water. Monthly means, 2023-2025, from Open-Meteo. Values for a date blend the nearest two months; the bands and the rule are on the methodology page.

When to go

  • Best overallOctoberwarm water · fewer rainy days · calm water · warm days
  • Warmest waterJuly to August89 F average
  • DriestOctober4 rainy days a month
  • Best for sunsetsNovember to JanuarySun sets over the water
All monthly averages, 2023-2025Shell Point Beach: sea and air temperature by monthMonthly mean sea surface temperature and daily maximum air temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.405060708090100JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecSea temperature (F)Air, daily max
MonthSea tempAir maxRain daysWave height
Jan56 F (13 C)61 F (16 C)91.8 ft
Feb61 F (16 C)68 F (20 C)61.6 ft
Mar67 F (20 C)72 F (22 C)111.8 ft
Apr73 F (23 C)76 F (25 C)81.8 ft
May80 F (27 C)83 F (29 C)121.4 ft
Jun85 F (29 C)88 F (31 C)201.6 ft
Jul89 F (31 C)89 F (32 C)251.1 ft
Aug89 F (31 C)90 F (32 C)211.4 ft
Sep84 F (29 C)86 F (30 C)131.4 ft
Oct76 F (25 C)80 F (27 C)41.5 ft
Nov69 F (21 C)73 F (23 C)61.4 ft
Dec60 F (16 C)65 F (18 C)61.5 ft

Monthly means, 2023-2025. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com. Wave height is the mean of daily maximum significant wave height.

Explore Shell Point Beach

Parking, food, stays, and facilities around the beach, mapped in OpenStreetMap within 0.7 mi.

All places near Shell Point Beach as a list (8)

Beach access Main access and 1 more · Nearest parking 140 ft · Nearest restrooms 150 ft · Nearest showers 140 ft

Distances are straight-line to the nearest point of a 600 m stretch of shoreline around the beach's mapped point (OpenStreetMap maps this beach as a point); walking times assume 80 m a minute. Access points are where OpenStreetMap paths, steps, and boardwalks meet the beach. Coordinates 30.0580, -84.2914. Open this spot in OpenStreetMap or Google Maps. Missing or wrong? Fix it in OpenStreetMap and it appears here after the next weekly update.

Nearby beaches

Questions about Shell Point Beach

Is there parking at Shell Point Beach?

Yes. 3 mapped parking areas within 1,310 ft. Source: OpenStreetMap.

Are there lifeguards at Shell Point Beach?

No lifeguard station is mapped within 980 ft.

How warm is the water at Shell Point Beach?

Sea surface temperature averages 89 F (31 C) in July and 56 F (13 C) in January. Source: Open-Meteo marine model, monthly means.

Is the water calm at Shell Point Beach?

Calm water scores 8.6 of 10. Mean daily maximum wave height is 1.5 ft. Source: Open-Meteo marine model.

Can you see the sunset over the water at Shell Point Beach?

Yes, in 3 months a year (November to January), based on the shore direction and the monthly sunset azimuth.

When is hurricane season at Shell Point Beach?

Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with the peak from mid-August to late October, per the NOAA National Hurricane Center. Since 1980, 18 named storms passed within 62.1 mi of the beach, 7 at hurricane strength, most in June, August and September. Source: NOAA HURDAT2 best tracks.

Sources

  • © OpenStreetMap contributors (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
  • Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
  • Storm tracks from the NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 archive, public domain (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
  • Tide predictions from NOAA CO-OPS station Panacea, Dickerson Bay (8728269), public domain
  • Rip current risk, surf, and alerts from the National Weather Service TAE office for Coastal Wakulla (FLZ127), public domain

Licenses and refresh dates for every dataset are on the data page. Something wrong? Every beach page has a report button; corrections are logged with a date.

© OpenStreetMap contributors. Beach location, shoreline, and amenity positions are from OpenStreetMap under the ODbL. Data updated Sep 10, 2026.