Gulf Islands National Seashore - Plan Your Visit

Gulf Islands National Seashore by National Parks Service

Operating Hours Seasons

The park is open year-round, although operating hours vary seasonally and from unit to unit

Local Partners Information Resources

Ship Island Ferry

Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce

Pensacola Visitor Center

Pensacola Beach Visitor Center

Boat Operators to MS Islands

Getting There

Plane

The nearest airports are in Gulfport, Mississippi, Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida.

Car

To get to Naval Live Oaks, Fort Pickens and Santa Rosa areas take U.S. 98 east from Pensacola, Florida. The Naval Live Oaks area is just east of Gulf Breeze on U.S. 98. To reach Fort Pickens and Santa Rosa, take Florida Route 399 from Gulf Breeze across the toll bridge to Pensacola Beach. From there, Fort Pickens is nine miles west, and the Santa Rosa area is 10 miles east. The Okaloosa Area is on U.S. 98 east of Fort Walton Beach. To reach the mainland forts on board Pensacola Naval Air Station use Blue Angle Parkway (Florida Route 173). Florida Route 292 leads southwest from Pensacola to Perdido Key Area. On the island turn left onto Johnson Beach Road.

Mississippi District. Use exits 50 or 57 south from I-10. The Davis Bayou area is on US-90, east of downtown Ocean Springs. Seasonal passenger ferry to West Ship Island leaves from the Gulfport Yacht Harbor near the intersection of US-90 and US-49 in Gulfport, MS. The ferry service may begin service in mid April. Call 228-864-1014 for information.

Bus

Bus service in the Mississippi Gulf Coast may be interupted because of hurricane damage.

Public Transportation

No public transportation is available in the Florida District.

Coast Transit Authority (CTA) buses stop outside the entrance to Davis Bayou at the Sav-A-Center on US-90 and Ocean Springs, MS Road.

Getting Around

Visitors get around the park by private vehicle, private boat, bicycle, or by foot.