A fun beach day at Naval Station Mayport beach
When you are stationed at Naval Station Mayport, naturally, one of the main things to do is to go to the beach. With miles and miles of various types of beach experiences, you have a lot of options. I was typically going to the beach with my kids because my dear husband was constantly working or deploying during our 3-year department head tour there.
Going to the beach with two young children and one mommy presents an interesting beach experience. The beach is fun and relaxing, right? Ummm not exactly, however, I finally found the answer I needed for a positive beach experience for us. I needed to look no further than the beach where we were stationed.
Park at Naval Station Mayport Beach's Navy Lodge
I would drive to NS Mayport's Navy Lodge and park in their side parking lot closest to the dunes and the ocean. It's a quick 100 yard walk from the parking lot, over the pedestrian walkway bridge, and onto the fine sandy beaches of the Atlantic Ocean at NS Mayport. The beach there is quiet. Usually there are a few other people there, but it was never crowded. I liked that there were still other people around and we weren't alone, but that I didn't have to worry about losing my kids in the massive beach crowds of more populated beaches.
Check out the tide schedule for Mayport Beaches
Check the tide schedule. I liked going to the beach when high tide was just over. As the tide went out, fun little tide pools would be left behind. The kids loved playing in these! We often saw dolphins swimming in the water just off the beach. A friend of mine says, it's always a good day when you see a dolphin.
You will also see Navy ships coming in and out of the jetties of Mayport NS. No matter if a ship was coming or going it always brought tears to my eyes. I liked being reminded of others that were in this great Naval community with us. It's a very emotionally powerful experience to see a United States Navy ship coming or leaving home. It was on these same jetties that I stood with my children and watched and waved as my husband returned from deployments.
At the end of your beach day, there is a shower located right off the back of the Navy Lodge where the side parking lot is. It makes for an easy way to shower off the sand and saltwater and quickly be back to your car.
A seasoned beach veteran tip: keep a bottle of baby powder in your car. Sprinkling baby powder on your skin will help the sand easily brush right off of your skin.
Enjoy a sunny day at Mayport Naval Station's beach!
For more fun things to do, read on and off base reviews near NS Mayport!
