Stella Maris Blog

Aerial view looking west along Santa Rosa Island from Navarre Beach toward Pensacola Beach and Fort Pickens

A Fort Pickens Day Trip From Navarre Beach: Free Park Entry on September 17

Constitution Day makes Thursday, September 17 a fee-free day at Fort Pickens. Here is what to see, what is closed, and how to get there from Navarre Beach.

Covered porch with an outdoor dining table overlooking Santa Rosa Sound at sunset at Stella Maris on Navarre Beach, Florida

Pensacola Seafood Festival 2026: A Day Trip From Navarre Beach

The Pensacola Seafood Festival returns to Seville Square September 25 to 27, 2026. Hours, food, music, parking, and trolley details for a day trip from Navarre Beach.

Aerial view of the Navarre Beach barrier island and Santa Rosa Sound on a clear day

Biking Navarre Beach: Island Paths, the Seashore Ride, and a Fall Trail Day Trip

Navarre Beach is flat, quiet, and long. Here are the paved routes worth riding this fall, from the island path to the national seashore bike lane.

Aerial view of Santa Rosa Sound, sandbars, and the undeveloped stretch of Santa Rosa Island east of Navarre Beach, Florida

Fall Bird Migration at Navarre Beach: A Quiet Season on the Sound

From August through October, migrating songbirds, shorebirds, and raptors pass over Santa Rosa Island. Here is where to watch them near Navarre Beach.

Aerial view of Navarre Beach barrier island with the Gulf of Mexico on one side and Santa Rosa Sound on the other

Reading the Water at Navarre Beach: Flags, Rip Currents, and Local Rules

Navarre Beach flags explained: what each color means, how to spot a rip current, and the local beach rules to know before you swim.

Aerial view of the sugar white sand shoreline and shallow water at Navarre Beach, ideal for beachcombing

Beachcombing Navarre Beach: A Guide to Shells and Shark Teeth

A guide to beachcombing Navarre Beach: when to go, the shells and fossilized shark teeth you can find, and how to search the shoreline responsibly.

Stella Maris vacation home glowing at twilight beside Santa Rosa Sound on Navarre Beach under a darkening sky

The 2026 Perseid Meteor Shower: How to Watch From Navarre Beach

The 2026 Perseid meteor shower peaks in mid-August under a dark, moonless sky. Here is how to watch from the quiet sound-side of Navarre Beach.

Aerial view of Navarre Beach, Florida, with the Gulf on one side and Santa Rosa Sound on the other

Tubing the Blackwater River: A Cool Day Trip From Navarre Beach

The Blackwater River runs cool and clear 45 minutes north of Navarre Beach. Here is what tubing, paddling, and the state park actually cost, and how to plan the day.

Exterior image of Stella Maris - Vacation rental home in Navarre Beach Florida

Dolphin Watching on Santa Rosa Sound: A Navarre Beach Summer Guide

Some of the best moments on Navarre Beach happen quietly. You are out on the water early, the sound is glassy and still, and a smooth gray back rolls up out of the surface a little way off. Bottlenose dolphins are year-round residents of Santa Rosa Sound, and summer…

Next Entries »

Mary means Star of the sea, for as mariners are guided to port by the ocean star, so Christians attain to glory through Mary’s maternal intercession.” –St. Thomas Aquinas