St. Johns County Beaches
Announcements
Rescheduled Open House for Tortuga Beach Walkover – St. Johns County will host a rescheduled open house for the planned Tortuga Beach Walkover. This project would provide a new beach access point for Tortuga Beach, located at 7740 A1A S., St. Augustine. St. Johns County Parks and Recreation and St. Johns County Public Works staff will be available to answer questions and share details about the project. Open House is scheduled for Friday, June 16, 2023 from 4:45 to 5:45 p.m. at the St. Johns County Southeast Library, 6670 U.S. 1 S., St. Augustine, FL. One or more County Commissioners may be present at the open house. The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners will take no action at this open house. Tortuga Beach Walkover Project
Sea Turtle Nesting Season Begins May 1 – Sea turtle nesting season begins May 1, and St. Johns County officials are asking residents, visitors, and businesses to help protect natural habitat by observing all nesting season laws and regulations. The beaches of St. Johns County are home to several species of endangered or threatened sea turtles. From May 1 to Oct. 31, St. Johns County staff will close vehicular beach access gates at 7:30 p.m. and reopen them at 8 a.m. to allow nesting sea turtles to have a safe beach throughout the night. Sea Turtle Season
Beach Driving Access Passes – Beginning March 1, vehicles accessing St. Johns County driving beaches will be required to have a beach driving pass from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Vehicles can access the beach at the following locations: A Street, Ocean Trace, Dondanville, Matanzas Avenue, Mary Street, Crescent Beach, and Porpoise Point. The Vilano and Fort Matanzas access ramps are temporarily closed at this time. For more information, visit the Beach Driving Passes page.
The Beach Brief – An E-newsletter for Timely Updates on St. Johns County Beach Projects – St. Johns County remains dedicated to providing our residents, visitors, and businesses with timely and accurate information regarding current and upcoming St. Johns County beach projects. The monthly “Beach Brief” provides subscribers with an overview of beach renourishment, dune enhancement, and other major coastal projects. To sign up for “The Beach Brief” e-newsletter, please visit https://bit.ly/TheBeachBrief.
Habitat Conservation
St. Johns County is home to a variety of wildlife including several species of endangered or threatened sea turtles, the native Anastasia Island beach mice, gopher tortoises, and shorebirds. Each spring our beaches our buzzing with activity as sea turtles, beach mice, gopher tortoises, and shorebirds use our beaches and dunes for nesting and foraging that continues throughout the summer months. Sea turtle nesting season is from May 1 – October 31. Those who live and visit St. Johns County have a special opportunity and responsibility to protect these magnificent creatures and their vulnerable nesting and feeding habitat. Habitat Conservation
Coastal Projects
The St. Johns County Coastal Management team, now housed in the Disaster Recovery Department, is responsible for engineered beach projects. Coastal Management coordinates with the public and funding and regulatory agencies to ensure the successful implementation of coastal projects that preserve and enhance the beaches of St. Johns County. Coastal Management
More Information
For more information about our beautiful beaches, contact Beach Services at (904) 209-0331.
