Campground Review:

Overall, this campground ranks as another great Florida state park campground. Sites at Henderson Beach State Park are large with plenty of space between them and vegetation to provide privacy. Within a five-minute walk from our site (#44) we were on the white sandy beach gazing at the amazing emerald green water. And while you feel a bit isolated among the dunes and coastal scrub habitats, the park is located in the heart of Destin so there is shopping, restaurants, entertainment, and anything else you want within a two-minute drive. Walmart is literally right across the street. There is a peaceful quiet feeling when you are in the park but there is a bit of chaos outside the gate because Destin is a popular beach destination (and especially crazy during spring break). We camped here in early January when the crowds were minimal.

Campsites cost $30/night (unless you are a Florida senior resident in which case you get a 50% discount). The park has 60 sites that can accommodate RV’s up to 60’. There are 20 very long pull-thru sites but most of those sites are back-in. Pads and patios are packed gravel and offer 30 or 50 amp electricity and water but no sewer. There is free wifi and it worked pretty well at our site. There are four campground loops with bathroom/shower buildings and laundry facilities being located conveniently between loops. The bathrooms were clean but chilly (even though they claim to be heated). There is no sewer at any sites but two dump stations are conveniently located in the park and easy to access. Roads are paved and wide enough for even large RVs to easily maneuver. Sites are level. Patios are an extension of the gravel pad and come with a picnic table, fire pit, and clothes line. The patios are quite large and we enjoyed the privacy of our site immensely. Our Verizon 4G phone and hotspot worked great and we had a clear view to the sky for our satellite television. Our television antenna picked up a few channels but only one major channel (CBS).

What we really liked about this campground was the proximity to the beautiful beach yet with all of the amenities Destin and the surrounding area have to offer. We took advantage of shopping, restaurants and movie theaters that were all within just a few miles. But the best thing about this park was the privacy that our site offered. We backed up to a wooded area and felt isolated from the view of others.

The not so good things about this park were the lack of sewer and the road noise. The park sits right off HWY 98 which makes for convenient access but some sites closer to the road may be bothered by the noise from this busy road. Since we were here in the winter and experiencing record low temperatures, we kept all of the windows closed and did not sit outside much so the road noise was not an issue. I also imagine the beach at this park could be very crowded at times since there is plenty of access for the public. This campground is definitely geared towards RVs but you certainly could pitch a tent on any of the sites.

Tips: If you have a dog, there is a public dog park about 1 ½ miles away. The campground is large enough to get a good dog walk in and there is a ¾ mile trail they are allowed on. But, dogs are not permitted on the beach.

Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test outdoor gear and on this trip to Henderson Beach State Park, I tried out a pair of TredAgain Wilshire Shoes. The name TredAgain comes from the fact that the soles of the shoes are from recycled tires.

I love the look of these shoes which look great with a pair of jeans. They have a casual look and are nice quality shoes with rugged rubber soles combined with premium suede uppers. Inside the shoe is the insole that TredAgain describes as a “removable anatomical footbed.” The insole doesn’t have the arch I prefer for my high arches but you can remove it and put in orthotic inserts. I was skeptical that recycled tires would be soft and flexible but they were and between the insole and the rubber soles the shoes are very cushiony. The tread is fine for walking around town and on easy trails but I would not recommend them on difficult trails or rugged terrain.

I ordered my normal size and found that they fit fine in the length and width. The color I chose was beige and I really like the way they look with the darker brown piping and lighter shade of laces that are an attractive contrast to the uppers. TredAgain offers ten styles for women and seven for men with all the shoes having the recycled tire treads. The lowest priced shoes are sandals at $45 and increase to over $100 for some of their boots and they offer free shipping on all orders.

TredAgain is an Austin-based company that takes pride in the fact that old tires are now being converted to a necessity like shoes and not just thrown into a landfill. As an environmentally conscious person, I do appreciate and try to support companies that are conservation-driven.

My only complaints are that I would like more arch support and the shoelaces kept coming untied. Overall, the fit is really good, I like the look of the shoe, and they have a great conservation philosophy.

For a video review of this product click here.