Mark Hinson, and Karl Etters

It’s the first week of summer, so what are you doing lying around the house watching bad TV shows and killing time on Snapchat? Don’t you know you live close to some of the most gorgeous and highly desirable beaches on the planet?

As a motivational tool, allow us to inspire your next day trip or weekend trek to the beach by pointing out some prime destinations. All of them have a state park nearby, so you don’t have to spend a bundle. Grab a towel, some sunscreen and shades. Let’s roll.

1 .) St. George Island: The beach destination of choice for Tallahassee folks. This barrier island, about a 90-minute drive to nearby Franklin County, boasts one of the most gorgeous, white-sand beaches in the state. It has not yet been turned into another Condo Canyon (please see Panama City Beach entry on this list). The St. George Island State Park is a 9-mile strip of pristine dunes and raw Florida nature at its best. Admission to the park is $6 per carload. The Blue Parrot Oceanfront Cafe on St. George is an ideal place to hang out on the deck to eat fish, soak up some rays and sip a frozen drink. As a bonus, the quaint town of Apalachicola is just across the bridge and it’s packed with some fine restaurants (try The Owl Cafe) and friendly bars (happy hour with the locals at the Gibson Inn is a hoot). Apalachicola also still looks like itself and has not had an asphalt/strip mall makeover like other coastal towns in North Florida. Enjoy it while is lasts.

2.) St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge: Looking for a switch from the usual, heavily trodden beach destinations? Then the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is the place for you. It’s a mere 25 miles south of the Capitol and costs $5 per carload at the gate. Miles of winding nature trails take you along the refuge’s freshwater impoundments and saltwater marshes through some of the wildest areas of the Big Bend. And, yes, those are real alligators, so keep your distance and don’t feed them. Along the coast near the historic lighthouse, which is undergoing renovations this year, a narrow trail will lead you to a strip of white sandy beach. Just a few feet wide, there is room for a couple of chairs, a cooler and a handful of good friends. Just a heads up though, there are no beach amenities so bring everything you’ll need. What this beach lacks in real estate it makes up for in serenity. Sweet, sweet serenity. The small beach, and the rest of St. Marks’ warm ocean waters, is also accessible by boat. To get there, launch at the lighthouse boat ramp, hang a left into the river channel and, once clear of the oyster bars, head along the shoreline. Trivia tidbit: This year’s sci-fi flick “Midnight Special,” starring Michael Shannon and Kirsten Dunst, filmed its big finale in the park.

3.) Carrabelle Beach: If you’re searching for a spot to take the family for some sand and surf, but don’t want to make the trek all the way to St. George Island, look no further than Carrabelle Beach. There’s plenty of parking — but it fills up fast on the weekends — and plenty of sugary sand beach that is the Forgotten Coast’s trademark. Off in the distance across the bay sit Dog Island and St. George Island State Park. More than a dozen covered pavilions are within ear-shot of the water’s edge, providing much-needed shade. A bathroom nearby provides some comfort if nature calls. The best part? It’s free and open to the public. To get there, head west on Coastal Highway 98 until you get to the town of Carrabelle. Cross the bridge going over the river for 1.5 miles. The beach will be on the left.

4.) Mashes Sands and Bald Point State Park: A little over a half-hour from Tallahassee, Mashes Sands Beach and Bald Point State Park’s sandy shores dip into the Gulf of Mexico. The shallow water, where marsh grass gives way to oceanside beach, is perfect for swimming, fishing or just soaking up the beaming North Florida sunshine. The intricate tidal pools created by wave action along the coast are a beachcomber’s dream. Situated on both shores of the mouth of the Ochlockonee River, the beaches are secluded and off the beaten path. Mashes Sands is located on Mashes Sands Road and sports restrooms, a pier and boat ramp; just turn left at the Ochlockonee River bridge off Highway 98 and head to the end. It’s open from sunrise to sunset. There may be a small fee. To reach Bald Point State Park, take a left on Alligator Drive off Highway 98 like you’re heading to Alligator Point. At the bend, turn left onto Bald Point Road. The park is open from 8 a.m. to sunset daily and it’s $4 per vehicle (up to eight passengers). A $2 fee is required for pedestrians or cyclists. There are showers, hiking trails, picnic areas and a canoe/kayak boat launch. Once you’re in the park, find your happy place along the shore.

5.) Cape San Blas: This thin, 17-mile long peninsula, across St. Joe Bay from Mexico Beach, is the place to go if you don’t like crowds. The driving time is about two hours and some change from Tallahassee. The water is blue and the sand is blinding white. It’s also home to St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, which is an ideal place for campers, kayakers, shell-hunters and bird-watchers. The entrance fee is $6 per carload and $4 for a single visitor. On your way down to Cape San Blas (not Sand Blast), stop for lunch or dinner at the colorful Indian Pass Raw Bar. It was once a company store for a turpentine camp in the early 20th century. These days, it’s where locals and tourists alike slurp fresh oyster and cold beer in a very laid-back atmosphere. It’s like a Jimmy Buffett song come to life. Don’t be surprised if you run into some musicians from Tallahassee performing on the front porch.

6.) Panama City Beach: Hey, who moved tourist-infested Myrtle Beach from South Carolina to North Florida? P.C.B., as the locals call it, celebrated its 80th birthday this May by building an 85-story condo that blocks the view of the Gulf and the sun. OK, that’s not really true but the tacky charm of the “Redneck Riviera” resort town is being steadily erased. The mom-and-pop motels, tourist traps, go-kart tracks and amusement parks are kissing the wrecking ball. It’s now the Concrete Cannes of the Panhandle. It does have one major draw for people not wishing to funnel beer with Spring Breakers, though. At $8 per carload, unspoiled St. Andrews State Park is an escape from the hubbub — and a great deal. This place is what the Chamber of Commerce was talking about when P.C.B. was dubbed “The World’s Most Beautiful Beaches.” It’s perfect for fishing, picnicking, swimming, camping and baking in the sun. The drive to St. Andrews takes about two hours and 15 minutes from Tallahassee.

7.) Seaside and Grayton Beach: The meticulously planned, picket fence-lined community of Seaside — which doubled as a life-size TV soundstage in Peter Weir’s film “The Truman Show” (1998) — sprang up in the late ‘80s. It was a little too neat and sterile in those days but the wind and harsh sun have actually made the place look a little more authentic. Seaside, a 2.5 hour drive from Tallahassee, is pricey when it comes to renting a house or cottage, but it has plenty of free parking and public beach access if you’re just looking to spend the day. The tall sand dunes at Seaside are impressive and have saved the town from tidal surges more than once during hurricanes. The best beachfront perch to observe the view can be found in the open-air, upstairs bar at Bud & Alley’s. Just down the road from Seaside, an easy bicycle ride down the paths along 30A, is the sublime Grayton Beach State Park. It costs $2 to get in by bike and $5 per carload. There are plenty of good reasons why Grayton Beach is a regular guest on Dr. Beach’s annual Top 10 list of the best beaches in the United States. No trip to Grayton Beach would be complete without a visit to The Red Bar, which is decidedly family-friendly in this era and not as rowdy and remote as it was in the ‘70s.

About the writers: Karl Etters and Mark Hinson are both Sunshine State natives who grew up in North Florida.