In This Chapter
• Apalachicola area
• Beaches of South Walton
• Fort Walton Beach-Destin
• DeFuniak Springs
• Milton
• Panama City Beach
• Pensacola
They call it the Emerald Coast, because of water shadings that start with the glittering whiteness of the sands and grow ever greener through nile and jade into a crescendo of emerald as the water gets deeper. Gulf Islands National Seashore stretches from the Alabama border across the rim of the Gulf, providing miles of windswept beaches strewn with sea oats and snowdrift-size dunes. Even the names of the barrier islands are unbearably romantic: Perdido Key; Santa Rosa Island, Cape San Blas.
Four counties – East Bay, Gulf, Franklin, and Wakulla – market themselves as Florida’s Forgotten Coast, but you’ll find it impossible to forget. The entire area is distinguished by its sugar-white beaches. Port St. Joe, the site of the state’s first constitutional convention in 1838, has a museum where you can learn about area history. Offshore, dive over sunken ships and portions of a lighthouse that fell into the sea. A number of allied ships were sunk off this part of the Gulf by German U-boats during World War II; one British tanker is now a popular dive site.
On Cape San Blas, see the remains of a salt works where seawater was reduced to salt, an important preservative in pre-refrigeration days. A strategic facility to Confederates, it was destroyed by Union troops. Fish the Dead Lakes Recreation Area with its eerie forest of dead cypress trees, and shop Wewahitchka for Tupelo honey.
Franklin County is the home of historic Apalachicola, Apalachicola National Forest, and the seat of the Panhandle’s seafood industry. St. George Island alone has 30 miles of baby powder beaches, majestic dunes, and salt marshes alight with bird life. Cape St. George, which you can reach only by boat, has a romantic lighthouse and some of the best shelling in Florida. You can also boat to Dog Island and St. Vincent Island for picnics all alone. The wildlife refuge on St. Vincent is a paradise for nature watchers.
Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce, 99 Market St., Suite 100, Apalachicola 32320; 850-653-9419; fax 850-653-8219. Web site www.homtown.com/apalachicola.
Emerald Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau, Box 609, Fort Walton Beach 32549; 800-322-3319 or 850-651-7131. Web site www.destin-fwb.com.
Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, PO Box 9473, Panama City Beach 32417; 800-PC-BEACH (US); 800-553-1330 (Canada). Web site www.panamacitybeachfl.com.
Pensacola Convention & Visitor Center, 1401 E. Gregory Street, Pensacola 32501; 800-874-1234 (US only) or 850-434-1234. Web site www.visitpensacola.com.
South Walton Tourist Development Council, Box 1248, Santa Rosa Beach 32459. 800-822-6877 or 850-267-1216. Web site www.beachesofsouthwalton.com.
Seaside, PO Box 4730, Seaside, FL 32459. 800-277-TOWN (8696); 888-SEASIDE. Web site www.seasidefl.com; e-mail seasideinfo@seasidefl.com.
February
Chautauqua, held in DeFuniak Springs the last weekend of February, is a festival of lectures, readings, concerts, candles lit around the lake, games, and fun. It’s a carryover from the original mind-improving weekends that were a tradition here a centruy ago. Everything is organized by volunteers. 850-892-3191.
April
Sandestin Wine Festival is a good time to sip interesting vintages, see the sea, and listen to good music. 800-822-6877.
Fort Walton Beach Seafood Festival is a golden oldie, harking back to the good ol’ days with ’60s music, vintage cars, and poodle skirts. Feast on fresh seafood and shop for arts and crafts. 850-244-1893.
May
Destin Mayfest is a music festival with food booths, crafts and fun along the bayou. 850-837-6241.
June
The Billy Bowlegs Festival lets this famous pirate live again, and each year he recaptures Fort Walton Beach and Destin. 850-244-8191.
Pensacola’s Festival of Five Flags remembers the many flags that have flown over this ancient city, founded in 1559. 850-433-6512.
June-August
In the summer months, Seaside’s Summer Film Festival brings in great cinema from around the world. For this event, and to inquire about Seaside’s year-round calendar of lectures, concerts, festivals, and more, call 800-277-8696. Something is going on almost every weekend here.
September
Pensacola has its own seafood festival with feasting, a parade, rides and arts. 850-433-6512.
October
Niceville has hosts a seafood festival called the Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival. Gorge on smoked mullet and listen to folk music. 850-678-1615.
Also this month, Panama City Beach has its Indian Summer Seafood Festival with fish and shrimp, fireworks, and entertainers. 800-PC-BEACH or 850-234-0292.
November
The Florida Seafood Festival at Apalachicola goes on for three days of seafood feasting, oyster shucking contests, fishing, and fun. It’s one of the state’s best. 850-653-9419.
December
On the weekend before Christmas, historic Eden House in Eden State Gardens opens for candlelight tours. The house and gardens are in Point Washington on County Road 395, one mile north of US 98. 850-231-4214.