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Fort Walton Beach | Destin | South Walton | Panama City Beach | Apalachicola | St. George Island

On U.S. 98, several towns, each with its own personality, are strung along the shoreline from Pensacola southeast to St. George Island. The side-by-side cities of Destin and Fort Walton Beach seemingly merge into one sprawling destination and continue to spread as more condominiums, resort developments, shopping centers, and restaurants crowd the skyline each year. The view changes drastically—and for the better—farther along the coast as you veer off 98 and enter Route 30A, the main coastal road that leads to a quiet stretch known as South Walton. Here building restrictions prohibit high-rise developments, and the majority of dwellings are privately owned homes, most of which are available to vacationers.

Continuing southeast on U.S. 98, you come to Panama City Beach, whose Miracle Strip, once crammed with carnival-like amusement parks, junk-food vendors, T-shirt shops, and go-kart tracks, has been nearly replaced by up-to-date shopping and entertainment complexes and new condos that have given the area a much-needed face-lift. Farther east, past the up-and-coming sleeper cities of Port St. Joe and Mexico Beach, is the quiet blue-collar town of Apalachicola, Florida’s main oyster fishery. Watch oystermen ply their trade, using long-handled tongs to bring in their catch. Cross the Apalachicola Bay via the Bryant Patton Bridge to St. George Island. This unspoiled 28-mile-long barrier island offers some of America’s most scenic beaches, including St. George Island State Park, which has the longest beachfront of any state park in Florida.

Getting Here and Around

Northwest Florida Regional Airport, on Highway 85 in North Eglin, is served by American Airlines (American Eagle), Delta (Delta Connection), United Airlines (Express Jet), and American Airlines. From here you can take a number of car and cab services, including Checker Cab, to destinations such as Fort Walton Beach ($18) or Destin ($24).

Contacts
Checker Cab. | 850/650–8294.

Visitor Information

Contacts
Emerald Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. | 850/651–7131, 800/322–3319 | www.emeraldcoastfl.com.

Fort Walton Beach

46 miles east of Pensacola via U.S. 98.

This coastal town dates from the Civil War but had to wait more than 75 years to come into its own. Patriots loyal to the Confederate cause organized Walton’s Guard (named in honor of Colonel George Walton, onetime acting territorial governor of West Florida) and camped at a site on Santa Rosa Sound, later known as Camp Walton. In 1940 fewer than 90 people lived in Fort Walton Beach, but within a decade the city became a boomtown, thanks to New Deal money for roads and bridges and the development of Eglin Field during World War II.

Although off-limits to civilians, Eglin Air Force Base, which encompasses 724 square miles of land with 10 auxiliary fields and 21 runways, is Fort Walton Beach’s main source of income. Tourism runs a close second. Despite inland sprawl, the town has a cute little shopping district with independent merchants along U.S. 98.

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Exploring

Air Force Armament Museum.
The collection at this museum just outside the Eglin Air Force Base’s main gate contains more than 5,000 armaments (aka missiles, bombs, and aircraft) from World Wars I and II and the Korean and Vietnam wars. Included are uniforms, engines, weapons, aircraft, and flight simulators. You can’t miss the museum—there’s a squadron of aircraft including a B-17 Flying Fortress, an SR-71 Blackbird, a B-52, a B-25, and helicopters parked on the grounds in front. A continuously playing 32-minute movie, Arming the Future, features current weapons and Eglin’s history and its role in their development. | 100 Museum Dr. (Rte. 85), Eglin Air Force Base | 850/651–1808 | www.afarmamentmuseum.com | Free | Mon.–Sat. 9:30–4:30.

Eglin Air Force Base Reservation.
The 250,000 acres of the Eglin reservation conditionally open to the public include 21 ponds and plenty of challenging, twisting wooded trails that are all open to exploration. The area appeals to outdoors enthusiasts who want to hunt, fish, canoe, and swim. You can buy a day pass to hike or mountain bike on the Timberlake Trail. In order to gain access to the areas of the reservation that are open to the public (and many areas are closed all the time, others just some of the time), you must obtain a permit from the Natural Resource Division (also known locally as the Jackson Guard). | Jackson Guard, 107 Rte. 85 N | Niceville | 850/882–4164 | jacksonguard.com | Trail Mon.–Thurs. 7–4:30, Fri. 7–6, and Sat. 7:30–12:30.

FAMILY | Gulfarium.
This marine adventure park has been a beloved attraction for locals and visitors alike for almost 60 years. In fact, it is the oldest continuously operating marine park in Florida. Species exhibited here include otters, penguins, alligators, harbor seals, and sharks. Meander through a range of exhibits and get up close and personal with marine life thanks to several new interactive experiences, from swimming with our watery friends to feedings. For the not so faint of heart, the Stingray Bay Snorkel offers a chance to swim with the creatures as well as sharks, but for an even more intensive experience, there’s a five-hour one-on-one with a marine-mammal trainer. | 1010 Miracle Strip | 850/243–9046, 800/247–8575 | www.gulfarium.com | $19.95, animal encounters extra | Daily 9–4:30.

FAMILY | Heritage Park and Cultural Center.
Here you can learn all about the prehistoric peoples who inhabited northwest Florida. Local tribes built a large earthen mound here that, with a roughly 50,000-square-foot footprint, is one of the largest prehistoric earthworks on saltwater. This site, which is still considered a sacred burial ground, was a center of religious, political, and social activity but now is a reminder of a lost world. A small museum explains the mound and the people who built it, showcasing prehistoric American Indian artifacts and weaponry as well as a few hands-on exhibits that are a reminder of the area’s inhabitants between AD 700 and 1500. Admission includes the museum and a restored post office and schoolhouse on the site. | 139 Miracle Strip Pkwy. SE (U.S. 98) | 850/833–9595 | $5 | Weekdays 12–4:30, Sat. 10–4:30.

Beaches

John Beasley Park.
This tranquil seaside park rests among the rolling dunes on Okaloosa Island. Two dune walkovers lead to the beach, where there are a dozen covered picnic tables, pavilions, changing rooms, and freshwater showers—plus lifeguards in summer. The city’s hottest nightlife is just down the road, but families can enjoy the scenic beauty. There is also an emphasis on wheelchair beach access. Amenities: lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; walking. | Okaloosa Island.

Where to Eat

Angler’s Beachside Grill and Sports Bar.
$$ | AMERICAN | Unless you sit in the water, you can’t dine any closer to the gulf than at this casual beachside bar and grill next to the Gulfarium. Located at the entrance to Okaloosa Island Pier (and within a complex of other nightclubs and restaurants), Angler’s houses the requisite sports bar with televisions broadcasting sports events, including in the elevators and bathrooms. Outside, a volleyball net tempts diners onto the sands. Snack on nachos and quesadillas, sample fresh-catch dishes such as king crab and prawns, or try the smoked tuna dip, a lightly smoked yellowfin tuna dip served with warm, crisp tortilla strips. The waterfront setting is the image of a picturesque Gulf Coast eatery. | Average main: $19 | 1030 Miracle Strip Pkwy. | 850/796–0260 | www.anglersgrill.com.

Pandora’s Steakhouse and Lounge.
$$$ | STEAKHOUSE | On the Emerald Coast, the name Pandora’s is synonymous with prime rib. Steaks are cooked over a wood-burning grill, and you can order your prime rib regular or extra-thick cut; fish aficionados should try the char-grilled yellowfin tuna or one of the daily specials. Cozy up in an alcove to enjoy your meal in peace or head to the lounge, where the mood turns a bit more gregarious, with live entertainment Wednesday through Saturday. | Average main: $26 | 1226 Santa Rosa Blvd. | 850/244–8669 | www.pandorassteakhouse.com | Closed Mon. No lunch.

Where to Stay

Aunt Martha’s Bed and Breakfast.
$$ | B&B/INN | Although it has been pampering and charming its guests since 2001, Aunt Martha’s can transport you back half a century to when Florida was still a sleepy little state. Smack dab on the banks of Santa Rosa Sound and steps away from the water, the bed-and-breakfast is private and neat as a pin. Five rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows, a baby-grand piano is poised to be played, and a library is stocked for guests. In the morning, the pampering continues with an old-fashioned Southern breakfast. Pros: quiet sanctuary on the waterfront but with access to dining, shopping, and sites. Cons: not suited for kids and families; primarily for romance and privacy. | Rooms from: $105 | 315 Shell Ave. SE | 850/243–6702 | www.auntmarthasbedandbreakfast.com | 5 rooms | Breakfast.

Holiday Inn Resort Fort Walton Beach Hotel.
$$ | HOTEL | Located directly on the beach facing the Gulf of Mexico, this family-friendly resort has enough activities to keep all ages entertained—from one of the best pools in the area to an interactive mermaid to a secret tie to the rich mlitary history of the Emerald Coast. The 17-acre tract of land the hotel was once an Air Force tracking station—and still is. The resort’s innovative design includes a giant, whimsical beach ball on the roof; that’s the receiver. Family suites make this a perfect vacation spot for largers families, and the indoor heated pool is plus for year-round use. Pros: steps from the beach; supervised kids programs; number of rooms with Gulf views. Cons: Pay extra for beach services; louder music in lobby and pool areas. | Rooms from: $276 | 1299 Miracle Strip Pkwy. SE | 850/301–9000 | holidayinnresortfortwaltonbeach.com | 152 rooms | No meals.

Ramada Plaza Beach Resort.
$ | RESORT | If your family loves the water, splash down at this beachside extravaganza, where activity revolves around a 194,000-gallon pool (allegedly the area’s largest) with a spectacular swim-through waterfall that tumbles down from an island oasis; there’s also a separate kiddie Splash Garden, a beachwear and beach-toy shop, and an 800-foot private beach. It’s a popular spot for conventions, spring break, and families on a budget: there’s no charge for additional guests under 18, and roll-away beds are only $10 per night. For an extra-special evening, book an odd-numbered room between 1133 and 1143—the back door of each opens right into the pool. Pros: extravagant offerings for a family-friendly vacation; the pool may please the kids more than the gulf. Cons: may be too busy for romance travelers or seniors seeking peace and quiet. | Rooms from: $199 | 1500 Miracle Strip Pkwy. SE | 850/243–9161, 800/874–8962 | www.ramadafwb.com | 335 rooms, 18 suites | No meals.

Nightlife

The Boardwalk.
This massive dining-and-entertainment complex at the entrance to the Okaloosa Island Pier includes several restaurants (Crab Trap, Oyster House, Floyd’s Shrimp House, and Angler’s) as well as an assortment of nightclubs. | 1450 Miracle Strip Pkwy. | www.theboardwalkoi.com.

Performing Arts

Northwest Florida Ballet.
To appreciate dancing skills that go beyond your own tiptoeing on hot sands, try to catch a performance of this Fort Walton Beach–based troupe. It has presented classical–and contemporary-dance performances to audiences along the Gulf Coast since 1969. Call for season schedule and ticket information as well as its current performance venue (often the Mattie Kelly Arts Center). | 850/664–7787 | www.nfballet.org.

Sports and the Outdoors

Fishing

Okaloosa Island Pier.
Don’t miss a chance to go out to the end of this quarter-mile-long pier. There’s an admission fee (and a fee to fish), and you can buy bait and tackle, and rent poles as well. | 1030 Miracle Strip Pkwy. E | 850/244–1023 | www.okaloosaislandpier.com. | $2; $7.50 to fish.

Scuba Diving

Discovery Dive World.
Run by military veterans, this full-service snorkeling and dive shop offers a variety of gear and lessons, though they specialize in spear fishing. | 92 S. John Sims Pkwy. | Valapariso | 850/678–5001 | www.discoverydiveworld.com.

Destin

8 miles east of Fort Walton Beach via U.S. 98.

Fort Walton Beach’s “neighbor” lies on the other side of the strait that connects Choctawhatchee Bay with the Gulf of Mexico. Destin takes its name from its founder, Leonard A. Destin, a Connecticut sea captain who settled his family here sometime in the 1830s. For the next 100 years, Destin remained a sleepy little fishing village until the strait, or East Pass, was bridged in 1935. Then recreational anglers discovered its white sands, blue-green waters, and abundance of some of the most sought-after sport fish in the world. More billfish are hauled in around Destin each year than from all other gulf ports combined, giving credence to its nickname, the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.

But you don’t have to be the rod-and-reel type to love Destin. There’s plenty to entertain the sand-pail set as well as senior citizens, and there are many nice restaurants, which you’ll have an easier time finding if you remember that the main drag through town is referred to as both U.S. 98 and Emerald Coast Parkway. The name makes sense, but part of what makes the gulf look so emerald in these parts is the contrasting whiteness of the sand on the beach. Actually, it’s not sand—it’s pure, powder-soft Appalachian quartz that was dropped off by a glacier a few thousand years back. Since quartz doesn’t compress (and crews clean and rake the beach each evening), your tootsies get the sole-satisfying benefit of soft, sugary “sand.” Sand so pure it squeaks.

Essentials

Visitor Information
Destin Chamber of Commerce. | 850/837–6241 | www.destinchamber.com.

Exploring

FAMILY | Big Kahuna’s Lost Paradise.
The water park is the big draw here, with the Honolulu Half Pipe (a perpetual surfing wave), flume rides, steep and slippery slides, and assorted other methods of expending hydro-energy appealing to travelers who prefer freshwater thrills over the gulf, which is just across the street. This complex also has dry family-friendly attractions: 54 holes of miniature golf, two go-kart tracks, an arcade, thrill rides, and an amphitheater. | 1007 U.S. 98 E | 850/837–8319 | www.bigkahunas.com | Grounds free, water park $37.99, miniature golf $6.99, go-karts $6.99, Sky Coaster or Cyclone $16.99 | Water Park: early May–Labor Day, varying days 10–5 or 6. Adventure Park: early May–Labor Day, varying days 2–9 or 10; late Mar. and early Apr., varying days 2–9.

Beaches

Crab Island.
All of the sugary, white-sand beaches of Destin and the surrounding Emerald Coast garner worldwide attention, but this is the locals’ favorite. Actually a sandbar in East Pass rather than an island, Crab Island draws water-lovers and boaters, who wade the sandbar or drop anchor in droves on fair-weather days, especially weekends. People are friendly, so it’s a great place to make new friends, and the shallow waters are good for families. A food barge comes around the “island” seasonally. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: partiers; snorkeling; swimming. | North side of East Pass and Marler Bridge.

Where to Eat

Another Broken Egg Café.
$ | AMERICAN | Follow the line to this local-favorite breakfast-and-lunch retreat, one of six locations in northwest Florida. This is the kind of restaurant you crave when you’re on the road. Morning starts with platters of pancakes, waffles, and French toast with special twists like blackberry grits. More than a dozen styles of omelet include the “Hey Ricky,” a Spanish omelet with avocado, green chilies, and onions. It’s crowded—for a reason. | Average main: $9 | 979 U.S. 98 (Harbor Blvd.) | 850/650–0499 | www.anotherbrokenegg.com | Closed Mon. No dinner | Average main: $9 | 538 Harbor Blvd. | 850/837–2506 | www.harbordocks.com.

Marina Café.
$$$ | SEAFOOD | A harbor view, impeccable service, and sophisticated fare create one of the finest dining experiences on the Emerald Coast. An ocean motif is expressed in shades of aqua, green, and sand accented with marine tapestries and sea sculptures. The chef calls his creations contemporary Continental, offering diners a choice of thick USDA steaks, classic creole, Mediterranean, or Pan Asian dishes. One regional specialty is the popular pan-seared yellow-edge grouper with a blue-crab-meat crust. A special sushi menu is available, the wine list is extensive, and happy hour runs from 5 to 7. | Average main: $24 | 404 U.S. 98 E | 850/837–7960 | www.marinacafe.com | No lunch.

Where to Stay

Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village.
$$$$ | RESORT | Even locals seek out the views at this harborfront destination within a destination, with luxurious hotel accommodations and a full menu of amenities, including a full-service spa, marina, health club, and indoor/outdoor pools. Guest rooms have balconies with panoramic views, and the HarborWalk Village offers activities and entertainment for the whole family, including waterfront shopping, water sports, and nightlife. Pros: great for larger families and groups; many top-rated amenities are part of the complex. Cons: very family-oriented, so it’s not ideal for a romantic couple’s getaway; must water-taxi to the beach. | Rooms from: $487 | 10 Harbor Blvd. | 800/676–0091 | www.emeraldgrande.com | 269 rooms | No meals.

FAMILY | Holiday Inn Destin.
$$$ | RESORT | The hotel’s towering, circular, 1960s-space-age design ensures most rooms get a great view of the gulf, which is only a few steps away. The location offers the chance to lounge on sugar-white sands, get to several golf courses with ease, and walk to some of Destin’s amusement parks. Common areas—jazzed up with skylights and greenery—are spacious and eye-pleasing. Standard rooms feature pillow-top mattresses and are uniformly bright and well-kept; prices vary depending on the view. Family-friendly, the hotel has kiddie pools and “kids’ suites” (with bunk beds), magic shows, and nature talks. Pros: one of the best locations right on the gulf; kids’ programs make it a one-stop shop for families. Cons: generic cookie-cutter hotel interiors; not every room has a gulf view. | Rooms from: $180 | 1020 U.S. 98 E | 850/837–6181 | www.hidestin.com | 233 rooms | Breakfast.

Nightlife

AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar.
Folks come by boat and car to this supercasual bar and restaurant overlooking the marina. Nightly live music means young lively crowds pack the dance floor. | 116 U.S. 98 E | 850/837–1913 | www.ajs-destin.com.

Harbor Docks.
Affiliated with Pensacola’s Dharma Blue, this favorite with the local seafaring set has been around since 1979. The incredibly casual feel is marked by picnic tables and hibachi grills. There’s live music Thursday through Saturday. There’s also a sushi bar. | 538 U.S. 98 E | 850/837–2506 | www.harbordocks.com.

Hog’s Breath Saloon.
The festive atmosphere is enhanced by good live music from a solo performer during the week and more musicians on the weekend. The food—steaks, burgers, salads—isn’t bad, either. | 541 U.S. 98 E | 850/837–5991 | www.hogsbreath.com.

Nightown.
This nightclub has an expansive dance floor, VIP access with bottle service, seven bars, live music, pool tables, and plenty of drink specials and themed evenings. It’s open Wednesday through Saturday until 4 am. | 140 Palmetto St. | 850/837–7625 | www.nightown.com.

Shopping

Destin Commons.
Don’t call it a mall. Call it an “open-air lifestyle center.” More than 70 high-end specialty shops are here, as well as a 14-screen theater, Hard Rock Cafe, miniature train, and nautical theme park for kids. | 4300 Legendary Dr. | 850/337–8700 | www.destincommons.com.

Silver Sands Factory Stores.
One of the Southeast’s largest retail designer outlets has more than 100 shops selling top-name merchandise. | 10562 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W | 850/654–9771 | www.silversandsoutlet.com.

Sports and the Outdoors

Fishing

Destin has the largest charter-boat fishing fleet in the state. You can also pier-fish from the 3,000-foot-long Destin Catwalk and along East Pass Bridge.

Adventure Charters.
This company represents more than 90 charter services that offer deep-sea, bay-bottom, and light-tackle fishing excursions. | East Pass Marina, 288 U.S. 98 E | 850/837–1995 | www.destinfishingservice.com | From $120 per hr.

Destin Dockside.
It’s a great place to pick up bait, tackle, and most anything else you’d need for a day of fishing. | 390 Harbor Blvd. | 850/428–3313 | www.boatrentalsindestin.com.

HarborWalk Marina.
At this rustic-looking waterfront complex you can get bait, gas, tackle, and food. Regularly scheduled party-fishing-boat excursions are offered and are a much cheaper alternative to chartering or renting your own boat. | 66 Harbor Blvd. (U.S. 98 E) | 850/337–8250 | www.harborwalk-destin.com | From $55.

Golf

Indian Bayou Golf Club.
Indian Bayou offers three 9-hole courses with wide, forgiving fairways accented by well-manicured, lush greens, tall pines, and numerous lakes and water features. With challenging options for all skill levels, it is one of the more affordable options in the area. | 1 Country Club Dr. E, off Airport Rd., off U.S. 98 | 850/837–6191 | www.indianbayougolf.com | $35–$75 for nonmembers | Choctaw Course: 9 holes, 3464 yards, par 36; Creek Course: 9 holes, 3433 yards, par 36; Seminole Course: 9 holes, 3614 yards, par 36.

Kelly Plantation Golf Club.
Designed by Fred Couples and Gene Bates, this semiprivate course meanders along the Choctawhatchee Bay. The overall layout is encouraging for novice golfers from the forward tees, with hardly any forced carries; however, from the back tees, it’s an entirely different game. Stretching 7,099 yards, the course offers a serious driving test for long hitters. Greens are unique on almost every hole. Keep an eye out for hole 4’s spectacular, panoramic view of Choctawhatchee Bay, and take in the scents and sights of the surrounding magnolias and palmettos, native to the northwest Florida region. | 307 Kelly Plantation Dr. | 850/650–7600 | www.kellyplantationgolf.com | $59–$139 | 18 holes, 7099 yards, par 72.

Regatta Bay Golf and Country Club.
Here you’ll find a semiprivate course nestled among nature preserves along Choctawhatchee Bay. You’ll also enjoy the golf club’s amenities, including a state-of-the-art Parview GPS system on golf carts, and small touches that make the course and club unique, like chilled apples on the 1st and 10th tees and mango-scented iced towels. It’s a favorite course for players in northwest Florida. | 465 Regatta Bay Blvd. | 850/337–8080 | www.regattabay.com | Varies by times and season | 18 holes, 6894 yards, par 72.

Scuba Diving

Although visibility here (about 50 feet) isn’t on par with the reefs of the Atlantic Coast, divers can explore artificial reefs, wrecks, and a limestone shelf at depths of up to 90 feet.

Emerald Coast Scuba.
You can take diving lessons, arrange excursions, and rent all the necessary equipment through this operation. | 503 Harbor Blvd. | 850/837–0955 | www.divedestin.com | Dive trips from $65, snorkel cruises from $30.

Stand-Up Paddleboarding

GUSU Paddleboards.
The biggest craze in the region is YOLO (“You Only Live Once”) boarding, or stand-up paddling (SUP), on what looks like a surfboard. It can be found at many resorts in the region and also through businesses such as GUSU Paddleboards. The company’s website offers a map of paddle trails throughout the region and state, as well as rates for lessons and tours. Try one out for $25 for a one-hour rental or a SUP-lates class. They’re located inside “TheXperience,” a store that sells paddleboards and other wares in Destin. | TheXperience, 111 Harbor Blvd. | 850/460–7300 | www.thexperiencedestin.com.

South Walton

The 16 communities spread out along 26-mile stretch of coastline between Destin and Panama City Beach are referred to collectively as South Walton. Along this stretch of the Panhandle are monolithic condos of Destin and Panama City Beach in either direction, like massive bookends in the distance, flanking the area’s low-slung, less imposing structures. A decidedly laid-back, refined mood prevails in these parts, where vacation homes go for millions and selecting a dinner spot is usually the day’s most challenging decision. The South Walton neighborhood of Seaside is the birthplace of new urbanism and has been mimicked by several surrounding communities.

Accommodations consist primarily of private-home rentals, the majority of which are managed by local real-estate firms. Also scattered along Route 30A are a growing number of boutiques selling everything from fine art and unique hand-painted furniture to jewelry, gifts, and clothes.

Essentials

Visitor Information
Visit South Walton Information Center. | 850/267–1216, 800/822–6877 | www.visitsouthwalton.com.

Sandestin

The resort community of Sandestin offers a one-stop shop for a family or quiet getaway offering everything from stunning golf courses to exceptional spa services. The Village of Baytowne Wharf offers a plethora of restaurants and nightlife options for those seeking entertainment. This is one of the areas in South Walton where you can also enjoy views of both the Gulf of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay a mere minutes from each other. Year-round events also make the area a draw for guests all four seasons.

Where to Stay

Bayside at Sandestin.
$$ | RESORT | Tucked into the Sandestin Beach Resort, the former LeCiel hotel offers guests a boutique hotel experience on a quieter side of the resort, where breathtaking views of Choctawhatchee Bay steal the show. The bayside hotel within the resort is situated in the property’s first multistory structure, which opened 2012. The soft colors and copper and wood accents leave guests with that sought-after, calming beach-vacation feel, though seasoned boutique hotel travelers may find it lacks the upscale feel they expect. During off-season be prepared to take a slight trip out of your way to check in and out since the front desk may be closed. Pros: great amenities for the price and location; amazing bay views. Cons: check-in/check-out inconvenience during off-season; decor not up to par for boutique name. | Rooms from: $169 | Sandestin Resort, 160 Sandestin Blvd. N. | 877/953–2435 | www.sandestin.com/ | 130 rooms | No meals.

Fodor’s Choice | Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort.
$$$$ | RESORT | This place is its own little world—with shopping, charter fishing, spas, salons, tennis, water sports, golf, and special events—so it’s no wonder newlyweds, conventioneers, and families all find something for them at this 2,400-acre resort. Accommodations are spread across five areas: beachfront, beachside, village, bay side, and dockside. Each of the five neighborhood clusters offers a different feel, with villas, cottages, condominiums, boat slips, and an inn, and all rooms have a view, either of the gulf, Choctawhatchee Bay, a golf course, a lagoon, or a natural wildlife preserve. The resort accommodates tastes from the simple to the extravagant, but the gigantic suites at the Westwinds are a cut above the rest. Baytowne Wharf, the complex’s “downtown,” has art galleries, a “festival marketplace” of shops and restaurants, and bars that boom after dark, so once you get here, you won’t need—or want—to leave. Pros: everything you’d ever need in a resort—and more. Cons: lacks the personal touches of a modest retreat. | Rooms from: $211 | 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W | 850/267–8000, 800/277–0800 | www.sandestin.com | 1,400 rooms, condos, villas, and town homes | No meals.

Nightlife

Sandestin Village of Baytowne Wharf.
You can find funky blues, great sushi, and a set of dueling pianos here any night of the week. Music guests have included Graffiti & the Funky Blues Shack and John Wehner’s Village Door Nightclub. | Sandestin Resort, 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W | 800/622–1038.

Shopping

Market at Sandestin.
The two dozen or so upscale shops in this elegant Sandestin complex peddle everything from expensive chocolates to designer clothes. | Sandestin Resort, 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W | 850/267–8092.

Shops at Grand Boulevard at Sandestin Town Center.
This town center–style shopping and dining complex is on the area’s main thoroughfare, just a hop, skip, and jump from the Sandestin Resort. For the high-end shopper, the center offers everything from Fusion Art Glass Gallery to Brooks Brothers Country Club. A number of boutiques, such as Hello, Sunshine and Magnolia House, carry fare you can’t find anywhere else. Dining options include Mitchell’s Fish Market, P. F. Chang’s China Bistro, and Cantina Laredo Gourmet Mexican Food. | 600 Grand Blvd. | Miramar Beach | 850/654–5929 | www.grandboulevard.com.

Sports and the Outdoors

For sheer number of holes, Sandestin tops the list with 72 (four courses): Baytowne Golf Club at Sandestin, the Burnt Pines Course, the Links Course, and the Raven Golf Club. For more information, see www.sandestin.com/golfers.

Raven Golf Club.
This picturesque course is a two-time home to the Boeing Championship—a stop on the PGA Champions Tour—and is carved through the marshes and pine trees of Sandestin Resort. Robert Trent Jones Jr. crafted the course as what he calls “a true modern traditional.” The Raven Golf Club requires strategy on every tee as golfers are presented with a variety of shot options accompanied by changes in color and texture throughout the course. It will require almost every club and trick in your bag. | 9300 Emerald Coast Pkwy. W | 850/267–8155 | www.sandestin.com/Golfers | $69 | 18 holes, 6931 yards, par 71.

Grayton Beach

18 miles east of Destin via U.S. 98 on Rte. 30A (Exit 85).

Inland, pine forests and hardwoods surround the area’s 14 dune lakes, giving anglers ample spots to drop a line and kayakers a peaceful refuge. Grayton Beach, the oldest community in this area, was founded in 1890. You can still see some of the old weathered-cypress homes scattered along narrow, crushed-gravel streets. The secluded off-the-beaten-path town has been noticed with the addition of adjacent WaterColor, a high-end development of vacation homes with a stylish boutique hotel as its centerpiece. The architecture is tasteful, development is carefully regulated—no buildings taller than four stories are allowed—and bicycles and kayaks are the preferred methods of transportation. Stringent building restrictions, designed to protect the pristine beaches and dunes, ensure that Grayton maintains its small-town feel and look.

Exploring

Eden Gardens State Park.
Scarlett O’Hara could be at home here on the lawn of an antebellum mansion amid an arcade of moss-draped live oaks in nearby Point Washington. Tours of the mansion are given every hour on the hour, and furnishings inside the spacious rooms date as far back as the 17th century. The surrounding grounds—the perfect setting for a picnic lunch—are beautiful year-round, but they’re nothing short of spectacular in mid-March, when the azaleas and dogwoods are in full bloom. | Rte. 395 | Point Washington | 850/267–8320 | Gardens $4, mansion tours $4 | Daily 8–sunset; mansion tours Thurs.–Mon. 10–3.

Beaches

Fodor’s Choice | Grayton Beach State Park.
This is the place to see what Florida looked like when only American Indians lived here. One of the most scenic spots along the Gulf Coast, this 2,220-acre park is composed primarily of untouched Florida woodlands within the Coastal Lowlands region. It also has salt marshes, rolling dunes covered with sea oats, crystal-white sand, and contrasting blue-green waters. The park has facilities for swimming, fishing, and snorkeling, and there’s an elevated boardwalk that winds over the dunes to the beach, as well as walking trails around the marsh and into the piney woods. Notice that the “bushes” you see are actually the tops of full-size slash pines and Southern magnolias, an effect created by the frequent shifting of the dunes. Even if you’re just passing by, the beach here is worth a stop. Thirty fully equipped cabins and a campground provide overnight options. Amenities: fishing; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; sunrise; swimming; walking. | 357 Main Park Rd., off Rte. 30A | 850/267–8300 | www.floridastateparks.org/graytonbeach | $5 per vehicle, up to 8 people; $2 pedestrians/cyclists | Daily 8–sunset.

Golf

Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club.
Offering the “purest golf in the Panhandle,” this semi-private course has little residential development beside the fairways. It is also the only course in the Destin area that has two holes that back up to the Gulf of Mexico. With seven sets of tees, every type of golfer has a fair chance at conquering the course. A member of Audubon International, the course meanders through natural wildlife habitats and native areas providing a picturesque backdrop of the local area. | Rte. 30A | Santa Rosa Beach | 850/267–2229 | www.santarosaclub.com | $79 for 18 holes; $45 for 9 holes | 18 holes, 6466 yards, par 72.

Where to Eat

Fodor’s Choice | Fish Out of Water.
$$$ | ECLECTIC | Time your appetite to arrive at sunset and you’ll witness the best of both worlds: sea oats lumbering on gold-dusted dunes outside and a stylish interior that sets new standards of sophistication for the entire Panhandle. Colorful, handblown-glass accent lighting that “grows” out of the hardwood floors, plush taupe banquettes, oversize handmade lamp shades, and a sleek bar area create an atmosphere worthy of the inventive cuisine. Menus are seasonal, but often range in influences from Southern (Low Country shrimp and scallops with creamy grits) to classic Continental, but all are convincingly wrought and carefully presented. The extensive wine list keeps pace with the menu offerings. | Average main: $26 | WaterColor Inn, 34 Goldenrod Circle, 2nd fl. | Santa Rosa Beach | 850/534–5050 | www.watercolorresort.com | No lunch.

The Red Bar.
$$ | SEAFOOD | You could spend weeks here just taking in all the funky-junky, eclectic toy-chest memorabilia—from Marilyn Monroe posters to flags to dolls—dangling from the ceiling and tacked to every available square inch of wall. The contemporary menu is small, although it includes what you’d expect to find in the Panhandle: crab cakes, shrimp, and crawfish, to name a few. It also serves breakfast. In season, it can feed hundreds of people a day, so expect a wait. Blues and jazz musicians play nightly in the Red Bar. You can’t make up a place like this. | Average main: $20 | 70 Hotz Ave. | Santa Rosa Beach | 850/231–1008 | www.theredbar.com | No credit cards.

Where to Stay

Cabins at Grayton Beach State Park.
$ | RENTAL | Back-to-nature enthusiasts and families love to visit these stylish accommodations set among the sand pines and scrub oaks of this pristine state park. The two-bedroom duplexes (each named after a different species of tree found in the park) sleep up to six and have tin roofs, white trim, and tropical wooden-window louvers, and the beach is a leisurely five-minute walk away via a private boardwalk. Modern conveniences include central heat and air-conditioning and full-size kitchens complete with pots and pans. Gas fireplaces, barbecue grills, and screen porches add a homey touch. How homey? There is no daily maid service, you’ll need to bring your own sheets and towels, and there are no room phones or TVs. Regardless, they’re often booked solid as much as 11 months in advance, but call to check for cancellations. Pros: rare and welcome preservation of Old Florida; pure peace and quiet; what a gulf vacation is meant to be. Cons: if you’re accustomed to abundant amenities, you won’t find them here. | Rooms from: $130 | 357 Main Park Rd. | Santa Rosa Beach | 800/267–8300 | 30 cabins | No meals.

Fodor’s Choice | WaterColor Inn and Resort.
$$$ | HOTEL | Nature meets seaside chic at this boutique property, the crown jewel of the area’s latest—and largest—planned communities. Rooms are done in seashell tones with sea-blue comforters and accents; stylish armoires and desks look as natural and unfinished as driftwood. Dune-level bungalows have private courtyards with outdoor showers, whereas upper rooms have huge balconies and walk-in showers with windows overlooking the gulf so you can see the sea while you scrub—delightful! Standard rooms come with a king-size bed and a queen sleeper sofa, but consider one of the three rotunda rooms for something larger and more spectacular. Included in your room rate is one hour of canoeing, one hour of tennis, and daily breakfast. An extra $35 per day affords you a complete beach setup—two chairs, umbrella, and towels. Pros: perhaps the ultimate vacation experience on the gulf; upscale and fancy. Cons: you may feel like it caters exclusively to Ivy Leaguers and CEOs, which might make it hard to relax. | Rooms from: $333 | 34 Goldenrod Circle | Santa Rosa Beach | 850/534–5000 | www.watercolorresort.com | 60 rooms | Breakfast.

Nightlife

The Red Bar.
The local watering hole presents red-hot blues or jazz acts every night. On Friday and Saturday nights it’s elbow-to-elbow at the truly funky and colorful bar, which would be right at home on Miami’s South Beach or in New York City’s Greenwich Village. But credit cards aren’t accepted. | 70 Hotz Ave. | Santa Rosa Beach | 850/231–1008 | www.theredbar.com.

Shopping

Shops of Grayton.
This quaint shopping area offers eight cottages in a colorful complex where you can buy gifts, artwork, and antiques. | Rte. 283, 2 miles south of U.S. 98.

Seaside

2 miles east of Grayton Beach on Rte. 30A.

This thriving planned community with old-fashioned Victorian architecture, brick streets, restaurants, retail stores, and a surfeit of art galleries was the brainchild of Robert Davis. Dubbed “new urbanism,” the development style was designed to promote a neighborly, old-fashioned lifestyle. There’s much to be said for an attractive, billboard-free village where you can park your car and walk everywhere you need to go. Pastel-color homes with white-picket fences, front-porch rockers, and captain’s walks are set along redbrick streets, and all are within walking distance of the town center and its unusual cafés and shops. The community is so reminiscent of a storybook town that producers chose it for the set of the 1998 film The Truman Show, starring Jim Carrey.

The community has come into its own in the last few years, achieving a comfortable, lived-in look and feel that had escaped it since its founding in the late 1970s. Some of the once-shiny tin roofs are starting to rust around the edges and the foliage has matured, creating pockets of privacy and shade. There are also more signs of a real neighborhood with bars and bookstores added to the mix. Still, although Seaside’s popularity continues to soar, it retains a suspicious sense of Twilight Zone perfection that can weird out some visitors.

Other planned neighborhoods, variations on the theme pioneered by Seaside’s founders, have carved out niches along the dozen miles of Route 30A east to Rosemary Beach. The focus in the 107-acre planned community is on preserving the local environment (the landscape is completely made up of indigenous plants) and maintaining its small-town appeal. A nascent sense of community is sprouting at the Town Green, a perfect patch of manicured lawn fronting the beach, where locals gather with their wineglasses to toast the sunset. In total, South Walton touts 16 of these new urbanism–style beach communities and resorts.

Where to Eat

Bud & Alley’s.
$$$ | EUROPEAN | This down-to-earth beachside bistro (named for a pet cat and dog) has been a local favorite since 1986. Tucked in the dunes by the gulf, the rooftop Tarpon Club bar makes a great perch for a sunset toast (guess the exact moment the sun will disappear and win a drink). Daily salad specials are tangy introductions to such entrées as grilled black grouper, seared diver scallops with creamy grits, a marinated pork chop with sweet-potato hash browns, and a taco and pizza bar. | Average main: $30 | 2236 E. Rte. 30A | 850/231–5900 | www.budandalleys.com.

Café Thirty-A.
$$$$ | EUROPEAN | About a mile and half east of Seaside in a beautiful Florida-style home with high ceilings and a wide veranda, this restaurant has an elegant look—bolstered by white linen tablecloths—and impeccable service. The menu changes nightly and includes such entrées as wood-oven-roasted wild king salmon, sesame-crusted rare yellowfin tuna, and grilled Hawaiian butterfish. Even if you’re not a Southerner, you should try the appetizer of grilled Georgia quail with creamy grits and sage fritters. With nearly 20 creative varieties, the martini menu alone is worth the trip. | Average main: $32 | 3899 E. Rte. 30A | Seagrove Beach | 850/231–2166 | www.cafethirtya.com | Reservations essential | No lunch.

Great Southern Cafe.
$$$ | SEAFOOD | Jim Shirley, founder of Pensacola’s very popular Fish House, brought Grits a Ya Ya to this restaurant on Seaside’s town square. Breakfast is served from 8 to 11, when the menu segues to regional fare, including gulf shrimp, Apalachicola oysters, and fresh sides such as collards, okra, black-eyed peas, fried green tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. Oysters and po’boys stuffed with shrimp bring a little of N’awlins to the beach. Beer and wine and a full liquor bar are here to boot. | Average main: $24 | 83 Central Sq. | 850/231–7327 | www.thegreatsoutherncafe.com.

Where to Stay

Seaside Cottage Rental Agency.
When residents aren’t using their pricey one- to six-bedroom, porticoed, faux-Victorian cottages, they rent them out. Homes have fully equipped kitchens, TV/VCR/DVDs, and vacuum cleaners and are a perfect option for a family vacation or a large group. And the rental agency helps by throwing in a bottle of wine, golf discounts, bicycles, and other perks. With gulf breezes blowing off the water and proximity to unspoiled, sugar-white beaches, Seaside is an attractive vacation destination. And there are more than 200 different properties to choose from, sleeping from 2 to 14 people. What you won’t find are the comforts of a full-service hotel. | 2311 E. Rte. 30A | Santa Rosa Beach | 850/231–2222, 866/966–2565 reservations | www.cottagerentalagency.com | 275 units | No meals.

Shopping

Seaside’s central square and open-air market, along Route 30A, offer a number of unusual and whimsical boutiques carrying clothing, jewelry, and arts and crafts. In the heart of Seaside in an area called Ruskin Place, there’s a collection of small shops and artists’ galleries that has everything from toys and pottery to fine works of art.

Perspicacity.
This shop sells simply designed women’s clothing and accessories perfect for easy, carefree, beach-town casualness. | 178 Market St. | 850/231–5829.

Sports and the Outdoors

Butterfly Bike & Kayak.
A few miles from Seaside in Seagrove Beach, this outfitter rents bikes, kayaks, scooters, and golf carts and has free delivery and pickup. | 3657 E. Rte. 30A | Seagrove Beach | 850/231–2826 | www.butterflybikerentals.com | From $20 per day from $45 per wk.

SeaOats Beach Service.
Whether it’s a beach fire or surf lessons, this local couple’s love for the beach shows through in a wide variety of luxury beach services. They don’t have a brick-and-mortar store, but will meet you on the beach in Rosemary Beach instead. | 850/951–3632 | www.seaoatsbeachservice.com.

Panama City Beach

21 miles southeast of Seaside off U.S. 98.

Although Front Beach Road, the so-called Miracle Strip, is lined by high-rises (about two dozen in total) built mostly during the early 2000s, Panama City Beach’s ample 27-mile coastline still gives you opportunities to avoid the crowds and congestion. Spring-break season in March and early April can bring extra congestion and noise, but the sprawling beach is long enough to accommodate everyone. The one constant in ever-changing cityscape is the area’s natural beauty, which, in many areas, helps you forget the commercialization in others.

The busiest section of Front Beach Road is book-ended by two undeveloped and fully protected state parks and their equally beautiful beaches. Stand on the pier and look in front of and behind you to see the abrupt end of the high-rises and the return of nature as far as the eye can see. The shoreline is so long that even when a mile is packed with partying students, there are 26 more where you can toss a beach blanket and find the old motels that have managed to survive. Or you travel inland, toward West Bay and find even quieter quarters, including expanses of undeveloped pinelands and a city park with ample biking trails. What’s more, the beaches along the Miracle Strip, with their powder-soft sand and translucent emerald waters, are some of the finest in the state, so it’s easy to understand why developers wanted to build here.

The busiest season stretches from spring (when college students descend en masse from neighboring states for spring break and a lot of raucous partying) to summer (when families and others come for the warm gulf waters and beautiful beaches). Come before mid-March, when the temperatures can still be chilly and definitely not conducive to water activities, or after Labor Day until mid-October, when the water is still warm and inviting, and you will find a much quieter vacation destination.

Cabanas, umbrellas, sailboats, WaveRunners, and floats are available from any of dozens of vendors along the beach. To get an aerial view, for about $30 you can strap yourself beneath a parachute and go parasailing as you’re towed aloft behind a speedboat a few hundred yards offshore. St. Andrews State Park, on the southeast end of the beaches, is treasured by locals and visitors alike. Camp Helen State Park, on the northwest end of the beaches, is a popular wedding venue with an incredible beach. The beautiful white sands, navigable waterways, and plentiful marine life that once attracted Spanish conquistadors today draw invaders of the vacationing kind—namely families, the vast majority of whom hail from nearby Georgia and Alabama. TIP When coming here, be sure to set your sights for Panama City Beach. Panama City is its beachless inland cousin.

Getting Here and Around

The Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport on the east shore of Panama City’s West Bay has only been open since 2010, with routes operated by Delta and Southwest, but it’s the best of the region’s airports. From the airport to the beach area, depending on the location of your hotel, it’s about $15–$27 by taxi. Try Yellow Cab or Checker Cab.

When navigating Panama City Beach by car, don’t limit yourself to Front Beach Road—the stop-and-go traffic will drive you nuts. You can avoid the congestion by following parallel roads like Back Beach Road and U.S. 98. Also, anywhere along this long stretch of beachfront, look for “sunrise” signs, which indicate an access point to the beach. They’re a treasure to find, especially when you happen across one in the midst of a quiet residential neighborhood and know that a private, quiet beach experience is just a few feet away. The Baytown Trolley serves Bay County, including downtown Panama City and the beaches ($1.50, $4 for an all-day pass); Panama City Beach is served by Route 7

Contacts
Baytown Trolley. | 850/769–0557 | www.baytowntrolley.org.
Checker Cab. | 850/236–6666.
Yellow Cab. | 850/763–4691.

Visitor Information

Contacts
Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau. | 850/233–5070, 800/722–3224 | www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.

Exploring

FAMILY | Gulf World Marine Park.
It’s certainly no SeaWorld, but with a tropical garden, tropical-bird theater, plus alligator and otter exhibits, the park is still a winner with kids. The stingray-petting pool and the shark-feeding and scuba demonstrations are big crowd pleasers, and the old favorites—performing sea lions, otters, and bottlenose dolphins—still hold their own. If you’re particularly interested, consider a specialty program, such as Trainer for a Day, which takes you behind the scenes to assist in food preparation and training sessions and lets you make an on-stage appearance in the Dolphin Show. The $250, six-hour program includes a souvenir photo, lunch, and trainer T-shirt. | 15412 Front Beach Rd. | 850/234–5271 | www.gulfworldmarinepark.com | $28 | Fall, winter, spring, daily 9:30–7; extended summer hrs vary.

FAMILY | Miracle Strip Amusement Park.
You’ll see the roller coaster and the Ferris wheel of this reborn 1960s-era amusement park as you drive around on the Miracle Strip. Although the original park closed in 2004, several of the rides have been refurbished here. The 14 acres of old-fashioned carnival rides and games are a throwback to a simpler time. In 2015 the park switched from individual ride tickets to a one-price admission policy. | 284 Powell Adams Rd. | 850/230–5200 | www.ms-pp.com | $22.99.

Panama City Beach Conservation Park.
Almost 3,000 acres of forest and wetlands have been set aside for this city-owned park at the edge of Panama City Beach. Some 24 miles of trails and boardwalks offer ample opportunities for walking and biking, and they connect to the Gayle’s Trails system of bike paths around Panama City Beach. A visitor center offers clean restrooms and drinking water as well as a classroom for occasional programs. | 100 Conservation Dr. | www.pcbeach.org/ecotourism/panama_city_beach_conservation_park.

FAMILY | Fodor’s Choice | St. Andrews State Park.
At the southeastern tip of Panama City Beach, the hotels and condos and traffic stop, and there suddenly appears a pristine 1,260-acre park that offers a peek at what the entire beach area looked like before developers sank their claws into it. Here are beaches, pinewoods, and marshes with places to swim, pier-fish, and hike on clearly marked nature trails. A rock jetty creates a calm, shallow play area that is perfect for young children. There are also camping facilities and a snack bar. Board a ferry to Shell Island—a 700-acre barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico with some of the best shelling between here and southwest Florida’s Sanibel Island. | 4607 State Park La. | 850/233–5140 | www.floridastateparks.org | $8 per vehicle, up to 8 people | Daily 8–sunset.

FAMILY | Shipwreck Island Waterpark.
Once part of the Miracle Strip Amusement Park operation, this six-acre water park has everything from speedy slides and tubes to the slow-moving Lazy River. Oddly enough, admission is based on height, with under 35 inches free. Wear flats. | 12201 Middle Beach Dr. | 850/234–3333 | www.shipwreckisland.com | $33.99, 50 inches and above; $28.99, below 50 inches | Mid-Apr.–May, weekends and some weekdays 10:30–4:30; June–early Aug., daily 10:30–5; mid-Aug.–early Sept., Sat. and some other days, 10:30–4:30.

Beaches

Camp Helen State Park.
Next to Panama City Beach’s coastal dune lake, this former getaway for employees of Avondale Textile Mills still has a few of the original cabins and a lodge that is popular for weddings and meetings. The bucolic surroundings are good for bird-watching, but the main draw may be the beautiful, powdery beach and the remnants of a pier, featured in Luke Bryan’s music video for his song “Roller Coaster.” It’s a half-mile hike down to the beach, but you’re almost guaranteed to find some peace. Amenities: parking. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking. | 23937 Panama City Beach Pkwy. | 850/233–5059 | www.floridastateparks.org/park/Camp-Helen | $4 per vehicle; $2 per person for pedestrians or bicyclists | Daily 8–sunset.

Carillon Beach.
You’re likely to find absolute solitude at the powdery beach of this planned community west of Panama City Beach proper. Public parking is available at the entrance to the development, and then it’s a several-block stroll to one of the seven over-dune walkways. You’ll expend some effort, but it’s worth it if you want to find a groomed beach without crowds. The development has several restaurants, but the only on-beach services are for members only. Amenities: restrooms. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking. | 100 Market St., Carillon Beach | carillon-beach.com.

Mexico Beach.
Just over 30 miles east of Panama City along scenic U.S. 98, this jewel of a beach is refreshingly free of the high-rises that populate many parts of Panama City Beach itself. Home to colorful, gracefully aging beach houses, the beach offers seclusion and a slower pace than its neighbor to the west. Amenities: food and drink; parking. Best for: solitude. | U.S. 98, 35 miles east of Panama City Beach | Mexico Beach | 888/723–2546.

Panama City Beach.
With 27 miles of shoreline, the beaches of Panama City offer the same pure white sand and emerald-green waters as its neighbors. Here, however, the coastline is dotted with high-rises rather than unspoiled nature. On the plus side, there are plenty of places to play, swim, splash, and feast, and there’s no excuse for getting bored or hungry. Although it was once known as party central, Panama City Beach is becoming more family-friendly. Amenities: lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; swimming; walking. | Front Beach Rd., between U.S. 98 and St. Andrews State Park | 800/722–3224.

Where to Eat

While you’ll find an almost endless array of chain restaurants in Panama City Beach, the city does have some extremely good locally owned restaurants as well if you are willing to look beyond Pier Park and the Miracle Strip.

Andy’s Flour Power.
$ | AMERICAN | Both locals and visitors rave about the breakfast here, including breakfast sandwiches, biscuits and gravy, French toast, and omelets. But the bakery also produces fresh pastries and muffins daily (try the pistachio muffin). A selection of salads and sandwiches round out the lunch menu. The place stays busy almost constantly from opening until 2 pm, when it closes for the day, but breakfast is the most popular time; arrive early, or expect to wait. | Average main: $8 | 3123 Thomas Dr. | 850/230–0014 | andysflourpower.com | No dinner.

Billy’s Steamed Seafood Restaurant, Oyster Bar, and Crab House.
$$ | SEAFOOD | Join the throng of locals who really know their seafood. Then roll up your sleeves and dig into some of the gulf’s finest blue crabs and shrimp seasoned to perfection with Billy’s special recipe. Homemade gumbo, crawfish, shrimp, crab claws, fish tacos, whole lobsters, and the day’s catch as well as sandwiches and burgers round out the menu. It’s no-frills dining, but you may get a kick out of hanging out with some real Florida folks who consider table manners optional. | Average main: $16 | 3000 Thomas Dr. | 850/235–2349 | www.billysoysterbar.com.

Boar’s Head.
$$$ | AMERICAN | An exterior that looks like an oversize thatch-roof cottage sets the mood for dining in this ersatz-rustic restaurant and tavern. Inside you’ll find the dark woods and dim lighting of steak restaurants of the 1970s, which is understandable considering that Boar’s Head opened in 1978. From opening day, prime rib has been the number-one people pleaser—with blackened seafood and broiled shrimp with crabmeat stuffing always a close second. Its motto: “Good food, simply prepared.” | Average main: $25 | 17290 Front Beach Rd. | 850/234–6628 | www.boarsheadrestaurant.com | Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch.

Bridgespan 14.
$$$ | SOUTHERN | You might not expect a chef who trained with British celebrity Chef Marco Pierre White to land in Panama City Beach, nor might you expect a farm-to-table restaurant using the best locally available organic and farm-to-table ingredients, but both can be found in sleepy Carillon Beach. The cuisine is American but with an eclectic bent, from Southern to Mexican to Asian. The menu is short: eggs and pancakes for breakfast; salads, burgers, crab cakes, and sandwiches for lunch; fresh cold-pressed juices and smoothies and coffee; and a small menu of carefully selected entrées (steak, chicken, local seafood) for dinner. A small, carefully (and reasonably priced) menu of wine and beer is served with both lunch and dinner. There are always choices for vegetarians and vegans. Look at the restaurant’s website for special menus and events, and call ahead for dinner reservations. | Average main: $22 | 105 Carillon Market St., Suite 101 | 580/588–5341 | www.bridgespan14.com | Closed Mon. No dinner Sun.–Tues.

Capt. Anderson’s.
$$$ | SEAFOOD | Come early to watch the boats unload the catch of the day on the docks and to beat the long line that forms each afternoon at this noted restaurant with a real family feel. Here since 1953, it doesn’t seem to have changed much and that’s a good thing. A nautical theme is reinforced by tables made of hatch covers in the attached bar, which attracts longtime locals. The Greek specialties aren’t limited to feta cheese and shriveled olives. Charcoal-broiled grouper, amberjack, and yellowfin tuna; crab-stuffed jumbo shrimp; stuffed fillet of grouper; whole oven-broiled stuffed Florida lobster; and steaks are prominent on the menu as well. If you’re visiting in the off-season, call to make sure it’s adhering to the posted hours before venturing out. | Average main: $30 | 5551 N. Lagoon Dr. | 850/234–2225 | www.captainandersons.com | Reservations not accepted | Closed Sun. and Nov.–Jan. No lunch.

Finns Island Style Grub.
$ | MEXICAN | This most casual of dining spots can still produce excellent food, and a case in point is Finns, a popular food truck in a gravel-covered parking lot with some covered picnic tables that offers up some of the best fish tacos you’ll find in these parts. If you aren’t into fish, you can have chicken, beef, or pork, as well as quesadillas and nachos. There’s also breakfast. But you have to come early; service ends at 3 pm. There’s another location in the Little Village in Panama City. | Average main: $8 | 7220 Thomas Dr. | 850/249–3466 | finnsislandstylegrub.com | No dinner.

Liza’s Kitchen.
$ | AMERICAN | This local lunch favorite is popular with both locals and visitors for salads and delicious sandwiches on homemade focaccia bread; even many condiments, salad dressings, and all soups are made in-house. It’s a casual spot, with seating both inside and out. During the high season, there’s sometimes live music outside. On weekends, come in for brunch or breakfast and enjoy the popular French toast, egg sandwiches, or eggs Benedict. It’s only open until 4 pm weekdays, 3 pm on weekends; breakfast is only offered on weekends. Ask about occasional cooking classes at night. | Average main: $8 | 7328 Thomas Dr., Suite L | 580/233–9000 | www.lovelizas.com | No dinner.

Saltwater Grill.
$$$ | STEAKHOUSE | One of the better upscale dining alternatives in Panama City Beach is this popular restaurant that specializes in steaks, lobster, and other seafood, including gulf grouper or whatever is available fresh from the seafood markets. There’s also an extensive martini menu. Two dining rooms surround an enormous, 25,000-gallon saltwater aquarium, which provides a dramatic backdrop for the restaurant. A piano player entertains Tuesday through Saturday during high season in the city’s only full-fledged piano bar. A daily happy hour brings in customers for half-price martinis. The restaurant is busy year-round but especially so in the high season, when reservations are a good idea. | Average main: $27 | 11040 Hutchison Blvd. | 850/230–2739 | www.saltwatergrillpcb.com | No lunch.

Schooners.
$$ | SEAFOOD | This beachfront spot—which is really tucked away down a small avenue—bills itself as the “last local beach club,” and more boldly, “the best place on Earth.” Drawing a mix of locals and tourists, it’s actually a perfect spot for a casual family lunch or early dinner: kids can have burgers and play on the beach while Mom and Dad enjoy grown-up drinks and simple fare such as homemade gumbo, steak, a burger, or seafood like crab-stuffed shrimp, fresh grouper, and grilled tuna steaks. At sunset, the ceremonial firing of the cannon is a favorite activity that draws big crowds for an all-around good vibe. Arrive early if you want to park your car in the lot or yourself at a table. Late-night folks pile in for live music and dancing. | Average main: $17 | 5121 Gulf Dr. | 850/235–3555 | www.schooners.com.

Where to Stay

If you want a quieter experience, look for lodging on the bay side of Panama City Beach. You’ll have a bit more traveling to get to the Miracle Strip and the beaches, but the quieter surroundings can be very pleasant, especially during the high season.

Edgewater Beach Resort.
$$ | RESORT | You can sleep at least four and as many as eight in the luxurious one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments in beachside towers and golf course villas. Rooms are elegantly furnished with wicker and rattan, and the resort centerpiece is a Polynesian-style lagoon pool with waterfalls, reflecting ponds, footbridges, and more than 20,000 species of tropical plants. With plenty of swimming and sporting options, this is a good beachfront option for longer stays or family vacations. Pros: variety of lodging options; 110 acres of beautiful beachfront property. Cons: overwhelming for those looking for a quiet getaway. | Rooms from: $219 | 11212 Front Beach Rd. | 855/874–8686 information, 877/278–0544 reservations | www.edgewaterbeachresort.com | 520 apartments | No meals.

FAMILY | Legacy by the Sea.
$ | HOTEL | Nearly every room at this family-friendly, 14-story, pastel-peach hotel has a private balcony with commanding gulf views. Rooms are designed with families in mind, from the fully equipped kitchens to the two televisions and waterproof sofa cushions to the door that conveniently separates the bedroom area from the rest of the unit. There’s a gulf-front pool and hot-tub area (with a kiddie pool), and freebies include continental breakfast, daily newspaper, local calls, and an airport shuttle. A variety of water-sports options, including parasailing and Jet-Skiing, is offered by on-site concessionaires. The hotel’s closed-circuit cable channel, airing nothing but live security-camera feeds (inside the elevator, around the pool, in the common areas), makes keeping an eye on the kids a breeze—and keeping an eye on unsuspecting adults a hoot. Note that prices vary wildly depending on the season and the type of room you reserve. Pros: shopping, dining, and attractions are within walking distance; all the amenities a family (or college kids) need. Cons: in the heart of a crowded and congested district; can be difficult to access in peak seasons. | Rooms from: $179 | 15325 Front Beach Rd. | 850/249–8601, 888/886–8917 | www.legacybythesea.com | 139 rooms and suites | Breakfast.

Reflections at Bay Point.
$$ | RENTAL | If you’re looking for a comfortable condo resort, this polished bay-side option offers expansive, well-equipped apartment units as well as a beautiful, large pool area and upscale spa. Next door to the Wyndham, the hotel has full apartment-style units with laundry, multiple TVs, balconies, and comfortable furnishings. The smallest units are rather large one-bedrooms with a sofa bed, but the actual furnishings can vary. Get-started kits with toiletries, coffee, and dishwashing supplies are included. You can rent either from Sterling Resorts or directly from owners, so check-in procedures can vary. A full-service spa on premises is a huge plus, but there’s no restaurant in the hotel, though there is a popular spot out on the pier and another at the golf course. Pros: free Wi-Fi; beautiful pool area; nice spa. Cons: only one restaurant, which isn’t open year-round; extra fee to use the gym; dining nearby but not within the hotel. | Rooms from: $205 | 4100 Marriott Dr. | 877/865–3890 reservations, 850/236–6190 | www.sterlingresorts.com | 87 units | No meals.

Bay Point Wyndham Golf Resort and Spa.
$$$ | RESORT | Across the Grand Lagoon from St. Andrews State Park, this expansive property offers quiet away from the madness of Panama City Beach as well as proximity to excellent golf. The tropical-chic feel the resort has been known for has been lessened during a lengthy, ongoing renovation that is focused in the resort’s main building. Many rooms do still offer private balconies or patios overlooking the lush grounds and peaceful bay, but Wi-Fi is unavailable and the restaurants offered are limited. The villas available during renovation are a mere tee-shot away from the hotel when it is open. Check construction status before booking. A meandering boardwalk (which doubles as a jogging trail) leads to a private beach with an open-air bar and water sports. The 12,000-square-foot spa offers massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, and waxing. Pros: removed from the crush of tourists; great range of spa services. Cons: may be too expansive and generic for those seeking a small, intimate resort; ongoing renovation limits resort offerings. | Rooms from: $159 | 4114 Jan Cooley Dr. | 850/236–6000, 877/999–3223 reservations | www.wyndham.com/hotels/ECPWR/main.wnt | 316 rooms, 60 1- and 2-bedroom golf villas | No meals.

Nightlife

Club La Vela.
Among the offerings that guarantee a full-tilt party here are a slate of concerts (acts have included Aerosmith, Creed, and Ludacris); international DJs; 48 bar stations; swimming pools; a tropical waterfall; and dance halls with names like Thunderdome, Underground, Night Gallery, Rock Arena, and the Pussykat Lounge. At spring-break time this club is transformed into a whirlpool of libido. | 8813 Thomas Dr. | 850/234–1061, 850/234–3866 | www.clublavela.com.

Pineapple Willy’s.
This eatery and bar is geared to families and tourists—as well as sports fans. The signature rum drink, the Pineapple Willy, was the inspiration for its full slate of tropical drinks and the hangout’s tiki attitude. | 9875 S. Thomas Dr. | 850/235–0928 | www.pwillys.com.

Performing Arts

Aaron Bessant Park Amphitheater.
In one of the city’s newest and most manicured parks, the outdoor amphitheater hosts everything from world-famous musicians to local community performances just steps from the beach and adjacent to Pier Park. The 70-acre park also features a veterans memorial and three trails. | 600 Pier Park Dr. | Panama City | 800/722–3224 | www.visitpanamacitybeach.com/listings/Aaron-Bessant-Park/.

Marina Civic Center.
Touring Broadway shows, top-name entertainers, and concert artists are booked here. | 8 Harrison Ave. | Panama City | 850/769–1217 box office, 850/763–4696 | www.marinaciviccenter.com.

Martin Theatre.
The Martin hosts traditional plays and concerts throughout the year. | 409 Harrison Ave. | Panama City | 850/763–8080 | www.martintheatre.com.

Shopping

Panama City Mall.
It’s the only true mall within an hour’s radius and has a mix of some 100 franchise shops and national chain stores, including Dillard’s, JCPenney, Sears, and World Market, and specialty stores such as American Eagle, Bath & Body Works, Buckle, The Children’s Place, Victoria’s Secret, and Wet Seal. | 2150 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. | 850/785–9587 | www.panamacity-mall.com.

Pier Park.
Occupying a huge swath of land that was once an amusement park, this diverse 900,000-square-foot entertainment/shopping/dining complex creates the downtown feel that Panama City Beach otherwise lacks. Anchor stores including Dillard’s, JCPenney, and Target keep things active during the day, and clubs like Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and the 16-screen Grand Theatre keep things hopping after dark. Other stores, such as Ron Jon Surf Shop and Fresh Market, offer even more reason to see this vibrant and enjoyable complex. | 600 Pier Park Dr. | 850/236–9974 | www.simon.com.

Sports and the Outdoors

Canoeing

Econfina Creek Canoe Livery.
Rentals for a trip down Econfina Creek—known as Florida’s most beautiful canoe trail—are supplied by this outfitter, and they will pick you up from the end of the trail and bring you back to your vehicle (even if you bring your own canoe, albeit for a price). Single kayaks are $40; double kayaks and canoes rent for $50. No checks or credit cards. It’s open by appointment only in the off-season (October–April). | 5641 Porter Pond Rd., north of Rte. 20 | Youngstown | 850/722–9032 | www.canoeeconfinacreek.net | From $40.

Golf

Bay Point Resort Golf Club.
Two golf courses—the Nicklaus Course and the Meadows Course—are nestled on a 1,100-acre wildlife sanctuary and are open to the public. The Nicklaus Course is the only Nicklaus Design golf course in northwest Florida and features generous plateaus and uncharacteristic elevation changes unique to the Florida Panhandle region. A few holes offer panoramic views of the Grand Lagoon and St. Andrews Bay.

The Meadows Course is also picturesque, and its occasionally tight fairways, numerous lakes, and bunkers provide an ever-changing set of challenges. | 4701 Bay Point Rd. | 850/235–6950, 877/235–6950 | www.baypointgolf.com | Nicklaus Course, $34–$109; Meadows Course, $26–69 | Nicklaus Course: 18 holes, 7000 yards, par 72; Meadows Course: 18 holes, 6913 yards, par 72.

Hombre Golf Club.
The Hombre opened in 1989 with 18 holes and hosted its first PGA Tour event (The Panama City Beach Classic) in 1990. It now has a total of 27 holes; the 9-hole groupings are known as “Good,” “Bad,” and “Ugly,” and they can be played in varying combinations that give golfers three different 18-hole options as well as four sets of tees for different levels of difficulty to best fit their game and handicap. The original 18 holes plays from 5,400 yards (senior tees) to 6,836 yards (championship tees) for the men, while the ladies’ layout is 4,901 yards. Each fall, Hombre hosts the PGA Tour Qualifying School, with the likes of Gary Nicklaus, Mike Weir, and Michael Campbell having come in the past. | 120 Coyote Pass | 850/234–3673 | www.hombregolfclub.com | “Good” course, $25; “Bad” and “Ugly” courses, $54 | “Good” course: 9 holes, 3170 yards, par 35; “Bad” course: 9 holes, 3393 yards, par 36; “Ugly” course: 9 holes, 3427 yards, par 36.

Paddleboarding

Fodor’s Choice | Walkin’ on Water Paddleboards.
One of the most popular activities in the Gulf area is stand-up paddleboarding, and the folks at WOW Paddleboards have a full-service operation, including guided paddling tours, equipment, instruction, and even equipment if you are in the business of buying. You can sign up for everything from cheaper group paddling trips to individual lessons. The instructors are competent and caring and can get almost anyone up onto a board, but you may find that you use muscles you never knew you had. | 108 Carillon Market St. | 850/588–6230 | www.wowpaddleboards.com | From $45.

Scuba Diving

Snorkeling and scuba diving are extremely popular in the clear waters here. If you have the proper certification, you can dive among dozens of ships sunk by the city to create artificial reefs.

Panama City Dive Center.
Here you can arrange for instruction, gear rental, and charters. Two-day “Wreck Daze,” for those interested in wreck diving, include boat accommodations and guides. | 4823 Thomas Dr. | 850/235–3390 | www.pcdivecenter.com | From $34.

Wildlife-Watching Cruises

Fodor’s Choice | Dolphin and Snorkel Tours.
Captain Lorraine will take you on a cruise around the bay to see dolphins with stops for snorkeling and (on longer tours) lunch. Tours can be as short as two hours or as long as a full day. She knows all the best spots to find the most interesting sealife in the bay and, especially, around Andrews State Park and Shell Beach. She tries to make the trips educational and eco-friendly without causing undue disturbances for the wildlife. While she specializes in small private groups, Lorraine will work to put smaller groups together to avoid making trips unaffordable. | Bay Point Marina, 3824 Hatteras La. | 850/866–8815 | www.dolphinandsnorkeltours.com | From $65.

Paradise Adventures.
Known for an array of dolphin tours, sunset sails, and half-day sightseeing cruises, Paradise Adventures has showcased the natural beauty of the area for visitors and locals alike. They also offer a Shell Island Adventure Tour. | 3901 Thomas Dr. | 850/769–8663 | paradiseadventurespcb.com | From $45.

Apalachicola

65 miles southeast of Panama City Beach off U.S. 98.

It feels like a long haul between Panama City Beach and here. Add an odd name and a town’s below-the-radar reputation to that long drive and you may be tempted to skip Apalachicola. But you shouldn’t. It’s a weirdly fascinating town that, for some reason, has a growing cosmopolitan veneer. And that makes it worth a visit.

Meaning “land of the friendly people” in the language of its original Native American inhabitants, Apalachicola—known in these parts as simply Apalach—lies on the Panhandle’s southernmost bulge. European settlers began arriving in 1821, and by 1847 the southern terminus of the Apalachicola River steamboat route was a bustling port town. Although the town is now known as the Oyster Capital of the World, oystering became king only after the local cotton industry flagged—the city’s extra-wide streets, built to accommodate bales of cotton awaiting transport, are a remnant of that trade—and the sponge industry moved down the coast after depleting local sponge colonies.

But the newest industry here is tourism, and visitors have begun discovering the Forgotten Coast, as the area is known, flocking to its intimate hotels and bed-and-breakfasts, dining at excellent restaurants, and browsing in unique shops selling anything from handmade furniture to brass fixtures recovered from nearby shipwrecks. If you like oysters or want to go back in time to the Old South of Gothic churches and spooky graveyards, Apalachicola is a good place to start.

Visitor Information

Contacts
Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce. | 850/653–9419 | www.apalachicolabay.org.

Where to Eat

Apalachicola Seafood Grill.
$$ | SEAFOOD | Where will you find the world’s largest fish sandwich? Right here in downtown Apalachicola. Here since 1908, this is where the locals go for lunch and dinner, noshing on blue-crab cakes, seafood gumbo, fresh grouper, shrimp, and hamburgers. The decor is iconic diner, with a giant flamingo on the ceiling for that added Florida charm. | Average main: $15 | 100 Market St. | 850/653–9510 | No dinner Sun.

Boss Oyster.
$$ | SEAFOOD | “Shut up and shuck.” That’s the advice from this rustic Old Florida restaurant—and it should know, since many consider this the top oyster restaurant in Florida’s oyster capital. Located at the Apalachicola River Inn, this is where you can eat your oysters fried, Rockefeller-style, on the half shell, or Greek, Mexican, English, with garlic, with shrimp, with crab, with hot peppers, with—oh, just eat ‘em with gusto at this laid-back eatery overlooking the Apalachicola River. In addition to oysters, it lays down jumbo gulf shrimp, blue crabs, bay scallops, and fresh gulf grouper. Eat alfresco at picnic tables or inside in the busy, rustic dining room, but don’t let the modest surroundings fool you—oysters aren’t cheap here or anywhere in Apalach. The menu also includes such staples as steak and pizza. | Average main: $20 | 125 Water St. | 850/653–9364 | www.bossoyster.com.

Owl Café.
$$$ | AMERICAN | Located in a behemoth clapboard building on a prime corner in downtown Apalachicola, this old-fashioned, charming lunch-and-dinner spot pleases modern palates, both in the white-linen elegance of the dining room and in the colorful garden terrace. The food is an artful blend of old and new as well: the chicken wrap seems as much at home on the lunch menu as the crab quesadillas. Dinner seafood specials are carefully prepared and include lump-crab cakes, Atlantic salmon, and authentic jambalaya. Fine wines for adults and special menu selections for children along with a cluttered gift shop make this a family-friendly place. Later, the mood shifts to a casual lounge setting with a full bar—and if the liquor bar lacks enough choices there’s a 3,000-bottle wine cellar featuring 250 selections from around the world. | Average main: $21 | 15 Ave. D | 850/653–9888 | www.owlcafeflorida.com.

Tamara’s Café.
$$$ | LATIN AMERICAN | Mixing Florida flavors with South American flair, Tamara, a native Venezuelan, opened this colorful bistro more than a decade ago. Now owned by her daughter and son-in-law, the restaurant resides in a 1920s-era building, complete with stamped-tin ceiling and original brick walls. For starters, try the creamy black-bean soup or the pleasantly spicy oyster stew; for dinner choose from seafood paella, prosciutto-wrapped salmon with mango-cilantro sauce, or margarita chicken and scallops with a tequila-lime glaze. All entrées come with black beans and rice, fresh vegetables, and focaccia bread, but if you still have room for dessert, try the fried-banana split or the tres leches (cake soaked in three types of milk), a South American favorite. The chef, who keeps watch over the dining room from an open kitchen, is happy to accommodate most any whim. | Average main: $23 | 71 Market St. | 850/653–4111 | www.tamarascafe.com.

Where to Stay

Best Western Apalach Inn.
$ | HOTEL | Basic but impeccably kept, this modern property 1 mile from the downtown waterfront area has everything you need for a convenient, inexpensive overnight. Standard guest rooms—each with two queens or a king bed—are done in earth tones with wicker headboards and burgundy-print curtains and bedspreads. A large swimming pool, free local calls, and a complimentary continental breakfast are unexpected bonuses. Pros: functional; practical. Cons: practical can equal uninspiring; out of walking distance to downtown. | Rooms from: $95 | 249 U.S. 98 W | 850/653–9131 | www.bestwestern.com/prop_10270 | 42 rooms | Breakfast.

The Consulate.
$ | RENTAL | These four elegant suites, on the second story of the former offices of the French consul, range in size from 650 to 1,650 square feet and combine a 19th-century feel with 21st-century luxury. Antique architectural details add more than a hint of charm, and custom-built kitchens and full-size washers and dryers make living easy. The two front units share an expansive balcony, where you can take in the constant parade of fishing vessels headed out the Intracoastal Waterway. The homelike amenities make this a popular spot for families, larger groups, and even wedding parties, and discounts are given for stays longer than two nights. The Grady Market, a locally owned art-and-clothing boutique, occupies the building’s first floor. Pros: large rooms; more character than you’d find in a chain hotel. Cons: a bit pricey, especially for Apalachicola. | Rooms from: $155 | 76 Water St. | 850/408–0556 | www.consulatesuites.com | 4 suites | No meals.

Coombs Inn.
$ | B&B/INN | A combination of neighboring homes and a carriage house, this entire complex was created with Victorian flair. Seventeen fireplaces and an ornate oak staircase with leaded-glass windows on the landing lend authenticity to this restored 1905 mansion. Of the 23 rooms in the collection, no two guest rooms are alike, but all are appointed with Victorian-era settees and four-poster or sleigh king beds. A full breakfast is served in the dining room, an afternoon social includes tea and cookies, and occasionally the inn offers weekday specials. You can also stay in the villa or a renovated carriage house. Popular for weddings and receptions, these may be the most elegant homes in Apalachicola. Free tours are offered in the afternoon if the accommodations are not in use. Pros: clean and comfortable; on-site, friendly owner who’s happy to assist with travel tips and suggestions. Cons: be prepared to meet and greet other guests at the inn; if you favor complete privacy, a hotel may suit you better. | Rooms from: $119 | 80 6th St. | 850/653–9199 | www.coombshouseinn.com | 23 rooms | Breakfast.

Gibson Inn.
$ | B&B/INN | One of a few inns on the National Register of Historic Places still operating as a full-service facility, this turn-of-the-20th-century hostelry in the heart of downtown is easily identified by its wraparound porches, intricate fretwork, and widow’s walk. Large rooms are furnished with period pieces like four-poster beds, antique armoires, and pedestal lavatories. Extremely popular for weddings and special events, the inn equally impresses overnight visitors with its cleanliness, style, service, and rocking-chair-rich porch. For an authentic Apalachicola experience, enjoy waking up here and starting the day with breakfast on the veranda. Pros: smack dab in the center of town; peaceful veranda. Cons: may get a little busy when weddings are taking place in the main lobby. | Rooms from: $120 | 51 Ave. C | 850/653–2191 | www.gibsoninn.com | 28 rooms, 2 suites | No meals.

Shopping

The best way to shop in Apalachicola is just to stroll around the tiny downtown area. There are always new stores joining old favorites, and somewhere along the way you’ll find something that’ll pique your interest.

Grady Market.
On the first floor of The Consulate inn is a collection of more than a dozen boutiques, including several antiques dealers and the gallery of Richard Bickel, known for his stunning black-and-white photographs of local residents. | The Consulate, 76 Water St. | 850/653–4099 | www.gradymarket.com.

St. George Island

8 miles southeast of Apalachicola via Bryant Patton Bridge off U.S. 98.

Cross the long, long bridge leading east out of Apalachicola and then look to your right for another lengthy span that takes you south to pristine St. George Island. Sitting 5 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico, the island is bordered by both Apalachicola Bay and the gulf, offering the best of both to create a nostalgic seaside retreat.

The rich bay is an angler’s dream, whereas the snowy-white beaches and clear gulf waters satisfy even the most finicky beachgoer. Indulge in bicycling, hiking, canoeing, and snorkeling, or find a secluded spot for reading, gathering shells, or bird-watching. Accommodations mostly take the form of privately owned, fully furnished condos and single-family homes.

Exploring

Fodor’s Choice | St. George Island State Park.
This is Old Florida at its undisturbed best. On the east end of the island are 9 miles of undeveloped beaches and dunes—the longest beachfront of any state park in Florida. Sandy coves, salt marshes, oak forests, and pines provide shelter for many birds, including bald eagles and ospreys. Spotless restrooms and plentiful parking make a day at this park a joy. Campers and boaters also welcome. Amenities: parking; showers; toilets. Best for: walking; swimming. | 1900 E. Gulf Beach Dr. | 850/927–2111 | www.floridastateparks.org/stgeorgeisland | $6 per vehicle, up to 8 people | Daily 8–sunset.

Where to Eat

BJs.
$ | PIZZA | In any other locale you might think twice before dining at a restaurant that advertises “kegs-to-go” on the menu, but this is an island, so establishments tend to wear several hats (some even sell live bait). Fear not. This simple beach shack serves solid, if predictable, sandwiches (grilled chicken, turkey club, BLT), salads (Caesar, tuna, fried chicken), and appetizers (buffalo wings, cheese sticks, onion rings), but the pizza is definitely worth stopping for. Pies range from white pizza with chicken and bacon to shrimp-and-mozzarella to build-your-own personal pie (choose from 15 toppings). Beer and wine are available, and there are pool tables to pass the time while you wait for your order. | Average main: $7 | 105 W. Gulf Beach Dr. | 850/927–2805 | www.sgipizza.com | Reservations not accepted.

Blue Parrot.
$$ | SEAFOOD | You’ll feel like you’re sneaking in the back door as you climb the side stairs leading to an outdoor deck overlooking the gulf (this is Apalach’s only restaurant on the beach). Or if you can, grab a table indoors. During special-event weekends, the place is packed, and service may be a little slow. The food is hard to beat if you’re not looking for anything fancy. Baskets of shrimp, oysters, and crab cakes—fried or char-grilled and served with fries—are more than one person can handle. Daily specials are listed on the blackboard. | Average main: $20 | 68 W. Gorrie Dr. | 850/927–2987 | www.blueparrotsgi.com.

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