Florida Sunsets - No Two Are Alike

Ft Myers Beach photo by Over Yonderlust

Pine Island

Key West Sunset Cruise

Cape Coral

Carrabelle - Panhandle

Road Trip Recap

My little tour through Florida ended on a cold morning, a 24 degree morning when the grass crunched under my feet. The morning this horseshoe crab seemed more like the stuff of the frozen seafood isle than my parent's Gulf side backyard. Mmmm, horseshoe crab over whole wheat linguini - very Lean Cuisine. I think I'll pass.

Despite the drop in temperature the trip was very rewarding. I saw and did so many interesting things but alas there's only so much blog speak you'll listen to in one post before you stop scrolling.  I thought however, I might just give you a little bit more to sum it all up.
As you probably noticed I have avoided the neon tourist icons of Florida again. There's so much written about the tourist hot spots throughout the state. Although I can give you good information on them as well, right now I preferred to give you something different. We will eventually get to Disney, South Beach, etc. but I think it is important to point out parts of Florida that are still old Florida. Areas that have a grasp on their history and by virtue of embracing it they have managed not to dry up and blow away. Some would say they aren't very interesting but for those who pursue a different kind of adventure small towns have a lot to offer. In particular something the bustling tourists meccas usually lack – they have authenticity. It is in these places that you'll find the true Florida. I haven't made it to all of them yet, but I hope I can give you enough of a glimpse to intrigue you.
In the Florida Panhandle there is an area known as the Forgotten Coast. It is were my parents moved to escape the crowds of SE Florida. There you'll find a string of tiny fishing towns each with a couple shops, a restaurant and if you're lucky a hotel. Some have been around since the 1800's and are among the places you should not miss. These are places where you can pull up to an oyster house and buy a bushel of the freshest oysters you'll ever eat or a few pounds of the freshest shrimp. There is nothing like getting together with friends and throwing some oysters right on the grill. When they're done you can eat them straight out of the shell. If you've never had a fresh steamed oyster you are definitely missing out! I actually prefer them steamed. But there are a multitude of ways to fix oysters from raw to Rockefeller to stew. Check out the Oysters Rockefeller segment on TravelVision on YouTube.  My mother's recipe for Oyster Stew has been a family favorite for decades and it's one of the simplest meals I've ever made.  If you prefer not to have to shuck or fix them there are a dozen or restaurants happy to accommodate you along the coast. One of the best is Boss Oyster on the river in Apalachicola. There you can have your oysters fixed many different ways.  The Oyster St. Jacob and the Oyster Monterey are two of my favorites. 

Apalachicola is a great little town to start exploring and is home to The Owl Restaurant (see previous post), The Gibson Inn (pictured above - established in 1907 and on the Nat'l Registry of Historic Places) and The Oasis Bar (pictured at top). It sits at the mouth of the Apalachicola River and was once a bustling seaport. It is now a simple fishing town and a wonderful place to visit. There's lots to see in the area including the beautiful beaches on nearby St. George Island. And should you choose to head east from there don't miss out on Carrabelle, Panacea and St. Marks.  St. Marks is home to the St. Marks Nat'l Wildlife Refuge where you can spend the day bird watching, boating and fishing. Boating in these parts abounds and not getting out on the Gulf or up one of the rivers would be a crime. 

  St. Marks is also where you'll find the Riverside Cafe a rustic fun place on the water with good food and good music. It's where the locals hang.  So in your plans to travel to Florida don't forget all there is to see and do on this part of Florida's vast coastline.
  

Road Trip - Day 4, Maclay Gardens

Today is supposed to be rainy, windy and cold but so far my luck has held and I'm in Tallahassee's Maclay Gardens determined to bring it to you come rain or come shine. This place is magical! When I was younger my grandmother brought me here in the spring to see the azaleas in bloom and to this day I remember the reflecting pool and all those rich colors. I said then that if I ever got married it would be here. Well, in my youthful wish I left out the fact that it was nine hours from my hometown. Bit of a drive for guests! Eventually, when I did marry it was in a beautiful garden (closer to home), Flamingo Gardens, but that's a story for another time. This garden was my inspiration for that setting.
Maclay Gardens sits in the northwest corner of Tallahasse about an hours drive from Carrabelle on the road to Thomasville (GA).  It is a 1076 upland acres state park and garden.  The gardens were first planted by the Maclays after purchasing the property for their winter home.  This garden is spectacular in the spring for which I was a bit early.  So I was a little concerned my timing was off for flower viewing but the camellia blooming in my parents front yard gave me hope.  Maclay Gardens did not disappoint.  There are no Azaleas blooming right now but the Camellias and the Dogwood among others were putting on a spectacular display.  It's a flower show - in February?  Just look for yourself.  I stayed for a couple hours even in a slight rain (cold rain) and it was well worth it. 
After exploring the gardens I checked out the rest of the state park.  There are campsites, bike trails, horse trails, hiking trails, and access to fishing, canoeing, kayaking, sculling and swimming, and pavilions and grills along the lake shore. Obviously, there is a lot to love about this park.  It's one of Florida's best kept secrets and it shouldn't be any longer.  So I'm telling you don't miss this treasure!

Road Trip - Day 3

Northwest Florida was supposed to be cold today, really cold, but lucky for me it's around 50-60 degrees and sunny. Let's hope it holds.
This area, Florida's Panhandle, has special meaning for me because it's where my parents lived out the rest of their days.  They moved here to escape the congestion of SE Florida and my brothers and I and our families have some great memories from here.  It's hard to be here knowing that there will be no more family gatherings with the kids, grandma and grandpa but it is good to remember.
So, my day started out pretty low key. I slept in then visited with my uncle and finally headed out exploring in the early afternoon.  Between Carrabelle where I stayed and Apalachicola there isn't much except coastal residences until you get to Eastpoint. What was presumably a tiny thriving fishing village seems all dried up and on the verge of blowing away.  Sad to see so much of this these days but these people have been fishing and oyster gathering for generations and perhaps they'll survive this round too.

I spent what was left of the day just across the bridge from Eastpoint in Apalachicola revisiting the sights and smells of this great little town.  It has survived better than most and has a small downtown with a couple great shops, a beautiful Victorian hotel, The Gibson Inn, and some inspiring restaurants.   I started out at the pier where the shrimp boats dock meandered down streets then wandered into The Oasis bar.  This town is a great picture story.  I love the colors and the textures and the old buildings.

I ended my day at the historic Owl Cafe where I feasted on a delicious blue cheese crumbled salad, baked bread and wonderful jambalaya.  This place is not to be missed!








On the way home with just barely enough light I shot this boat.  The perfect end to a great day.