Is there anything cool to do in or around Apalachicola?

The Perfect Apalach / St. Joe Day
Start out at Presnell's Marina with Captain Bobby Johnson (no relation to our local super guy) Fish the incredible St. Joe Bay for HUGE speckled trout or sight fish for large redfish. Head over to the Coombs Inn or Consulate, but what ever you do you MUST eat David and Ryanne's cuisine at their restaurant Avenue Sea at the Gibson Inn. Then the next morning do a little shopping around town. On the way back to our 30A Paradise be sure to drop by at sunset at the ethereal Indian Pass. Stop by the store at the campground for a refreshment, hang out, you may even run into another legendary fisherman, Larry Pentel.

Apalach has the best restaurant in Northwest Florida located at the Gibson Inn. The restaurant is called Avenue Sea and the chef is David Carrier. He trained at the best restaurants in the world such as French Laundry in Napa and Trio in Chicago. This alone is worth the drive. They only focus on fresh seafood out of apalachee bay. His motto is if it doesn't swim here we don't serve it!

You just dissed a lot of restaurants in SoWal. I guess I'll have to try it.

Don't forget the Indian Pass Raw Bar and legendary local, Gator....

Appachicola is delightful... with a drowsy easy-going sense of times gone by... like rocking in a big porch swing on a lazy summer afternoon.

I have not personally stayed at The Water Street Hotel, but some out-of-town friends recently stayed there & RAVED about how terrific it is.

As SWGB said... The Gorrie Museum is really interesting and worthwhile. Also fascinating is the historic home of one of Appalach's founding fathers (can't remember the name) but the park ranger at The Gorrie Museum will be able to tell you as this home is also a state parks museum. If you're an interested and curious audience, the friendly, well-informed park rangers at both of these museums will outdo themselves for you.

The Spoonbill gets pretty funky after 10pm...

NOW you tell us!!! we were very comfy at the River Inn, despite the noise levels at night. the view was awesome.

Apalach has the best restaurant in Northwest Florida located at the Gibson Inn. The restaurant is called Avenue Sea and the chef is David Carrier. He trained at the best restaurants in the world such as French Laundry in Napa and Trio in Chicago. This alone is worth the drive. They only focus on fresh seafood out of apalachee bay. His motto is if it doesn't swim here we don't serve it!

Avenue Sea was surprisingly wonderful. often I am underwhelmed by fancy/gourmet restaurants. this one is really really delicious. not just a pretty plate. not by far. Chef David serves only delicious food. yes, it looks very pretty, but that ain't what its about with him.

Tamara's restaurant was definitely one of our favorite places to have lunch. can't wait to try dinner there.

There is a new Trattoria (italian) restaurant in town - we ran out of time to try it.

we ate at Boss's Oyster. not our favorite oyster place in town, but it was convenient. all locals tell us to go go Papa Joe's. it is a wonderful seafood shack on the river. old and definitely hole in the wall.

the new Brennen's restaurant in Windmark (port st joe) was really really really wonderful. had a fancy cheeseburger and possibly the best french fries (tossed in truffle oil) I've ever had.

Avenue E remains my favorite shopping place downtown Apalach. but there are many many others I adore. talk about some great shopping.

The owners of Avenue E and Azure used to own a place in Columbus, Georgia, called 1617 Wynnton. 1617 was my favorite place to shop for years, and the owners Jeannie and Joe are some of the most creative and talented people. They do so much with such simple things.

As for the scalloping...are there charters or outfitters for that sort of thing, or do you just have to beg a local with a boat to let you tag along? I've been trying to find something online, but the nearest thing is Steinhatchee.

You can just walk out into the bay and pick them up, you don't need a boat and the bay is shallow. You can rent boats at Presnells Marina on the Cape, which, personally, I think is a whole lot more fun and you can explore a vast area.

We rent a house on the bay every year and our trip starts July 26th!!!! Can't wait..........

You can just walk out into the bay and pick them up, you don't need a boat and the bay is shallow. You can rent boats at Presnells Marina on the Cape, which, personally, I think is a whole lot more fun and you can explore a vast area.

We rent a house on the bay every year and our trip starts July 26th!!!! Can't wait..........

we may see ya there! scallop festival at port st joe is aug 2-3. it is kind of a hot time for standing out in the sun, so we may opt out of that one this year. also, its kind of bizarre that fresh scallops are not available at the festival or anywhere we could find at local seafood markets because of the limits on harvesting. as it turned out the frozen ones were wonderful to buy and cook up! Waco was playing last year. don't know the scoop for this year.

The festival in August?? That's crazy!!! Do they still have one in October?

Hope to see ya'll over there. Look us up...We would love to see you!! We always have lots of fresh scallops...so much so, I get my fill for the year.

As for the scalloping...are there charters or outfitters for that sort of thing, or do you just have to beg a local with a boat to let you tag along? I've been trying to find something online, but the nearest thing is Steinhatchee.

you may can find some information at the scallop cove bp. we bought our fishing license there last year.

and sgg, if you're out by black's check it out or take some pictures if it's possible, i'm interested in knowing if it's completed and if people are actually staying in the bungalows.

you may can find some information at the scallop cove bp. we bought our fishing license there last year.

and sgg, if you're out by black's check it out or take some pictures if it's possible, i'm interested in knowing if it's completed and if people are actually staying in the bungalows.

You got it...I'll take the camera. There were houses there last year and building more, but didn't see any people living there. I could so live there!

I have a fuzzy photo of the bungalows on Black's Island. Taken last year. No people as of then. I will post in the member photo gallery.

And shallow is an apt description of the bay. Nearly beached our boat in short order after snapping the pic of Black's. We were coming back across the bay from the state park. Stayed out on the point too long. Wind advisory, tide change on a shallow bay and our 21' Yahama do not mix. We learned a lot on that trip.

I have a fuzzy photo of the bungalows on Black's Island. Taken last year. No people as of then. I will post in the member photo gallery.

And shallow is an apt description of the bay. Nearly beached our boat in short order after snapping the pic of Black's. We were coming back across the bay from the state park. Stayed out on the point too long. Wind advisory, tide change on a shallow bay and our 21' Yahama do not mix. We learned a lot on that trip.

Yes, you learn qucik to know the tides before you head out. They change twice a day most days.

oh i can relate, we had a nice family let us use their dock, after walking through the bay, and drove us back to our place, while someone waited w/ the boat until we could get it back. we were in a flat bottom carolina skiff.

Been there done that!! During low tide, you could run a rubber raft aground!!!

That's why I prefer to just walk the bay for scallops.

That's why I prefer to just walk the bay for scallops.

Where is your sense of adventure? Wimp...........

Where is your sense of adventure? Wimp...........

I think standing calf deep in water 400 yards from any land with thunderstorms in the distance is pretty adventurous. Of course when our raft gets caught on the bottom it just means we aren't drinking the beer out of the cooler fast enough.

I have a fuzzy photo of the bungalows on Black's Island. Taken last year. No people as of then. I will post in the member photo gallery.

And shallow is an apt description of the bay. Nearly beached our boat in short order after snapping the pic of Black's. We were coming back across the bay from the state park. Stayed out on the point too long. Wind advisory, tide change on a shallow bay and our 21' Yahama do not mix. We learned a lot on that trip.

one of the best places ever.

I think standing calf deep in water 400 yards from any land with thunderstorms in the distance is pretty adventurous.

Not to mention the bull sharks.

Not to mention the bull sharks.

and the hammerhead we saw.:leaving:back in the boat.

We paid a vist last week for the first time and really enjoyed walking around and visiting all the shops. Next time, we are going to St George Island as well.

and the hammerhead we saw.:leaving:back in the boat.

I don't think there have been any reported shark attacks in St. Joe Bay, but beware of the stingrays...they are everywhere and the closest hospital is in Panama City. We found out the hard way that the hospital in St. Joe was closed down.

Instead of seeing a doctor, we went back to our rental house and administered tylenal and crown royal until I could get home a few days later. Turned out to be a good trip.......:shock:

We paid a vist last week for the first time and really enjoyed walking around and visiting all the shops. Next time, we are going to St George Island as well.

You better book now. St George Island is truely a book now or lose it next year destination.