Cape San Blas Winter Escape

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    We're all itching for travel and I am no exception! But with the world of travel in a state of constant change and more restrictions than we can possibly keep up with, travel is tough for many of us right now. So, I set out the last few days to explore a new destination that I can promote and offer our clients as a vacation spot within driving range for us here in SWLA and an airport just 50 minutes away for those coming from a little further north. My travel of choice was Cape San Blas on the "Forgotten Coast" of Florida - south of Panama City - and it was definitely worth the trip!

 

      Our trip started on Saturday morning and with the car loaded down with fishing gear, beach chairs, and our GPS, my oldest son and I headed out on our Cape adventure. Since we are on the West side of LA, the trip was going to take us about 10 hours by car. Yes, it is a bit of a distance but so are other destinations like Gatlinburg, Branson, etc. We left around 07:30 and made it to the Cape about 6:30 ET so it took us, with stops, about 10.5 hours. Straight shot on I10, I12 around NO, and then once closer to destination, a number of state highways to get down to the coast. Not hard at all and the state rest stops along I10 were all open. Gas was about .20 higher in Florida and Alabama but I timed the fill-ups to take advantage of the lowest prices. 

 

      For our stay, I booked with a friend who owns/manages properties on the Cape (Cape Escapes) and we were very happy and pleased with the condo. It was on the Barrier Dunes towards the end of Cape San Blas so we were beautifully located just a short-walk away from the beach. The condo had everything we needed for our stay and was the perfect spot for us! Only drawback was I had no cell service (AT&T) while my son had one or two bars (Verizon). There is a landline so we provided our family with that number just in case. Internet was readily available so we could Facetime as well. 

 

      Although I was primed to go kayaking & shelling and my son to do some serious fishing, the weather was not to be cooperative for us except for Sunday afternoon. We had a cold front move in with our arrival (great timing, right?) which brought very heavy winds, chilly temps, and some rain. Kind of curtailed our outdoor activities so we set out to explore the area. 

   

     On Sunday, we drove to Apalachicola (https://www.floridasforgottencoast.com/apalachicola/) for some sightseeing and a fantastic seafood meal at Half Shell Dockside. Also did a little shopping at the Sponge Store which had some great artisan items made by local artists/crafters. The history of this little portside town is rich and goes back hundreds of years. Definitely worth the 35 minute drive East from Cape San Blas to explore this lovely little town!

     We did get some beach time in on Sunday afternoon with a little shelling and fishing but the winds rolled in with cold temps so Monday we opted to head to Port St. Joe. My son was going to try his hand at pier fishing (Port. St. Joe faces the bay) while I set out to explore the town. It has a lovely old town feel with some lovely little shops and eateries. I found a vintage globe bookend to add to my globe collection at Bay Breeze Antiques. The owners were super nice and they had the most amazing collection of nautical antiques! After fishing & shopping, we ate a local hotspot - Provisions (Provisions - Restaurant - About Us (provisionsfl.com) - and had the most delicious bouillabaisse and shrimp fettucine! All the seafood was so fresh and the pasta homemade. Service was excellent as well! 

     When we headed back to Cape San Blas, we stopped at a seafood store (https://www.stjoeshrimp.com/) that is right on the main road just down from the Barrier Dunes at picked up fresh shrimp for dinner. Crazy good price for some delicious fresh shrimp! It was the best way to end a great day! 

      Tuesday was sunny but still very brisk so I set out to take a couple walks on the beach for some shelling. I expected to find some nice Atlantic conchs and other shells known to be found in the area but I didn't find any whole ones. Found some great sand dollars and other shells but had to make the searches short since the wind was a bit rough. But it was beautiful! The white sand is just powdery and amazing. Turtles come to nest here in May and you can see some of the markers for nests while walking the beach.  (Turtle Nesting Season on Cape San Blas - St. Joseph Peninsula » Cape Escape Vacation Rentals: Cape San Blas, FL (thecapeescape.com) 

     Unfortunately, our stay was a brief one but I am already looking at new dates to go back so I can explore the fantastic kayaking and snorkeling this area offers in the Bay and to sit on the white sandy beach and relax! This is definitely an area that has been overlooked by visitors to Florida thus the "Forgotten Coast" title. Two years ago, Hurricane Michael took it's toll on this region. The signs of that terrible storm are still visible everywhere but the area has bounced back and is so very welcoming to visitors. We did not meet anyone who wasn't happy to be there and welcomed us graciously to the area. As a resident of SWLA, we are very well versed in Hurricane survival and how it impacts an area so we definitely have a better understanding and empathy for this wonderful coastline as they move back to normalcy. Most business were open and practicing COVID restrictions/guidelines. 

    I would definitely recommend this beautiful area for those who are looking for a quiet, nature driven getaway. It is not Destin, Pensacola, etc. in relation to "tourist" attractions. The coastline speaks for itself as an attraction where fishing, sailing, snorkeling, kayaking, walks on the beach, etc. are your "entertainment" value. There are only a handful of hotels between Mexico Beach and St. George Island. Almost everything is private residences and abundant vacation rentals. But there really isn't a better way to stay here than in the comfort of a beach house where you can cook the marvelous fresh seafood, relax with family, and enjoy the space and quiet a vacation home offers. I will be returning and know many of our clients would enjoy this area as well. If you want to know more about it, give me a call and I'd love to chat about the Cape! 

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