This ‘Forgotten’ Florida Coastline Has Quaint Towns, Fresh Seafood, And Barely Any Crowds

Quietly hiding on Florida’s Panhandle, the Forgotten Coast, is a stretch of Gulf coastline that remains untouched by the development of high-rise hotels and shopping malls. It’s here you’ll find a kind of silence that’s hard to come by in the modern world, and a slow pace of living that feels like a Florida of the past.

“It’s grit, and it’s grace,” says local shop owner Emily Raffield, who grew up on St. Joseph Bay and now lives in Apalachicola. “Imperfectly beautiful. It’s not something you just visit—it’s something you feel.” Raffield is the founder of BECASA, a Florida lifestyle brand that reflects the coast’s organic textures and tones, and the co-author of the book Saints of Old Florida.

This peaceful, practically untouched part of the Panhandle is not just a place you visit, it’s a place you feel, Raffield explains. “It’s one of the last places in Florida that hasn’t been smoothed over or built up,” and it has a distinct rhythm and culture.

AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R24ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R44ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe

Here's our guide to Florida's beautiful, serene Forgotten Coast.

Where Is The Forgotten Coast?

Courtesy of Visit Gulf County

Maritime Hammock Trail in Port St. Joe

Get to Know the Communities and Beaches

The Forgotten Coast includes communities deeply rooted in the rhythms of the water and the coastal way of life—Apalachicola, Alligator Point, Carrabelle, St. George Island, and Eastpoint. It includes Franklin County and, according to who you ask, parts of Gulf and Wakulla counties too.

Check out our guides to some of the Forgotten Coast’s coastal, riverfront, and bayfront communities below, or read on to see where to eat, what to do, where to shop, and where to stay.

Apalachicola

Port St. Joe

Cape San Blas

St. George Island

Best Things To Do

Jessica Sample View from Up the Creek Raw Bar in Apalachicola, FL.

No-Fuss Beach Days

A stay on the Forgotten Coast is less about packing in the activities and more about shedding them. Slow down and savor a cold drink and fresh seafood at a dockside bar. Meander along the Big Bend Scenic Byway and stop along main streets and pull-offs that look interesting. Pack up the car with beach supplies and spend the day at the beaches of St. George Island, Carrabelle, Dog Island, or Alligator Point.

AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2gekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4gekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe

Raffield thinks visitors get the wrong idea about the coast, calling it “too slow.” But she says “If this reads as slow, then maybe slow is what the world needs more of.”

Get Out on the Water

Beyond beach days and slow seafood suppers, there’s still plenty to keep you occupied. Charter a boat and get out on the water yourself for a leisure ride or to catch your dinner yourself. Scalloping is also a pastime in the area during the limited season.

Meinzahn/Getty Images

Lighthouse in St. George Island, Florida.

Enjoy the Local Culture

Dive into the Forgotten Coast’s history and beginnings by touring its museums and historic lighthouses. After dark, take an Apalachicola Ghost Tour.

Where To Eat and Drink

Facebook/Indian Pass Raw Bar

Hit a Raw Bar

If the Forgotten Coast were to have a flavor, it might be a heavily horseradish-ed cocktail sauce served with a briney bivalve or crustacean. Raw bars and seafood grills abound, like Half Shell Dockside, Apalachicola Seafood Grill, Up the Creek Raw Bar, Indian Pass Raw Bar, or Hole in the Wall.

Enjoy the Local Catch

Raffield says you shouldn’t leave without feasting on the fresh catch like yellowfin grouper, redfish, and snapper—stuffed, grilled, or fried. “It’s pulled straight from our local waters,” she says, adding “fried grouper throats are a local delicacy if you’re lucky enough to spot them on the menu.” Raffield comes from a storied maritime legacy as the granddaughter of Captain Carl Raffield, a pioneer in Florida’s fishing industry who navigated the Gulf as a teen and went on to build one of the Southeast’s largest seafood businesses.

Where To Shop

Coastal Boutiques

Start in downtown Apalachicola at BECASA, Raffield’s boutique shop curated with pieces reflecting the organic textures, natural coastal colors, and slow pace of life of the Forgotten Coast. Pick up a soft linen matching set, woven throws, and home goods that feel like they belong in an old Florida beach house. Browse nautical antiques, like bells, diving helmets, and shells, at Tin Shed.

Classic Souvenirs

If you’re after a souvenir T-shirt, then head to Indian Pass Raw Bar, Raffield says, which has “some of the best old Florida t-shirts and souvenirs.” Might as well get a cold beer and a dozen raw while you’re there. If you’re looking for an edible souvenir, stop in local grocers and keep a lookout for Tupelo Honey.

Local Art

For art lovers, Live Oak Gallery displays works inspired by Apalachicola nature, and Side Street Art has four onsite coastal makers, including a jeweler.

Where to Stay

Getty Images/kschulze

Beachfront homes on St. George Island.

The charm of the Forgotten Coast is a result of its slow and soulful pace of living, and that extends to its homegrown places to stay, including Old Florida Inns and B&Bs.

Old Florida Inns and Bed-and-Breakfasts

In Apalachicola, the historic Gibson Inn (established 1907) sports an impressive southern wraparound porch, a signature shade of blue, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Inn’s Parlour Bar and the Franklin Cafe are well-loved by both locals and visitors.

AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R39ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R59ekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe

Turtle Beach Inn in Port St. Joe has four rooms at the Inn, three fully equipped cottages, and Turtle Tower, a stilted home that can accommodate up to eight. The recently restored Port Inn is another Port St. Joe option, or the Blue Moon Inn in Apalachicola for a similar local feel. Raffield suggests the historic Chapman house garden suites, which you can book through Airbnb.

Beachside Rentals

For larger groups, you might prefer a waterfront vacation rental. These homes are typically built on stilts or made of concrete block. Often passed down through generations, the beach properties have a soft, lived-in feel of a true family home. Try the Summer Salt Cottage on St. George Island.

Read the original article on Southern Living