28 beachLIFE TRAVEL DESTINATION CAPE SAN BLAS which yielded 150 bushels of sea salt a day . Then , in 1862 , the Union Navy arrived — and the saltworks was no more . Fast-forward 120-plus years to the 1980s when the first vacation homes appeared on the Cape — nearly all built upon pilings to accommodate the heavy surf from the inevitable cyclones that rolled through . Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Michael both left their marks , ravaging the coastline . Since then , the area has set itself apart as a sought-after destination that , like its history , is all about the water .
AN ANGLER ’ S PARADISE
Fishing on the Cape is a year-round affair , with local inshore , offshore and inland waters offering the full array of the Northwest Florida angler ’ s checklist : flounder , redfish , cobia , pompano , Spanish mackerel , black drum , tarpon — you name it . The two nearest towns — Port St . Joe to the north and Apalachicola to the west — serve as home ports to the area ’ s charter fleet , while the bays and rivers deliver spectacular fishing options .
The area , however , has a best-kept secret : scalloping on St . Joseph Bay . Rent a boat or bring your own during the scalloping season , which runs from mid-August to late September . All you need is a saltwater fishing license ( which can be purchased locally ), snorkeling gear , and a net to gather your catch as you make your way through the shallows and seagrass in pursuit of tasty bivalve mollusks . Some of the most abundant scalloping grounds are found in the shallows along the southern end of St . Joseph Bay near Black ’ s Island .
“ It ’ s like an aquatic Easter egg hunt ,” says visitor Evelyn Carter of Hattiesburg , Mississippi . “ There ’ s nothing like it .”
WHERE TO EAT
Restaurant options include LongBill ’ s , a oneof-a-kind , Gulf-to-table , fresh-as-can-be seafood restaurant offering all your favorites from fish tacos to seafood pasta to oysters to shrimp to burgers and pizza .
Just to the east , on your way to Apalachicola , you ’ ll find the Indian Pass Raw Bar , a roadside treasure that ’ s been around for decades . On October 10 , 2018 , the establishment was badly damaged when Hurricane Michael made landfall just to the west .
But now it ’ s back , along with the come-as-you-are atmosphere that made it famous . Grab a beer from the cooler , order a basket of shrimp and a plate of oysters . Then sit back , relax , and make new friends .
WHAT TO SEE
Apalachicola is a must-see destination all by itself . The oyster industry has been effectively shut down due to a lack of fresh water entering Apalachicola Bay , but the shrimp here are incredible . So too are the restaurants — especially those featuring local seafood — along with the artisan shops . The streets come alive at sundown , so be sure to take your time wandering from one to the next . Of course , there ’ s the Apalachicola Maritime Museum and the town ’ s crown jewel — the Dixie Theater — an intimate performing arts venue dating back to 1915 .