A Perfect Description of Cape San Blas - By Adlen Robinson in the Forsyth County News

Family’s favorite beach getaway retaining its charm

Twenty-seven years ago, Paul and I first visited Cape San Blas, Fla. A friend told us the beaches were pristine and secluded and there was little commercialism.

Skeptical, we made the seven-hour trip, feeling we were out in the middle of nowhere soon after we passed Columbus. The verdict? We fell in love with the cape and the surrounding charming towns of Apalachicola and Port St. Joe. We vowed when we had children, we would bring them to Cape San Blas every year.

Our first trip with babies was when our oldest was 2 and our second child was about to turn 1. We also brought my parents on the beach trip, something we continued to do when we ventured back to the beach year after year. When the children were little, we loved to play on the beach for hours, swimming in the Gulf, building massive sand castles, burying Paul in the sand, feeding the sea gulls, taking long walks and fishing. Oh the fishing. How fun it was catching small sharks, pompano, whiting, catfish and even stingray and crabs.

We took our boat to the beach a few times. Although that added to the preparation stress, we had so much fun exploring the bay. Dolphins swam right along with us and watching young children see that sight is truly priceless.

Apalachicola is the oyster capital of America. And there are plenty of raw bars and restaurants in the sleepy town. On a recent trip, we tried a place new to us called Up the Creek. Besides the oysters, we had one of the best tuna tartares. The presentation was as amazing as the dish itself. We even met the young chef who created the dish, T.J. Elliot, who said he was a self-taught cook. Wow. That was impressive.

The cape is remote. It is probably not for those who like vacations that include putt-putt golf, water parks, high rises and fancy dining. There are no fast food restaurants on the cape, and not that many in the neighboring towns either. Grocery stores also are not plentiful.

When we used to come back years ago, there were even fewer grocery stores. I used to bring almost all of our food, giving Paul headaches as he struggled to pack the endless supplies.

WSJ: Old Florida includes Apalachicola near Cape San Blas

One of my favorite afternoon trips while staying at A Tropical Breeze on Cape San Blas is to drive over to Apalachicola to browse the shops, take pictures of the shrimp boasts, to see the oyster boasts out in the bay and to enjoy a pleasant lunch or dinner at The Owl Cafe or one of the seafood/ oyster restaurants with a water view.  Here is a recent Wall Street Journal article about Apalachicola.

THE SOUTH'S BEACH | Apalachicola

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GO FISH | Boats docked in Apalachicola Sara Clemence/The Wall Street Journal

Up until recently, the sight of oystermen using long-handled rakes to harvest shellfish in Apalachicola Bay was about as common as new condos in Miami.

The local oystering industry is going through tough times; Georgia has been draining the rivers that supply oyster habitats. But a fishing-town feel remains in this Panhandle spot—as does the Southern vibe that results from being closer to Alabama than Orlando. And though the old French consulate now houses a shop where you can buy woven belts and vintage sterling-silver teaspoons, Apalachicola hasn't been totally taken over by tourists—yet.

Opt for an elegant bed-and-breakfast: Coombs House Inn, a 1905 mansion with polished wood paneling, oriental rugs and four-poster beds. The shops, galleries and restaurants of downtown, where much of the architecture is from the same era, are just a few blocks away.

Café con Leche, a coffee shop across from the waterfront, serves up wicked pastries, like strawberry scones and sour cream-cardamom-walnut coffee cake. Next door, Forgotten Coast Books specializes in used and out-of-print titles focusing on Florida. Around the corner, Bowery Art Gallery & Studio features works by local and regional artists.

Walk to the western end of Market Street, where shrimping boats dock and there's an enormous pile of spent oyster shells. (You may be more likely to see oyster skiffs tied up in gritty Eastpoint, on the far side of the causeway.) Take an estuary tour by motorboat or kayak to spot wildlife and learn about local ecology; there are several outfitters in the area.

Head to Up the Creek Raw Bar in time for sunset. Its high-ceilinged dining room, adorned with nets and stuffed fish, overlooks the tawny grasses of the bay. It goes beyond the usual fish-house fare—blackened mahi-mahi comes with fried green tomatoes—and, of course, it serves oysters.

To read the full article

Moonlight on the Beach

We arrived last night, I should say this morning about 2am after a 6 hour drive from Atlanta.  We were tired but excited to see the full moon when we arrived on Cape San Blas.  It had been overcast or raining most of our trip but when we got to A Tropical Breeze the moon was out in it's full glory shining. We walked out onto the beach and there were tons of shells.  I picked up a few and added shell collecting at 2am to my completed bucket list.  (OK, that was never on my bucket list, but it was still really cool.)

The beach is in great shape after Isaac, which thankfully did not cause much sand loss. The turtle nest markings are missing, however I found out this morning that the turtle patrol removed them prior to the storm and the turtle eggs are still safely tucked under the sand.

We are looking forward to a weekend of fun activities which will include fishing on the beach, scalloping in St. Joe Bay, a bonfire on the beach, making s'mores, beach bocce ball, looking for dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico, collecting sea shells, flying kites, a trip to St. Joseph State Park, dinner in Apalachicola or Indian Pass Raw Bar and bike riding on the new bike path.  We look forward to welcoming our good friends, who will join us tomorrow on their first trip to Cape San Blas.