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Published Jan/Feb 2007 |
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Get off the Panhandle’s beaten path to experience an uncrowded Florida like it used to be–natural, original and true to itself.
By Darlene P. Copp |
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 y husband devoured a mystery novel in two days during our relaxing escape to Mexico Beach, Fla. Simple pleasures of being at the beach–like reading–are encouraged at the uncomplicated Driftwood Inn at the beach.I didn’t read as often as I gazed on the gulf or caught glimpses of the Driftwood’s guest palette: a lightly bearded young man, who made notes in a bulky journal and strummed his guitar; a fisherman, who watched over his array of lines floating along with the surf; a seasoned couple that shared a lounge chair on the beach while sipping wine each evening at sunset. Unlike trendy resort areas, Mexico Beach lacks the balconied condos with commanding views, pastel-colored cottages clustered in rows, or the manic water sports of popular spots located west of here. Mexico Beach even lacks a traffic light. Fittingly, it anchors the western end of the self-proclaimed Forgotten Coast that’s part of Florida’s panhandle. In 1991, local business leaders came up with the name, Forgotten Coast, in response to being left off a tourist map, according to Ed Tiley, publisher of an entertainment guide, Forgotten CoastLine. Starting with Mexico Beach and continuing east to tiny Panacea, these counties along the Gulf of Mexico are connected by approximately 100 shore-hugging miles of U.S. Highway 98. Small towns, weathered waterfronts, untainted waterways and prized beaches preserve a sense of place reminiscent of old Florida. Bay County’s Mexico Beach Peggy and Tom Wood remodeled a 1950 motel and developed a loyal clientele for this Mexico Beach getaway that would later be named Driftwood Inn (2105 U.S. Highway 98). After fire struck in 1994, they rebuilt from the ground up into the current Victorian-styled beach escape. Peggy Wood’s vision of “your aunt’s house” guided its décor, each room having a casual mix of antiques and vintage furnishings, as well as a kitchen. Old-fashioned gardens feature private seating areas or gazebos with swings. Nobody misses a noisy swimming pool or hot tub. The wide sugary-white beach beckons sunbathers, swimmers, beachcombers and sandcastle builders, as well as the many couples who choose the Driftwood for their weddings each year. We never got more active than browsing Mexico Beach’s handful of shops and frequenting Toucan’s (812 Highway 98), the liveliest place for savoring seafood. But there are more vigorous sports, like kayaking and charter boat fishing, available nearby. Gulf County attractions The prosperous trading port originally called St. Joseph was the site of Florida’s first constitutional convention in 1838. The town later was wiped out by a yellow fever epidemic and hurricanes. Today’s Port St. Joe has a revitalized historic downtown and focuses on promoting family friendly, eco-oriented tourism. “We’re not a town with nothing but second homes,” says Paula Ramsey Pickett, director of tourism development in Gulf County. Attractions include the Constitution Convention State Museum (200 Allen Memorial Way), a must for history lovers. More local color can be found in Port St. Joe’s dining choices, such as at the Indian Pass Raw Bar on scenic County Road C-30. Travelers driving along Cape San Blas will notice an absence of high-rise condos. Cottages, old and new, are plentiful, but stores and restaurants are few and far between. Day-trippers should plan accordingly while en route to St. Joseph Peninsula State Park (8899 Cape San Blas Road). Ten miles of snow-white beach rest at the tip of the cape, eight miles within a wilderness preserve where sand dunes rise 30-40 feet. Also noted for excellent bird sightings, the park is one of four Forgotten Coast honorees on the Great Florida Birding Trail. Unrushed Franklin County T he scenic drive to St. George Island crosses Apalachicola Bay, regarded as one of the country’s most diverse ecosystems. It is a blue-ribbon nursery for fish, shrimp and blue crabs, but especially known for providing 90 percent of Florida’s oyster harvest. A nature center at the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve on Market Street reveals the estuary’s marvels, such as one of the greatest number of amphibian and reptile species in the United States. For an up-close look, Capt. Gibby Conrad conducts two-hour estuary tours from Scipio Creek Marina aboard the six-seat Pelican. Journeys of St. George Island, a charter and rental business, offers a menu of guided excursions, including a trip on a working oyster boat. Most of St. George Island’s 28 miles presents a mix of opulent resort homes and a compact commercial district that include the grand St. George Inn (132 Franklin Blvd.). At its eastern end, St. George Island State Park (1900 East Gulf Beach Drive) preserves nine miles of pristine beaches, majestic sand dunes and slash pine forests. Hurricane Dennis reduced the dunes and damaged the facilities in 2005, but all have since been rebuilt. Nearby Apalachicola (Apalach to its 3,000 residents) lives and breathes as a genuine slice of untarnished America. In addition to its intact maritime culture, the town possesses a connection to its past as a major cotton port through a storehouse of antebellum structures. The Orman House, a state park located at 177 Fifth St., was built in 1838. It was the home of cotton merchant Thomas Orman. Nearby on Sixth Street, the John Gorrie Museum State Park honors the doctor who pioneered air conditioning in an attempt to keep his yellow fever patients comfortable. He received the first U.S. patent in 1851 for mechanical refrigeration. Both sites are open Thursday through Monday. Wild Wakulla County Infused with natural attractions, Wakulla County is a fitting end to our Forgotten Coast visit. The county is home to small coastal towns like Panacea. Here, visitors can explore the touch tanks at the Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory, 222 Clark Drive. At St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, explore the seven-mile scenic drive. A visitors’ center is located at 1255 Lighthouse Road within the 68,000-acre refuge. Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park is a real natural gem for this area. As one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world, the “strange and mysterious waters” (translation of Wakulla) are so clear that glass-bottom boat rides can show mastodon and other fossilized remains at the bottom. Year-round cruises on the crystal-clear, nine-mile Wakulla River are wildly popular. Our pilot kept reminding us “this is the real Florida” as we spotted gators, nesting ospreys, baby wood ducks, fishing cormorants or anhinga (water turkey). The area is so scenic that the first Tarzan movie was filmed at Wakulla, as were many scenes from the cult-classic “Creature from the Black Lagoon.” For modern creature comforts, the park’s lodge, a handsome Mediterranean Revival structure built in 1937 by financier Edward Ball, offers 27 rooms with vintage furnishings. Treat yourself to breakfast, lunch or dinner in the dining room. Along Florida’s big bend, the unparalleled beaches, natural adventure and interesting places remain serene for the present. “People say the Forgotten Coast has been discovered and shouldn’t be called forgotten anymore,” Tiley said. “I say, however, that the name should remain because what’s in danger of being forgotten are many of the eco-wonders and lifestyles that make this place so special.” Darlene Copp is a contributor from Oxford, Miss. |
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