Florida’s “Forgotten Coast” is a charming, quiet, and relatively undeveloped section in the heart of the Panhandle. Here, in Gulf County, you’ll find 43 miles of coastal bliss in Cape San Blas and Port St. Joe.
The coastal complex of Cape San Blas, St. Joseph Bay, and the St. Joseph Peninsula offer pristine white powdery sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico shore, as well as the sheltered waters of the bay, ideal for water sports.
Cape San Blas is located on St. Joseph Peninsula, a 750-acre narrow stretch of land extending out from Port St. Joe and curving around St. Joseph Bay. The “Cape,” as locals call it, was named the best beach in America (2002) by Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman (a.k.a. Dr. Beach) for its unspoiled beaches.
For couples or families seeking laid-back, sun-drenched beaches without the crowds or noisy tourist attractions, you’ll find the beaches in Cape San Blas and Port St Joe utterly irresistible.
8 Best Beaches
1 Cape Palms Park
For photogenic reasons, this was our favorite beach! South of St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, sunny Cape Palms Park is tropical perfection, with a boardwalk leading to an observation deck, and both drive-on and walk-on access. Even though the park is relatively small, there’s plenty of space to spread out, as the calm, pristine, turquoise-green beach is seldom overcrowded.
This park has restrooms and a shower to rinse off the saltwater. There is a covered pavilion outfitted with grills, picnic tables, and a swing. As a bonus, you can have a bonfire here (see below) for a spectacular sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.
2 Rock Wall Beach
There really isn’t an official name for this part of the beach, but we loved it so much I’ll share the secret on how to find it. As you drive onto the peninsula of Cape San Blas, look for the retaining wall made up of gigantic granite boulders. Park on the shoulder as close to the southern end of the boulders as you can (legal when we were there), and then just walk through the opening.
Because there are no restrooms or amenities here like in the beaches further north, we literally had the entire beach to ourselves. The turquoise water was crystal-clear and bathwater-warm. Paradise!
3 Stump Hole
Reminded me of Star Wars!
Stump Hole Beach is named for the abundance of driftwood and tree stumps on and near the beach.
We didn’t do this because it was a really hot day, but if you walk around a mile or so south of Stump Hole, you’ll come to the shipwreck of the shrimp boat, the Donna Kay, on the beach.
4 Indian Pass
Just eight miles from Pot St. Joe, Indian Pass has the feel of “old Florida.” The long, secluded beach is a favorite for families who want to fish, crab, horseback ride, or wildlife spotting. Indian Pass oysters are some of the best you’ll ever taste (see below).
5 Eagle Bay
Eagle Bay is a very calm, protected harbor, great for small children or kayaking to view the wildlife. Within the park, Scallop Cove Too offers beach umbrella and beach chair rentals, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and pontoon boat rentals. Be advised, though, their inventory is low and sells out fast during the high season.
6 St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park is one of the gems of Gulf County. Encompassing acres of hammock forests, towering dunes, and beautiful Gulf of Mexico beaches, the park also boasts some of the region’s best fishing and shelling.
In October 2018, Michael caused tremendous damage to the area but the south part of this state park is currently open.
Note: while there is public parking, it is very limited, so if you want one of the coveted spaces, be sure to arrive early.
7 St. Joe Beach
While the beaches of Cape San Blas and Indian Pass offer plenty of seclusion and wildlife viewing, if you are looking for something a little livelier, head to St. Joe Beach. On the mainland instead of the peninsula, miles of sugar sand beaches and dunes face west, provide for stunning sunset viewing and a silhouetted view of St. Joseph Peninsula. The beach is calm and there are public boardwalks and trails to the beach scattered along the road.
Directly across the bay is T. H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park. The only way to reach the tip is by boat where you’ll find sheltered, clear water and white sandy beaches which are known for great shelling.
Just west of the beaches is Port St. Joe, a picturesque seaside town rich with historical sites, shops, and eateries.
8 Windmark
Windmark’s nearly four miles of beach are a bit more secluded than St. Joe Beach, with paved walking and biking trails along a nature water preserve.
WindMark Beach Village Center has an amphitheater where tourists and locals can take in a concert or movie, a water view restaurant, and an outdoor fire pit.
Other Things to Do
Cape San Blas Light
Cape San Blas Lighthouse is one of those special lighthouses that have stood the test of time, guiding ships to safe harbor.
Cape San Blas is a 750-acre section of land that juts out into the hurricane-prone Gulf of Mexico from the crook of the narrow St. Joseph’s peninsula, located near the town of Port St. Joe. A dangerous shoal extends out five to six miles from Cape San Blas creating a major navigational hazard to ships traveling along the coast during the 19th and 20th centuries.
The conical brick tower was completed in 1849 and the most recent edition is the metal lighthouse built in 1884. The signal from the 85-foot high structure could be seen for 10 miles offshore.
Due to the hazards of the hurricane-prone Gulf of Mexico, in 2014 the lighthouse was moved from the peninsula to Core Park in Port St. Joe. It is open to visitors who are willing to climb the 130+ steps for a birds-eye view of the stunning coast.
Salinas Park
We enjoyed strolling on the Serenity Trail Boardwalk at Salinas Park. Scenic wetland and forested views were a nice change from the rest of the beach views we’d already enjoyed. There’s a kayak launch and water access, volleyball and pickleball areas, a playground, fire pit, screened-in picnic tables, grills, bathrooms, and a shower. It’s pet-friendly, too.
Beach Bonfire
This was one of our most fun adventures, and coincidentally, located on our favorite beach! Gulf County is the only panhandle county that boasts a westward-facing sunset, so Cape Palms Park was the perfect spot for a bonfire. Better yet, we did not have to endure the hassle of setting it up or taking it down. Kyle from Going Coastal Cabinas arrived before sunset to do it all – we literally just had to show up with dinner and sundowners in hand. Everything was ready for us to light when we pleased, and even included provisions to roast marshmallows and make s’mores.
Watching the orange sun sink into the ocean while seated around a bonfire was heavenly! And when we were ready to leave, albeit reluctantly, we simply covered the fire in beach sand and texted Kyle and they returned to take care of the cleanup.
Paddle Kayak
I’d never heard of this kind of kayak. It consists of a hybrid of a stand-up paddleboard on which a chair is clamped. The chair is more sturdy and provides more support than those in a traditional kayak. Tylor from Cape Paddlin brought the kayaks to us before our bonfire, but full transparency, we didn’t actually paddle into the ocean because it was too rough for my skill set, but I would love to try paddle kayaking in a calm bay.
Shopping
There aren’t a lot of shopping opportunities, but the most scenic one is in the historic district of Port St. Joe. Take a stroll along the boulevard lined with galleries, antique stores, boutique shops, restaurants, and cafes.
Where to Eat
Oysters, oysters, and more oysters! Local establishments claim their oysters “slept in the bay last night.” So of course, that’s mostly what we ate. And they were delicious!
Shipwreck Raw Bar
Conveniently located in Port St. Joe, we ate here twice. And twice had the same thing – an enormous platter with a trio of oysters. Raw, spicy “Mexico Beach” baked, and savory “St. Joe Beach” baked, they were plate-licking delicious.
Krazyfish Grille
It was several days into our trip and we wanted something besides oysters. Our dinner at Krazyfish didn’t disappoint. Kary got ribs and I got a burger. But the best thing was our coconut shrimp served with delectable pineapple habanero chutney. Oh, my word – it was one of the best appetizers of all time!
Indian Pass Raw Bar
Their specialty is lagoon oysters, served raw, steamed, or baked. So more oysters were in order, raw (Kary) and baked (me). Mine were jam-packed with parmesan cheese and baked to perfection. It’s a popular place with live music on the porch and always crowded.
Longbills
Longbills is one of the few restaurants on Cape San Blas. We had a casual lunch there of fried oysters and pineapple slaw. We also purchased two orders of “Wonky Donkey,” – a half-pound hot dog with everything but the kitchen sink on it, to eat at our sunset bonfire.
Note: There are not enough restaurants to serve the demand of tourists and locals in Port St. Joe and Cape San Blas. I suppose that’s because there are no high-rise hotels – mostly everyone rents one of the many attractive houses on the beach which come equipped with kitchens. If you arrive during traditional dinner hours, be prepared for a wait time of up to two hours.
Where to Stay
With so few “hotels” in the area; most visitors stay at the numerous rental houses and charming B&B’s along the beach. We stayed at the Turtle Beach Inn, an adorable boutique B&B right on Indian Pass Beach.
I adored drinking my coffee every morning, seated on the wooden swing on the deck, with the gentle ocean breeze on my face, gazing out at the shimmering beach. And at night, Kary and I both settled into the hammock on the beach to count the millions of stars, twinkling brightly in the pitch-black sky. If you have any lingering stress, trust me, those two activities will vanquish it, tout de suite.
Our main host, Katherine Roland, could not have been more friendly or accommodating. I have dietary restrictions, but she went way over and beyond expectations to accommodate me with delicious, creative breakfast concoctions.
Epilogue
Hurricane Michael hit the area hard in October 2018, wreaking havoc with fierce winds and damaging storm surge. Over the last three years, businesses have done a lot to rebuild and reopen. You can still see a bit of damage, but things have nearly gotten back to normal. Do go, you’ll have a marvelous time!
Click on the image below to PIN so you can find Cape San Blas again:
Disclosure: The author was honored to be the guest of visit Gulf County during her stay, but as always, the opinions, reviews, and experiences are her own.
About the Author
Patti Morrow is a freelance travel writer and founder of the award-winning international blog Luggage and Lipstick and southern travel blog Gone to Carolinas. TripAdvisor called her one of “20 Baby Boomer Travel Bloggers Having More Fun Than Millennials.” Patti is the author of the book “Girls Go Solo: Tips for Women Traveling Alone,” and has over 150 bylines in 40 print and online publications, including The Huffington Post, International Living Magazine, Washington Post Sunday Travel, Travel Girl, Travel Play Live Magazine, and Ladies Home Journal. She has traveled six continents looking for fabulous places and adventure activities for her Baby Boomer (and Gen X!) tribe.
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