Florida Gulf Coast News And Happenings

Exciting news!  You don't have to wait any longer.  The 2011 scallop season will begin a week early this year on Saturday, June 25th.  If you've never come to our area to enjoy this unique activity, this is the year to give it a go.  It's cheap way for your family to spend quality time with one another while rummaging the gulf's floor for dinner. If you rent one of our bay properties on Cape San Blas, you can just walk out into the bay and use your snorkel and mask to see what you can find.

This weekend, June 4th & 5th, is an exciting weekend for fishing.  First of all, if you want to come and fish our bountiful waters and do not have a fishing license this is the perfect weekend.  A state fishing license will not be required for onshore or offshore fishing.  If you are more interested in testing your abilities in competition fishing, enter the Bluewater Outriggers Offshore Classic.  Mahi-mahi, Wahoo, King Mackeral, Spanish Mackeral and Red Snapper are the tournament species.  There is a wealth of prizes to win and lots of fun and entertainment to enjoy.

Mother’s Day is coming soon and what better way to treat the mom in your life than a trip to the beach.  The weather is spectacular and the crowds are small.  It would be a perfect way for your mom to get that rest and relaxation we all know she needs.  Rent a property in St. Joe Beach or Mexico Beach and be close to dining and shopping for that time not spent on the beach.  Or if you want to get a little more off the beaten path for true serenity, try a property on Cape San Blas or [...]

Beach bonfires, a great way to spend the evenings while on vacation.  Just imagine the cool breeze from the gulf, hot dogs and marshmallows roasting over an open flame and tall tales being told about the days catch.  This is quality time a family will never forget and it’s as simple as gathering wood, bringing down a beach chair or towel and lighting your fire.  There’s no need for lavish entertainment when you’ve got each other.  Isn’t that what family vacations are for?  Unlike some of our neighboring coastal communities where bonfires are prohibited or you’ve got to pay $50 [...]

Don’t miss this exciting weekend coming up.  The Gulf Coast Salute 2011 hosted by Tyndall Air Force Base will be held this Saturday and Sunday, March 26th and 27th.  There will be free admission to the Open House and Air Show and gates will open at 9am Central.  This year will feature the USAF Thunderbirds, Tora! Tora! Tora! Bomb Squad, Indy Boys Jet School Bus and much more.  If you want to come stay in Mexico Beach for the weekend it is only a 15 mile drive and there is still availability.  Relax on the beach and watch an exciting [...]

After many vacations were put in limbo last year and were either altered or even cancelled due to the BP Oil Spill, many travelers seem anxious to make their plans for the upcoming spring and summer seasons.  While many feel like 2010 started as the break out year after being devastated by the aching economy, the numbers that early 2011 is posting look even more promising.  Fortunately, the spring and summer seasons are starting book out early.  Many vacationers, after having to wait for their overdue getaways, are making plans early this year in order not to miss out on [...]

CNN’s Blog yesterday titled, Snow Present in 49 of the 50 US States starts out as below: After big snow and ice events in the Southeast, Plains, and Midwest this week, 49 out of the 50 states currently have snow on the ground –  yes, even Hawaii, where snow falls in Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea all winter.  The only state that has avoided this icy blast is Florida.  Does that make you want to go on a nice, warm vacation to the Sunshine State?  You're not alone. I hope that makes most of you want to go on a nice, warm [...]

This weekend come out to the St. Joseph Bay Country Club and do a little Christmas shopping and then play a competitive round of golf.  There will be a big Holiday Bazaar will feature area artists, crafter and chefs.  It will be held in the Golf Club meeting room Friday from 8 am – 6 pm and Saturday from 8 am – 4 pm.  There will be items available to purchase such as jewelry, hand painted items, t-shirt shawls, tie-dyed clothing, specialty breads, jams & jellies, stained glass, potter and much more.  All proceeds collected from vendors will be given [...]

Christmas is always an exciting time of year, especially along the coast.  The Port St. Joe, Gulf County Chamber of Commerce has several festive events planned for the Christmas Along the Coast happening now up until Christmas.  Perfect for families, friends and even pets! Thursday, Dec. 2nd: 6:00pm – Tree Lighting & Christmas Carols Sing-a-long George Core Park, Downtown PSJ Saturday, Dec. 4th : 8:30am – Reindeer 5K Run & Fitness Walk Town Center, WindMark Beach Resort 7:30am – 10:00am – Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast Pepper’s Restaurant, Downtown Port St. Joe […]

Self described as, “This Ain’t Your Mother’s Rescue Group”, Rescue Ink is an organization of tattooed, motorcycle-riding street guys who claim to have zero tolerance for animal abuse and neglect.  This unique group of men, have come together to form an alliance against animal abusers.  Made up of men with names like Joe Panz, Big Ant and Johnny O, their mission is to educate the public about the negative effects of animal cruelty. Gulf County is fortunate to play host to the Rescue Ink group this upcoming weekend.  From a partnership between the St. Joseph’s Bay Humane Society and the [...]

This weekend marks the 47th Annual Florida Seafood Festival in Apalachicola.  The 2 day event will be jam packed with different activities and events.  If you’ve never attended this festival, it is certainly one you don’t want to miss out on.  It’s fun for the whole family.  And the food…out of this world! This year’s entertainment will feature headliner, John Michael Montgomery.  He will be joined by The Pistols, Tamara Marsh & Scott Kincaid and Matt Burke.  Aside from musical performances, there is also an Oyster Eating & Shucking Contest, Blessing of the Fleet, a 5K Redfish Run, Parade and [...]

Fall is such a festive time of year especially Halloween.  There are parties and festivals and it’s always fun to come up with the most unique costume for the kids.  Taking the kids trick-or-treating is always an adventure.  Growing up in a small town, I just can’t imagine how you do this in large cities, which brings me to the point of this blog post…Ghost on the Coast. On Saturday, October 30th Downtown Port St. Joe will be closed off to vehicle traffic and lining the streets will be ghosts, vampires, clowns and more.  The downtown merchants bring their tables [...]

For all of you pet lovers, there is an exciting event coming up just for you.  The local animal shelter, St. Joe Bay Humane Society, presents the 5th Annual Bow Wow Bash.  This is meant as a celebration of animals in our lives. The Bow Wow Bash Masquerade Party will be held at the Port St. Joe Centennial Building on Saturday, October 23rd from 6pm – 10pm EST.  Provisions, a local restaurant, will be providing delicious food and a cash bar will be available along with awesome music so you can boogie down.  Costumes are optional, but there will be [...]

Another big weekend coming up along the Forgotten Coast.  Along with the Best Blast on the Bay Songwriter’s Festival, Mexico Beach will play host to the 12th Annual Mexico Beach Art & Wine Festival.  So if live music, exquisite art and fine wine are on your 10 Things I Like list, than you don’t want to miss out on any of the festivities this weekend. The Art & Wine Festival will be held at the Driftwood Inn and will feature fine wines, great food, live auction, musical entertainment and of course, ART!  With artists coming from all over, the festival [...]

October is just around the corner and with that the music just keeps on playing.  The PoJo Live Music Fest came to an end this weekend and was a huge success.  There was great music, yummy food and of course cold beverages.  It’s time now to make your plans to attend the 2nd Annual Best Blast on the Bay Songwriter’s Festival.    This event kicks off on October 14th and lasts through the weekend.   The inaugural event was one of the most talked about in our area last year.  This year the hope is to come back even better.  Performances will [...]

Are you’re planning to come to the Autumn Rally at Thunder Beach in Panama City Beach?  Looking forward to seeing Rick Derringer or “The Sauce Boss” or maybe Molly Hatchet?  Want to be front row in the Miss Thunder Beach Finale?  You should seriously consider staying where you can have a nice scenic ride between you and the events; the Forgotten Coast.  We have miles of roads right on the beach and not one high rise building in sight.  You can stay on a beach where you’ll have your own space and great restaurants or places of interest in short [...]

While taking pictures of one of the new local parks to share with visitors and locals, it got me thinking about how fortunate our small community is to have such wonderful parks.  I did a little research and discovered that with the addition of this new park on Cape San Blas, which I don’t even know the name of yet, there are a total of 24 county parks and 2 state parks.  Wow, that’s a lot of parks!  Most of these county parks are located on some type of water whether it be the bay, the gulf, the intercoastal waterway [...]

The Star Newspaper Anglers got some good news on Thursday as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) agreed to reopen the recreational harvest season for red snapper in Gulf of Mexico state waters for eight straight three-day weekends this fall.  This action coincides with a proposed open season for red snapper that is expected to be implemented in Gulf federal waters off of Florida on the same dates. “This is just what the doctor ordered and couldn’t have come at a better time to give a much-needed boost to our Gulf fishing communities that have had a challenging [...]

Along with the Free music concerts in Mexico Beach during the month of September, you can now add the PoJo Live Music Fest to your things to do this month.  The first concert series begins at 1 pm EST on Sunday, September 5th at the SandHill Pond Park in Port St. Joe.  This is an outdoor venue right on the St. Joseph Bay.  It’s truly a beautiful place to enjoy live tunes.  Did I also mention this is FREE? Music varieties range from Country to Indie-alternative, Rock, Bluegrass, Folk, Pop and Classic music artists.  The lineup on the 5th includes [...]

For all of you music lovers, September is the month for you in Mexico Beach.  Every Thursday there will be a different performance at Sunset Park located right on the water in Mexico Beach.  With a breathtaking back drop and great tunes who could ask for more.  Bring your chairs and your coolers and join the rest of the crowd listening to the sound of the waves mixed with some great musicians.  Show time is 6pm Central time, so come early and grab yourself good seats.  If you’re planning to stay a few nights and soak in some rays while [...]

Well, for us, summer has already come and gone.  And boy was it a summer!  With everyone’s attention on where “the oil” was going, it made it a little more difficult for some folks to sit back and relax and enjoy summer like it’s meant to be enjoyed.  Thankfully, that wasn’t the case for visitors to our area.  All things considered, 2010 proved to be a great summer.  Fortunately, our beaches have remained clean for everyone to enjoy. The first physical effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill became evident last week.  According to reports from Gulf County officials, 24 [...]

“Live Like a Local on The Forgotten Coast” Cape San Blas, Mexico Beach Florida If you want to get away this winter, The Forgotten Coast of Florida seems pretty enticing. But don’t just plan a week, why not plan to stay for a month or two and live like the locals. While this sounds like what we would do when we retire, it’s actually becoming more mainstream for people who just need a change of scenery. If you are one of those fortunate enough to work from any location, this may be a great opportunity to experience something different this [...]

The St. Joe Company Leads Regional Effort to Facilitate Service at the Newest International Airport in the U.S. Jacksonville, Florida, October 21, 2009 — The St. Joe Company (NYSE: JOE) and Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) today announced a strategic alliance providing for the commencement of air service to Northwest Florida’s new international airport near Panama City Beach, Florida in May 2010. The airport, currently under construction, is the first international airport built in the U.S. in the last 16 years. Southwest’s service at the new airport will consist of at least two daily nonstop flights from Northwest Florida to each [...]

St. Joseph Peninsula (Cape San Blas), FL – The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) announced today that St. Joseph Peninsula is a winner of its 2009 Best Restored Beach Award. “ASBPA created the Best Restored Beach award in 2001 as a way of highlighting the value of America’s restored beaches,” said Harry Simmons, mayor of Caswell Beach, N.C., and ASBPA president. “As Americans flock to our coastline during the upcoming beach season, most don’t even realize they may be enjoying a restored beach.” The St. Joseph Peninsula beach restoration program began after repeat storm events eroded the natural [...]

Point North Magazine Written By Julie Hostetter Wednesday, 17 December 2008 Indian Pass Raw Bar - Port. St. Joe Don’t Pass Up this Oyster Oasis on Florida’s C-30A Hidden away in Florida’s Forgotten Coast is an oyster oasis not to be missed. In many ways, it’s like an oyster itself — rough on the outside, but darn tasty on the inside. If you went on appearances only, you’d probably roll up your windows, lock your doors and whiz right by, looking nervously in your rearview mirror. The building itself looks like a … well … uh … like an abandoned [...]

The News Herald Letter to the Editor by Marie Strapp I just read the letter signed by Judith Mitchell ("Winter residents are receiving rude welcom," Feb. 18). My home is also in Grand Bend an I have come to Florida every winter for 25-plus years. My experience has been the exact opposite. I have felt welcomed and quite "at home" in all that time in the beautiful coastal city of Mexico Beach. The local residents and the snowbirds who return annually in happy anticipation of their stay here make my winter totally comfortable and enjoyable. I guess Panama City Beach [...]

Enough with your fancy remote beaches. The Maldives? St. Tropez? With the economy what it is, we'll be lucky to get to the next state on a $73 tank of gas. We want close. We want old-fashioned. We want a town where we can park the car, drag a beach chair and a book to the sand, and then shuffle down the boardwalk in our flip-flops for fried clams and an icy-cold can of beer: a place with fireworks, friendly locals, and sticky scoop shops. So we dug up 11 great American seaside escapes, from classic fun-in-the-sun California to New [...]

By Terry Ward For: Travel Channel.com Planning a Florida vacation without doing your research is likely to land you in expected destinations such as packed-to-the-gills South Florida or not-so-delightfully tacky Daytona Beach. To experience Florida’s most pristine and beautiful beaches away from the masses, consider passing on the perpetually populated peninsula and set your sun-loving sights on the state’s loneliest region – the panhandle – instead. Most people associate that northernmost thin stretch of Florida, which fronts the Gulf of Mexico, with the raucous spring break crowds of Panama City. The busy resort town is the heart of an area [...]

Flexibility, surfing Internet best way to snag deals By LYNN SELDON For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 07/27/08 With soaring gas and food prices, additional airline fees (from a checked bag to a Coke), and the declining U.S. dollar, it’s becoming more difficult to travel on a budget. However, today’s value-oriented travelers do have the advantages of the Internet and lots of competition to make smart travel still affordable. “I firmly believe that you can go anywhere you want to, though you may have to make certain sacrifices to do it on your budget,” says Erik Torkells, former editor-in-chief at [...]

Ashland, VA., Lynchburg, TN and Mexico Beach, FLA have a lot to offer By KELLY WILLIAMS For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 06/15/08 Soon it will be summer — officially, June 21 — and for many people, time for their annual vacations. Where to go? Miami? Boston? Washington? We have another idea: This year, why not take in the beauty and history of the Southeast’s small towns? Here are three towns, all with something special to offer no matter what your interests. And most are less than 300 miles from Atlanta. Ashland, Va. Fifteen miles north of Richmond, and originally [...]

By MELISSA NELSON Associated Press Published on: 04/27/08 Mexico Beach, Fla. — Marilyn Theus peddles costume jewelry, chipped china plates and other “junktiques” on the roadside between Port St. Joe and Mexico Beach. On Tuesdays she’s joined by a friend who markets fresh shrimp from the site overlooking the turquoise waters of St. Josephs Bay. The vendors are part of the local charm of Florida’s Forgotten Coast, which stretches along the Gulf of Mexico from Mexico Beach to about 100 miles east to St. Marks. Mom and pop motels, bait shops and undeveloped beaches dot the coast south of the [...]