Carabelle gives visitors a taste of old Florida

Even if you were only looking for awesome sunrises and sunsets, the area around the old fishing village of Carrabelle would keep you mesmerized. Though this section of the Panhandle of Florida is still quite laid-back, the possibilities are unlimited. The seafood alone is well worth a visit to downtown Carrabelle … especially if you spend some time with the local ladies at the The Fisherman’s Wife Restaurant. Everything at this venue came straight off area fishing boats and is prepared with local secrets by experts in the kitchen. Stories of Carrabelle include much exciting maritime history about pirates, native Americans, illegal whiskey, fishing, sponge diving and war. Most of its historical waterfront is still intact with the addition of quirky little boutiques for shopping. Carrabelle even boasts the smallest police station in the world, which is actually a telephone booth on the right side of the road near quaint shops. If you drive west over the scenic Carrabelle River Bridge, tourists quickly discover Carrabelle Beach, which is a hidden treasure. This beach has easy parking, bathroom facilities, outdoor showers and numerous picnic tables. It is an ideal spot for walking, playing games or just soaking up the sun. Proceeding west, pure, white sand beaches are all along US Highway 98 toward East Point and Apalachicola, but you can detour for a few miles over the Florida 300 Bridge that spans the bay to St. George Island. Where the bridge comes on the island is the best place to photograph a gorgeous sunset from a bench provided by the island folks. After checking out the famous lighthouse when first entering the island, turn east for a tour of St. George Island State Park. Long sections of uncrowded beaches, pristine marshes and wooded areas that are perfect for bird watching and nature walks are encountered. Surf fishing in this area can also be very productive. Just to the east of Carrabelle is the challenging St. James Bay Golf Club that is nestled among tall trees and natural wetlands. It is the area’s only Audubon Signature Sanctuary and Championship 18-hole Golf Course that is open to the public for play year-round. The course is meticulously groomed and maintained with consideration for natural wetland preserves and native wildlife. For more information: www.stjamesbay.com/golf. For a couple or small family, the best place to stay near the golf course and centrally located to explore the Carrabelle area is a tiny home located across Highway 98 from the bay. It has everything needed to enjoy a short vacation including a queen-sized bed, a double recliner, a complete kitchen and a small bathroom with a corner shower. It is called the Sweet Peach and can be rented through www.airbnb.com or by calling Laura at (603) 548-2224. Slightly farther east is Bald Point State Park with more than 4,800 acres of coastal wilderness dotted with freshwater ponds and tidal marshes. It is located where the Ochlockonee Bay meets the Apalachee Bay and offers visitors outdoor activities on land and water, two picnic areas with pavilions, grills, restrooms and easy accessibility to the nearby beach. For more info, call 850-349-9146. Carrabelle, Florida is a pleasant reminder about the warmth and southern charm of Florida during a slower, milder era. It awakes mental pictures from the time when people knew their neighbors and offered hospitality both to strangers and friends. In this electronic period when the world is spinning so fast and everyone seems glued to their phones and computers, it is good to know that places like Carrabelle still exist.