st joseph pennisula and st george island state parks

[gapeachy]

we are going on a new adventure with the new camper and driving down to cape san blas to st joseph pennisula state park for 4 nites then driving over to st george island state park for a couple days....anybody been there with advice...i see there is a place to eat called cone heads near by...any other places?

[mudfuel07]

If you are on St. George, the Blue Parrot has really good seafood. For awesome pizza, hit BJ's. We just got back from a week at the SP and have already booked for next year. The mosquitos were horrible as usual, but the beach and the bay made up for it.

[baunno]

NCWriter wrote:
Another vote for the Owl Café in Apalachicola. We stumbled upon it in the old downtown, a block or two from the waterfront.

A good spot if you want a lunch or dinner one day with nice atmosphere and food. No need to dress up but definitely a cut above seafood joints.

Clicky for Owl Cafe

The Owl is total awesomeness...and so is Up The Creek Raw Bar! They have a nice deck with some of it enclosed and some open, all sitting on the river where you can watch shrimpers and oyster boats pulling in from fishing

[NCWriter]

Another vote for the Owl Café in Apalachicola. We stumbled upon it in the old downtown, a block or two from the waterfront.

A good spot if you want a lunch or dinner one day with nice atmosphere and food. No need to dress up but definitely a cut above seafood joints.

Clicky for Owl Cafe

[gapeachy]

seems like everybody at st joseph was scalloping. and alot of scallops cause we seen them...the gulf breeze campground might be larger...we seen alot of large rvs there and some on cement pads....i still cant get over the huge mosquitos at st george ...

[wannavolunteerF]

So I am ready to go scalloping, which would most recommend. I haven't been to St Joe in a few years, and that was either with tent or rented ALiner. I have a 28TT and need to be able to get it in easily. I do remember lots of trees in the way at Shady Pines in St Joe. I have driven through St George and know I can get a site there, but just can't decide which area would be easier to have access to bay for scalloping.

Unless things have changed there are more restaurants and guides available at St George.

What do those who have been to recently think?

[campkrazy]

We like St George campground better. But the bugs ate us alive. Nothing worked. We will not go back went in April twice that was enough. Could not enjoy for the no seeums...

[baunno]

gapeachy wrote:
So is oct a good time also... i usually love the burning hot july at the beach but the bugs were unbearable, thinking of going back in oct and would love to still be able to swim and play in the bay, also what is the name of a good fish market there?

October is a VERY good time to go. Temps are warm usually in the 80's (tho one year it was in the mid 90's) and the water temp is still very warm from the summer months. Surf fishing is usually good unless the 'ladyfish' are about and then not so much. They are fun to catch but not good to eat. Kids are back in school so its primarily an older crowd. Sunsets are amazing in October and the monarch butterflys are everywhere...they are migrating to South America and St Joe is directly in their path.
Fish mongers...closest and best is St Joe Shrimp Co. on 30A. I always pull over with TT in tow on the way in and pick up something for the grill. Otherwise 13 Mile Seafood Market in Apalachicola is also good. I'm sure there are other good markets in the area as well.
For dining with a true rustic experience check out Indian Pass Raw Bar. Its not too far from the campground, otherwise Apalachicola has some excellent restaurants.
Here is a link to my Picasa St Joe:

[gapeachy]

So is oct a good time also... i usually love the burning hot july at the beach but the bugs were unbearable, thinking of going back in oct and would love to still be able to swim and play in the bay, also what is the name of a good fish market there?

[craigt]

Just remember that there are no fish markets on the Cape; got to go to Appalachicola or Port St. Joe.

We always enjoy the time at St. Joe, just bring everything that you need.

[baunno]

craigt wrote:
We go to St. Joe most every Thanksgiving.

It doesn't generally fill up until the Friday after, with most folks staying at home for Turkey Day.

Weather is generally quite pleasant unless there is a storm in the area, then it can get cool.

Water temperature is still warm enough for the Yankees to swim in, but us Southerners usually watch them from the sunny beach. Fishing doesn't seem to be very active at Thanksgiving, but people still try.

Thanks for the info. We are looking forward to making it there for Thanksgiving week. I am a surf fisher so that part sounds a bit disappointing but, there are always the fish markets Heh, heh...
Storms are no bother here, we've weathered some bad ones but of course would prefer nice fall weather!

[craigt]

We go to St. Joe most every Thanksgiving.

It doesn't generally fill up until the Friday after, with most folks staying at home for Turkey Day.

Weather is generally quite pleasant unless there is a storm in the area, then it can get cool.

Water temperature is still warm enough for the Yankees to swim in, but us Southerners usually watch them from the sunny beach. Fishing doesn't seem to be very active at Thanksgiving, but people still try.

[baunno]

If anybody is interested I just had to move our reservation at St Joe and the gulf breeze site 38 is now open for the week of October 19th for 7 nights.
My wife has a conference otherwise we'd have been there for the grand weather, warm water and migrating butterfly's!

We moved our res. for the week of Thanksgiving...our first time that late in the season. Any thoughts on camping that time of year would be appreciated.

[TheBlackCloudFa]

Last October we stayed at St. George Island and loved it....go to the registration station and get a pass to go out to the end of the Island....there are only 20 parking spaces....lots of good fishing....my son caught a 3' hammerhead shark....lots of dolphins swimming in the bay....drive to Apalachicola....lots of quaint shops and one of the BEST restaurants...Up the Creek Raw Oyster Bar...looks out over the bay....awesome oysters and food...you'll want to stock up on groceries when going to St. Joe as there are no local stores...both places are beautiful...going to St. Joe this October and can't wait!!

[gapeachy]

we just got back from our little adventure. we loved the Cape. the campground was very close to the beach. beach erosion made it hard to navigate around the beach but the sand and water was perfect. they said they are going to start working on restoration. very friendly people there. the garbage did smell but there were alot of fishing and scalloping that was being thrown it. We loved the bay. seeing all the living creatures in the water. we rented a kayak from scallop cove and paddled to the end of the state park.. saw a stingray. horseshoe crab. and young shark. alot of sea urchins and conch shells. Ate ate one night at Docksides. loved the place and atmosphere but the food I was not impressed. drove over to st george island. beautiful clean park. but walk to the beach was farther. more private campsites. but 2 alligator ponds and we saw a snake run across the road. the water was calm. but the worst thing was the mosquitos were horrendous. i came back looking diseased from the bites.. lol.. also at st josephs. the wildflife amazed us...little rats. black little crabs that would hide in my husbands shoes...a racoon that they had names rudy.. amd an abundance of birds...they all came around at supper times... at st george we ate at blue parrot and it was wonderful...thinking back my husband and i agree even though st goerge was cleaner and more stores and eating around something about the cape we loved.. the bay at the cape is awesome. just bring your food and cook... we will most defiinatly go back to the cape.