Let me tell you about one of my family’s new favorite vacation spots, St. George Island Florida. All six of us, our niece, Isabella, and our dog, Rip, visited SGI for spring break, and OH MY GOSH – it was amazing. Follow along below and I will share with you all of the amazing things about this quiet, beautiful, friendly, family oriented and relaxing hidden gem on Florida’s Forgotten Coast. My dream is to figure out how to buy a home on the hidden gem and hide away there forever. In the meantime, let me share the best quiet beach in Florida with you!
Where is St. George Island?
St. George Island is a 22 mile long barrier island that is located in Franklin County, Florida. It is off of the Florida Panhandle on the northern Gulf of Mexico. The nearest airport to St. George Island is Tallahassee International Airport, and it will take you a little less than 2 hours to make the drive from Tallahassee. We decided to drive to SGI from St. Louis, and it was a fun and interesting drive for sure! The drive took us about 13 hours.
What is there to do on St. George Island?
Let start with the obvious – the beached on SGI are not crowded at all, the water is a beautiful emerald green color, the sand is soft and white, and there is an abundance of seashells and wildlife to keep you entertained all day. My kids and dog could have spent our entire trip playing on the beautiful beach. This incredible island is most definitely one of the most kid friendly Florida Beaches. Other than the amazing coastline, there are lots of other fun things to do nearby. We decided to climb the lighthouse one day, and my kids had a blast. There is also a museum next to the lighthouse with lots of information on the current lighthouse as well as those from the past and a bunch of history on the island.
Some other fun things to do would be:
- St. George Island State Park
- Bob Sikes Cut
- A fishing charter
- Rent a golf cart and cruise
- Biking
- Kayaking
- Visit nearby Apalachicola
What are the best restaurants on St. George Island?
- Blue Parrot Ocean Front Cafe – By far the best location on the island.
- BJ’s Pizza and Subs – Delicious pizza! We got this multiple times during our stay, and it was great each time!
- Beach Pit – Delicious BBQ!
- Harry A’s – My husband’s favorite for sure!
- Weber’s Little Donut Shop – An amazing assortment of cake donuts. The Butterfinger one was SO GOOD!
- Owl Cafe in Apalachicola – My very favorite. This was a special date night spot that I will never forget! I actually based my Roasted Pepper and Feta Bruschetta off of theirs.
What is the weather like on St. George Island?
Like most of Florida, SGI has mild winters and hot, humid summers. We visited in Mid-March. There were a couple “chilly” days, but it was mostly warm for the rest of the week. We opted to have our pool heated, and this allowed us to swim in it each day that we were there. The average high temps in August are around 91º, so if scorching heat isn’t your thing, fall or spring would probably be the ideal time to visit.
Where should I stay on St. George Island?
There are no high rises on SGI, so if a large resort is your thing, sorry! With that being said, there are a few hotels and Inns on St. George Island. Also camping on St. George Island could also be a fun possibility. The state park is a massive, beautiful open space and there are campsites. We decided to take advantage of one of the many rental homes available, and we were incredibly happy with the one we chose. Ours was called Little Palm, and it was perfect for our family. The owner, Lynn, made sure everything was taken care of. Also, the management company, SGI Premier Properties, was very responsive, accommodating and helpful with anything we needed. There are 2 distinct “sides” of St. George Island. There is The Plantation and the east end. We stayed on the East End, and we would do the same next time. The plantation is a beautiful gated section with some shared amenities. The only negative I heard from locals about the plantation is that there tends to be a lot more bugs than the east end.
Is St. George Island in Florida family friendly?
Yes, YES and YESSSSS!! This is my favorite vacation that we have been on as a family, and my husband and children agree. This quiet Florida beach allowed us to relax, unwind and really just enjoy one another without constant distractions and chaos. Everyone loves a vacation with tons of things to do, but not every vacation has to be that way. There aren’t a million stores selling the same junk. There is no mini-golf, go-karts or other super expensive things that require you to wait in line for an hour. It is just beautiful, relaxing, uninterrupted family time. Based on what I have seen before, this is the best place to vacation in Florida with families.
What is Florida’s Forgotten Coast?
The Forgotten Coast of Florida consists of Apalachicola, Alligator Point, Carrabelle, St. George Island and Eastpoint. There are 200 miles of coastline, 5 islands and 99 historic sites. This area of Florida is an amazing escape from some of the other crowded and congested parts of Florida. The forgotten coast as a whole is something I would recommend anyone check out for kid friendly Florida vacations, vacations for couples, group trips or really any kind of getaway. I really believe that it is the best place to visit in Florida.
Hi Regan, What a great write up. Thanks so much for the wonderful comments about your stay at Little Palm. i hope you get a chance to return. The Fall is also a wonderful time to visit. The butterflies and birds are migrating and stop by SGI to say “hi”.