Apalachicola, Northwest Florida's Oyster BarApalachicola was once the third largest shipping port on the Florida gulf coast. Today this maritime town is known for oysters, fresh seafood and a vibrant downtown art and historic district. Each November, it is also the location of the Florida Seafood Festival.Balanced on a point of land between the mouth of the river and the bay, the town has always played a large part in Florida’s maritime history. Protected by barrier islands, the Apalachicola Bay and River Estuarine Reserve is the largest in the U.S., and the area’s vast expanse of shallow bays produces some of the country's best seafood and fishing habitats, including that of their world-famous oysters. 
Apalachicola OystersOysters from the surrounding bay are considered by many chefs and seafood lovers to be the finest in the world. Their mellow flavor and plump, meaty texture are the result of their environment. A combination of the silt and fresh water washing into the bay and salt water from the Gulf of Mexico makes these oysters creamy, not too sweet and with a strong after taste. Historic Sites Nearly 900 historic homes, cotton warehouses and other buildings date back to the 1800's and are well preserved, so much so that in 2008, the town was named by the National Trust for Historic Preservation one of its Dozen Distinctive Destinations. Only two other Florida towns have made the list since it started in 2000. Today these buildings house antiques shops, gift shops, bed and breakfast inns, and many excellent fresh seafood restaurants and oyster bars. Each May, Trinity Episcopal Church sponsors a walking tour of historic houses, but visitors can take a self-guided tour of the town any time by picking up a tour map from the Chamber of Commerce that has brief descriptions of the city's historic structures. 
Apalachicola and the surrounding beaches and islands are part of the Forgotten Coast, a region of the state that hasn’t changed much over the past fifty years. Here visitors can find “old Florida” in the many nearly-empty beaches, great fishing locations and state and national forests of the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast. For more information about things to do in the area, contact the Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce at 122 Commerce Street (850) 653-9419.Note: This article first appeared March 1, 2009 on Suite101.com. go from Apalachicola to Northwest Florida Beaches |
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Northwest Florida Wine Tour
Print Edition
Did you know wine was made in Florida more than 50 years before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock? Or that Muscadine grapes are native to the Southeast? You can learn about Florida wine and visit all the wineries in Northwest Florida with this unique travel guide.
If you like wine and you like wineries, this is the only guide that tells you where to find all of the Northwest Florida wineries, who are the wine makers and what wines they make. There's also a complete list of wine festivals so you won't miss any Northwest Florida wine events, recipes and cooking with wine, things to do and more.
You can buy the Northwest Florida Wine Tour print edition today and get it in time to take with you on spring break!
This is the only travel guide to the vineyards and wineries of Northwest Florida and it's an easy to use, comprehensive listing of attractions, B&Bs, shopping, state parks and historic sites, places to eat, annual wine festival events and more. You can use the book to make a daytrip, or plan a complete wine tour vacation. Best of all you can get it two ways, either as a downloadable e-book ($5.00) or in the popular print version ($11.95).
Go to the Northwest Florida Wine Tour page for more details or you can order the book now by clicking on the Add to Cart button above and start Exploring right now.
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