THIS WEEK
Good morning. If you have a car and a clear day, Port St. Joe is the quieter one. Ten miles of beach at the end of the cape, then the lighthouse that used to stand there, now in town.
Inside this issue: St. Joseph Peninsula State Park and the Cape San Blas Light.
THE FEATURE
ποΈ A day in Port St. Joe: the park, then the light
Photo: Florida State Parks
Port St. Joe is about 40 minutes west of Apalachicola. The reason to go is T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, at the end of Cape San Blas. Gulf on one side, St. Joseph Bay on the other, and almost nothing else.
The park is open 8 a.m. to sunset, every day. Entry is $6 per vehicle. Address is 8899 Cape San Blas Road. Phone is (850) 227-1327. It was named the top beach in the country by Dr. Beach in 2002. The sand and the dunes are still the point. Pets are not allowed on the beach.
Do the park in the morning. The drive out the cape takes longer than the map suggests, and the light is better before midday. Swim, walk, or just sit. There is a short maritime hammock trail if you want shade. Stock up on water in town before you leave. There is not much once you are on the cape.
On the way back, stop at the Cape San Blas Lighthouse in George Core Park. It stood on the cape until erosion moved it into town in 2014. Climb is 131 steps. Hours are roughly Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adults $5, children 12 and under $3. You need to be at least 44 inches tall. Call (850) 229-8261 the day of if you want to confirm. The grounds are free even if you do not climb.
Finish on Reid Avenue if you want coffee or lunch before the drive back. The whole loop fits in a day. Go early. The park can fill on clear weekends.
THE WEEKEND
π Events throught out the Forgotten Coast
All weekend
πΈ Blast on the Bay β Songwriters in small rooms around Port St. Joe through Sunday. Online tickets are sold out. Check the site for walk-up. The weekend closes Sunday afternoon at Indian Pass Raw Bar.
Saturday
π₯¬ Country Farmerβs Market β Local vendors, produce, and baked goods at the foot of the Crooked River Lighthouse in Carrabelle, 1975 Highway 98 West. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free.
Sunday
π€ Ronnie Randolph at Paddyβs β Acoustic set at Paddyβs Raw Bar on St. George Island. 6 p.m. Oysters, then music, without leaving the island.
Dates and times may change. Verify before you go.
THE WEATHER
Saturday
78 π‘οΈ 60 | π§οΈ 53% βοΈ | π¨ NE, gusty
Sunday
70 π‘οΈ 54 | π§οΈ 0% | π¨ breezy
π§ Water temperature = 71Β°F
Saturday is the wet, windy one. Do the park Sunday morning.
IN OTHER NEWSβ¦
π° Two lists. Three towns. Still cheaper than the rest of the coast.
ποΈ Port St. Joe on an affordable-towns list β A November 2025 piece named Port St. Joe (along with Apalachicola and Carrabelle) among eight Florida coastal towns that still feel uncrowded and cost less than the usual beach places. The write-up highlights the bay, the beaches, and the walkable downtown. Apalach Current shared it in August and asked whether it still holds.
Source: Family Destinations Guide Β· Apalach Current post
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ποΈ Port St. Joe and Apalachicola on a Gulf affordability list β A Quartz piece on cheaper Gulf Coast beach towns included both. It put inland Port St. Joe homes in the $250,000β$400,000 range and noted the town undercuts Destin and 30A while sitting next to the state park. Apalachicolaβs median was listed around $293,000. St. George Island did not make the list. Apalach Current shared it in August.
Source: Quartz Β· Apalach Current post
What do you think?
Are Port St. Joe and Apalachicola still cheaper than the rest of the coast, or has that already changed? Hit reply and tell me what you are seeing.
See you next time,
Apalach Coast