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FLORIDA PANHANDLE: PERDIDO KEY
Just about as far west as you can go in Florida lies Perdido Key, home to the whitest sand you will find in the state thanks to the Gulf Island National Seashore. With a name like Perdido Key, people often think this island is in the Florida Keys, but it’s actually a
Perdido Key, FL
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32 miles back up U.S. 1 toward Marathon. You’ll have everything you need there with beach showers and covered picnic areas. Stock Island is also home to the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden, which began as a Depression-era tourist attraction. You can also find eclectic art galleries on Stock Island, including COAST, a creative collective workspace with open-air studios, and Collections featuring jewelry, art, and furnishings. And if things get too quiet on Stock Island, downtown Key West is only 15 minutes away. Stay: Stock Island is getting a lot of attention now that its first two hotels opened just last year. Both the Oceans Edge Resort & Marina and the Perry Hotel are ready for visitors.
few miles from Pensacola via Highway 98 and the famed Blue Angel Parkway. In Spanish, the name Perdido means “lost,” and indeed this island is the place to lose your cares. In addition to beach time at the pristine Johnson Beach on the National Seashore (where a weeklong pass is $15 for a carload), outdoor enthusiasts will find miles of trails at Big Lagoon State Park and Perdido Key State Park. Eat: Situated on the state line is the legendary Flora-Bama Bar & Restaurant, open since 1964. You’ve heard about it in Jimmy Buffett songs, and the oysters and live music make the waterfront grill a memorable stop. When you tire of seafood, head to Jellyfish Restaurant on the second floor of the Villaggio Shopping Center for the smoked meatloaf. While the seafood, fish tacos, and fried green tomatoes at Jellyfish are awesome, it’s the meatloaf that my family talks about long after we’re home. Do: Perdido Key has plenty to do when you want a beach break. The National Naval Air Museum, just over the bridge toward Pensacola, is a must-see, especially for Blue Angel fans. In fact, check the schedule because the elite Navy flying team practices
Perdido Key photo: Tony DeSantis; Amelia Island photos courtesy AmeliaIsland.com
Key West residents once kept their livestock on the island, hence the name. Today, people describe it as “the way Key West used to be” before the cruise ships and maddening crowds arrived. Its restaurants are weather-worn, casual, and worth every cent. Eat: On a sunset cruise a few years ago, we asked the boat captain where he ate. Without hesitating, he replied, “Hogfish Bar and Grill,” and it has since become one of our favorites. An open-air restaurant on Stock Island’s Front Street, Hogfish Bar has every kind of fish sandwich imaginable, but no visit is complete without trying the signature hogfish, a local snapper that cooks up flaky and sweet. Do: There’s no denying you’ll have to drive a bit to get to a beach, and my favorite is Bahia Honda State Park about
