Apalachicola

Apalachicola Bay produced the great majority of Florida's oysters for generations, tonged by hand from small boats in a fishery that shaped the whole town - the brick warehouses along the river were built on it. The bay collapsed: reduced freshwater flow from upstream, drought, and the aftermath of the 2010 oil spill combined, and in 2020 the state closed wild harvesting entirely; after five years of restoration work a short, tightly limited season reopened in January 2026. So the town now serves oysters largely from elsewhere, and is candid about it. What remains is a well-kept nineteenth-century port with a maritime museum, a working boatyard, and St George Island across the water with long empty beaches.

What to look for

• A nineteenth-century oyster port - brick warehouses along the river.
• A wild fishery coming back - shut in 2020, reopened for a limited season in January 2026.
• Oysters served from elsewhere - the town says so plainly.
• St George Island offshore - long beaches over the bridge.

When to go

October to April; summer is hot and stormy. Half a day.

Before you go

Local wild oysters are scarce - the bay reopened in 2026 only for short, capped seasons. Hurricane damage has affected the coast repeatedly. The town is small and quiet out of season. It is a long drive from any city.

Nearby

St George Island is over the bridge; Cape San Blas is west.