Last Updated: February 12, 2017
St. George Island State Park — formally the Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park — sits at the eastern tip of a 22-mile barrier island off Florida’s Panhandle coast. Barrier islands run parallel to the mainland, absorbing storm surge before it reaches the shore. At St. George, that translates to nine miles of undeveloped shoreline, rolling sand dunes, a longleaf pine forest, and salt marshes on the bayside where oyster bars and inlets stretch toward Apalachicola Bay. Forbes ranked it the third-best beach in America in 2013. After walking its empty Gulf-side shore, we weren’t surprised.
The State Park
The park occupies the eastern nine miles of the island — the undeveloped stretch that condos and vacation rentals haven’t reached. Hiking trails wind through pine forest and across boardwalks over the dunes. Observation platforms give views over both the Gulf side and the bayside marshes. It’s quiet in a way that Florida beaches rarely are.
Five Bald Eagles
Birding is a serious draw here. St. George Island sits along a major migratory flyway, and the park records dozens of species stopping over on their journey north and south. We spotted five Bald Eagles during our time there — not distant dots circling overhead, but close, watchable birds perched in pines near the beach. Starting in early summer, loggerhead sea turtles come ashore to nest along the Gulf-side beach, and the park monitors their progress through hatching season.
Camping at St. George Island
The campground was easy to navigate — wide loops, good clearance, and our site had plenty of room for the motorhome with space to spare. Standard Florida state park setup: water and 50-amp electric, no sewer hookup (dump station on the way out), a clean shower facility, and hiking trails right from camp. The park even had sorted recycling bins for aluminum, plastic, glass, and paper, which we always appreciate.
Lunch at the Red Pirate
For lunch we drove into town and landed at the Red Pirate Family Grill & Pub. Prices were reasonable, the food was excellent, and — most importantly — they had fresh oysters. Sandy went straight for the baked oysters in parmesan, butter, and garlic, plus a beer. Hard to argue with that call.
Their parade float — a full pirate ship — was parked in the lot outside. Even though Michael’s ribs and wrist were still splinted and braced from the tree-clearing incident at Grayton Beach a few days earlier, he managed to lend a hand.
Cape St. George Lighthouse
The Cape St. George Lighthouse has a stubborn history. First built in 1833, revised in 1848 and again in 1852, it survived more than 150 years before toppling into the Gulf in October 2005 when erosion finally undercut its foundation. Rather than write it off, a preservation group salvaged the original bricks from the water, hauled them ashore, and rebuilt the lighthouse on higher ground. It reopened in 2008, standing again after a three-year absence.
The Naval Stores Industry & the Herty Cup
One of the more unexpected things we learned on the trail was the story of the Naval Stores Industry — the turpentine trade that once defined this part of Florida. Turpentine is distilled from pine resin and was historically essential for waterproofing the wooden hulls and rigging of sailing ships. The slash pine and longleaf pine forests of the Panhandle were a primary source.
The collection method was brutal on the trees. Workers gashed the bark with a curved blade called a “hack,” cutting down through the cambium layer. A bent strip of tin funneled the oozing sap into a clay cup fixed below the wound — then another gash was added above the first, and another above that, building a vertical scar called a “cat face” sometimes more than thirty inches tall. The process was inefficient and eventually killed the tree outright.
That changed in the early 1900s when Charles Herty, a chemistry professor, developed a less invasive collection system using a cup and guttering arrangement that spared the cambium and dramatically increased yield while keeping the tree alive. His collection pot became known as the Herty Cup. The industry largely disappeared by the 1960s, but if you look closely at the older longleaf pines in the park, you can still find those old cat-face scars — a quiet record of what this forest once went through.
Breakfast at the Owl Cafe, Apalachicola
Before leaving the area, we crossed the causeway into Apalachicola for a late-morning meal at the Tap Room inside the Owl Cafe. Good atmosphere, a solid wine list, and a menu that earns its reputation — Bloody Marys and the Filet Benedict. Apalachicola is the kind of small coastal town that rewards a slow morning, and the Owl Cafe fits that rhythm perfectly.
Then back to the RV, where Jake had more pressing business: squirrels.
Visitor Information
St. George Island State Park
Address: 1900 E Gulf Beach Dr, St. George Island, FL 32328
Phone: (850) 927-2111
Hours: 8:00 AM to sunset daily
Admission: $6 per vehicle (up to 8 passengers); $4 single-occupant; $2 pedestrians and cyclists
Camping: Water and electric hookups; reservations at ReserveAmerica.com
Website: floridastateparks.org
Practical Tips
The state park occupies the eastern, undeveloped end of the island — the shops and condos cluster near the bridge on the western end. Give yourself extra time crossing the causeway on summer weekends, as the two-lane road can back up. Birders should bring binoculars; Bald Eagles are a regular presence near the pine stands at the park entrance. For food, the Red Pirate on the island and the Owl Cafe in Apalachicola are both worth the trip — the baked oysters at Red Pirate and the Filet Benedict at Owl Cafe both earned return-visit status from us.
