The Panhandle

Our guide lists more than 350 locally owned craft breweries in Florida, easily referenced by region and by city.

Eden Gardens State Park is 20 minutes away from the bright white Panhandle beaches. It offers a rest for the eyes amid camellias, azaleas and a handsome 1897 mansion with an interesting history. Right now, the 100 varieties of camelias are in full bloom.

Milton has grown from the “canoe capitol” in Florida’s Panhandle into an outdoors center with eco-resorts and multiple activities. The area’s white-sand rivers are terrific to kayak or tube and there are good hiking and biking trails. Milton has an interesting historic district too.

Topsail Hill State Park preserves 3 miles of pristine beach, magnificent white sand dunes and sparkling coastal lakes. With lots of camping and cabin sites, it’s a gem in the Panhandle.

Florida Panhandle’s greatest treasure might be Gulf Islands National Seashore, with an unspoiled barrier island, sand as white as snow and a rare Civil War fort whose spooky spaces you can wander.

The Big Bend Scenic Byway links a big national wildlife refuge, three state parks, three historic lighthouses, one of the best beach islands in Florida and picturesque fishing towns. It winds through an area that sees fewer tourists, and offers rustic Old Florida delights at every turn–from black bears to white squirrels.

The Pensacola Seafood Festival is back for 2021! After taking a COVID break in 2020, this popular Panhandle festival returns to its normal dates in September.

State park campgrounds in the Florida Panhandle are popular in summer, while spring and fall are best to enjoy spectacular beaches, paddling, hiking, fishing — and Florida’s highest waterfall.

Wakulla Springs State Park has a historic lodge, spectacular spring/swimming hole, scenic boat rides and many spots to hike, bike and kayak nearby. The Big Bend region of Florida is often overlooked by visitors, who are missing out on a rustic, rural area.

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is a vast place where visitors see birds, wildlife and a historic lighthouse. It’s a hidden gem in the Big Bend region.

One of Florida’s least accessible historic sites, Fort Gadsden, also known as “The Negro Fort”, is a tale of war — and the deadliest cannonball in American history.

Driving Florida’s northern tier on Interstate 10 is a long and lonely road. Florida state parks camping eases the stress with a layover in a peaceful oasis.

Apalachicola is a charming, walkable small town full of history, good food & shops. It’s 20 minutes from miles of wide splendid beach on St. George Island.

Florida Panhandle campgrounds offer a taste of the seasons without the inconvenience of snow, but beware of the summer crush of visitors from Southern states.

At ‘The Sinks,’ you’ll experience a geologic landscape unique to the karst topography of northern Florida. Take a hike!

On their 2,000-mile fall migration, thousands of monarchs stop in Florida’s Big Bend and Panhandle in October and November. A top viewing site is St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, a half hour south of Tallahassee. There is a monarch festival at the refuge Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019.

One of Florida’s oldest state parks sits on a high bluff above the Apalachicola River offering spectacular views — and fall colors!