Discover Franklin County
Franklin County the Florida you remember
Ask anyone who has visited Apalachicola, Carrabelle and St. George Island and you’ll hear “this is the Florida you remember.” This is Franklin County, the heart of Florida’s Forgotten Coast.
Located about an hour south of Tallahassee on Florida’s Northern Gulf Coast, Franklin County is nearly 80% national and state forest — a protected oasis with quiet beaches, wooded trails and scenic paddling sloughs. The string of communities that stretch along the coast are the last vestige of Old Florida — a Florida that doesn’t exist anywhere else anymore.
What to Do Here?
Photo courtesy of IG: @grayjones
Love water? Rent a kayak or paddleboard to explore the many river sloughs, sandy coves, salt marshes and bay shallows of the area. Fall is great fishing along Florida’s Forgotten Coast — book a charter or take a relaxing sunset tour of Apalachicola’s historic waterfront aboard one of several eco-tour boats.
Wildlife abounds — the area is part of a seasonal fly-over for several migrating birds and butterflies. The Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve and Visitor Center in Eastpoint features a wooded boardwalk trail, touch tanks and displays for children to get up close and personal to marine life.
Beach lovers will appreciate that the St. George Island State Park Beach is ranked among the top in the country (No. 4 in 2021) by
Dr. Stephen Leatherman (a.k.a. Dr. Beach). This beach park features 9 miles of undeveloped shoreline and has some of the region’s finest fall birdwatching opportunities and camping facilities.
Photo courtesy of IG: @mviron
The towns of Apalachicola and Carrabelle feature unique boutiques and fine restaurants. The area’s beauty has inspired a thriving artist community and a blossoming of art galleries. The area hosts several other events, including the annual Florida Seafood Festival, an Oyster Cook-off and the Chili Cookoff on St. George Island. There are accommodations throughout the county to suite every taste.
Historic Lighthouses. Franklin County features two historic lighthouses — one on St. George Island and one along Highway 98 east of Carrabelle. Both are important maritime landmarks with a colorful past.
Florida’s Forgotten Coast is the perfect drive-time destination to get away from it all this winter. Plan your trip online at floridasforgottencoast.com/FC24.
