The Great Plein Air Paint Out May 8-18
More than 20 nationally acclaimed plein air artists will document the landscapes and the people who inhabit them in a "paint-out" the second week in May. The artists will paint on location in Apalachicola, Cape San Blas, East Point, Indian Pass, Mexico Beach, Carrabelle, Port St. Joe, and St. George Island. During the 10-day event, there will be opportunities to mingle with the artists and purchase works of art. For more information visit www.pleinairfl.com 

Historic Home Tour  May 3

The 16th annual Apalachicola Historic Home Tour will

feature more than dozen distinctive historic homes,  inns, churches and businesses. The tour is an annual benefit for Trinity Episcopal Church. For more information, contact www.apalachicolahistorichometour.org.

The fish are biting!

Grab a fishing pole and load up the boat. The  fish are definitely hungry all up and down the Franklin County coastline. For area marina, charter and general fishing information, please visit www.anaturalescape.com/Eco_Tours.aspx

St. George Lighthouse

An Historic Landmark

When the St. George Island Lighthouse is complete later this summer, it will be one of only seven historic lighthouses in Florida open to the public. And, if you've got the stamina, you will be able to climb 65 feet to the top of the 1852 reconstructed lighthouse which sits near the public beach greeting visitors as they arrive on St. George Island.

Workers recently finished bolting a glass lantern room onto the top of the St. George Island lighthouse - one of the major last steps in this $500,000 reconstructive effort that has been ongoing since October 2005.

The lighthouse was built in 1852 on the western tip of the nearly 30-mile-long island. In the 1950s the island was split in two by the Bob Sikes Cut ship channel, leaving the lighthouse on the uninhabited, 9-mile-long Little St. George Island. It was decommissioned by the Coast Guard in 1995. The lighthouse stood silent sentinel for more than 100 years on the western tip of Little St. George Island, until it toppled during Hurricane Dennis in 2005.

Franklin County volunteers raised money to salvage all the bricks and reconstruct the lighthouse on the main St. George Island. They have established a temporary visitor center/museum and plan to build a replica of the one-time keeper's house as a permanent museum. For more information about the St. George Island Lighthouse and Visitor's Center, please visit www.stgeorgelight.org

Early Summer Getaway Plans?

We've got your early Summer vacation accommodations ready and waiting. Click here to browse your accommodation choices.

Calendar of Events

Historic Home Tour

May 3, Apalachicola

Annual Tour of Apalachicola Historic Homes, Churches and Buildings. Benefits Trinity Episcopal Church

Plein Air Invitational

May 8-18, Franklin County

Acclaimed artists visit to paint, demonstrate and exhibit their work

Please visit the website www.anaturalescape.com to learn more about Florida's Forgotten Coast and the unique communities of the area. 

Click here to learn more about the area

History

Fishing and Outdoors

Arts and Heritage

Birding

Eco Tours

Museums

Marinas and BoatingOutdoor Exploration

Parks

Shopping