We are going to Cape San Blas for a few days the first of November. There are four couples going. The men will play golf and the women will ..... What can we do? Other than walking on the beach, where should we go? Shopping places? Any sights - historic or natural - to tour? I am not very good at just chilling out. Suggestions are welcome!!!

If you aren't very good at just chilling it, you may want to practice before you go. There's not a lot to do in the summer in the area and even less to do in Novemeber. That's what a lot of us like about the area.

You could drive over to St George Island to see if there are any stores open.
Go to Apalachicola too.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/23/tr...icola-fla.html
Do you like to kayak?
You could go out on a boat ride -
http://www.seahorsewatersafaris.com/familytrips.cfm
They make reference to a "Heritage Tour".
Go to the Indian Pass Raw Bar for great simple seafood -
http://www.indianpassrawbar.com/
Take bikes - it's the perfect place to bike, especially in November
Take board games and books too and learn to relax?

We spend a couple of months every winter on the Cape and dearly love it! But we love it for the very reason's you might not. There are no highrises, you have miles of beautiful shores to walk with little people around you. The activities there are primarily what Starrs has already listed. Apalachicola is a cute LITTLE town to walk around and have lunch at Boss Oyster or Papa Joes. The Owl is good also but higher in price.

You can go the other way to Port St Joe and dine at: http://www.sunsetcoastalgrill.com/ for upscale dining. Really very good. Or, you can go to the marina and eat at Dockside, which we love for their oyster specials 2 for 1 during the week, and watch the boats come and go. If you want to take a little drive you can go to Mexico Beach and eat right on the beach at Tucans..We do love it there....
Panama City is an hour drive away if you get bored...and you pass Tucan's restauant on the way.....

Hey cd! I was hoping you'd see this.

I was looking for other tours that I may not know about - and didn't find any - but did find this list from the inn at Indian Pass. They've compiled a very nice list -
http://www.turtlebeachinn.com/thingstodo.cfm

cd's post gives me another idea. If you are totally bored you can drive another hour and check out Seaside -
http://www.seasidefl.com/
Wander a bit, shop a bit and just check out the coast.

An article from Southern Living about the state park at the tip of Cape San Blas -
http://www.southernliving.com/travel...0400000009678/

We're remote," Anne says. "That's why we don't get the big crowds and the city hubbub." It's 22 miles to Port St. Joe, the nearest town with a traffic light. That saves the park on the eastern edge of the Florida Panhandle from being overrun, even though its pristine 9-mile stretch of beach draws raves from everyone who sees it. Last year Dr. Stephen Leatherman, the Florida International University professor and oceanographer known as "Dr. Beach," picked it as the second-best beach in the United States. It was topped only by Poipu Beach on the island of Kauai in Hawaii.

...On its busiest days, the park gets only about 450 visitors--that's all the parking lot can hold. Day-trippers come over from Mexico Beach, about 30 miles away, and others drop in by boat. The Spanish had more people here in the early 1700s when they garrisoned presidio San José with 1,200 soldiers and conscripts.

Starrs, that is really a nice list that the Turtle Inn compiled. Marlib, Re: The State Park. The beach is remote and beautiful. We rarely go because the beach in front of the house we rent looks just like it with beach houses where the State Park has none. However, our adult son who visits us is a hiker and he will hike the beach from the parking lot in the park, all the way to the end where they have a camp ground. Looooong way, must take water.

If interested, before you enter the gates to the State Park, to the right is a hidden driveway. This leads to a sm parking lot. You can then walk down to the Bay. Just a different look...

Also there is a lighthouse on Cape San Blas. YOu can only go up at certain times of the year but there is a small gift shop open all year. On the grounds there is an eagle's nest. We have been lucky enough to see them

If you drive to St George Island, a lovely drive BTW, they have a lighthouse that as far as I know is always opened.

Apalachicola does have a small theater: http://www.dixietheatre.com/

cd, do you have any idea if the little shops at Grayton Beach are open during the winter? If they are really bored they could make a day of driving and maybe shopping -

http://www.graytonbeach.com/content/...-area-shopping

http://www.discover30a.com/shop/shop.asp

But I still vote for reading and relaxing and enjoying the cape

No, I do not know Starrs....We never go shopping just to go shopping. The only time we shop for clothes is if we forgot something and then we'll just go to Panama City. There are some cute little shops in Apalachicola however that once a season we will wander thru.

I don't bore easily, there's always the beauty of the beach all around me and I can literally watch it for hours having drinks with DH or one of my kids or friends that come down. I read many books, (bought DH a Kindle for this year) DH does some golf, we buy fresh seafood daily to cook for dinner and for lunch we mostly go to one of our favorite bars for oysters and beer. OH, I did forget they have a gym in Port St Joe that we joined last year and worked out most days.

We sound a lot alike. I go down to CSB/ Indian Pass just to relax and enjoy the beach. I love the beach in winter almost as much as summer. It's funny, but SGI felt "hectic" to me.

Hope to see you down there someday. It's been too long since I've been to the IPRB

Your replies have me more enthusiastic! I looked at some of the website photos, beautiful scenery. Thanks for the information, I will read it. By the way, what should I pack? Summer or Autumn clothes? Both?

Starrs one of the reasons you love this beach is because it is pet friendly and we all know your dogs are your babies! The house we rent forbids dogs but there are MANY houses open to pets. I would love to see youdown there someday! The Inn where you stay is lovely, I know exactly where it is AND where IPRB is!

Have you been to Eddie Teaches on St George's Island? They have moved to 240 E 3rd St from their address on Pine last year, but it is just a few blocks difference. The BEST oysters ever!!!!All differant kinds and very reasonable in price. The place last year was a dive and I hope their new place is a dive also, it was just fun! They welcome people and dogs....you would love it! http://www.eddyteachs.com/Home.html

Where are you coming from? That will impact what the temps feel like to you. Look at weather.com for current temps and monthly averages. I just checked for Apalachicola and it's in the 80's during the day and in the 50/60s at night. For November, it will probably be in the 70s during the day and in the 50s at night.

Layers are the best answer. I'd take a swimsuit, a mix of shorts, crops and long pants, Tshirts and sweaters. Mostly sandals but closed toe shoes in case it gets chilly.

If you are coming from somewhere up north, it'll feel like a heat wave

Marlib, I didn't see your question before...Ave temp in Nov is 62 so I would take capri's and bermuda shorts and short sleeves with a sweatshirt and a lightweight jacket in case you a need to cover your arms when wearing short sleeves. Where are you staying?

Been going to St George for 25 years, and have visited the Cape many times--its is a chill kind of place.Agree with Starrs about Appalach, its a quaint little town thats been there forever.The hotel on main st just as you get into town is very interesting and just changed chefs and has very good food, again---the Owl restaurant is also very good either for lunch or dinner.
Dont know if you guys like fishing,but the surf fishing is excellent, just get a folding chair,a rod holder and hang on for some good fishing.If not, there are planty of guides who will take you out to explore the many interesting spots,including St Vincents Island which you can only get to by boat--total natural wilderness,quite exhilirating to see nature its own way--if you need contacts for them re-post