Cape San Blas Vacation

Just got back from a wonderful beach vacation in Cape San Blas! The beach was perfect - clean, sugar-white sand, water in the Gulf was like bathwater.

The trip started when we flew into New Orleans and stayed overnight at the Airport Hilton. I would recommend that hotel to anyone looking for a place to stay convenient to the airport for a night or two. Very well kept, great room service, comfy beds.

Took off to the cape early on a Sunday morning, crossing the Lake Ponchitrain causeway. That was about 25 miles of white knuckle driving for me. I had no idea how terrifying driving across a black expanse of water with no land in sight could be.

We stopped off in Pensacola Beach, which was very commercial, yet had very nice beaches, especially down at the east end of the island.

We got onto Cape San Blas at 5:30 (eastern) and expected the rental office to be open - we weren%26#39;t aware that the time zone changes from central to eastern just outside of Mexico Beach. So we picked up the keys to Turtle Haven from the box at the office, stopped for a frozen pizza and some ice at Scallop Cove and headed to the rental house.

Turtle Haven is right on the beach with a boardwalk down to the sand. I mention this because it makes getting to the beach so much easier - our Outer Banks rental was oceanfront as well, but you had to trek over dunes to get there and anyone with trouble walking would not have been able to make it.

The house is very comfortable and has everything you need for a casual, laid back beach vacation. The house is not luxurious, but is decorated nicely and kept well. I%26#39;d rent there again.

I went right down to the water first thing and jumped in. The beach was deserted despite the many houses to the north and south. The water, as I mentioned earlier, was beautifully warm, clear and free of seaweed.

The next morning we went into Port St. Joe for a stop at the Piggly Wiggly to get our supplies for the week. The rest of the day was spent in and out of the water, planning our day trips for the rest of the week.

Later in the week we visited St. Joseph%26#39;s Peninsula State Park early in the morning and saw some deer. I can see why it would have been rated one of the best beaches in the United States.

We ventured out to St. George Island, another terrifying bridge crossing, but we were rewarded with more sugary-white fine beaches and a jellyfish sighting.

We also took a ride out to Alligator Point, as I had originally been looking at rentals there and wanted to see what it was like. It seems quite a unique little community and I wouldn%26#39;t mind a rental there one summer.

So unfortunately I can%26#39;t speak to any of the activities offered in the area, or any of the restaurants, as we bought our food at the grocery and cooked it at ';home';. Ours turned out to be strictly a beach vacation, and I think it was well worth it. One moonless night, we took flashlights out on the beach and watched hundreds of crabs scamper about - it was fascinating for someone from Arizona!

If you like the beach, you%26#39;ll love Cape San Blas.

Cape San Blas Vacation

Thanks for the report, sounds like you had a relaxing time. I%26#39;m not fond of bridges either but it%26#39;s what%26#39;s on the other side that makes it worth the ride! I love Cap San Blas, we rented horses and rode along the beach to the light house a few years back, it is a very relaxing place.

Cape San Blas Vacation

Hi Arizona

I have seen some vacation rentals on line in Alligator Point that really look nice, and was wondering if you could compare that area to Cape San Blas.....could you please give me a few pros and cons of each area.....for example which area is the most secluded or remote...are the ';beach front'; rentals too close to the main highway.......how far away is the grocery store....

Also did you go to any of the state parks while you were there ?