Discover St. George Island, Florida

St. George Island is one of the few beaches that is pet-friendly, and many of the vacation homes are pet-friendly. There are several pet-friendly accommodations and pet-friendly restaurants that cater to you and your best friend. The selection of accommodations is impressive. Camp at the State Park, rent a hotel room, or reserve a villa or spacious home on the bay, beach, or in-between.  Many vacation homes are pet friendly.

We fish here … a lot.  Expect to land Sheepshead, Speckled Trout, Flounder, Whiting, Redfish, Shark and Tripletail in the bay; Snapper, Grouper, Amberjack, Sea Bass, Mackerel, Mahi-Mahi, Cobia and Sharks in the gulf.  You can cast a rod from the shore, skim the flats, or head out to open water with a charter boat captain. The island features several bait and tackle shops.  There are two public boat ramps on the island – one at the foot of the bridge as you arrive and another in the State Park at the east end. There are several businesses on the island that rent kayaks, paddle boards or even boats. You can charter a trip with experienced fishing and tour guides.

St. George Island features fresh local seafood in its many restaurants. Enjoy beachfront dining overlooking the gulf or head to the bay side for pub fare at a quaint bay side eatery. Pizza? Of course. The island also features two grocery stores that stock everything you need and gourmet items you wouldn’t expect to find. The island features many shopping opportunities for every taste, including art galleries, boutiques, jewelry stores and beachwear.

There are so many family and pet-friendly things to do. Rent a bike or bring your own to enjoy miles of bike paths. There is a  6-mile paved path that parallels Gulf Beach Drive, the island's main road, from just outside St. George Plantation (a private gated community) to the entrance of St. George Island State Park on the island's eastern end. Enter the state park and you'll have the opportunity to pick up hiking trails for exploring its dunes, forest, and marshes.

Rent a boat or charter a trip to explore the bay and nearby islands. Go fish, rent a kayak or paddle board, take a hike, go bird-watching, stargazing or walk the beach at dawn in early summer you may see the nesting sea turtles.  Stop at the visitor center and take a picture of the historic lighthouse, the Cape St. George Light.

The St. George Island State Park occupies the far eastern end. There you will find nine miles of undeveloped shoreline, majestic dunes, a bay forest and salt marshes. State Park has a series of hiking trails, boardwalks and observation platforms. Since 2011, the State Park has ranked among the Top 10 Beaches of America. Birding is a popular activity on St. George Island. You might encounter one of the many migratory birds that use St. George Island as a stopover on their way south or north. We have even had rare appearances by a flamingo and a snowy owl!

St. George Island is home to the annual Chili Charity Cook-off event each March. This fun annual event attracts more than 5,000 chili enthusiasts to the island. In the summer and again in the fall, the Rock By the Sea Festival is a music charity event that brings the region’s best musicians together to raise money for charity. Throughout the year, St. George Island nightlife features a variety of music in several venues.

Beginning early summer, loggerhead sea turtles come ashore to dig their nests and lay eggs along the beach. The hatchlings emerge at night and crawl to the gulf guided by light of the seaward horizon. Sometimes hatchlings are fooled by artificial light from beach homes. During the summer nesting season, you can help by turning off outdoor lights and by removing your belongings from the beach each evening.