Nestled up in Florida’s panhandle along the Gulf Coast, St. George Island is a popular beach destination for locals and tourists. It’s a hotspot to relax for a day at the beach, but it’s also the host of numerous outdoor adventures.
Island from paddleboarding excursions and fishing expeditions to historic lighthouse tours and pristine beach getaways. Here are some of the best St. George Island outdoor adventures.
1. Paddle Boarding Excursions and Eco Tours
Explore St. George Island in one of the best ways and most fascinating ways possible on the water. Take a paddleboard out to sea to coast around some of St. George’s hotspots, catch some rays, and maybe catch a glimpse of some dolphins.
You can rent paddleboards on your own or take advantage of the eco excursions that the local Islandfit SUP and Yoga company offers. You don’t have to be a pro paddleboarder either because the company provides beginner lessons to help you get comfortable with the board on and off the water.
2. St. George Lighthouse Tour
A mild exploration, but an adventure nonetheless, the St. George Lighthouse is a historic landmark in the region and the site of a unique experience. You can climb the tower’s spiral staircase for stunning panoramic views of the beach and sea.
You can tour the lighthouse at sunset to watch the sun dip below the sea and burn the sky a vibrant orange for the optimal view. Don’t leave right after, though. Instead, stick around and continue with a moonlit tour to see the moon and stars in full bloom from the lighthouse’s fantastic vantage point.
3. Bob Sikes Cut
Of course, if you venture out to St. George Island, you can pass up a beach adventure. But don’t settle for the typical public beach. Instead, head over to lesser-known Bob Sikes Cut located at the island’s tip, accessible only via the sandy walkway.
Located near Schooner’s Landing, a slender sandy path will lead you to the little beach strip, Bob Sikes Cut. The water here encompasses the land and creates your own personal peninsula.
4. Sunset and Dolphin Cruise
Sunset and dolphins, what more could you ask for in an outdoor adventure? With the aid of local Journeys of St. George Island, you can venture out on the cerulean sea for a sunset cruise. Drifting out on the water provides the most stunning backdrop for the sunset, or sunrise, and bobbing dolphins in the distance.
You can also take this cruise to look for the other native coastal wildlife, such as ospreys, bald eagles, and herons. Journeys of SGI offers the cruise at both sunset and sunrise.
If you don’t want to take up a chunk of your day with either of those four-hour tours, you can always take advantage of the shorter single boat rides that take you out on the water and the historical St. George Island lighthouse.
5. Scalloping
Have an adventure and bring home dinner with a scalloping excursion. This unique opportunity from St. George Island Adventures takes you out to some scalloping hotspots for freediving in the depths of the shallow bay area. Hunt and pick as many scallops as you can carry–and eat–for an eventful trip and hearty meal.
Before planning your scalloping trip, you should know that the best time to go is between mid-August and September.
6. Charter Trips
If the shallow bay isn’t your scene and you won’t want to get your hands on something a little bit bigger than a scallop, you might want to hop aboard a charter for an out-to-sea fishing excursion with Bay View Charters.
On these charter trips, you can travel 10-miles out on the open ocean to deep-sea fish for snapper, grouper, mackerel, triggerfish, and other larger game to satiate your need for a challenge. Plus, fishing trips make for a fun day in the sun for the whole family, not just those who have fishing experience.
7. Bike the Island
Just because you visit an island doesn’t mean you have to spend every second of your time on the water. Instead, you can adventure around the island via bike. Biking has become increasingly popular, and a local shop, Happy Ours, now offers bike rentals.
Rent a bike for a day or a couple of hours to get from place to place or ride along the island’s newest Loggerhead Trail, which takes you from Salinas Park to St. Joseph Peninsula State Park. The trail is multipurpose and offers you a great view of the island as you coast.
