Just how does one approach the coming Thanksgiving holiday after a year like this one? You flip the script on it! 2020 has been a year of adaptation and unexpected shifts in plans, routines, and traditions. So, why not one more? Are you ready to do things a little differently – on your own terms? Why not try Thanksgiving, island-style?
Finding A Thanksgiving Spread
Due to the lack of commercial development and the laid-back lifestyle of our coastal community, you will be hard-pressed to find eateries serving up holiday feasts for St. George Island residents and guests on Thanksgiving. In years past, some local establishments have offered special holiday menus, including The Owl Cafe and The Franklin at the Gibson inn in Apalachicola as well as the Blue Parrot in SGI and Doc Myers Island Pub in Eastpoint. However, none of these locations have announced plans for Thanksgiving 2020. While some local restaurants will certainly be open, they may not necessarily be offering a specific, traditional Thanksgiving dinner. So, what is a visiting islander to do?
Turkey With All The Trimmings – And A View
You have a couple of easy options to choose from when it comes to your 2020 Thanksgiving feast in SGI. For starters, Thanksgiving in a vacation rental affords you the opportunity to keep your home-cooked traditions in play… even if “home” looks a little different. You can pick up all the ingredients you need for a festive bounty at a local grocery store. For the broadest selection, you may want to visit a chain location on the mainland, such as Piggly Wiggly or Publix. Some of these major retailers offer complete heat-and-eat, traditional holiday spreads for the most convenient at-home option that won’t require much time investment on your part.
An Island Feast
Of course, there’s always plan B (and our personal favorite), but it requires a bit of a break from the norm to adopt a new, island tradition. Are you up for it? To take advantage of a true Forgotten Coast Thanksgiving, consider the local harvest and make it a seafood feast! Local seafood markets promise the freshest catch of the day, perfect for an epic Gulf Coast boil or oyster roast!
Thanksgiving Weekend – It’s Different Here
Visiting Thanksgiving week? Celebrate a remarkable Florida sunrise as you wake up Black Friday morning with no sense of urgency at all. Let’s face it – free wifi makes Amazon Prime a smart and convenient option to get a start on holiday shopping deals as you dig your toes in the sand. Or shop local for original island treasures and art in honor of Small Business Saturday! To continue on your coastal-themed holiday, check out the Full Moon Climb at Cape St. George Lighthouse on November 29! These monthly moonlight gatherings include a tour of the lighthouse and bottled water for just $15.
If the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving and Black Friday are exactly what you don’t need right now, spend your holiday where you can still take advantage of family time, a fabulous feast, and blissfully little else! That’s right – this is the destination where “nothing to do” is absolutely everything. It’s the stuff of autumn daydreams, and precisely the peace you need.
