Day Trip to Mexico Beach and Apalachicola

One reason we decided to come to Panama City was to check out the FamCamp (one of the best we've seen) and to see Mexico Beach which is 20 miles south.  We packed a lunch and started out to explore.

Along the way we passed through Port St Joe which had signs to the Constitution Convention Museum.

Unfortunately, the museum is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.  Interesting that the town in 1838 was a booming Gulf Port town and won over Tallahassee to host the delegates in writing Florida's state constitution.

We drove through Mexico Beach and decided to stop on the way back from Apalachicola.  We learned a couple of interesting things in Apalachicola.  Another State Park sign we saw was for Gorrie Museum.  Dr. John Gorrie arrived in 1833 and lived there until his death in 1855.  During his time there he combatted yellow fever and achieved some positive results from patients when his experiments lead to a refrigeration unit to cool patients room.    Unfortunately the museum was also closed.

We drove through the quaint town of Apalachicola and parked for some walking around.  The only store we walked through was Grady Market.

It is a quite high-end and pricey outdoor / adventure clothing and nick nack store but interesting none the less.  In the 1850's the store provided supplies to the ships on the waterfront associated with the cotton business, lumber and later the fishing/shrimp industry in town.

We parked right across the street from the Grady Market and walked around the historic downtown area.

One building was an old sponge warehouse, now space for an antique shop.  Flowers were in bloom all over.

We found a picnic table on the dock over near the shrimpers.  These boats go out from 'moon to moon' - sometimes out fishing for up to five weeks.

We talked with one hand who said the best shrimping is during rough waters when the bottom is all stirred up.  Interesting fellow.  He pointed out an otter than was lurking nearby.  He was glad to chat for a few minutes in the middle of fixing the bathroom on board the boat.  He lives months at a time with his wife in Denver where they own an HOA company for some properties.  And their son is a PhD candidate at Harvard.

After a nice picnic lunch we drove around the rest of town and headed back up to Mexico Beach.

It is another nice beach along the Florida Gulf Coast.  The town is a small one and has tourists, but nothing like the congestion and popularity of Destin or Panama City.

We returned to the FamCamp in the middle afternoon and quietly enjoyed the rest of the afternoon and evening.  Both of filled out the NCAA Men's Basketball Brackets.

My picks on the  Final 4:

1. Duke (hoping for an upset)
2. Gonzaga
3. Kansas
4. Indiana

Pam's Final 4:

1. Louisville
2. Gonzaga
3. Kansas 
4. Miami

Our overall winner picks:

• Me - Gonzaga
• Pam - Miami

Who are your picks?

That's it for now on the Roadrunner Chronicles!  Thanks for joining us!