Stay at a bed-and-breakfast.

Friendly innkeepers who possess a wealth of local knowledge will add to your vacation experience. Apalachicola has three options within walking distance of downtown bars, restaurants and shops. If planning a romantic getaway, check out the Coombs Inn & Suites (coombshouseinn.com), which offers luxurious amenities such as down bedding, Jacuzzis and bathrobes, and homemade cookies served at 3 p.m. The Gibson Inn (gibsoninn.com) brings vacationers back to the early 20th century. Atop its tin roof, a widow’s walk and cupola nod to the area’s steamboat ties. Locals enjoy cocktails and sunsets from the hotel’s veranda. Want to be right on the water? Look no further than Apalachicola River Inn (apalachicolariverinn.com). The ambiance is a bit ramshackle, but the view is sublime.

Shops in downtown Apalachicola (photo by Jeremiah Stanley)

Shop small.

Apalachicola presents independent retailers selling high-quality apparel and gifts. Apalach Outfitters (apalachoutfitters.com) has the goods to keep you safe and comfortable on the water or in the woods. For upscale threads, Grady Market carries Eileen Fischer, Seven, Southern Tide and more. For unique souvenirs, browse Riverlily (theriverlily.com), Old Stuff Shop, and Retsyo Inc. (that’s “oyster” spelled backwards).

Eat up.

Nowhere else (currently) has Apalachicola Bay oysters on the menu. Locals recommend them raw on a saltine cracker with a dash of Krystal hot sauce, but if you care to “gild the lily,” as they say at Boss Oyster (bossoyster.com), you can have oysters baked with different toppings, such as feta, bacon and more. Other local dining favorites include Hole in the Wall Seafood, Papa Joe’s Oyster Bar & Grill (papajoesoysterbar.com), and, for special occasions, The Owl Café and Wine Room (owlcafeflorida.com) and Gormley’s at The Gibson Inn (chefgormley.com).

A plate of oysters at Up The Creek Raw Bar in downtown Apalachicola (photo by Jeremiah Stanley)

Consider the festivals.

To enjoy Apalachicola in all its sleepy small town glory, avoid special events, such as the annual Florida Seafood Festival, in early November; Oyster Cook-off, mid-January; Antique & Classic Boat & Car Show, mid-April; as well as the Fourth of July, when tens of thousands of visitors remember “The Forgotten Coast.”