Ross Reinhold

Big Deck Bar & Grill

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Big Deck Bar and Grill Cedar Key

Best Restaurants in Cedar Key, Florida Located in the Dock Street dining and shopping district, the Big Deck Raw Bar overlooks the inner harbor vs. its neighbors across the street who look out on the Gulf. If you are visiting Cedar Key and you have Covid-19 concerns and want a brew or something to eat, … Read more

Annies Cafe Cedar Key, Florida

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annies cafe cedar key florida

See our list of Best Restaurants in Cedar Key Florida Annie’s Cafe is located along the main road, Highway 24, that leads into town and is hard to miss with their unique and artsy exterior. In addition to the Dolphin mascot that welcomes guests, a large garden surrounds the entrance to Annie’s with potted plants … Read more

Tony’s Seafood Cafe

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Tony Seafood Restaurant Cedar Key Florida

See our list of Best Restaurants in Cedar Key Florida Tony’s Cafe among the best places to eat in Cedar Key Rated by many as the Best seafood place in Cedar Key, Tony’s was on our list to try out. Located on the corner of the main intersection in downtown Cedar Key (Highway 24 and … Read more

Duncan’s On the Gulf – Our Review

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duncans on the gulf cedar key

Dining Review of Duncan’s on the Gulf Formerly known as Carlin’s Steakhouse & Pub, Duncan’s has attracted good reviews online for the short time they’ve been under the current ownership. We were looking for a different place to eat with a view overlooking the Gulf of Mexico and the Cedar Keys islands. We had previously … Read more

Welcome to RVing

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winnebago motorhomes 2019

Advice & Tips for New RV Owners Our friends Rick & Sue recently took the plunge and bought an RV motorhome. Being new to RV ownership, they asked for some tips on traveling and using their new unit. After writing down some ideas and sending them an e-mail, I realized “Hey, this could be a … Read more

Update Hymer & RoadTrek Layoff

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winnebago travato class B RV

Are Aktiv and RoadTrek Class B Motorhomes going out of business? As many Aktiv and Road Trek owners know by now, on Feb 15, 2019 Erwin Hymer Group North America, Ontario manufacturer of RoadTrek, Hymer Aktiv, and Carado Class B motorhomes ceased business operations, laid off all their employees, and was placed into receivership by … Read more

More Best Apalachicola Restaurants

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Apalachicola Ice Company Bar

We previously reviewed Best Restaurants in Apalachicola listing places we’ve tried and ones we plan to try in the future based on restaurant review sites. The two restaurants we profile here were also on the list of Top 10 Apalachicola dining in Zomato and Trip Advisor. Unfortunately our visit to these two didn’t support that … Read more

Best Restaurants Apalachicola Florida

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Owl Cafe Apalachicola

Apalachicola Dining & Restaurant Reviews

We’ve had occasion on our two previous visits to sample a number of Apalachicola restaurants and pubs. Our favorite so far is Up the Creek Raw Bar (see our review lower down the page) which dining reviews on Zomato (and other restaurant review sites) rate as #1 in Apalachicola.

Restaurant Review sites led us to try two other top rated Apalachicola places to eat: Boss Oyster and Hole in the Wall Seafood & Raw Bar. Unfortunately our experience didn’t verify their high overall average high ratings (read our restaurant reviews of these two here).

Up the Creek Raw Bar and Restaurant
Great views of the river and bay from the second story deck of “Up the Creek Raw Bar”

Review: Up the Creek Raw Bar

We loved Up the Creek Raw Bar with its friendly and fast service and great views of the Apalachicola River from its second story enclosed deck. You place your order at the bar, take a number and find a comfortable table. When your order is ready a staff member finds you and delivers your meal and beverage. They have a decent selection of wine and tap beers and of course a decent seafood menu. While almost every restaurant in town features locally harvested oysters, known for their unique mild and briny flavor, we stuck with a more familiar dish – grilled mahi-mahi, served with cole slaw and hush puppies. We were not disappointed in our meal served hot and tasty.

Review Summary. Solid 4 and half stars for food and ambiance; 5 stars for super-friendly, fast and efficient service from a team of staffers who love what they are doing.

Apparently others agree with our experience as Up the Creek is ranked by Zomato as the #1 dining spot in Apalachicola.

Up the Creek Raw Bar website

Oyster City Brewing
Oyster City Brewing Outdoor deck. No food other than popcorn, but great brews and best place to be on a nice day.

Links to more Best Apalachicola Dining

Here’s some other dining places vying with Up the Creek for best places to eat in Apalachicola:

  • The Owl Cafe & Tap Room is located across the street from Oyster City Brewery and is highly rated on Zomato and other restaurant review sites.  We had planned to catch breakfast there one morning but upon arriving discovered they only do lunch and dinner, so we’ll have to catch them on our next visit.
  • Tamara’s Cafe is another popular Apalachicola dining establishment that we planned to visit on Monday only to find that was the only day they were closed. Unlike the Owl Cafe, this Cafe does serve breakfast, as well as lunch and dinner. Also on our restaurant review list for our next visit.
  • Two other good breakfast spots in Apalachicola are the Apalachicola Chocolate and Coffee Company and Cafe Con Leche (unfortunately neither has a website).
  • The “Up the Stairs” Restaurant, gets top marks on some review sites and is unique in two respects: it caters only to diners “over 21” and is located on the second story over some shops. Their forte is “quiet dining where patrons can get away from the bustling crowds” with “. . . small plate dining in the lounge and a full menu in the dining room.” Their menu is somewhat retro offering steaks, salmon, duck, scampi, but each with a unique spin.
  • Another place that offers a change of pace from oysters being the specialty is “Antonio’s on the Bay” offering authentic traditional Italian dining and super friendly service.
  • No food except popcorn, but we always enjoy a brew and snacks, watching the world go by at Oyster City Brewing’s patio deck.

Gulf Drive & Forgotten Coast Travel Links:

Scenic Highway 30A Travel

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Grayton Beach Florida


Scenic Gulf Drive – Destin to South Walton to Rosemary Beach

Directory of Articles & Maps: Traveling the Gulf Coast Scenic Drive

Previous Article: Gulf Drive Pensacola Beach to Destin

Going East of Destin on Gulf Highway 98 you connect with Scenic Highway 30A just past Topsail Hill State Park. This will give you an opportunity to return to driving along with a view of the gulf and through the South Walton beach communities along the Emerald Coast. While there still are condos and town homes along this stretch, they aren’t as tightly packed on top of one another like in Destin and along the route you begin to see some actual single family homes with larger yards.

You’ll also pass several ponds that are called coastal dune lakes, freshwater lakes that drain into the Gulf, providing a unique ecosystem due to the exchange of salt and fresh water. Some of these coastal lakes have preserved, natural shoreline – no homes or condos and therefore indeed offer some natural scenery to justify calling this a scenic drive. About a mile before you get to the community of Grayton Beach you are actually driving through Point Washington State Forest.

coastal dune lake
A portion of Draper Lake, one of several unique coastal dune lakes along this section of Scenic Highway 30A

While the drive doesn’t offer an abundance of notable scenery, it is a more pleasant and slower paced drive than traveling on busy highway 98. But about halfway along the 24 mile route there is a genuine scenic and unique  destination: the historic beach town of Grayton Beach (see article) and it’s popular neighbor Grayton Beach State Park – see our article here.

Grayton Beach, Florida

The tiny village of Grayton Beach traces its founding back 125 years when vacationers used to travel by horse and buggy to enjoy its white sand beaches and small town character. As you walk through the town you can see many examples of old cottages lovingly restored and some with a humorous and artistic twist.

Grayton Beach Cottages
One of the many artfully landscaped cottages in Grayton Beach

The town is largely surrounded by Grayton Beach State Park (see our review) which has served to limit the expansion of the village and probably played a role in preserving its unique character. The State Park’s gulf beach extends on both side of the village providing more than a mile of relatively uncrowded pristine beach terrain. The park also encompasses a 100 acre coastal dune lake providing opportunities for canoeing, kayaking, paddle-boarding and fishing. There’s a 59 unit campground and 30 cabins in the park and biking and hiking trails. Make your reservations early as this is a popular park.

Grayton Beach and the State Park are located along the paved Walton County hike/bike path that runs adjacent to Scenic Highway 30A. Biking is one of the best ways to get around town as well as the three nearby towns east of Grayton Beach . . . as there isn’t a lot of public parking space.

Seaside Florida
Hundreds of bikes in the town of Seaside, every where you look bikes.

Seaside to Rosemary Beach

Going east of Grayton Beach on 30A you quickly arrive at the very upscale community of Seaside with an extensive collection of modern condo units and a popular town square that hosts entertainment, beach-related enterprises, festivals and outdoor food carts. We drove through this town in late March during spring break time and were in awe of seeing what seemed like a thousand kids on bikes running back and forth along the bike path adjacent to the road and droves of teens crowding around the food and entertainment in the town square plus walking to and fro. I wonder how crowded the beaches were because there were sure lots of people walking and biking around town. Seaside is a popular place.

Seaside Town Square
The Food Court at the Seaside Town Square is a favorite gathering place.

Further east of Seaside is the community of Seagrove (more beach condos) and then at the end of Scenic Highway 30A the community of Rosemary Beach essentially a replication of Seaside with condos, beach resort venues, a very busy town square and people walking and biking everywhere. These three villages east of Grayton Beach seem to be very popular, especially with families. If you rent a house, cottage or book lodging at a condo many types of entertaiment, in addition to the beach, are within walking distance (and biking and bike rental places abound!). These villages must have a reputation as safe places because there were young kids streaming all over the place, many without any adult supervision.

Travel and Visitor Links:

Continuing on the Scenic Gulf Coast Drive: Gulf Drive Rosemary Beach to Apalachicola – – –

Fat Mama’s Tamales | Natchez, MS

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Fat mamas tamales

Restaurant Review: Fat Mama’s Tamales

Jo reviewing the menu before placing our Fat Mama’s order.

Huge Taco Salad, Roast Beef PoBoy, and Mama’s Tamales.

Fat Mamas Tamales Natchez, Mississippi
Jo enjoying her Fat Mama’s Margarita out on the dining deck.

Fat Mama's Tamales Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Fat Mama’s originally opened in Natchez in 1989 and have been at their current Canal Street location since 2008. Its colorful fun atmosphere, fast and friendly service, good homemade food, and decent prices have made Fat Mama’s a favorite Natchez dining institution.

You place your order at the counter, get your beverage, leave your name and take a seat in the restaurant or out on the dining deck. A server will bring your meal when it is ready.

Jo ordered the Taco Salad, a crispy tortilla shell filled with lettuce, seasoned chicken, shredded cheese, sliced black olives, diced tomatoes and onions, but held the jalapeno peppers. Very fresh and crisp and a generous quantity of ingredients. She liked that the chicken and all the ingredients were nicely distributed throughout the salad versus being layered like you find at some eateries.

I had the huge Roast Beef & Gravy PoBoy sandwich. Served on French Bread and a generous quantity of hot thin-sliced roast beef with shredded cabbage, sliced tomatoes and pickles. Served with a side of homemade potato chips. Very filling and tasty. The chips were exceptional.

Because she had no idea what a Tamale was Jo ordered a half dozen to go with our meal. They were served hot wrapped in corn husks. Too spicy for Jo’s tastes; I found them good but could only eat one as my Roast Beef PoBoy filled my tank to the top.

Jo ordered Fat Mama’s signature Margarita and found it suitably powerful and brain-freezing chilled. I had a chilled glass of amber ale tap; one of 8 specialty beers on tap.

We give Fat Mama’s high marks for fun, comfortable, casual dining, plus great food, and good service. Zomato.com rates it in the top 5 Natchez restaurants. We had previously dined and enjoyed the food and service at The Camp restaurant, located along the river in the Natchez-Under-the-Hill neighborhood. Other top-rated Natchez dining spots on our future list of places to try are Roux 61, Mammy’s Cupboard, and the historic King’s Tavern.

Natchez Links

Snow Report – Wisconsin, Minnesota, Upper Peninsula

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Snow Across Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula

Winter in Wisconsin – looking off the deck of our house

Dateline January 10, 2016. Resort, pub owners, restaurants, convenience stores – all sorts of businesses across Minnesota’s North Shore, Northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are happy folks because they’ve finally had some snow and normally cold weather.

Joining in the merriment are winter recreation enthusiasts – snowmobilers, snowshoe hikers, cross-country skiers, and the like who have been looking forward to going “up north” to enjoy their favorite winter hobby. With the recent spell of very cold weather, ice fisherman should be happy too.

Snow storms have swept across the entire Lake Superior region. Recent snow is good news for the annual John Beargrease Sled Dog Race being held the last week in January. Ashland and Bayfield are getting more snow, setting things up nicely for the Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race being held the first weekend in February. Jo and I attended this popular Bayfield Area Sled Dog Race a few years ago and enjoyed watching the competition. In the Upper Peninsula from the Porcupine Mountains to Houghton and the Keweenaw have received several inches of snow. Ditto for Marquette, Michigan, which will be hosting the UP 200 Sled Dog Race in mid-February. Also happy are the folks in nearby Trenary, Michigan who are hosting the 23rd annual Outhouse Race the last Saturday in February.

Snow Report Lake Superior
Snow Depth around Lake Superior, Jan 10. 2016

Snow conditions for winter sports east of Marquette all the way to Sault Ste. Marie are good. These good  winter recreation conditions continue to exist all the way around Lake Superior into Ontario from the Soo to Wawa to Red Rock/Nipigon. See the January NOAA Snow Report Map for Lake Superior Region shown here. From Thunder Bay, Ontario down across the US border to Grand Marais, Minnesota there are good conditions for x-c skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and most winter sports. The region is expected to receive snow showers several days of the coming week and temperatures are cold enough to hold the snow.

If you like winter in the northland, looks like you’ll have the conditions to enjoy it. See our Lake Superior Snow Report & Winter Recreation page for links to the latest weather reports and conditions on snowshoe, skiing, and snowmobiling trails. When they are open, the Bayfield Lake Superior Sea and Ice Caves (see pix at top of the page) are the number one winter attraction around Lake Superior.

PS In 2013 Jo and I attended the UP 200 Sled Dog Race (see our report and pictures). Maybe this year we’ll catch that Trenary Outhouse Race?

Roscoe

Isle Royale National Park

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Isle Royale

Hiking the Isle Royale National ParkImogen Reed, Guest Contributor At the far northwest of Michigan is an island closer to both Minnesota and Canada than any other part of the state. So far in fact, that if you wanted to drive from any other part of Michigan you would have to go through at least … Read more