At the tip of the Indian Pass peninsula, Indian Pass Campground has primitive, tent-only sites directly on the water. These sites face Indian Lagoon next to St. Vincent Sound, connecting the Gulf of Mexico and Apalachicola Bay. Campfires are allowed in the sites, and a bathhouse is available for campers. The campground also has RV sites and cabins for rent. Birders and wildlife enthusiasts will especially like Indian Pass Campground because St. Vincent Island -- a large, undeveloped barrier island and National Wildlife Refuge -- is just across the channel in St. Vincent Sound.
If you want easy access to "America's Best Beach" from your campsite, the campground at St. Joseph Peninsula State Park on Cape San Blas is the place to go. Cape San Blas and Indian Pass are next-door neighbors, and the beach at the state park at the tip of the cape took top national honors in the 2002 best beach survey by "Dr. Beach," environmental coastal sciences professor Stephen P. Leatherman. The two campground loops here are RV- and tent-friendly and within easy walking distance to the beach. Dogs are allowed in the campground areas but not on the beach inside the state park. Otherwise, the beaches on Cape San Blas and at Indian Pass are extremely dog-friendly.
The Forgotten Coast is known as a prime fishing destination. Anglers will want to stay in a place with a pier as well as a boat ramp that provides access not only to the Gulf of Mexico, but also to the bays and many inland waterways in the area where the waters are rich with different species of fish. Indian Pass Campground serves this purpose. So does Presnell's Marina and Campground on St. Joseph Bay, a few miles west of Indian Pass. Both campgrounds have their own stores selling fishing supplies and guided fishing charters available.
The historic town of Apalachicola is the center of the seafood industry in the region. Unsurprisingly, it has great seafood dining options, from delectable dives like Boss Oyster at the waterfront docks to the more gourmet fare at Tamara's Cafe on Market Street. But as long as you're in Indian Pass, you might as well head to the Indian Pass Raw Bar, a don't-miss seafood shack housed in an old general store/gas station, where the oysters come from the restaurant's own oyster bed in the bay. The menu is short -- oysters, shrimp, gumbo, some stuff for the kids -- and nothing is fried; it's all served raw, steamed or baked.
