St George Island is consistently rated as one of the top beaches in the United States, and one of the best places to vacation. I can see why!

St George Island Map
Click to enlarge

We went in May (the week before Mother’s Day) which is the slow season anyway, but everyone and everything on the island is so calm and laid-back.

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Located just off North Florida’s Gulf Coast, the 28-mile St. George Island is one of the last inhabited yet unspoiled barrier islands in Florida.

St George Island Florida sunrise

I posted a few pictures already here, but I still have a ton to share! And I wanted to make sure I mentioned the awesome nature center they have there!

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We stayed in a townhouse with a view of the gulf, on the eastern end of St. George Island, right before the State Park.

St George Island Bridge

Just before you cross the 4-mile bridge to SGI, there’s a nature center research reserve on the left that is a must see! I’m so glad we went to check it out!

Apalachicola Research Reserve

It was completely free! They have indoor and outdoor exhibits and lots of fun facts about the area.

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The tanks are completely open on top, but you aren’t supposed to pet the fish, duh.

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But there is a room in center of the building that is full of animal displays and real animal bones that you can touch!

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It was very hands-on and educational, kind of like a school field trip. There were even preserved animals, like sharks and turtles, in specimen jars.

St George Island _ apalachicola research reserve

Natalie said “This is the best day ever!” every single day we were there. And each day was better than the next.

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But after the trip was over and the excitement had worn off, Natalie said her favorite part of the whole trip was visiting the nature center.

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Haley said her favorite part of the trip was playing at the beach.

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They both love the water, but Haley especially loves playing in the sand and building sandcastles.

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We rented a kayak for a few days while we were there. My husband wanted one for shark fishing at night. (Yes, it’s as safe as it sounds.)

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Haley couldn’t wait to go for a ride, and Natalie was terrified, but they were both ready to sail around the world in this tiny thing after about five minutes on the water.

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I had never been on a kayak in the ocean before. We took it to SGI State Park, and my husband and I spent some time fishing in the bay without any kiddos.

SGI Kayak Storyboard

We stayed one whole week, Sunday to Sunday. Total, we spent about $3,000. That was everything including our travel expenses, renting the townhouse, food for all 6 people, renting a kayak, souvenir shopping, and fishing supplies.

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This picture of Natalie sitting is the very last picture I took before we headed back home. She wasn’t ready to leave!

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