There are 4 barrier islands just off the shores of Florida’s Forgotten Coast. Two of which are inhabited and great quiet places to live and enjoy the amazing gulf coastal beaches of Florida. Let’s take a closer look at both of these livable islands and what is great about living there.

Living on the Islands of Florida's Forgotten Coast

St. George Island

St. George Island is part of Franklin County on the panhandle of Florida on the Forgotten Coast area. St. George is located across Apalachicola Bay from the cities of Apalachicola and Eastpoint. It can be accessed from the mainland of Florida by the 4 mile long St. George Island Bridge that crosses the bay from Eastpoint.

St. George Island is divided into three main regions along its 28 miles of land that are only 1 mile in width. These regions are the Dr. Julian G Bruce St. George Island State Park, a region of private and gated housing communities, and the public strip. The public strip is the island’s business core with restaurants and small businesses. The private gated housing community on island has its own airstrip and is home to many luxury beach estates.

St. George is known for some of the quietest, serene, and unspoiled beaches in the entire state of Florida. There are plenty of beach activities for all types of beachgoers from just sitting and relaxing in nature to kayaking and bicycling. This is however a small island with a very small town atmosphere. Some would say tiny town atmosphere. It is a great place for those wanting a quiet lifestyle that is a bit slower paced with little to distract you and keep you super busy. You will not find large chain stores and super malls here. There is just one road in and out of the island and the nearest large town with countless amenities is 1 1/2 hours’ drive away. Due to the remoteness of the island, the cost of living can bit a bit higher than living in a large metropolitan area, but the residents of St. George find the trade-off more than worth it.

Dog Island

Dog Island is located just off the shores of the town of Carrabelle within the limits of Franklin County on St. George Sound and the Gulf of Mexico. Dog Island is only accessible by the ferry boat or the private use airport.

Dog Island is known for its white sand beaches and abundant opportunities to catch fresh seafood through shelling, crabbing, and shore fishing. It is also popular as a stop when boating to take some time for beach combing and picnicking. People who enjoy Dog Island are true rustic outdoor beach lovers. Activities of Dog Island include bird watching, beach and coastal hiking, wildlife watching that creates great opportunity for photography and sketching, camping, and sunset watching. There is a yacht club on Dog Island where boat slips can be rented long term and for the day.

Other than the Pelican Inn that hosts tourists there is not much tourist activity beyond day trips making Dog Island a very quiet and remote place to live. There are about 100 homes currently on the island, some of them used as rentals and some as vacation homes. There are around 33 year-round residents that call the island home.

There are no public amenities on the island in the way of stores, restaurants, and restrooms. All needed items must be purchased off-island. Dog Island is a wonderful place to live for anyone that just wants to live on the outskirts and be able to leave all the hustle behind to relax and unwind at home.

Are you looking for a quiet Florida beach home that allows you to get away from it all and just enjoy the sun, shore, and water? St. George and Dog Island are great choices. Contact us today for more information on Dog Island and St. George Island Real Estate.

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