Hot off the press: The brand-new 2026 Visitor Guide for Florida’s Forgotten Coast is out this week. It’s the one locals and part-timers like me actually reach for — not the glossy tourist version, but the practical one filled with real places, updated maps, and the kind of quiet spots that make this stretch of coast feel like home.

Every time a new edition comes out I flip straight to the sections that matter most to the people who live here or keep coming back. This year’s guide feels especially grounded. It’s put together by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council and includes everything from where to find fresh seafood to the latest on paddling trails and working waterfronts. You can grab a free physical copy at the visitor centers in Apalachicola, Carrabelle, Eastpoint, or St. George Island, or view the full online version instantly.

Here are three under-the-radar spots that caught my eye this time around — the kind you won’t find on every “top 10” list but that locals and returning visitors are quietly using right now:

1. New aquaculture leases visible from Eastpoint You can now see the carefully managed oyster farming areas from several pull-offs along Highway 98. The guide highlights how these leases are helping restore the bay while giving local watermen steady work. It’s a hopeful, low-key sign of the comeback we’ve all been watching.

2. Updated kayak trails out of Carrabelle The guide includes freshly mapped routes that skirt the old restricted zones and take you through some of the prettiest backwaters on the coast. Easy launches, minimal crowds, and the kind of paddle that still feels like old Florida.

3.Expanded working waterfront access in the Apalachicola Bay area More detail this year on the small commercial docks and marinas that locals actually use day-to-day — the places where you still see oyster boats unloading and fishermen swapping stories. These are the spots that keep the working-coast feel alive.

If you’re a second-home owner, part-time resident, or just someone who keeps coming back like me, this year’s guide feels a little more “for us” than previous ones. It’s a quiet signal that the area is steadily rebuilding — one small business, one careful step, and one honest map at a time.

Official 2026 Visitor Guide (online version + free print copies):

 Florida’s Forgotten Coast — 2026 Visitor Guide