For many people, “Florida” conjures up a certain image, often comprised of Art Deco buildings in Miami and retired folks from the Northeast. I know that Florida; I lived in or near Miami Beach for most of my twenties. But that’s not the Florida where I was raised, and it’s not the Florida I hold close in my heart.
The Florida that matters to me is the Southern-accented one. An area of rolling hills, and – down near the coast – sugar-sand covered barrier islands, and bird-filled marshes and wetlands. It’s a quiet area, where people take time for simple pleasures, and long, slow, swigs of beer.
In this laid-back part of the world, one of my favorite places to go is the Riverside Café, in the historic town of St. Marks, Florida. Drive the 20 miles or so down from Tallahassee, and you’ll literally dead-end at the restaurant, which is directly on the river (or, as they say on their website, “any further south and you’re all wet”).
Located a stone’s throw from the stunning St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, the Café is an old Florida style institution, with fresh off the boat seafood, and Jimmy Buffett playing in the background. You’ll find every kind of visitor here, from bike riders just off the St. Marks Trail (which also dead ends by the restaurant); college students; locals and fishermen; and Tallahassee based-politicians. It’s the kind of place where you can come for a grouper sandwich, and stay for the afternoon.
When I’m not inside eating, I like to sit out on the restaurant’s dock. The St. Marks River, and its nearby tributary the Wakulla River, have some of the best wildlife around including herons, and manatee.
And then there are the fishermen. Even though they are casting off in the modern-day world, when you sit back in the Florida sunshine and watch them, you get the feeling that you’re watching the exact same scene that happened 50 years ago. This part of Florida might be unknown, but for many of us, it will never be unloved.
More Information
See more of my photos from St. Marks, Florida
Learn more about the St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, St. Marks, Florida
Learn more about the Riverside Café, St. Marks, Florida
All words and images © Jo Anne Richardson, 2014.
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