(ENLARGE)

Dan VanVleet, owner of Happy Ours Kayak and Canoe Outpost in Port St. Joe, Fla., gets ready to lead a kayak tour.

Don Yarbrough (ENLARGE)

Mexico Beach has yet to sprout the high-rises of nearby Panama City Beach. Condos and boat slips let vacationers enjoy the good life in an area that still lets nature have its say.

Bill Fauth (ENLARGE)

Breathtaking, sky-filling sunsets are one of the big pleasures of a stay at Mexico Beach. The town also sponsors events like a wine-and-art festival, a fishing tournament and concerts.

• What to know if you go

• Mexico Beach | Apalachicola | Cape San Blas | Port St. Joe

Mexico Beach, Fla. — They call this part of the Panhandle east of Panama City the Forgotten Coast. That may have been true a few years ago, but somebody forgot to tell the hordes of vacationers who flock here every year in search of sun, sand and serenity.

Even so, it's still nothing like Panama City Beach. You won't find round-the-clock entertainment, water parks, bikini contests and tattoo parlors here. In fact, Mexico Beach doesn't even have a traffic light, and the nearest fast-food restaurant is 10 miles away in Port St. Joe.

Clear water, gorgeous sunsets

What Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe do have are incredible sunsets, sugar-sand beaches and water clear enough for scuba diving. Most of the visitors are content to spend a day swimming or relaxing on the beach, but those looking for other diversions can go windsurfing, sailing, parasailing, kayaking or fishing.

I first began going to Mexico Beach nearly 30 years ago, when my in-laws built a house there. Back then, it was a perfect spot to relax, read books and unwind. My kids hated it. Well, they didn't exactly hate it, but as teenagers they much preferred spending time at Panama City Beach, where the action was. Now they appreciate the laid-back atmosphere and nightlife consisting of karaoke at Toucan's on the Beach or fishing off the public pier.

When I returned to Florida's Forgotten Coast recently after a 10-year absence, I hardly recognized the place. Condos and vacation homes have popped up like mushrooms, and construction cranes are everywhere.

I feared that Mexico Beach had lost its quiet charm in the midst of all the development. Not so, said Lynn Costin Marshall, president of the Community Development Council.

"Mexico Beach is still a haven for rest and relaxation," Marshall said. "But we also have a year-round schedule of events that includes a wine-and-art festival in October, a fishing tournament in the spring and outside concerts in September."

The week I was there, Mexico Beach was hosting a triathlon; Tyndall Air Force Base had scheduled an air show with the Thunderbirds; and Apalachicola had booked an antique boat show.

Every Fourth of July the town of Mexico Beach celebrates with a 5K run, a fishing tournament for kids and a huge fireworks display that can be seen anywhere on the beach.

"But the day doesn't end when the sun goes down," Marshall said. "In fact, watching the sun go down is one of the highlights of the day. Each night you're treated to a breathtaking sunset, and no two are alike."

Having spent many vacations in Mexico Beach, I knew she wasn't exaggerating about the sunsets. She was right about the rest and relaxation part, too. After a hearty dinner of steamed oysters and she-crab soup at Toucan's, I took a long walk on the beach and slept soundly with an ocean breeze blowing in the bedroom window.

The next morning I arranged for a quick voyage with Capt. Alan Sligh's Sea Escapes in search of dolphins. The dolphins were hiding, but we did catch a few bluefish while getting a close-up view of the white sands of Cape San Blas.

Sligh charges less than some of the charter boat captains, from $25 and up in his six-passenger boat for eco-tours, fishing, dolphin encounters and island shuttles.

Apalachicola

The highlight of the next day was a trip to Apalachicola and another meal of the renowned Apalachicola oysters at a waterfront restaurant with the appropriate name of Boss Oyster.

If you go to Apalachicola, plan to spend at least a day browsing through the antique and gift shops, admiring some of the 200 homes on the National Register of Historic Places, stopping for a drink or dinner at the Gibson Inn and Restaurant, or visiting the John Gorrie Museum.

Gorrie is the man you need to thank for your ice and your air conditioning. When he came to Apalachicola in the early 1800s, Gorrie was a young physician who was concerned about his yellow fever patients and invented a method to cool their rooms. He also invented a machine that made ice, and received a patent in 1851. A replica of his ice machine is on display in the museum along with other exhibits showing the history of Apalachicola when the town was a busy port.

Now it's famous for seafood. More than 90 percent of Florida's oysters are harvested here.

Cape San Blas

One of the must-see sights on Florida's Forgotten Coast is Cape San Blas, a curled spit of land that protects the bay. There are several historic sites on the cape, including the Cape San Blas Lighthouse and the Confederate Saltworks.

At the tip of the cape is St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, a 2,500-acre wildlife refuge with 10 miles of uninhabited beach, a boat ramp, RV camp, tent sites, cabins, canoeing, kayaking, biking and hiking trails. St. Joseph consistently ranks high on "best beaches" lists and was selected the No. 1 beach in the United States in 2002 by Dr. Beach (aka Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, author of "America's Best Beaches.")

Port St. Joe

Located 10 miles east of Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe has undergone a remarkable transformation since the St. Joe paper plant was imploded in 1992. No longer are visitors greeted with the rotten-egg smell of a paper mill when they cross the bridge into the town.

"Most of the development has happened in the last five years," said Paula Ramsey Pickett, tourist development director. "Right now we're working to build the largest boardwalk in Florida. It will be 7 1/2 miles long."

While colorful pastel houses have sprung up near Port St. Joe, the town itself is gradually changing to accommodate tourists and newcomers. There are several good restaurants, including the elegant Sunset Coastal Grill and the rustic Dockside Cafe and Raw Bar, antique shops and galleries, and a marina where you can rent boats and kayaks or take a sunset cruise.

Guerry and Susan Magidston of Atlanta are regular visitors to the Mexico Beach-Port St. Joe area and are planning to buy a house there.

"I was born in Port St. Joe and my grandfather ran a hardware store there," Guerry Magidston said. "I enjoyed the area so much, the hunting and fishing, when I was growing up. Now my wife and I visit as much as we possibly can. We love the gorgeous beaches. It's not as quiet with all the growth and development, but it still has the flavor of old Florida."

And much of the natural beauty remains unspoiled as well. In St. Joseph Bay, for example, the water is crystal-clear and wildlife is still abundant. Dan VanVleet regularly spots eagles on his eco-tours and has witnessed a shark giving birth in the bay.

VanVleet and his wife, Debbie, are the owners of the Happy Ours Kayak and Canoe Outpost, a combination kayak rental place and home to the VanVleets' menagerie of chickens, a horse, a donkey and a cat.

"This place is perfect for eco-tours and because we have a migration of everything from birds to monarch butterflies in the fall," said Dan VanVleet. "We do scalloping and snorkeling in the bay and we do fishing out of the kayaks."

Every spring the locals have a contest to clean up the bay. Last year, VanVleet said, they collected 700 pounds of garbage and gave prizes for the most trash and the most unusual thing.

"One year we found a bottle with a note inside. The note said what a miserable time this person was having on Cape San Blas going to the beach every day. 'And next week I have to fly to Paris with my parents,' it said. Obviously it was written by a teenager."

After issuing flotation devices and safety instructions, VanVleet showed us how to get in and out of the kayaks. These are sea kayaks with seats on top — not enclosed like white-water kayaks.

As we paddled out into the shallow bay, VanVleet paused to catch a horseshoe crab and hand it to Cathi Slater of Marietta, one of the paddlers. Hesitant at first, she finally took it by its spiked tail and held it at arm's length.

"I do this with the kids when I take them out," VanVleet said. "I want to show them they don't have to be afraid of most sea creatures."

One thing you do have to be afraid of is leaning out too far. As I strained to get a better look at the horseshoe crab, I flipped over into the knee-deep water.

"Now you're getting to know your kayak," VanVleet said, laughing, as I scrambled back aboard to complete the scenic tour of the bay as the sun began sliding toward the horizon. Even wet, watching the sunset was a beautiful experience. And almost as enjoyable as Apalachicola oysters.

IF YOU GO

Getting there

• Driving: Mexico Beach is 314 miles from downtown Atlanta, about a six-hour drive. Take I-85 south to Exit 21 at I-185 south toward Columbus. Merge onto U.S. 80 west at Exit 10 toward Phenix City, Ala.; merge onto U.S. 280 east/U.S. 431 south and take the U.S. 431 south ramp toward Eufaula and Dothan, Ala. In Dothan, take U.S. 231 south toward Panama City. Turn east on U.S. 98 toward Mexico Beach.

• Flying: The closest facility, Panama City-Bay County International Airport, is served by Delta Air Lines. Round-trip fares are $325 and up.

Events, festivals

• July 4: Mexico Beach's Best Blast on the Beach features fireworks display, fishing tournament and live entertainment. Port St. Joe festivities include live entertainment, watermelon-seed-spitting and kite-flying contests, a pirate invasion and fireworks.

• Aug. 24: Kingfish Tournament at Mexico Beach.

• Aug. 31-Sept. 1: Port St. Joe Scallop Festival at Frank Pate Park features live music, arts and crafts and pony rides.

Where to stay

There are numerous motels, plus condos and houses to rent. Here are a few options:

• El Governor Motel: This beachfront place offers double, king and queen beds, private balconies, rooms with kitchenettes and use of washers and dryers. U.S. 98, Mexico Beach. 850-648-5757, www.mexicobeach.com/Elgovnor.

• The Driftwood Inn: Each room is furnished in a "beach Victorian" style with antiques and comes with fully equipped kitchens, cable TV and phone. A deck out back features barbecue grills and a picnic area. 2105 U.S. 98 on the beach. 850-648-5126, www.driftwoodinn.com.

• Port Inn: Located on St. Joseph Bay in Port St. Joe, the 20-room hotel has the ambience of a 1920s Florida beach inn but with air conditioning, cable TV, Internet access and a pool. 501 Monument Ave. 850-229-7678, www.portinnfl.com.

Where to eat

It's difficult to get a bad meal if you order any kind of seafood in Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe or Apalachicola. Here are a few restaurants to check out:

• Apalachicola Seafood Grill and Steaks: A longtime favorite serving fried oysters and shrimp and fresh seafood. 100 Market St., Apalachicola. 850-653-9510.

• Dockside Cafe: This rustic waterfront restaurant offers outside dining with a wonderful view. The oysters and fish are fresh and the beer is cold. Port St. Joe Marina. 850-229-5200.

• Papa Joe's Oyster Bar and Grill: Located at Scipio Creek Marina, Papa Joe's is where the locals go to get fresh oysters and seafood in a no-frills atmosphere. 301-B Market St., Apalachicola. 850-653-1189.

• Sunset Coastal Grill: This restaurant is a little fancier than the Dockside but still casual enough for beachwear. Perhaps the best thing on the menu is the hot crab and artichoke dip, but the shrimp and grits and the pan-fried oysters are also excellent. 602 Monument Ave., Port St. Joe. 850-227-7900, www.sunsetcoastalgrill.com.

• Toucan's on the Beach: This restaurant features early-bird specials of all-you-can-eat shrimp, oysters at half price, and some of the best she-crab soup west of Charleston. The shrimp, oyster and grouper po'boys are delicious. There's karaoke, too. 812 U.S. 98, Mexico Beach. 850-648-8207.

Information

• Mexico Beach Community Development Council, 1-888-723-2546, www.mexicobeach.com/cdc.

• Port St. Joe Chamber of Commerce, 1-800-239-9553, www.gulfchamber.org.

• Apalachicola Chamber of Commerce, 1-850-653-9419, www.baynavigator.com.