Perdido Key Florida
• Explore the Remains of Fort McRee
Fort McRee is an old fort on the eastern tip of Perdido Key at Foster's Bank. All that remains of the fort today are a few foundations and even those might be the remains of a later military occupation. The exact parameters of the fort are unknown. Along with Fort Pickens and Fort Barrancas, it was built by the United States between 1834 and 1839 to defend Pensacola at Pensacola Bay.
Confederate forces seized the fort in 1861 and pointed their artillery at Fort Pickens across Perdido Bay, which remained under Union control. That same year, Union forces heavily damaged Fort McRee during the Battle of Mobile Bay. In 1862, Union troops inflicted even more damage on the fort, rendering it useless to the Confederacy.
Fifty-thousand bricks were removed in 1875 and sent to Fort Barrancas. In the years following, winds and tides essentially buried what was left of the remains of the fort. The last of the fort was buried by a fierce hurricane in 1906.
The original site of Fort McRee is now part of Gulf Islands National Seashore. You can only get to Fort McRee on foot or in a boat. Bring your snorkeling equipment so you can explore even more of this wonderful place that was once the scene of so much history.
• Golf
Lost Key Golf Club is a popular golf course enjoyed by visitors and locals alike. This is a must play course for all golfers visiting Perdido Key Florida. The golf course was designed by Arnold Palmer so it has to be good! The scenery is coastal Florida at its best. 2,200 native trees and 13,000 wetland plantings were added to the 150 acre property.
• Beach Fun
The beaches on Perdido Key Florida are gorgeous. The clean azure waters of the Gulf of Mexico lap against the pristine soft, white sand. The picturesque beaches are perfect for sunbathers to soak in some rays. The water is perfect for cooling off on a warm day.
In 1994, Perdido Beach State Recreation Area received national recognition when "Dr Beach" ranked it No 12 in the nation. The beach consistently shows up on "Best Florida Beaches" lists.
• Shelling
Perdido Key is a great place to search for seashells. The best place to find shells is at the high tide line, where the seaweed gets washed up. The shells often become entangled in the seaweed and get carried ashore.
The state of Florida does have laws with respect to shelling. Dead shells may be collected without any limitations. These are shells without any living creatures inside of them. Believe it or not, you will need a Florida recreational saltwater fishing license to collect any shells with a living creature inside, and there are regulations specific to each species.
• Fishing
Fishing excursions are very popular near Perdido Key Florida. The captains of the vessels will take you far out to sea to their favorite reefs. A wide variety of fish, including local favorites red snapper and grouper, can be caught on a deep sea fishing trip. Most charters supply you with the equipment needed to snag a whopper.
Inshore, you can catch more species that you can probably imagine. Some of the inshore favorites are speckled trout, redfish and flounder.
If you have never been charter boat fishing, you really should go at least once. With the price of seafood, often you can take home enough to pay for the trip.
The beaches are also perfect for surf fishing. When the surf is calm, surf fishing is about as relaxing as fishing gets. On a good day, even a novice can hook into a monster fish and sometimes actually land it!
• Big Lagoon State Recreation Area
On the Intracoastal Waterway, this Florida State Park encompasses 678 acres. The Girl Scouts maintain the pleasant sounding "Cookie Trail" that winds through natural coastal Florida habitat. An abundance of wildlife inhabit the park. Animals like fox, opossum, raccoons and skunks stay hidden through most of the day. Your best chance at seeing these animals are just before dark and and just after dawn. You can see big birds like the great blue heron and the brown pelican at any time of the day. Endangered wildlife like the piping plover and the sea turtle also live at Big Lagoon, and park visitors often do see them.
If you like to camp, this is the place. The park has 75 campsites, five picnic areas with shelters, and a boat ramp.
• Festivals and Events
There are loads of festivals in the area in and around Perdido Key Florida-- everything from the annual Polar Bear Dip and Interstate Mullet Toss at the Flora-Bama on the Florida-Alabama State Line to Blue Angels Air Shows (Naval Air Station Pensacola is only 15 minutes away) to The Perdido Key Martini Festival with its "Gulf Coast Bartender Competition."
• Restaurants
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