Before the condos and the theme parks, Florida was fishing towns, working waterfronts and slow afternoons. Plenty of that is still around if you know where to look.
Apalachicola
On the Forgotten Coast, Apalachicola has a brick downtown from its cotton and oyster days, shrimp boats in the harbor and a pace that doesn't rush for anyone.
Cedar Key
A tiny island town on the Nature Coast, known for clam farming, kayaking the backwater keys and sunsets over the Gulf.
Matlacha
A colorful fishing village of galleries, bait shops and bridges near Fort Myers.
Flagler Beach
A small, unhurried beach town along A1A with a new pier on the way and no big resorts.
The tradeoffs
Quiet comes with fewer services and longer drives to airports and hospitals. Several of these towns have also been hit hard by recent storms, so check rebuilding and flood zones carefully.
