If you’re ever down along Florida’s Forgotten Coast, you’ll want to make sure that you spend a night at the Gibson Inn in Apalachicola, Florida.
This quaint historic hotel is a landmark in Apalachicola, Florida. Apalachicola, which sits on Apalachicola Bay along the Gulf Coast, is known for producing some of the best oysters in the world. Locals say that the oysters are great because of the uniqueness of the Apalachicola Bay estuary. The estuary is fed by the Apalachicola River which forms from the combination of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers near the border of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.
The Gibson Inn, according to the website, http://gibsoninn.com/, is a Victorian inn located in downtown Apalachicola and is listed on the National Historic Register of Historic Places. The three-story inn features wrap around porches that are perfect for sitting on and enjoying the breeze from the bay. The Gibson Inn, built around the turn of the century, has 30 guest rooms that are furnished with authentic antique furnishings to highlight the restoration of the inn that occurred in 1985. With its tin roof and ornate Victorian woodwork, the Gibson Inn is a charming way to experience the full effect of the town known for its oysters and seafood. In addition to the oyster and shrimp processing plants, there are a number of shops, boutiques, and restaurants in the historic town known also as the birthplace of cold-air refrigeration.
Despite its historic feel, the Gibson Inn also has all the modern conveniences that a guest could desire. It offers cable TV, telephone and wireless internet service in each room. You’ll be greeted by an attentive staff that epitomizes southern hospitality and graciousness.
The Gibson Inn has meeting facilities that can handle up to 60 people theater-style according to the website and banquet space in its steamboat-style dining room for parties up to 100. The inn will also handle weddings and catering for functions of various sizes. The ambiance of the Victorian inn is the perfect setting for weddings and receptions.
Before staying at the Gibson Inn, I had heard a lot about its restaurant and its well-known chef. The chef had worked in some of the finest restaurants in the country as stated on the website. (http://www.gibsoninn.com/pages/restaurant.htm). I was not disappointed when I experienced the wonderful breakfast while staying there for a meeting. The breakfast featured delicious southern cuisine with the touches that only a top-rated chef could provide. Especially memorable was the French toast that was topped with a delicious syrup glaze that was garnished with pecans. I highly recommend the French toast as well as the full breakfast while staying at the Gibson Inn.
So, if you’re visiting the Forgotten Coast of Florida, so named because it was left off of a promotional tourism map of Florida, the Gibson Inn in Apalachicola should be the place to stay or visit. You’ll get the full flavor of the Gulf Coast town and the turn of the century ambiance. The Gibson Inn is located at 51 Avenue C just a block or two from U.S. 98 in downtown Apalachicola, Florida.
