Florida’s Big Bend is one of the last places in Florida with wide swaths of undeveloped coastline. Here, natural shorelines mix with abundant wildlife and clean water to produce amazing visitor experiences. But many visitors might miss the hidden world of shellfish fisheries that contribute a rich history and culture to the area. Thanks to new self-guided tours made in collaboration with UF IFAS Shellfish Extension and UF IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, visitors can unlock the secrets of shellfish!
The Big Bend Shellfish Trail covers five coastal counties from Levy to Wakulla. The BBST website has great information about planning your road trip and shellfish-related restaurants and activities. The new self-guided tours offer walking or driving directions to points of interest along the trail. Tours feature narration from local experts with insider knowledge about our shellfish industries.
Tours are now available for Yankeetown, Cedar Key, Town of Suwannee, Horseshoe Beach, and Steinhatchee/Jena. Additional tours are in development for Wakulla. Self-guided tours are available for free on the PocketSights app, available from Google Play and the Apple App Store.
We hope you enjoy the tours and that you sample some of the delicious shellfish our region has to offer. Let us know in the comments how your visit goes, and don’t forget to share photos of your trip using #floridashellfishtrail!
