Nestled In Florida's Nature Coast Is A Quiet Town With A Historic Downtown, Delicious Eats, And Festivals

Travelers typically head to Florida looking for beach fun. The Sunshine State has two whole coasts, averaging almost 240 days of sun each year and welcoming about 140 million tourists, not to mention the iconic snowbirds who escape cold winters up north and stay through the winters. But Florida has a lot of fantastic nature, quaint towns, local history, and cultural events hidden off the beaten trails of the beachcombers. Just when you're about to leave Florida's "Handle" and head down its "Pan," keep heading inland a few more miles and you'll arrive in the small town of Perry, which is located just over 50 miles southeast of Tallahassee and a little over an hour from the airport. 

Perry, which is also just 20 miles inland from Keaton Beach, is situated in Taylor County, known as the Tree Capital of the South for its expansive, dry-forest foliage. Because of its proximity to the so-called "Nature Coast," Perry is a hub for visitors looking for natural springs, scenic nature trails, and sandy beaches, but the town is also an epicenter of festivals and cultural celebrations. It's a small, quiet place — boasting a population of just under 7,000 people –but Perry finds plenty to celebrate year round.

The town was hit hard by Hurricane Helene in 2024, followed by Hurricane Milton just weeks later. Thus Perry, like so many others across the region, has been rebuilding ever since. And yet, the state of Florida was understandably eager to welcome tourists back to its sunny shores. In the immediate aftermath of the hurricane the state launched a multi-million-dollar campaign to highlight unaffected regions and boost tourism there while budgeting for long-term recovery efforts in the worst-hit areas like Perry.

Perry's not far from some of Florida's fantastic outdoor offerings, like the sparkling freshwater springs in a hidden forest in Madison Blue Spring State Park and the nearly-forgotten coastal towns and beaches along the Big Bend Scenic Byway all along the Gulf coast. Beyond being a gateway to explore those natural elements, Perry also hosts a great number of cultural festivals. It stands to reason that it's home to the Florida Forest Festival since Taylor County is the Southern Tree Capital. Typically held in October, the event features everything from beauty pageants and a "King Tree Parade" to a car show, carnival, lumberjack competition show, and "the World's largest FREE Fish Fry." The Florida Forest Festival began in 1955 as a way to teach citizens how to help mitigate rampant forest fires that had been affecting the local lumber economy. 

The "Pine-Tree Festival," as it was initially called, has evolved since then, now attracting thousands of attendees. Perry also hosts the Florida State Bluegrass Festival every April in conjunction with a chili cook-off and other events. Campers can park their RVs and enjoy community activities with their weekend festival pass. Every September, Smokin' in the Pines BBQ Festival features a sauce contest, a kids grilling contest, live music, local vendors, and lots more, celebrating smoked meat and the Southern flavor that trickles down from the Carolinas. 

Big Bend Brewfest is a beer festival in Perry celebrating craft beer. You can taste hundreds of beers and listen to live music. Perry also throws celebrations for national holidays including fireworks and a parade for the Independence Day Celebration and the Christmas parade each December, made all the more special in 2024 when it went on as planned despite the hurricane devastation.

Sometime in the late 1800s, the logging industry tapped into Northern Florida's vast longleaf pine forests, building mills and railroads to transport tons of timber up and down the Florida coast. The Live Oak, Perry, & Gulf Railroad line, nicknamed "the Loping Gopher," stopped in Perry, a small town which continued to grow around the lucrative lumber and shipping industries. Today, the old train depot has been restored for visitors to view, alongside a Forest Capital Museum State Park to educate and preserve Florida's forestry heritage.

Although trains no longer stop there, downtown Perry has quite a few restaurants and coffee shops to keep up with the flow of traffic and visitors. According to the town of Perry's website, both salt and freshwater fishing, particularly for scallops, is abundant in the area, making it an ideal spot for a festival fish fry but also for some delectable local seafood restaurants. Deal's Famous Oyster House is a mainstay, serving up seafood like flounder, mullet, Gulf oysters, and more with Southern-style sides in addition to a complimentary homemade guava jam to pair with crackers and hush puppies.

Martin's Firepit BBQ and Steakhouse is a local favorite, featuring juicy steaks and big portions of BBQ plates. One satisfied customer gushed on Facebook, "We left there fat and happy!" Graves Drive-In is straight out of a time capsule, offering classic burgers and diner fare. Holton Still is a popular sports bar with everything from crab claws to Italian sandwiches. Backdoor Bistro is a cafe in downtown Perry serving crowd-favorite breakfast, coffee, and lunch. For outdoorsy vibes and karaoke, check out Nowhere Grille. For something different yet comfortable, Mama's Italian serves classic pasta dishes and is open for lunch and dinner.