Things to Do in Eastpoint with Kids, Plus a Day at Alligator Point

The best thing to do in Eastpoint with kids is free, indoors, and most families drive straight past it. The ANERR Nature Center at Cat Point keeps three walk-around tanks holding more than a thousand gallons each, one for the river, one for the bay and one for the Gulf, and admission costs nothing. Eastpoint sits at the mainland end of the four mile bridge, so you already drive through it every time you leave St. George Island, which makes it the easiest stop on this coast to actually make. We would rather do one good thing slowly than four in a rush. Below is what earns a stop in Eastpoint, and an honest answer on whether Alligator Point is worth the drive east.

ANERR Nature Center, Eastpoint

The Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve Nature Center sits at 108 Island Drive at Cat Point, a couple of minutes from the foot of the St. George Island bridge. Admission is free and it opens Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 4pm.

Inside there are 18,000 square feet of exhibit and learning space, including two working research laboratories. The three big walk-around tanks are the draw for kids, each holding over a thousand gallons and each set up as a different habitat, the river, the bay and the Gulf, with the native plants and creatures that live in them. A mural ties the three together so you can see how one flows into the next. Outside there’s an oyster boat on display, which explains the town you’re standing in better than a sign could.

There’s a nature path at the entrance and a coastal walk down to the shoreline, so it works as an indoor stop, an outdoor one, or both.

The Working Waterfront

Eastpoint is the seafood hub of Franklin County, and unlike most waterfronts a visitor sees, this one is still working. Oyster boats come in and unload, and the seafood houses along the water are businesses rather than attractions. Lynn’s Quality Oysters, East Bay Oyster Company, Barber’s Seafood Market and Island View Seafood all operate here.

For kids, the appeal is simply that it’s real. You are watching people do a job that has defined this bay for generations. It costs nothing, takes fifteen minutes, and gives the oysters on your dinner plate that evening some context.

The Community Fishing Pier

Eastpoint has a community fishing pier that runs parallel to the St. George Island bridge, plus two boat ramps. It’s a straightforward place for a first attempt at fishing with a child, with no boat and no charter required.

One thing to sort out first. In Florida, non-residents aged 16 and over need a saltwater fishing licence even when fishing from shore. A three day licence is inexpensive and easy to buy online. Children under 16 fish free, so for most families it means one licence for whichever parent is actually holding a rod.

The Bridge Itself

The Bryant Patton Bridge between Eastpoint and St. George Island runs four miles across Apalachicola Bay and is the third longest bridge in Florida. It is not an activity, but small children tend to be more impressed by it than by anything you paid for, so it’s worth mentioning before someone falls asleep.

Alligator Point and Bald Point State Park

Here is the honest part. Alligator Point is 48 miles from St. George Island and takes about an hour and a quarter each way on US-98 and US-319. That is not a quick side trip, and if you are based on St. George with young children it is a real commitment of a day.

What you get for the drive is Bald Point State Park, roughly 5,000 acres at the eastern edge of Franklin County. Entry is $4 per vehicle for up to eight people, or $2 on foot or by bike. There are two beaches on Apalachee Bay, which is calmer water than the open Gulf, and the park has a fishing dock, picnic pavilions, grills and restrooms. There are outdoor showers at Sunrise Beach, which matters more than it sounds when you have sandy children and an hour’s drive home. Beach access points include accessible routes. Beyond the beaches there are 18 miles of multi-use trails through pine forest for walking and biking, and the bay is popular for kayaking and paddling.

Alligator Point itself is tiny, around 450 residents, with eight miles of largely undeveloped coastline and rental houses rather than hotels. There is no strip of shops or restaurants to fall back on, so bring what you need.

Where to Eat

In Eastpoint, the Red Pirate Family Grill & Oyster Bar and The Pesky Pelican are the straightforward family options, and Lynn’s Quality Oysters runs The Raw Bar if you want oysters where they’re landed. Eastpoint Beer Company is on the bay. At Alligator Point there is very little, so plan on packing lunch.

Where to Stay

Almost nobody bases a family holiday in Eastpoint, and that’s fine, because you don’t need to. Rent on St. George Island and Eastpoint is five minutes away across the bridge. Our St. George Island family guide covers where on the island to book and which beach suits younger kids.

Alligator Point is different. If it appeals as a base in its own right, it is vacation rental houses only, many of them pet friendly, and you would be choosing quiet over convenience. That’s the whole point of the place, but go in knowing it.

FAQs About Eastpoint and Alligator Point with Kids

Is the ANERR Nature Center really free?

Yes. Admission is free to the public, and it opens Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 4pm. It’s closed Sunday and Monday, which catches people out.

Is Eastpoint worth stopping in?

Yes, and you barely have to try, because it sits at the mainland end of the St. George Island bridge. The nature centre alone justifies an hour, and it’s the best rainy day option in the area.

Is Alligator Point worth the drive from St. George Island?

Only as a full day. It’s 48 miles and about an hour and fifteen minutes each way. Bald Point State Park is genuinely lovely and very quiet, but it isn’t a morning outing from St. George, and with small children the drive is the deciding factor.

Do we need a fishing licence to fish from the pier?

Non-residents aged 16 and over need a Florida saltwater licence even from shore. Under 16s fish free. A short-term licence is inexpensive and can be bought online before you travel.