Staying at the Gibson Inn felt like stepping back into 1907. This place has been standing since the lumber and shipping boom days of Apalachicola, and you feel it the second you walk in, the smell of the old wood floors, the widow's walk up on the roof, architecture you just don't see built anymore. Ask about Room 309 if you're into a good ghost story.

But it's not a museum. Modern bathrooms, a pool and hot tub with a pool bar right in the courtyard, and downstairs the Parlor Bar has a real speakeasy feel to it, low light, great cocktails. It's the rare spot that gives you old Florida character without giving up any of the comfort.

This hotel is the anchor for the whole town. Walk out the front door and you're in Apalachicola, oyster boats, no chains, no traffic. If you want a weekend that feels like real Florida instead of a theme park version of it, this is where you stay.