Ghost Stories and Haunted Places in Northwest Florida

Ever hear the tale of Two Toed Tom? Have you visited the Orman House in Apalachicola or the Pensacola Lighthouse? How about the haunted town of Monticello? 

Believe it or not, Northwest Florida is absolutely teeming with spirits, monsters, and strange events. Some of the most haunted houses and swamps in Florida lie between Pensacola and Tallahassee, and ghost tours and tales can be found here year round. Paranormal societies in Pensacola and the Tallahassee area provide information on where to find ghosts and haunted houses, and Pensacola also hosts the annual Para Con, a sci-fi and paranormal convention.

Since it is October, and the time for all things spooky, I thought I'd reprint an article I wrote in 2010 for the online magazine Suite101. Here are 13 ghost stories and spooky tales of the region along with where to find them.

Swamps, Forests and other Haunted Places

1. From the swamps that border Florida and Alabama comes the tale of Two Toed Tom, a monstrous alligator that terrorized the region in the 1920s. Said to be between 18 and 24 feet long, the gator’s red eyes shone through the forests at night as it stalked farm animals and humans, leaving a footprint that showed only two toes on its left foot. Tom was never tracked down and some believe he still lives in the Choctawhatchee Bay...

Lost and Found

So, a funny thing happened on my way from the last post - Life! By way of explanation, let me say that I have been traveling and writing - A LOT! Trips to St. Augustine, Florida and Montgomery, Alabama resulted in two visual travel tours that are down-loadable to your IPad, computer, or phone for both an on-site and an armchair travel experience. I must say, both tours were really fun to research, so I'll probably be doing more of them.

Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine

I also created an online travel guide called Exploring Northwest Florida and wrote several in-flight magazine articles for Southwest Airlines, AirTran and Vision Airlines. I wrote online content for Visit South Walton, an article for VisitFlorida, and ...

Destin Seafood Festival

A plate full of Destin Seafood Happiness!

The 30th Annual Destin Seafood Festival opens today in Destin, Florida and some good eating and lots of great music are sure to draw the crowds. The festival is moving back to the harbor after being at Sandestin Resort for the past few years, so the traditional fishing boat feel will be there as well.

Music by Mark Farner (formerly of Grand Funk Railroad) and the Commodores and an Elton John Tribute are scheduled for the three-day event that also features all the seafood you can possibly eat, arts and crafts booths and children's activities.

With gorgeous weather, seafood to be eaten and great Gulf views, y'all can't miss this. You can bet I'll be there, so reports and photos are on the way.

Happy Traveling.

Not the real Jimmy but these Parrot-Heads don't mind.

Travel South

Autumn is a wonderful time in the South and not just in the mountains. Oh to be sure, fall color is great from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia to the Southern Appalachians in Alabama, but don't let falling leaves distract from the other great things to see and do in the South.

On the Gulf Coast, the breeze kicks in like it hasn't all summer and inland temperatures plummet to overnight lows in the 50s and 60s. Ummm, good sleeping weather.

Festivals abound across the South, from the Riverfest in Wilmington, North Carolina, to the Destin Seafood Festival on Florida's Emerald Coast, and holy mackerel, don't forget the fishing tournaments.

Outdoor activities bring heat weary Southerners out in the open to enjoy the cooler days. Hiking and biking trails are full of folks eager to enjoy the South's abundant state and national parks.

So here we are; the South in all her glory. Come on down.