Taylor County, Florida
Steinhatchee
The season opens in June and the whole town goes wading.
Steinhatchee is a bay-scalloping town. The season runs across high summer - in 2019 it ran from 15 June to 10 September - when the shallow flats fill with families working the grass beds by hand.
What this place is
Why Steinhatchee is here
Steinhatchee grew where the river meets the Gulf. Indians, explorers, Civil War soldiers, sponge divers and commercial fishermen all gathered here in turn, drawn by the river, Deadman's Bay and the Gulf beyond.
Commercial fishing built the village and still sustains it: many locals continue to ply the Gulf for their livelihood.
- Bay scallop season: June to September
- February — Fiddler Crab Festival
Worth the trip
What to look for
- 01
Deadman's Bay, the shallow Gulf embayment at the river's mouth that gives the village its scallop grounds and its fishing.
- 02
The Steinhatchee River itself, with the open Gulf just 2.5 miles downstream.
Time your visit
The weekend that matters
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February
Fiddler Crab Festival
Three days in February built around a parade, fireworks on both Friday and Saturday nights, a car show, a fishing tournament, river tours and a cooking competition. The 2027 edition is the 19th.
Hotels, inns, rentals and campgrounds
Where to Stay
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Hotels
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Resorts
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Hotels
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Resorts
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Campgrounds
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Campgrounds
Restaurants, seafood, cafes and bars
Where to Eat
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Seafood · $
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Seafood · $
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Seafood
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Bars Breweries · $
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Restaurants · $
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Stoney's Pizza & Wings
Restaurants · $
Parks, beaches, museums, tours and charters
Things to Do
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Marinas Boating
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Steinhatchee Falls
Attractions
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Steinhatchee Boat Ramp
Marinas Boating
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Marinas Boating
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Tours Charters
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Tours Charters
Steinhatchee on the record
Pictures of the place
Archive and Creative Commons photographs of Steinhatchee. Nothing here is generated; every image is credited to the person who took it.
71 guides, written from this town’s own record
Guides
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The Best Things to Do in Steinhatchee, Florida
The river is the reason anyone is here, and it is still the only reason that matters.
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The Best Restaurants in Steinhatchee, Florida
The river runs through it, and so does the food. Steinhatchee is a working-water town, and its restaurants answer to the people who work the water and the people who come to play in it.
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Where to Stay in Steinhatchee: Hotels, Inns and Rentals
The season opens in June and the whole town goes wading; here is where you hang your hat between trips to the grass flats.
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A Weekend in Steinhatchee: What to See, Eat and Do
The season opens in June, and the whole town goes wading.
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Steinhatchee, FL Travel Guide: 16 Things to Know Before You Go
Steinhatchee runs on river time, not resort time—plan around the water, and you'll get it right.
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The Best Time of Year to Visit Steinhatchee
The season opens in June and the whole town goes wading.
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Steinhatchee or Perry: Which Florida Town to Visit
Steinhatchee’s calendar is set by the tide, not the tourism board. Come for the grass flats and the quiet. Leave the festivals to the inland towns.
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The History of Steinhatchee in 6 Landmarks
The river does not run to the town. The town runs to the river.
Public record
Steinhatchee by the numbers
- 770Residents (2023)
- 63.7% Homes held for seasonal use
- 111 Places in this guide