Turn left at 3rd St. East; it brings you to the east side of the town. Here 11th Ave. runs along the Gulf coast, offering breathtaking views of the Horseshoe Cove. Our friends built a house on the seashore a few years ago. They invited us to visit the place. Needless to say, we gladly accepted the invitation and enjoyed a fantastic weekend.

This is the place that gave Horseshoe Beach its name. Thousands of horseshoe crabs come ashore several times a year here, mostly in the spring, on evening high tides. Shaped like a horseshoe with a long, spike rudder-tail, the horseshoe crab has eight eyes, seven pairs of legs for shuffling along the bay bottom, and book gills for swimming and breathing oxygen. It is one of the oldest creatures on the Earth. They have made their home on the coast for over 350 million years, long before dinosaurs roamed the earth. Did you know that the horseshoe crabs are not really crabs at all? Actually, they are more closely related to spiders and scorpions than to true crabs. The animal is harmless. In Horseshoe Beach, visitors and locals alike have learned to enjoy this natural wonder responsibly.

State Route 351, a long empty road that connects Horseshoe Beach with US-98 (22 miles), becomes Main Street when you reach the tiny town in the neck of the woods. The city limits sign at the cattle gap says, "Welcome to Horseshoe Beach -- Florida's Last Frontier".

The Horseshoe Beach area was settled in the beginning of the 19th century. Today there are approximately 206 full-time residents, and on weekends and holidays, the town’s population can increase up to 300. The small town (0.2 square miles) is surrounded by a gigantic area of salt marsh, woods, and tidal creeks. The town now has a restaurant on Main Street called the Horseshoe Beach Café, a marina, several rental cabins, and a waterfront park.

From the coast, you can see several barrier islands; two of them are private. You can visit a public island by boat. Chances are that you will see the dolphins swimming around you. It is one of the quietest and most remote areas you can find in Florida.

The Horseshoe Beach area is a paradise for fishermen -- the waters have an abundance of sea trout, red fish, mackerel, grouper, and flounder. Scallops and shrimp can be found too.