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Waterfront Restaurants on the Atlantic Coast: Top Picks | How to Pack for the Perfect Picnic | The Best Cheeseball Recipe | Best Practices for Ocean Conservation
Waterfront Restaurants on the Atlantic Coast: Top Picks
Florida's Atlantic Coast offers some of the best dockside dining experiences, where you can enjoy delicious meals with stunning waterfront views. From fresh seafood to tropical cocktails, these restaurants provide the perfect backdrop for a relaxing day on the water. No need to pack a meal for your time on the boat—these convenient dockside restaurants are perfect for boaters looking to dine out.
Looking for exquisite seafood and breathtaking views of the Intracoastal Waterway? GG's Waterfront in Hollywood is a must-visit. Just a short distance from Loggerhead Hollywood Marina, GG's offers a sophisticated dining experience with dishes like their famous crab cakes and lobster rolls. The restaurant's elegant ambiance and top-notch service make it a favorite among locals and visitors. If you prefer to enjoy your food on-the-go, GG’s offers dockside pickup as well.
Caribbean Jack's in Daytona Beach combines a laid-back atmosphere with delectable dishes. Located onsite at Loggerhead Daytona Beach Marina, this restaurant is perfect for those looking to unwind after a day on the water, complete with daily happy hour specials. Their extensive menu features everything from coconut shrimp to succulent steaks, all served with a side of live music and stunning sunsets on the outdoor deck.
In the picturesque Key Biscayne, Boater's Grill is a hidden treasure nestled within Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. Just a few hours from Loggerhead South Miami Marina, this casual eatery is the perfect place to stop for lunch on a day trip out to Key Biscayne. This harborside restaurant’s menu includes fresh seafood, Cuban-inspired dishes, and mouthwatering burgers.
Deck 84 in Delray Beach is a vibrant waterfront restaurant located just 10 miles from Loggerhead Lantana Marina. Known for its lively atmosphere and extensive menu, Deck 84 serves up kids’ favorites, happy hour libations, dinners for dogs, and plenty in-between. This pet-friendly spot is great for a leisurely lunch or a fun evening out with friends.
Finally, Mulligan's Beach House in Sebastian is a family-friendly restaurant with a prime location close to Loggerhead Vero Beach Marina. With its laid-back vibe and extensive menu, Mulligan's offers something for everyone, from seafood platters to hearty sandwiches. For a wallet-friendly bonus, kids eat free from 5:00-8:00pm every Thursday through August. There's no better place to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Indian River Lagoon following a for your post-sailing adventures.
How to Pack for the Perfect Picnic
Whether you’ve stacked Tupperware and mason jars into a big tote bag to take on the boat or are carrying one a classic picnic basket that organizes your silverware, dishes, and even wine glasses, it doesn’t take too much to get picnic-ready. All you basically need is a bunch of tasty, fresh food that you can eat with your hands, and a companion! Here are some helpful tips to help you pack that perfect picnic on the water!
- Wrap knives in tea towels for safety and to have cloth napkins to clean up.
- Roll into your picnic like a boss.
- Bag or basket too heavy to carry? Pack your picnic in a rolling cart, like this one to make it easier to get to your picnic destination. Line the cart with a tablecloth (use a gingham one to really set the picnic mood!) and add your supplies, heaviest items on the bottom first.
- Bring a swiss army knife or multi-tool with you.
- These nifty little tools usually have corkscrews, knives, scissors, and can openers on them, making them very handy when you’ve forgotten a knife or a can opener.
- A small cutting board that fits in your picnic basket doubles as a cheese plate!
- Who knew a cutting board could do double duty?
- Make guacamole with avocado shells – cut avocado in half, take a fork and mash within the skin of the avocado. Add diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, squeeze a lime over top, and voila! Handheld guacamole… just add chips!
- Don’t know what to eat? You can’t go wrong with fruit and cheese! Cheese and fruit pairings that are awesome:
- Chevre (goat) cheese and d’anjou pears
- Pink lady apples and sharp cheddar cheese
- Classic finger sandwich recipes make for crowd-pleasing picnic basket lunches that are easy to transport and boast ingredients that impress. Finger sandwich recipes, even if they aren’t bite-sized, are great because of their thin layers and aren’t slippery. Here are a few combinations that are great for late summer picnics:
- Cucumbers, butter, fresh herbs, and lemon zest on white bread (classic tea sandwich recipe)
- Peanut butter & jelly on wheat bread
- Cucumber, smoked salmon, cream cheese, chives on white bread
- Watercress and egg salad on white bread
- Prosciutto, ricotta cheese, and honey on baguette
- Jelly jars are perfect for transporting salad dressing
- Instead of potentially risking opening up a tupperware full of sad, wilted lettuce that was dressed too early, bring your dressing on the side. Jelly jars or small mason jars that can seal tightly are great for transporting salad dressing, keeping your salad crunchy and your picnic happy!
- Screw top wine.
- Need we say more? Also, plastic wine glasses are durable and keep you from any potential glass-related injuries.
- COOKIES.
- For dessert, you can’t go wrong with cookies. They are portable and yummy and we have a great recipe for cookies! Check out our recipe for the Ultimate Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.
While you pack your picnic, consider the delicious cheeseball recipes below!
The Best Cheeseball Recipes
Cheeseballs have been an easy go-to appetizer for social gatherings for years. And while cheeseballs experienced the height of their popularity during the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, the great little appetizer is still celebrated on National Cheeseball Day (April 17). So, get ready to roll a few up – one sweet; one savory!
Dill Pickle Cheeseball
(Recipe from pitchforkfoodie.com)
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup dill pickle relish, drained
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons dill weed
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients except grated cheese; stir in grated cheese. Form into a ball and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped dill weed or roll ball in the dill.
Serve, or refrigerate until serving time. If you want the cheeseball to be firm, refrigerate for an hour before serving.
Chocolate Chip Cheeseball
(Recipe from saltysidedish.com)
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 bag mini chocolate chips, divided
Instructions:
In a mixing bowl, add cream cheese and butter and beat well until combined. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat well. Fold in ½ cup of the mini chocolate chips. Place onto plastic wrap and shape into a ball and then wrap ball in plastic. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Add remaining chocolate to a plate and roll the chilled ball to coat in mini chips. Serve with graham crackers or mini vanilla wafers.
Best Practices for Ocean Conservation
For many years Loggerhead Marinelife Center has been thrilled to partner with Loggerhead Marinas on conservation efforts. We look to further that with shared content in the marina newsletters on topics involving our oceans, lakes, and rivers. We recognize that the boating community enjoys time on the water and wish to protect our resources as we do at Loggerhead Marinelife Center.
While our planet is named earth nearly 70% of it is covered in water. This unique feature of our planet helps with climate regulation, transporting heat from the equator to the poles, and regulating our weather patterns. While this is essential for life on the planet there are financial reasons the oceans are important as well. The US ocean economy produces $282 billion in goods and services and employs almost 3 million people. 76% of all US trade involves some form of marine transportation. The ocean provides food and medicine we rely on.
With news of coral bleaching, sea grass die off and ocean plastics it is hard to not have environmental anxiety. Being on the front lines I can say there is still time for hope as we all work to protect our oceans and connected waterways. At Loggerhead Marinelife Center we focus on Rehabilitation, Research, Conservation and Education with a focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles. Sea turtles are a sentinel for what is occurring in the ocean, and we are seeing the effects of plastics in the ocean and increased ocean temperatures.
Last year we treated and released over 2000 sea turtle hatchlings and 85 older sea turtles. Some of these turtles came in with boat injuries while more came to the center entangled in fishing gear. Many green turtles are coming to the Center due to a viral disease known as fibropapillomatosis which causes potentially deadly tumors.
As members of Loggerhead Marinas, you are helping us conduct this important work while also conducting critical nesting research. There are also things you can do in your own home and on your boat to help our oceans:
- Conserve water at home which reduces runoff and wastewater - This water often comes through septic systems or washes harmful fertilizers from yards into local waterways that lead to the ocean.
- Boat safely by monitoring speeds in manatee or sea turtle areas and wearing polarized glasses while driving.
- Respect the marine habitats while on the water by being mindful not to anchor on coral reefs or sea grass areas.
Best Fishes,
Andy Dehart - President & CEO
Loggerhead Marinelife Center
