Dollar bills on the walls, gators on the menu, sunsets in your face — here are 16 Old Florida-style restaurants worth the road trip.

Forget the chain restaurants and make sure your next road trip includes a taste of Old Florida.

From salty oyster bars and waterfront fish camps to quirky roadside diners and historic steakhouses, the Sunshine State is packed with restaurants that serve more than just food — they dish out history, charm and a whole lot of character.

Many of our favorite spots featured below have been around for decades, some for nearly a century, weathering hurricanes, changing times and plenty of hangry crowds.

Whether you arrive by car, boat or kayak, you’ll find places where the walls are covered in dollar bills or taxidermy, gators show up on the menu and live music fills the air.

Here are 16 restaurants from across the Sunshine State where the food is delicious — and the atmosphere is pure Old Florida.

Cabbage Key Bar and Restaurant | Fort Myers

According to Cabbage Key owner Rob Wells, between $55,000 and $70,000 in dollar bills are hanging on walls and ceiling at any given time. Robyn George / The News-Press

This boat-access-only gem of an island restaurant and bar is awash in Old Florida history and charm. Dating back to 1944, food and drinks were served in what was then an exclusive island resort in Pine Island Sound. Fast forward to the 1970s and the original home of the island’s owners was converted into an open-air restaurant, while their library became the bar. Today, the latter is known as the Dollar Bill Bar with more than 65,000 customer-signed bills blanketing the walls and ceilings. Famous visitors range from Ernest Hemingway to Julia Roberts.

Besides fresh seafood, this island paradise serves a char-grilled cheeseburger that Jimmy Buffett, who was a frequent guest, may or may not have sung about. And before you get back on the boat, finish your visit to this slice of old Florida with a homemade slice of frozen(!!!) Key lime pie.

This is an excerpt from an article by Robyn George of The News-Press which originally appeared on TCPalm.com.