re: Mexico Beach / Port St. Joe, give me advice and it is worth the drive?

Depends what you’re looking for exactly. If the beach is the focus, you might look at Cape San Blas or St. George Island. The last time I drove through MB, there was still a lot of work repairing Michael damage. That’s been a few years, and should be done by now. But I’ve always thought of MB as a downmarket beach destination. Nothing fancy in terms of places to stay, restaurants, etc. some people have always liked that about it. If it were me, I’d look at CSB or SGI.