Planning a road trip from north down to the Clearwater or St Pete or Treasure Island area. I've never been to the west coast of FL except for business so I'm looking for thoughts on vacationing in this area w two boys (9 and 11) and the wifey.
We're looking for:
1) long stretches of beach;
2) hotels (or condo) ideally on or very very close to beach,
3) fitness center
4) restaurants and shopping within walking (or close driving) distance - "things to do and see"
Let me know your impressions of these areas - looks like beachfront hotels in St Pete and Tr Island seem to be less expensive then Clearwater.
Hey MM, I'm from St. Pete
Hey MM, I'm from St. Pete and still go visit my family there regularly(I'm currently stuck in NJ). It's a beautiful area. St. Pete Beach is gorgeous. Miles of wide, white beaches, great seashells for the kids, tons of ice cream shops and restaurants. If you've never surfed, it's a great place to learn.
I'd stay right on St.Pete Beach. Pick your hotel based on your price range. Like most vacation spots, you get what you pay for. Most overlook the ocean and you can walk right out to the beach and rent a cabana for the day. Most will have a fitness center, but in all the years I have visited Florida, I have never once worked out indoors. St.Pete is runner and cyclist friendly. As a matter of fact, you will see tons of cyclist with aerobars on the roads, so bring your bike if you can.
On the other hand, St.Pete is still kind of a sleepy little town. It's no Miami, that's for sure, but definitely a good family destination.
Some places to eat/shop: For a "nice" dinner you can try the Don Cesar. http://www.loewshotels.com/en/Hotels/St-Pete-Beach-Resort/Overview.aspx?... It's the most famous hotel in the area and the rich and famous stay there when they visit. They have a wonderful brunch too. Might be a good place for one really nice dinner.
Another famous spot is the Hurricane www.thehurricane.com It's the place to sit outside and have a grouper sandwich and a beer overlooking the beach. It's very kid friendly. Over the last few years, it's become a big tourist destination, but the locals still love it.
If you want to get off the beach for the day, drive over to Tampa and eat lunch/shop at Hyde Park. It's a beautiful village of shopping, good restaurants, gourmet ice cream, etc...
I'll e-mail my sister and see what she has to add. Probably the most important piece of advice I can give you is SUNSCREEN. It's not super hot in FL this time of year, so all the Northerners come down and put on a little sun screen, enjoy a happy day on the beach and then discover they have massive sunburn when the sun goes down. The sun is VERY strong, so be extra careful.
Hope you have a great trip and I'll PM you if I have anything else. ~Toni
I was born/ raised in St
I was born/ raised in St Pete and like Toni I have moved away as well. My parents still live there and I make it down there twice a year (St. Anthony's Tri and the holidays). Your best bets are St Pete Beach or Clearwater Beach. I recommend Clearwater beach due the finer sand. It's like powdered sugar, albeit that was 13 years ago during my beach volleyball days.
One thing to consider as well. The water is not very clear (although nice) around the Tampa Bay area beaches due to some effect the peninsula has with the water. The clearer water is either north or south of the bay area.
My vacation choice is right
My vacation choice is right down the strip from St. Pete Beach- Pass A Grille. It's home of The Hurricane restaurant named in an earlier post. It does not get very busy (which for me is a plus.) Very laid back community.
Right down the street is Fort Desoto. This awesome park is home to triathlons all summer long, and is a great place to explore. Desoto is a decent place to ride you bike and a great place to run. There is also sea kayaks to rent and explore the mangroves
The stretch of beaches on this coast will blow you away. The southern portion stretches from Johns Pass down to the tip of Pass A Grille. North of Johns Pass (home of many, many great places to eat) the stretch runs to Tarpon Springs, maybe? Tarpons Springs is a cool place to visit, with the old sponge docks and fantastic Greek restaurants.
Yes. Fort Desoto is great
Yes. Fort Desoto is great too. Wow, I am really homesick now : )
I knew I would get tons of
I knew I would get tons of great ideas and suggestions - thanks to you all!
We decided to stay a few days in Fort Myers to catch a Red Sox spring training game, and then four nights at the sheraton clearwater beach. we will be sure to explore some of the suggestions.
Fort Desoto sounds like a great place to explore with our boys.
I am not sure if I will be taking my bike .. hmmm ....that would be nice since the week we are away will be week #9 of a 20 wk HIM plan -- but I will probably settle for swimming, running, walking, and beach play!
Thanks all
Fort Myers is very close to
Fort Myers is very close to Sanibel/ Captiva and the JN Darling Wildlife Refuge, which is very cool. My wife and I rented kayaks somewhere in that area and had a good time. Cayo Costa State Park is very nice, too. On your way to Clearwater from Fort Myers, swing by Anna Maria. Cool little old Florida beach town. For some reason, the water is just awesome there. Your wife may like all the old shops and stuff on the island, if that's her thing.
In Clearwater, visit Honeymoon Island State park and take the ferry over to Caladesi Island. Very cool. In Dundein, there is a nice little local brew pub if you like beer: http://www.dunedinbrewery.com/
You'll also be close enough to Tampa for a day trip to Busch Gardens.