Three Things to Add to Your #Clearwater Itinerary #Florida #travel @VSPC

I discovered three new things to do when visiting Clearwater. I can't believe after visiting Clearwater so many times this was the first time visiting all of these! 

I have been to the Clearwater/St Pete area at least 25 times, including a trip this past March. I'm shocked that in all that time I have never been to: 

• the Clearwater Marine Aquarium
• the Dali Museum
• Frenchy's Rockaway Grill

Three very different experiences perfect for all ages. I suggest combining a visit to the Aquarium with Frenchy's for lunch since they are located quite near to each other. 

Clearwater Marine Aquarium:
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a hospital for injured marine life, but their goal is more than that. At the Clearwater Marine Aquarium they also strive to educate and encourage preservation and conservation of marine life and their habitats. FYI Parents: Their programs include kids educational activities and camps.

Interesting Fact: You may not realize that the movie Dolphin Tale is based on a true story, and that Winter was sent to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in the hopes of saving her life and rehabilitating her. Winter and her closest friend Hope, also a rescued dolphin live permanently at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. As part of the cost of admission to the Aquarium you can take a trolley or boat ride over to a secondary location where you can enjoy Winter's Dolphin Tale Adventure. You will find loads of information about Winter, her prosthetic tail, and props from the Dolphin Tale movie sets. 

Image courtesy of Clearwater Marine Museum

Image courtesy of Clearwater Marine Museum

Frenchy's Rockaway Grill:

Reasons to go to Frenchy's Rockaway Grill: 1) Fun lively atmosphere, 2) location location location, it's right on the beach with a fantastic view, 3) great food and service. The view of Clearwater Beach makes it the perfect destination for lunch, but the delicious food and great service is why I'll be returning many many times in the future to Frenchy's.

Interesting Fact: Frenchy's has their own seafood company making daily deliveries to each of the Frenchy's locations, so you're guaranteed the seafood is always fresh. So fresh that they're known for their grouper dishes, and I can personally attest to the fact the Grouper sandwich is indeed delicious! I highly recommend it! My Mom enjoyed the She Crab Soup and her Shrimp Scampi which came with a very tasty Coleslaw (I may have stolen a bite or two). For those who like a non seafood option my Dad and Thing 1 both very much enjoyed their Burger and Chili-Dog served with chips. We all left totally satisfied with out meals and the experience, and I think that is key; it felt like an experience rather than just a meal. As I was leaving I caught a glimpse of the Seafood Ceviche which looked delicious, and it will definitely be the first thing I order on my next visit!

FYI: Frenchy's has several locations.

The Dali Museum and the Dali and Disney Exhibit:

I wasn't really sure what to expect, but The Dali Museum is well worth the visit. I was pleasantly surprised and how much I enjoyed it. Besides the permanent collection which includes an amazing collection of Dali's work in a unique building that is an art piece in itself, there is a magical garden, a children's education center, a cafe and a wonderful gift shop. Gallery public tours and audio guides are free with admission.

I had the pleasure of seeing the Dali and Disney: Architects if Imagination Exhibit. It was interesting to see how their lives overlapped, and how they influenced each other's work. Interesting Fact: Both Dali and Disney were on the cover of Time Magazine. 
FYI Parents: The Dali has an interactive education center for the children visiting the museum. 

I can think of nothing but positive things to say about the Dali Museum; the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, it's very well run and organized, and I'll definitely be recommending "The Dali" to my friends and family.

Well that's my take on three great options to add to your To Do list on your next visit to the Clearwater-St Pete Area. Looking for a few more ideas? Check out my post on things to do in the Clearwater-St Pete area and be sure to take a look at the Visit St Pete Clearwater website for all sorts of information on events, links and ideas for your next trip to the St Pete-Clearwater area.

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about 3 new things I tried on my visit to Clearwater - St Pete Florida this spring.

Note: I received admission to the Clearwater Aquarium, The Dali Museum and a meal at Frenchy's Rockaway Grill for the purpose of this post. All opinions and recommendations are my own and reflect my personal experience. 

Things To Do in St Pete-Clearwater #Florida #SpringBreak #travel @vspc

Fun Things to Do In and Around St. Peterburg and Clearwater Florida 

For years I have been going to Clearwater at Spring Break. From beaches to Blue Jays the Communities of St Pete-Clearwater Area each have their own unique attractions and things for a family to see and do.

Beaches: 

There are lots of beach options in the St. Pete - Clearwater area. Below are a few of my favourites.

• Clearwater Beach: Voted #1 on TripAdvisors 2015 list of Top 25 US Beaches. It has lots of white sand, activities and sunshine. Sunset Fun at Pier 60 Clearwater Beach is filled with fun. Buskers and performance artists entertain the crowds, and along the pier merchants sell handcrafted items. 
• Honeymoon Island State Park: This lovely and quiet undeveloped beach is a perfect location for a family day at the beach, and always a favourite for us when the kids were young.
• Fort De Soto Park: "Fort De Soto park consists of 1.136 acres made up of five interconnected islands (keys). These keys are home to beach plants, mangroves, wetlands, palm hammocks, hardwoods, and scores of native plants." Although I have not been here myself I hear if is very nice. 
• Indian Shores and Indian Rock Beach: I always associate this beach with lots of pelicans since the first time we visited we stayed at a hotel right on the beach beside the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary. At the time my kids were young and they loved seeing all the pelicans on our daily walks on the beach.

Things To Do:

There is no shortage of things to do for all ages and interests when visiting the St Pete Clearwater area. We always divide our time between eating, fishing, shopping, skateboarding and visiting book stores.

• Tarpons Springs: I found this to be a lovely destination for lunch and an afternoon of shopping in the unique shops at Tarpon Springs. In this historical village famous for it's sponge beds you can experience Greek culture and cuisine. The Tarpon Springs Aquarium is another family friendly attraction option. 
• John's Pass Village and Boardwalk: I highly recommend a visit to this quaint village filled with shops and restaurants. It's a free activity to walk the boardwalk and window shop. I found the prices in the shops to be very competitive and perfect to pick up some gifts and keepsakes. In my opinion a visit to John's Pass for lunch, souvenir shopping, and a walk along the boardwalk makes for a perfect afternoon. Pirate Ship at John's Pass: offer another family friendly activity option. 
• Clearwater Marine Aquarium: There are Aquarium Exhibits and the option of Boat and Kayak Tours
• Dali Museum:which currently has the Disney and Dali Exhibit
• Museum of Fine Arts
• Skateboard Parks: Ross Norton Rec Center Extreme Sports Park in Clearwater and Fossil Park, St Petersburg. Although Thing 2 has been to both, we always had to fit at least a couple visits to Ross Norton into our itinerary.

• Fishing Options and Hot Spots: There are lots of fishing options from chartered deep sea day trips to fishing off piers. Skyway Fishing Piers are huge piers you can fish from and a must do at least once for the angler in your family. You can also fish off Clearwater Beach Pier 60.

• Baseball Spring Training: 15 Major League Baseball teams do their spring training in Florida. The Toronto Blue Jays train in Dunedin. Be warned the fans are just as enthusiastic at spring training as in the regular season. 
• Jolly Trolley: The Clearwater Beach Jolly Trolley is a very economical option. It was always a favourite with my kids when they were younger, and was almost an attraction in itself. 
• Other Kid Fun Ideas in St Pete- Clearwater

Some Favourite Family Friendly Eateries:

Some of our favourite restaurants chains to dine at are Panda Express, Chili's and Smokey Bones, but the ones below are particularly family friendly and fun for younger kids.

• Chuckie Cheese: This was a must do for years when my kids were younger. My only real issue is having to share my game tokens with my kids. Kids are sooo demanding. Be sure to do some online searches for coupons for extra tokens, or specials and deals. Chuckie Cheese has locations on in Clearwater and in St Petersburg. 
• CiCi's Pizza: This is one of our favourite budget friendly pizza places. 
• Crabby Bills - Clearwater Beach: I don't think I have ever visited Clearwater without dinner at Crabby Bills after a day at the beach. 
• Frenchy's Rockaway Grill: Known for the best Grouper Sandwich in the area! 

I hope I have given you some ideas to add to your St. Pete - Clearwater trip itinerary. 

Happy Travels!

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about visiting Florida.

Note: I was not compensated for this post. It's purpose was merely to share my experience and information with my readers. All opinions are my own.