Tampa Florida Visitors Guide by Tom Herbort
View Larger Map
I am assembling a list of the places that I have been in the Tampa Bay area to help those who visit determine how to spend their time. I will presume you can look at a map to see where Tampa, St Pete, and Clearwater are, which I will use as reference points. Also included will be approximate time and money involved with each listing.
Beaches
The beaches of Tampa Bay are certainly one of the biggest draws to the area. Tampa boasts many miles of beaches that range from the shell covered little used Indian Rocks Beach to the award winning soft white sand of Clearwater Beach. These beaches are listed generally from North to South, starting at Honeymoon Island all the way down to Fort de Soto.
Honeymoon Island
This beach is several miles north of Clearwater. Access is via a drawbridge from Dunedin. The beach can be enjoyed for free by exiting immediately after crossing the beach, or, for a fee, enter into the park. The free area is used more by those putting out boats or sitting on chairs, or fishermen, as the beach here is not that great. Paying the $5 fee to get your car through the gate gets you to the prime beach area, and also to the parking lot where you can take the ferry to Caladesi Island. Caladesi is an uninhabited island with plenty of room to spread out. Plan on spending $8 per person to take the ferry to the island. The ferry runs regularly, but you are required to stay on the island until your ticket says you can come back (four hours later). Bring an umbrella, as there are not many shady places. Pack your lunch and bring everything you think you might need, as there are very minimal services available.
Clearwater Beach
This is THE place to be if you are on spring break and 18-24 years old. The sand is very soft and white. There is a pier with weekend concerts and vendors set up. Shops and restaurants and bars line the street. Parking is hard to find and traffic moves slow. You can access Clearwater Beach either by taking the drawbridge across from Clearwater, or by driving north on Gulf Boulevard from as far South as St Pete Beach. Condo and apartment towers abound on the strip. If you forget anything, it is probably available at one of the souveneir shops, such as towels, swimsuits, sun screen, or anything else you can think of. Arrive early in the morning to make sure you get a parking spot, or risk being frustrated while you sit in traffic. A secret spot exists one block East of the main strip, just South of the roundabout where you can park for free. There are frequently open spots here because most people assume you have to park in a pay lot or at a metered spot. The primary use of Clearwater Beach is a social scene. The beach will fill up with tan sculpted bodies all vying to be seen by members of the opposite sex. There are numerous volleyball nets, and plenty of room on the sprawling beach to throw a frisbee or a football. The main sport at this location, however, is people watching.
Sand Key Beach
Nestled just South of Clearwater Beach (after crossing a tall bridge) lies a very nice park called Sand Key. There are many picnic areas and plenty of sand. Metered parking is all that is available. Bring plenty of quarters. There is no fee to enter the park, so stay as long as you want. Because of the expansive parking area, there should be no problem finding a spot. Part of the beach closest to Clearwater Beach gets used by fishermen. The remainder is for the sun seekers. A good view of Clearwater Beach can be had from the top of the bridge between Sand Key and Clearwater Beach.
Bellair Beach
Accessible either by driving South from Clearwater Beach or north from any of the causeways crossing over to Gulf Boulevard, you will find a collection of some of the nicest beach homes of the rich and richer. Public access to the beach is virtually zero. There are no notable places to stop and eat or shop. This community exists strictly to cater to the large homes that go unoccupied for the majority of the year.
Indian Rocks Beach
A mixture of small houses, small businesses, and small crowds occupy this stretch of beach. Many of the properties are hotels that have been in existance for years. Foreign families (French mostly) can be heard walking up and down this beach often. There are pockets of nice sand flanked by a majority of shelly sand. Free public parking is available on several side streets. A few "beach access" parking lots exist as well, requiring feeding a meter for parking. Bring quarters for this, or better yet, try to find the free side streets. Good deals can be had on Monday at Coasters, which currently boasts 50 cent draft light beer all day long. A very fine Italian restuarant, TJ's, is located on this stretch of beach. Next door to the Italian restaurant is TJ's House of Sweets, which serves up some excellent chocolate cake and a large variety of ice cream and other desserts. Indian Rocks Beach is best accessed via 688 (Ulmerton Road) which eventually becomes Walsingham, before it crosses a drawbridge and dead ends into Gulf Boulevard.
North Reddington Beach
Mostly low-rise condo towers line this non-descript stretch of beach.
Reddington Beach
This beach is essentially the same as North Reddington Beach. Further investigation is needed to determine why they are separated by names.
Madeira Beach
Smugglers Cove mineature golf has always been a favorite spot on Madeira Beach. The 'greens fees' have risen to about $7 per person, with an advertised second round for a few dollars extra. This course is well worth the money, as it is kept in good condition and has many fun holes to play. Madeira is best accessed either driving North from Treasure Islands toll bridge or South from 688.
Johns Pass
Contained on this small strech of land across the street from the beach are a large number of small shops selling all of the tourist items that you can't live without, such as t-shirts, towels, wind chimes, fudge, art, etc. Spend a few hours parked for free (if you can find a spot) walking up and down the boardwalk. Metered parking is also available for those with quarters to spend. Part of the boardwalk looks out onto the waterway separating Johns Pass from Treasure Island. There are many opportunities here to spend your money on water related tours and rental equipment. Tours are frequent and jet ski's are plentiful. Access Johns Pass via 688 and driving South, or cross the toll bridge into Treasure Island and then drive North across the drawbridge to Johns Pass, which is immediately across the bridge.
Treasure Island
By far the biggest bar/restaurant along Treasure Island is Gators, which caters to those wishing to drink a few beers and listen to some live rock music. The term 'meat market' comes to mind, as there are many college aged guys and ladies mingling on the dance floor. There is a dining area upstairs for afternoon eating, many pool tables and other games downstairs, a deck overlooking the water, and best of all, cheap beer and no cover to enter. Parking is generally free, although the lot fills up quickly, meaning you may have to bribe the guy running the lot to let you in to a spot that is not techincally reserved for Gators. Treasure Island has several parking lots next to the beach with metered parking. The beach is quite nice, with a wide sand lot leaving plenty of room to spread out. There are numerous shops, restaurants, bars, and hotels along this beach.
St. Pete Beach
This stretch of beach is probably best known for two things, the Don Cesar hotel, and The Hurricane. Don Cesar is a huge pink hotel located right on the Gulf. Rooms are expensive, so bring your credit card. The Hurricane is a multi-level restaurant/bar further South in an area called Pass-A-Grille. There are many pay parking spots available in Pass-A-Grille, but not so many near the Don Cesar.
Fort de Soto
An island shaped somewhat like an anchor anchors the Southern most part of Pinellas County's beaches. A small toll is required to enter the park, but the miles of beaches are worth the price. Everything from kayaking, fishing, dog parks, sunbathing, and swimming are available here. This is another award winning beach, because of the great sand and ample space to spread out.
Major Shopping/Entertainment Centers
International Plaza - Tampa - The flagship mall of the Tampa Bay area, this mall is stocked with high and ultra-high end stores. Come here for your Prada purses, Coach shoes, and Chanel sunglasses. Expect to see a few exotic cars. I've seen a Ford GT, Lamborghini Diablo, Bentley's, and countless Mercedes. There is an outdoor dining area full of pretentiousness. It is possible to dine reasonably at one of my favorite restaurants, the Bamboo Club. This is a chain, just like nearly everything else at the mall. After dinner there is a little gelato cafe in the middle of the outdoor courtyard where you will get a little scoop of heaven. Be sure to save room, and plan on having a tough time figuring out what flavor you want.
Westshore Mall - Tampa - This is where the sensible middle class and the teenagers with discretionary dollars come to shop. Anchored by Old Navy, Macy's, JC Penney, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Sears, this mall is easily accessible right off I-275. There is also an AMC movie theare in this mall.
St Pete Pier - Downtown St Pete - This is more of a destination than a mall. There are shops, an aquarium, and restaurants. The pier is designed in the shape of an upside down pyramid. On the ground level outside people fish from the pier and pelicans pose for pictures and hope to get some easy eating from tourists throwing them food. In the bar is a bar that is typically devoid of use. Inside on the first floor is a small food court and several local stores selling touristy things. Floor two is occupied by the aquarium. Floor three boasts a Columbian Restaurant. This is a Florida Chain. In Tampa Bay there are three Columbian Restauarants, and about 15-20 more throughout the state. Plan on spending about $75 after tip for two people if you are splitting a carafe of sangria with the meal. The fourth and top floor is an indoor outdoor bar/restaurant called Cha-Cha Coconuts. Sometimes there is live music. The drinks are overpriced because it is a tourist destination. This is a great location for getting a panoramic photo of St Pete and also is a good way to see the St Pete airshow when it is going on. Rather than buying tickets to the airshow, come here for free and buy a few drinks and dessert.
Baywalk - Baywalk is dominated by an AMC theatre and overpriced restaurants, with a few botique shops mixed in. This is becoming a popular hangout for teenagers with too much energy. Police patrol heavily on Segway scooters to keep the teenagers in check. Baywalk is within walking distance of the bay but not close enough to walk to the St Pete Pier.
Bars
Sloppy Johns - Indian Shores Beach - Also going by the name of Mahuffers, this place has to be seen to be understood. Even if you see it, you'll probably need to come back a few times before you get a real feel for the bar. There is a great selection of beers as well as a full assortment of liquor. The jukebox has a wacky array of songs that could be characterized as "popular in some circles some time ago". The building itself features an inside bar with a pool table, a semi-outdoor bar, and an outdoor patio. Each section has its own character. Inside you will find photos of people who visited the bar over the years, with most of the photos looking to be from the 70's. Grafiti is rampant. In the semi-outdoor bar, nautical items such as floats from crap traps as well as the hull of boats are mixed with bras and panties hanging from the ceiling. Seasonally there is live entertainment. Otherwise, plan on the entertainment coming from a mingling between locals and tourists. Many tourists return to this place year after year, and locals try to take ownership of the bar, but the true character of the bar comes from the owner who lives upstairs and the bartender who has been working here for years.
The Rare Olive - Ybor City - Reggae music dominates this bar struggling to find an identity. Is it a martini bar or is it an indie music venue? Is it classy or alternative? Expect to find all of that and more here. Because of its proximity to Centro Ybor and the Ybor parking garage, this place has the ability to experience extreme shifts in crowd size. As people feed into Ybor it swells, but then they move on towards other bars. Later in the evening, as people head back to their cars, they stop in to get one last drink or talk to someone they recognize inside, and it will swell up to full capacity after 1 AM.
The Blue Shark - Ybor City - JGLB and the Gary Brown Blues Band are co-house bands here at the new location for the Blue Shark. It moved down from the middle of the Ybor City strip to the end. While it is definitely a better building, the location means that people have to go out of their way to come here. It is a blues bar with overpriced drinks, drawing a crowd in their late 30's to 50's.
Restaurants
Courtside Cafe - Ulmerton Road near 275 - This restaurant is the anchor restaurant of Carillon Plaza. Many of the younger and middle aged professionals dine and drink here. After Friday on a workday is a good time to meet a lot of young professionals. The food and drinks are overpriced, but you are paying a little extra for the social scene.
Los Mariachis - Clearwater - If you come in here on a Friday night you will be treated to the sound of a live Mariachi band featuring two guitar players and another multi-talented man who sings, plays flute, trumpet, and occassionally a shaker. The food is good and prices are low. The band takes requests, and most people tip the musicians after they play a song at your table.
Red Lion - Indian Rocks Beach - This is a local English "pub" with a decent seletion of good beers and delicious Fish and Chips. I'll go back to any restaurant that has malt vinegar on the table for french fries. Indian Rocks Beach is not particularly known for its nightlife, but what little there is can mostly be found at this bar.
Fodalo Grill - East Bay and 4th Ave in Largo - A Christian run restaurant featuring low priced food and contemporary decoration mixed with unassumming Christian music played quietly in the background. The food has a home-cooked taste.