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The Lay of
the Land
26 communities with 35 miles of shoreline make up this peninsula
southwest of Tampa, with the Gulf of Mexico to the west, and Tampa Bay to the
east. You'll find the beach-y, the snooty, even the Scottish (Dunedin) and
Greek (Tarpon Springs). Some little fingers of land are only a block or
two wide.
Getting There
and Around
Most visitors fly into the Tampa
airport, about 45 minutes drive from St. Pete's. Best option is to rent a
car, though the dandy Suncoast Beach Trolley serves the area well.
"Orlando's
Beach"
Here's an instructive little tale: every year, flocks of
Europeans buy vacations that combine Orlando theme parks with the beaches
of Clearwater / St. Pete's. On first visits, these tourists stay mainly in
Orlando. But on return visits, they stay at the coast and day-trip to the
theme parks 90 minutes away.
 Check the
Florida's Beach
site for a rundown of all choices in the area. On Clearwater Beach,
Pier 60 has a beautiful sweep of sand, a large playground, a looong pier
to walk out on, and a free daily
Sunset Festival with artisans, face painting, and street performers
like the tricky dog on the barrel (left).
Fun Outings:
Busch Gardens Theme Park
Even closer than Orlando
is Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay,
with exciting rides and superb African theming: don't miss the Montu and
Gwazi coasters and the Rhino Rally. The grounds are beautiful
and shady (-note the word "Gardens"), many rides are "wet"
which keeps kids cool, and the
park is a fine size to tour in a day. Highly recommended!
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Photos: Out'n'About in St. Pete's / Clearwater |
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-click to see larger images |
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coastal view |
a Dunedin local |
up, drawbridge |
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Sunset at Pier 60,
Clearwater Beach |
tourist trolley
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boat excursions |
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