Renowned as the ‘Sunshine State’, Florida’s tourism future is looking bright with the areas of St Petersburg and Clearwater offering something for everyone on their travels.
Even a short time along the western coast of the US state with Visit St Pete/Clearwater was enough to open my eyes to this lesser-known gem of a destination.
Competing with the nightlife of Miami or the amusement parks of Orlando is no easy feat but St Pete/Clearwater holds its own in
offering accommodation, dining and activities that can be tailored to the size of the group and holiday budget.
For Irish passengers, there is the option of flying directly from Dublin Airport to Orlando International Airport (followed by a two-hour drive to Clearwater), which offers pre-clearance on this side of the Atlantic so passengers can enjoy the comfort of an eight-hour flight having completed the checks beforehand.
While there are public transport services within both St Petersburg and Clearwater, driving is vital for navigating the area, so booking a car ahead of time or calling an Uber is recommended.
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Once I landed, I was whisked away to the Wyndham Grand Hotel in Clearwater. This modern luxury hotel sits right beside the seaside, houses over 300 rooms with breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico and offers a gym, spa, business centre and outdoor pool.
As an extra treat that really pushes you into relaxation mode, the Wyndham Grand Hotel offers each guest two loungers on the beach with an umbrella, with the option to rent more.
An entire day could be spent just basking on the beach and taking a dip in the warm waters, but the hotel also offers poolside activities from games for the little ones to tasty dining experiences for the more mature guests.
Speaking of dining experiences, fine dining was the name of the game on this trip, with the Wyndham Grand hotel serving up the DocK’s Pool and Grill and The Ocean Hai restaurant, which offers mouthwatering Asian-fusion cuisine for both guests and locals alike.
For those enviable sunset views, take a short trip down the pier and try out The Deep End, located on the rooftop of the newly opened JW Marriott Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa. Watching the cruises pass by to get the best view of the sunset will make you feel like one of the cool kids who got to dive in at the deep end.
But for those looking to get a taste of the local cuisine, Frenchy’s and Crabby’s offer delicious seafood meals at affordable prices with great ambiance at both locations.
Once your bellies are full of the freshly caught grouper, and they will be full, venture over to Honeymoon Island State Park in the neighbouring town of Dunedin for only $8 per vehicle of eight people.
The park is home to exotic birds that call Florida home, at least for a portion of the year, and the volunteers are more than happy to take guests through the history of the island as a romantic getaway turned nature reserve.
Just a short ferry ride away is Caladesi Island, which has a nature trail, untouched beach and kayak trips around the bayside. The ferry costs $18 for adults and $9 for children between six and 12. Just be sure to pack your bug spray!
After a day of splashing around on a secluded island and becoming one with nature, Dunedin offers many microbreweries with local IPAs you won’t get anywhere else in the world. The HOB Brewery Company and Dunedin Brewery are a must-see for anyone who wants to expand their palates.
As the name suggests, the town celebrates its Scottish heritage with an annual Highland Games and Festival at the end of March. Visitors can experience the Pipe Band competition and the Massed Bands, Open Highland Dancing Championships, Parade of Tartans and even heavy athletics.
For an even more extravagant way to cap off the day, the Hew Parlor & Chophouse offers an exquisite steak with expertly selected wine pairings as you witness the sky light up from the Fenway rooftop bar while the sun sets over the horizon past Honeymoon Island.
If you’re looking to fill your day with activities on dry land, I’d be remiss not to mention the extraordinary work of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in assisting and nursing sealife back to health in their massive facility.
Open to the public, the aquarium works primarily as a marine animal hospital, caring for its playful residents such as bottlenose dolphins Nicholas, PJ, Hope and Winter. Guests can attend talks by the staff and learn about the conservation work they undertake and hear more about how the dolphins, turtles, otters and sharks came to be in their new home.
Just taking in the sheer size of the facility really shows how passionate the staff are towards their mission of animal welfare — all the more impressive when you discover over 400 volunteers help with the day-to-day running.
While Clearwater is a strong all-rounder holiday destination for those looking to immerse themselves in local art, culture and history (with a thriving nightlife to boot), St Petersburg offers all that and more.
The pride of the city is without a doubt the Don Cesar hotel. Envisioned and first developed by Irishman Thomas Rowe in 1928, the vast hotel highlighted the decadence of the roaring 1920s with the spirit of the times (and Rowe) still surviving to this day, overcoming a World War and the threat of ruin to be restored to its opulent glory.
The Don Cesar’s rich history of playing host to some of America’s elite including author F Scott Fitzgerald and Al Capone is on proud display, which is really the icing on the cake of a glorious hotel that offers luxury rooms and exquisite views of the coast with two outdoor pools, spa, restaurants and bars.
Venturing into St Petersburg, the city is overflowing with culture spots, from the downtown community mural tour with Florida Craft Art to the museums along the pier.
A personal highlight for me was the Salvador Dali museum. One of only two in the entire world, the museum brings together AI and art, offering guests a chance to meet the man himself, in a manner of speaking. For those with just a passing fancy, the museum screens a quick and informative film on Dali’s background, the political history of surrealist art and his signature style of painting.
But the move to bring Dali into the 21st century doesn’t stop there. Downloading the museum’s app beforehand is a must as it offers visitors the chance to look at his paintings through a new, virtual lens and brings some entertaining interactivity to the exhibit.
And the creme de la creme? Diving headfirst into his painting with a virtual headset!
If Dali doesn’t quite satisfy your thirst for art, the Fairgrounds showcases the talent of local artists in a neon and technicolour dreamscape experience that is balls-to-the-wall bonkers and thrilling to take part in.
In fact it was the journey to the artistic space that really showed me (as an outsider) how prevalent the LGBTQAI+ community is in St Petersburg and how much they support each other, in spite of regressive laws being passed in recent months. Pride flags are proudly displayed out of shop windows and houses and St Petersburg’s Pride parade is a massive celebration through the heart of the city in June. So choosing to support these businesses and people where it counts helps the community as a whole.
Having worked up an appetite, St Petersburg has a litany of restaurants and bars with different styles to suit your appetite. But it was The Vinoy Resort and Golf Club, itself a recently restored pink hotel drowning in historical goodies, that had truly exceptional seafood on the menu. My Tuna Poke was the envy of the table and it packed a kick!
Ending the day, tourists have the option to dance the night away along the pier in one of the rooftop bars or down on the pier itself with local DJs playing in the evening. But if you still haven’t had your fill of fun activities then having a few cans at the St Petersburg Shuffleboard Club is a suitable and fun alternative.
The 100-year-old club is the oldest shuffleboard club in the world and with over 2,600 members, both young and old can pass the night away with a competitive game or 10.
Clearwater and St Petersburg offer a family fun holiday experience a short distance from the major theme parks, a romantic getaway or an artist’s retreat depending on what you’re looking for, but one thing is for certain, you’ll be relaxed from landing to take-off.
FACT FILE:
HOW TO GET THERE: Aer Lingus operates six flights weekly from Dublin to Orlando during summer. Fares start from €229 each way including taxes and charges. For more information visit aerlingus.com.
WHERE TO STAY: Rooms at Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach start from €278 per night on double occupancy. Rooms at The Don CeSar start from €353 per night on double occupancy. Many Irish and UK tour operators offer attractive package holiday offers.
WHERE TO EAT: Dining in hotel restaurants is the norm in both cities, so be sure to check out The Ocean Hai in The Grand Wyndham and the Rowe Bar in the Don Cesar. For cheaper options, Frenchy’s and Crabby’s offer delicious seafood options with generous portions.
For more information on the best spots to visit, check out www.visitstpeteclearwater.com
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