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any tampa/st pete area members?
Spartacus
Member Posts: 14,415
just booked a week in a clearwater resort. april 16-23.
anyone want to do some shooting or maybe dinner?
what are some attractions worth visiting?
tom
anyone want to do some shooting or maybe dinner?
what are some attractions worth visiting?
tom
Comments
You are heading about 2 hours south of me, so I will leave that up to others on recommendations.
Hope you enjoy your trip![:)]
just booked a week in a clearwater resort. april 16-23.
anyone want to do some shooting or maybe dinner?
what are some attractions worth visiting?
tom
I've spent plenty of time in the area.
The Shoppin Pier at St. Pete is very cool amd a must see. Also Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. There is also a fishing pier just south of Clearwater that runs a 1/4 mile (I think) out into the gulf.
If you are up for a short trip, take Gulf View Blvd north of Clearwater to Tarpon Springs. It's an all Greek town with a small aquarium, great food and sights, and some killer deep sea fishing charters.
quote:Originally posted by Spartacus
just booked a week in a clearwater resort. april 16-23.
anyone want to do some shooting or maybe dinner?
what are some attractions worth visiting?
tom
I've spent plenty of time in the area.
The Shoppin Pier at St. Pete is very cool amd a must see. Also Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. There is also a fishing pier just south of Clearwater that runs a 1/4 mile (I think) out into the gulf.
If you are up for a short trip, take Gulf View Blvd north of Clearwater to Tarpon Springs. It's an all Greek town with a small aquarium, great food and sights, and some killer deep sea fishing charters.
Good recs Cubs,.......I still stand behind him getting to shoot if he makes a wrong turn in Tampa though![;)]
I haven't been to Tarpon Springs for years myself.
really?
i haven't been in florida in 30+yrs.
what do i need to avoid?
tom
quote:getting to shoot if he makes a wrong turn in Tampa though!
really?
i haven't been in florida in 30+yrs.
what do i need to avoid?
tom
Just stay out of the 'hood' so to speak.
Think of being in Miami, and accidentally ending up in the 'Liberty City' section if that means anything to you.
It's not that bad in Tampa though.
You will be fine,.....enjoy![:)]
quote:Originally posted by Spartacus
just booked a week in a clearwater resort. april 16-23.
anyone want to do some shooting or maybe dinner?
what are some attractions worth visiting?
tom
I've spent plenty of time in the area.
The Shoppin Pier at St. Pete is very cool amd a must see. Also Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. There is also a fishing pier just south of Clearwater that runs a 1/4 mile (I think) out into the gulf.
If you are up for a short trip, take Gulf View Blvd north of Clearwater to Tarpon Springs. It's an all Greek town with a small aquarium, great food and sights, and some killer deep sea fishing charters.
Add Busch Gardens and Weeli Wachee to that list.
Also I'd plan on driving the hour or so north to Ocala and hit Silver Springs - come up and see the beauty of North Florida.
The Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks are interesting and if you like Greek food ... that's the spot.
There is also Busch Gardens, the Salvador Dali museum (St. Pete), the Dale Chihuly glass museum is awesome (St. Pete), Tampa Aquarium.
If your wife likes to shop you can take her to the International Plaza (Mall) near Tampa Intl Airport.
There is also the N Y Yankees spring training facilities, a lot of fantastic restaurants. The best restaurant on Clearwater beach (my personal favorite) is Coretta on the Gulf located in the Sandpearl Resort, it's a little pricy but worth every dime.
There is also a huge dinner cruise boat that operates out of Clearwater beach and several tour boats that take you out to see the Dolphins.
I live in Tampa and think Bullshot nailed it. No reason at all to visit Ybor City which is located just east of downtown Tampa. It really is NOT the place to be, no matter what the young folks want to say.
If you want to shop the International Plaza sits right next to Tampa International Airport. You can find some decent restaurants there, but there is a bunch of freaks in that mall.
If the wife or girlfriend is coming along, there is a couple of evening cruise boats that cruise around Tampa Bay in the evening. I have not been, but think it might be a good evening out.
Tarpon Springs is a good place to spend a day, especially if you like Greek food.
For Fishing, I would suggest Sand Key, which is just south of Clearwater Beach. There is a nice pass there, and some socks on the outer backs. A small hook and some cut squid will do the trick. Shrimp will get pecked off too easy.
Another place that may be a thing of the past shortly is the Saint Petersburg Pier. It's been a long time since I was there, but it may be worth the thirty minute trip.
Oh yeah, last but not least, the regular season will have started by the time you get her and you can take in a Tampa bay Rays game. Honestly, you can get decent seats for less that twenty bucks. If you go though, make sure to park in the area surrounding the Dome. Yes, it costs a little bit more ($10 or $15) but you and your car will be more safe. The surrounding area is not the best, so please heed the warning.
There is a new shooting range opening up in Clearwater in the next couple of weeks. It's call ed Shoot Straight. They have a sister store on the east side of Tampa that I go to about once a week. Look me up and I'll see if I can break free for the afternoon and go relieve some stress at the gun range.
Aaron
I second Busch Gardens and the aquarium. I belong to a nice outdoor range "Manatee Gun and Archery Club" but it is at least 1.5 hours from Clearwater Beach. 100 - 1000 yd rifle ranges. Knights Shooting sports is probably the closest range to where you will be. One place to go is Coles gun shop on the north side of Clearwater. They usually have a nice selection of firearms.
The International mall is really nice and if you get a rainy day that would be a good option. Don Caesar for Sunday Brunch is nice but pricey. A nice restaurant on St Pete is Red Mesa. Southwestern food and great service. It is on 4th street between 38 and 54 ave N.
Enjoy your stay. I will be traveling for work 3 days that week so I won't be around to go shooting with you.
EDIT
If you have kids, the clearwater aquarium has a special exhibit about the dolphin (Winter) with no tail they made the movie about.
Hope they still are. Enjoy!
...on the Hillsborough River
[;)]
Spent the summer of '74 at The University of Tampa. Haven't been back since. Tampa, Clearwater, St. Pete were nice places to visit .....then. Parents lived in Largo.
Hope they still are. Enjoy!
...on the Hillsborough River
[;)]
Really; all the activities mentioned have merit for your interests, but ,for me, the highlight of any trip to FL is a dinner, or 2, at Bern's.
Our plan is usually get there when they open for dinner, about 4-5 iirc, make reservations for the dessert room for after dinner, also, the kitchen and wine cellar tour, enjoy our dinner.( Yes, it can be expensive, but if you do not go crazy with alcohol,you should enjoy yourself.) Besides, you don't do this every day, do you?
Bern's is world famous for it's wine selection and collection, and if you can not find what you like to drink here, you probably should not be drinking it anyway. (It's the only place in the States I found Cherry Marnier!)
Really, we plan on about 3 hours there, and have not had a single less-than-perfect experience.
Waiters are not paid a salary, and some have been there for 20+ years, so you can guess the quality of service they provide.
If you go, and don't like it I'll be astonished.
Google Bern's steak house and look at the menu.
BTW, make a reservation!!!
Don Shula's is also excellent but similarly priced.
If you did, you would not need MY suggestions.
If I win the lottery, I would fly to Bern's for dinner to celebrate!!!
Also, as we are shooters, there is Sarasota Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays in Nokomis. Very friendly club and they have club guns to rent.
BTW, as I flew USA 3000, who does not allow ANY firearms, (but they are cheap), I rented a club 870 TB and shot a 94/100 but they would not sell me the gun, even though I had my ffl with me. Best I did up till that time.
Bought one on GB from a shop in Idaho and proceeded to shoot my usual 22's with it!! See: it really IS the nut behind the buttplate!!
so far i made a list of restaurants.
next will be the attractions and then the ranges. (hey, gotta keep the mrs happy first!)
keep em coming!
thanks!
tom