Gulf To Bay St. Pete Clearwater FL

With its sweeping Gulf Coast panoramas, magical marshes, a vast array of terrains and waterways to fish, play and kick back, St. Pete/Clearwater teems with natural beauty. From the mangroves of Fort De Soto to the remote beauty of Anclote Key, you can find activities for fun-seekers of all ages and lifestyles in our sweet slice of the Sunshine State.

Unbridled nature and county park amenities give you the best of both worlds at Fort De Soto. St. Pete/Clearwater’s largest park stretches across 7 miles of five interconnected islands (keys). Two fishing piers accommodate sportsmen with their own food-and-bait concession, but you don’t have to fish to enjoy the pier’s Gulf views and appearances by dolphins and manatees. Along with the park’s award-winning beaches, there’s, of course, the historic fort. Bring your furry one along to the dog beach or take to a 6.5-mile paved trail for biking, jogging, walking and skating. If you wish to tread the waterways, head to Topwater Kayak Outpost.

Encounter the jagged beauty of coastal wilderness from the safety of an elevated boardwalk at this scenic Largo/Seminole area park. Boca Ciega Millennium Park gets high marks from birders and has earned a “Great Florida Birding Trail” designation. More than 175 species of our feathered friends have descended on its shores and branches. Some of the rarer sightings include the olive-sided flycatcher and Connecticut warbler.

A variety of terrains — hardwood hammocks, sand pine scrub, pine flatwoods, a willow marsh and the Lake Maggiore shoreline — reel along Boyd Hill’s winding trail. Hundreds of bird species and the experienced birders who stalk them flock here. An environmental center delves into the park’s history. A pioneer settlement serves as a living history museum of 19th-century life in west-central Florida. The park was named after Boyd Hill, a city worker in the 1930s who sought a balance between nature and St. Pete’s urban landscape. Leave the dog at home. The park doesn’t allow pets.

A lush and lovely waterfront preserve with long bike trails, Clam Bayou is a testament to the hard work of environmentalists and civic leaders who planted native vegetation, installed a system of boardwalks and preserved Clam Bayou back to its undisturbed glory. Long landscaped trails traverse a variety of landscapes. Enter by the Gulfport Marina, where you’ll encounter hilly mounds, overlooks and a canoe/kayak launch. Rentals available at Kayak Nature Adventures.

Both are wildly gorgeous. Egmont Key was once home to Fort Dade and spreads out across the ghost town of its settlement, which burned down nearly a century ago. Cannons and old brick roads predate its nature trails. In the late 1850s, the island served as a camp for captured Seminoles at the end of the Third Seminole War. The Union Navy during the Civil War later occupied it. The uninhabited Shell Key Preserve is a vital sanctuary for nesting, wintering, and migrating birds. Hubbard’s Marina, at Fort De Soto, runs a ferry that takes passengers to both key islands, some of the best places in the area for snorkeling and shell collecting.

In the aquatic depths spanning Tarpon Springs and St. Pete Beach, inshore reefs, designed by marine biologists and engineers function as part of an environmentally sensitive coastal enhancement. Scuba divers favor the Reef No. 2 deep-water site, which takes underwater explorers to multiple vessels. Circle of Heroes, the nation’s first underwater dive memorial created in tribute to U.S. military veterans, features 24 life-sized statues that represent each of the Armed Forces. St. Pete/Clearwater’s 42 reef sites can be found from 200 yards to 38 miles offshore.

Threading a variety of landscapes, the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail connects St. Pete to Tarpon Springs and the Pasco County line for a total of 50 miles. Ride, bike, jog, skate or walk across dozens of pedestrian bridges with sweeping views of Pinellas County urban, suburban and natural settings. The scenic quarter-mile portion on Cross Bayou Bridge, which spans Boca Ciega Bay (read more below), stops trekkers in their tracks. While cruising through Dunedin, Palm Harbor and Tarpon Springs, downtown corridors beckon a brief detour away with colorful shops, cafes and brewpubs.

Considered the “oldest living museum in Florida,” Sunken Gardens is not only surviving. It’s thriving. The city’s 4-5-acre garden blossoms with 500-plus species of some 50,000 tropical plants. Its signature sinkhole garden can be enjoyed in the shade of a lush canopy surrounded by 14-foot walls that cascade with vibrant bougainvillea. Expect to leave feeling more peaceful than when you entered. Some trivia: The secluded spot was designated a Historic Site the year before a developer planned to transform it into a nudist resort. Take the little ones to Great Explorations Children’s Museum, located on the property, adjacent to the gardens.

Weedon Island Nature Preserve encompasses 3,190 acres of lush wetland and wildlife-filled nature trails. Rich in local history, the preserve was home to indigenous peoples for millennia. See the artifacts from their settlement in the Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center. Its long wooden boardwalk and 3-mile nature trail draw local birders. Kayakers favor its 4-mile paddling trail, which winds through awe-inspiring mangrove tunnels. Rent kayaks at Sweetwater Kayaks, located onsite.

Lake Seminole Park is perfect for a quick moment of zen after contending with the city’s busy roads and shopping centers. Vast and scenic, its lake attracts watersports of all types, and it’s a favorite picnic spot for locals. Fish from one of its two piers or launch your own vessel from the park’s boat ramp. Joggers, walkers and fitness enthusiasts on wheels enjoy the park’s paved trail, which snakes through pine flatwoods in a mile or two-mile-loop option.

Inspiration blooms at Florida Botanical Gardens. More than pretty plants and flowers, art and culture can be found inside and throughout the grounds adjacent to this lovely landmark. Amble along the gardens’ nature trail, where visitors have spotted a variety of wildlife amid a wide variety of native flora. If you’re around during the holidays, the gardens light up at night to celebrate the season.

Known as “the turtle park,” McGough Nature Park tucks away a scenic boardwalk, shady oak hammock and mangroves lining the Intracoastal Waterway. Make it a point to visit the nature center, which houses live animal exhibits and hands-on activities for children. The enclosures introduce you to 22 rescued, non-releasable birds (owls, hawks and an eagle), and offers several environmental education programs.

Immersing you in vast and varied landscapes, Hammock Park spellbinds with its dense beauty. Five miles of nature trails take you through watersheds and lush canopies. Three picnic pavilions, an observation platform and a playground area appeal to all ages. A butterfly garden attracts everyone’s favorite fluttery creatures with around 225 plants in 40 varieties. Signs say that a bobcat may still roam its 90 acres.

Before the Hurricane of 1921 split the island in half, Honeymoon Island and adjacent Caladesi Island were one large landmass known as Hog Island. The current landmass features 4 miles of beach and almost 3 miles of trails with swimming, fishing, shelling, hiking and bicycling opportunities. It’s also a ferry launching point for Caladesi Island, which is famed for its jaw-dropping scenery. It’s a great place for fishing, picnicking, shelling, nature studies and marked kayak trails among the mangrove trees.

Named for Odet Philippe, the first non-native settler on the Pinellas peninsula and the Frenchman who brought grapefruit to Florida, Philippe Park stretches across 160 acres of land purchased in 1842. Stunning views of Old Tampa Bay plus coastal mangroves, playgrounds, nature trails, bike lanes and a tiny beach provide a day full of fun. Most impressive of all is the land’s history as a significant Native American settlement. Ponder what the Tocabaga’s life was like as you ascend the ancient mound they left behind, now a national historic site. Locals tip: Look for a family of Great Horned Owls in the old oak tree just ahead of the mound.

Experience the whoosh of ziplining, careening over the lush canopies and serene waters of Old Tampa Bay. Empower Adventures Tampa Bay sets up at Oldsmar’s Mobbly Bayou Wilderness Preserve and offers outdoor-fun activities that also include paddleboarding, climbing and rappelling. You can take to the water from a canoe launch, play with the kids at a playground or cavort with the fur children at Janice Miller Bark Park. For a more insightful experience, visit the Lynn Rives Environmental Education Center. Or, fish from a peaceful dock. Free parking, lookout towers and trails are also featured at the Oldsmar preserve.

In a suburban area that features neighborhoods with “Woods” and “Glen” on their entrance signs, Chesnut Park is a sizable patch of the real thing in Palm Harbor. Spacious and shady, the park gets love from local families for its playgrounds, picnic areas and breathtaking views of Lake Tarpon. Joggers, walkers and bicyclists can enjoy a 2.7-mile nature trail that meanders through marshes, lush canopies and over boardwalks. Best of all, you might encounter some deer when you visit.

One of the county’s few spring-fed recreation areas, Wall Springs Park transports you away from your hectic routine with postcard views of a natural spring used in the mid-20th century as a spa and bathing area. Nowadays, it’s a scenic feature, not a swimmable one. An observation area, boardwalk, shaded trail, and information display are just some of the facets of the 210-acre park, which also connects to the Pinellas Trail.

Boating on Lake Tarpon takes you back in time to a more tranquil Florida. Rated one of the Top 10 bass lakes in the state, Lake Tarpon measures up to 9 miles between its northern and southernmost points. Plus, it boasts more scenery and food options than other lakes of similar size. Take in views of Chesnut Park in Palm Harbor to the southeast and A.L. Anderson Park to the northwest. Dock at the Tarpon Turtle for some hearty nutrition.

With 8,700 acres of forested wetlands and pine flatwoods, Brooker Creek is the county’s largest nature preserve. The scenic stretch of Tarpon Springs flora and fauna protects numerous fragile habitats that you can learn about along its nearly 5 miles of interpretive trails. Be sure to visit the award-winning Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center at the preserve.

An island retreat that’s truly unspoiled, Anclote Key spreads out across more than 11,000 acres. Home to at least 43 species of birds, including the American oystercatcher, bald eagle and piping plover, Anclote Key takes you back in time with its 1887 lighthouse that guards the southern end of the island. Get there by taking a ferry from Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks.

Gulf To Bay St. Pete Clearwater FL - Gulf To Bay St. Pete Clearwater FL 2022

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Gulf To Bay St. Pete Clearwater FL 2022