Gulf To Bay St. Pete Clearwater FL

From fun in the sun to jaw-dropping magic tricks, St. Pete/Clearwater is the place to create your most memorable family moments. Luckily, they’re all in play for your vacation.

In this city, it’s all about the St. Pete Pier, and the glorious adjacent waterfront. Stroll along the downtown area’s Beach Drive, then make your way to the pier. Stop at the colorful and cleverly designed Glazer Family Playground, which has tube slides, swings, climbing structures and kiddie obstacle courses. Nearby is the Majeed Foundation Splash Pad, where lounge chairs surround the shooting fountains so parents can relax while the little ones get wet. Once you’ve dried off, keep walking to the main pier building and dine at one of their five restaurants.

Take in a family-friendly magic show at the Zubrick Magic Theatre, where illusionists Chris and Ryan Zubrick engage in everything from sleight-of-hand to comedy to grand-scale illusions in a 70-minute show.

Just outside of downtown St. Petersburg on bustling Fourth Street, the Great Explorations Children’s Museum is a quaint hands-on museum for kids. And right next door is Sunken Gardens, a lush botanical garden oasis in the middle of the city. A stroll through the shaded paths lined with flowers and trees is the perfect way to cap a day.

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium was made popular by Winter the dolphin and her story that became the hit movie “Dolphin Tale.” But even after Winter’s death in 2021, this aquarium remains worth a visit. It has a new dolphin habitat that allows the facility to care for more rescued dolphins like Winter. And an immersive virtual reality experience in the aquarium’s theater allows Winter’s spirit to live on. You’ll be able to interact with other dolphins here, plus nurse sharks, otters, turtles and stingrays.

Clearwater’s downtown waterfront Coachman Park recently went through an $84 million redevelopment to add a 4,000-seat covered amphitheater called The Sound that will host live performances, plus a garden, a pirate-themed playground, a splash pad, a bluff walk and green space.

Aboard the Little Toot Dolphin Adventure on Clearwater Beach, adults and kids alike can spot dolphins. The attraction explores the Clearwater Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico, taking guests on tours that range from 60 to 90 minutes and allow for up-close dolphin sightings.

At St. Pete Beach’s TradeWinds Island Resorts, check out the High Tide Slide, a three-story-high, 200-feet-long inflatable water slide right on the beach. Resort guests can enjoy unlimited rides on the slide, or non-guests can buy a day pass for $40.

The Largo Central Park boasts picnic pavilions, a playground and a lovely array of plants and fountains. On the first weekend of every month, the Largo Central Railroad is a fun toddler activity. And during the holidays, the park is set aglow with twinkling lights and a giant Christmas tree. Don’t miss the Largo Library right next door, which contains a fun and welcoming kids’ book section. Admission to both spots is free. Train rides are free, too. The park is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. We recommend going early in the morning before the sun is fully out, then hitting the library. Or going to the library in the late afternoon, and hitting the park just before sunset.

If you’re looking to burn off some energy, hit up the Sky Zone Trampoline Park, where the whole family can bounce on giant trampolines, swing from a zip line and more at this all-indoor entertainment center. An all-day pass is $35.99.

There’s also the George McGough Nature Park, nestled along the Intracoastal Waterway in Largo. It boasts a large aquatic turtle population, plenty of mangroves and a nature center with live animal exhibits and hands-on activities for kids.

Take a stroll down Main Street in this quirky town right on the water. Duck into some of the shops, and grab a bite at one of several family-friendly restaurants and breweries. For an activity the whole family will enjoy, stop by the Dunedin Fine Art Center. The large arts center has a variety of exhibits, plus a gallery and activity center for kids. They even host cooking classes. The David L. Mason Children’s Art Museum is a fun interactive gallery space for kids ages 4 to 12.

If you’re looking to cool off after a day of exploring, stop by the Highlander Pool or the adjacent Kiwanis Sprayground. Families can enjoy the pool for just $3 per person or get free admission to the sprayground, where kids can play among water cannons, floor jets, a slide and a big yellow bucket that fills up and tips over.

Escape the heat in the Blue Lagoon at the Splash Harbour Water Park where you can find a lazy river, water slides, a splash zone and sun deck. There is even plenty of fun on land, including a mini golf course and a game room.

In north Pinellas County, the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary features chimpanzees, macaques, capuchins and lemurs. The volunteer-run organization has been around for more than 20 years and is home to more than 130 animal residents.

The Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks is the main attraction in this north Pinellas County city, with its rich history as the sponge capital of the world. You can learn about its past at the Spongeorama Sponge Factory and Museum, and browse kitschy gift shops offering real sponges to take home. And don’t skip out on the many authentic Greek restaurants and bakeries nearby.

If you’re looking for a different way to entertain the family, take them to the Replay Amusement Museum. It’s a fun spot for video game lovers of all ages, with a collection of vintage and new games like pinball machines and a rotating selection of arcade machines. There are more than 100 machines total. You pay one price for unlimited games all day: $14 for adults and $8 for children.

John’s Pass Village is home to the Alligator & Wildlife Discovery Center, which houses more than 250 animals including lizards, small mammals, amphibians, turtles, tortoises and alligators. The family-friendly attraction has hands-on and educational experiences.

➋ St. Pete Pier
➌ Great Explorations Children's Museum, St. Pete
➍ Captain Memo's Pirate Cruise, Clearwater Beach
➎ Empower Adventures, Oldsmar

➋ Sanding Ovations, Treasure Island
➌ John's Pass Seafood & Music Festival, Madeira Beach
➍ Localtopia, St. Pete
➎ Dunedin Highland Games

Go on the adventure of a lifetime with Tropical Treasure Hunt! Explore fun spots around the beautiful Pinellas Beaches as you collect and solve ‘escape room’-type clues that lead you to buried treasure! Also become immersed in a one-of-a-kind augmented reality treasure hunt! A truly memorable experience for ALL ages!

Clearwater Marine Aquarium is committed to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of marine life and inspiring the human spirit, well known for their rescued resident bottlenose dolphins.

Hollywood blockbuster films Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2 were filmed on site and you can find Hope the dolphin and other marine life featured in the films residing here in their forever home at CMA. During your visit, enjoy a complimentary audio tour (there is one for adults and one for kids), sponsored by Baycare.

Always growing, CMA plans to build a care center on site for injured manatees in 2023.

St. Pete/Clearwater has a number of affordable public pools. For $5 or less per person, anyone can get all-day admission to Skyview Pool in Pinellas Park. The facility has diving boards, a deep-end corkscrew slide and a kiddie play area with squirting interactive bicycles and a squirting rocking whale.

Each night in Clearwater, Sunsets at Pier 60 celebrates the sun setting over one of Tampa Bay’s most picturesque beaches. The free event features performers, artisans and more. It starts two hours before sunset and ends two hours after. And for just $1, you can walk to the end of the pier for an even more majestic view.

Take in some art: The Morean Arts Center on St. Petersburg’s Central Avenue offers free art activities on Saturdays. Geared toward families and kids ages 5-10, each week offers a different art project, hourly from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Preregistration is required

Gulf To Bay St. Pete Clearwater FL - Gulf To Bay 2023

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