Adventure Guide to Tampa Bay and Florida's West Coast

323 Pages·2000·3.009 MB·English

by  Chelle Koster Walton

Chelle Koster Walton
HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC.
130 Campus Drive
Edison, NJ 08818-7816
(cid:1) 732-225-1900 / 800-255-0343 / fax [phone]
Web site: www.hunterpublishing.com
E-mail: [email protected]
IN CANADA:
Ulysses Travel Publications
4176 Saint-Denis, Montréal, Québec
Canada H2W 2M5
(cid:1) 514-843-9882 ext. 2232 / fax [phone]
IN THE UNITED KINGDOM:
Windsor Books International
The Boundary, Wheatley Road, Garsington
Oxford, OX44 9EJ England
(cid:1) 01865-361122 / fax [phone]
ISBN 1-55650-888-3
© 2000 Chelle Koster Walton
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, elec-
tronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the
written permission of the publisher.
Thisguidefocusesonrecreationalactivities.Asallsuchactivitiescontain
elements of risk, the publisher, author, affiliated individuals and compa-
nies disclaim any responsibility for any injury, harm, or illness that may
occur to anyone through, or by use of, the information in this book. Every
effortwasmadetoinsuretheaccuracyofinformationinthisbook,butthe
publisherandauthordonotassume,andherebydisclaim,anyliabilityor
anylossordamagecausedbyerrors,omissions,misleadinginformationor
potentialtravelproblemscausedbythisguide,evenifsucherrorsoromis-
sions result from negligence, accident or any other cause.
Maps by Lissa K. Dailey, © 2000 Hunter Publishing, Inc.
Illustrations by Joe Kohl
Indexing by Kathleen Barber
4 3 2 1
Contents
Introduction 1
The History of Adventure 1
The People & Culture 3
Natural Makeup 5
Government-Protected Parks & Refuges 10
How To Use This Book 12
Information 13
Transportation 13
Weather/What to Pack 14
Sights & Attractions 16
Adventures 16
Where To Stay 22
Where To Eat 24
Nightlife 24
Tourist Information 25
Recommended Reading 25
The Nature Coast 29
Overview 29
Transportation 31
Information 32
Festivals & Events 32
Crystal River 33
Getting Here 34
Information 34
Sights & Attractions 35
Adventures 36
Shopping 38
Where To Stay 38
Where To Eat 39
Inverness 39
Getting Here 39
Information 39
Sights & Attractions 40
Adventures 40
Where To Stay 41
Where To Eat 42
Homosassa Area 43
Getting Here 43
Information 43
Sights & Attractions 43
Adventures 45
Where To Stay 46
Where To Eat 47
iv (cid:1) Tampa Bay & Florida’s West Coast
Withlacoochee State Forest 48
Getting Here 48
Sights & Attractions 49
Adventures 49
Where To Stay 52
Brooksville 53
Getting Here 53
Sights & Attractions 53
Adventures 54
Shopping 54
Where To Stay 54
Where To Eat 55
Weeki Wachee 55
Getting Here 55
Sights & Attractions 56
Adventures 57
Where To Stay 59
Where To Eat 59
St. Petersburg & Clearwater 61
Overview 61
Transportation 62
Information 64
Festivals & Events 64
Tarpon Springs & Dunedin 65
Getting Here 66
Information 67
Sights & Attractions 67
Adventures 70
Shopping 72
Where To Stay 73
Where To Eat 74
Clearwater & Clearwater Beach 75
Getting Here 75
Information 76
Sights & Attractions 76
Adventures 78
Shopping 81
Where To Stay 82
Where To Eat 83
Nightlife 84
Sand Key Communities 85
Getting Here 85
Information 85
Sights & Attractions 86
Adventures 88
Where To Stay 90
Where To Eat 91
Contents (cid:1) v
Treasure Island 91
Getting Here 92
Information 92
Sights & Attractions 92
Adventures 92
Where To Stay 93
Where To Eat 93
Nightlife 94
St. Pete Beach & Lower Islands 94
Getting Here 95
Information 95
Sights & Attractions 95
Adventures 96
Where To Stay 99
Where To Eat 100
Nightlife 101
St. Petersburg 102
Getting Here 102
Information 102
Sights & Attractions 103
Adventures 106
Shopping 108
Where To Stay 108
Where To Eat 109
Nightlife 110
Tampa 111
Overview 111
Transportation 112
Information 113
Festivals & Events 113
Downtown Tampa 116
Getting Here 116
Sights & Attractions 117
Adventures 119
Shopping 120
Where To Stay 121
Where To Eat 122
Nightlife 123
Ybor City 123
Getting Here 124
Information 124
Sights & Attractions 124
Adventures 126
Shopping 126
Where To Stay 126
Where To Eat 126
Nightlife 128
vi (cid:1) Tampa Bay & Florida’s West Coast
Northeast, Northwest & South of Tampa 128
Getting Here 128
Information 128
Sights & Attractions 129
Adventures 133
Shopping 136
Where To Stay 137
Where To Eat 138
Nightlife 139
Bradenton & Sarasota 141
Overview 141
Transportation 142
Information 143
Festivals & Events 144
Bradenton 145
Getting Here 146
Information 146
Sights & Attractions 146
Adventures 149
Shopping 152
Where To Stay 152
Where To Eat 153
Anna Maria Island 154
Getting Here 154
Information 154
Sights & Attractions 155
Adventures 155
Where To Stay 157
Where To Eat 158
Longboat Key 159
Getting Here 160
Information 160
Sights & Attractions 160
Adventures 160
Shopping 161
Where To Stay 161
Where To Eat 163
Lido Key & St. Armands Key 164
Getting Here 164
Sights & Attractions 164
Adventures 165
Shopping 166
Where To Stay 167
Where To Eat 167
Nightlife 168
Sarasota 168
Getting Here 168
Contents (cid:1) vii
Information 168
Sights & Attractions 169
Adventures 172
Shopping 174
Where To Stay 175
Where To Eat 176
Nightlife 177
Siesta Key 178
Getting Here 178
Information 178
Sights & Attractions 179
Adventures 179
Where To Stay 180
Where To Eat 181
Nightlife 182
Nokomis Area 182
Getting Here 183
Sights & Attractions 183
Adventures 184
Where To Stay 187
Where To Eat 188
Venice 188
Getting Here 189
Information 189
Sights & Attractions 189
Adventures 190
Shopping 192
Where To Stay 192
Where To Eat 193
Charlotte Harbor 195
Overview 195
Transportation 196
Information 197
Festivals & Events 197
Manasota Key/Englewood 199
Getting Here 199
Information 200
Sights & Attractions 200
Adventures 202
Where To Stay 204
Where To Eat 205
Gasparilla Island & Out-Islands 205
Getting Here 206
Information 206
Sights & Attractions 206
Adventures 208
Shopping 210
viii (cid:1) Tampa Bay & Florida’s West Coast
Where To Stay 210
Where To Eat 211
Port Charlotte & Environs 212
Getting Here 212
Sights & Attractions 212
Adventures 213
Where To Stay 214
Where To Eat 214
Nightlife 215
Punta Gorda 215
Getting Here 215
Sights & Attractions 215
Adventures 217
Shopping 219
Where To Stay 220
Where To Eat 221
Lee Island Coast 223
Overview 223
Transportation 223
Information 225
Festivals & Events 225
Cape Coral & North Fort Myers 226
Getting Here 227
Information 228
Sights & Attractions 229
Adventures 230
Where To Stay 231
Where To Eat 231
Pine Island & Out-Islands 232
Getting Here 233
Information 233
Sights & Attractions 234
Adventures 235
Where To Stay 237
Where To Eat 238
Fort Myers 239
Getting Here 239
Information 242
Sights&Attractions 242
Adventures 245
Shopping 247
WhereToStay 247
WhereToEat 248
Nightlife 249
Sanibel&CaptivaIslands249
GettingHere 250
Information 250
Contents (cid:1) ix
Sights&Attractions 250
Adventures 254
Shopping 259
WhereToStay 259
WhereToEat 260
Nightlife 262
FortMyersBeach262
GettingHere 262
Information 263
Sights&Attractions 263
Adventures 264
WhereToStay 266
WhereToEat 267
Nightlife 267
SanCarlosPark&Estero268
GettingHere 268
Sights&Attractions 268
Adventures 269
WhereToStay 269
WhereToEat 270
BonitaSprings&BonitaBeach270
GettingHere 270
Information 271
Sights&Attractions 271
Adventures 272
Shopping 273
WhereToStay 274
WhereToEat 274
Naples&TheEverglades 276
Overview276
Transportation 278
Festivals&Events 279
Naples280
GettingHere 282
Information 282
Sights&Attractions 284
Adventures 288
Shopping 291
WhereToStay 292
WhereToEat 293
Nightlife 295
MarcoIsland295
GettingHere 295
Information 297
Sights&Attractions 297
Adventures 298
WhereToStay301