When someone says ‘family holidays in Florida’ you probably think of theme parks, am I right? But not every parent wants to spend their entire holiday with Mickey and co and many would welcome some R&R after the excitement of all those rollercoasters in Orlando.
Many visitors head to Miami Beach or further south to see the wildlife in the Everglades National Park, but for somewhere closer but also a little less well-known (at least to us Brits), somewhere authentically Floridian, why not suggest St Pete Clearwater?
Located on the Gulf of Mexico, only 90 minutes from Orlando and just half an hour from Tampa International Airport and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, St Pete Clearwater is the quintessential family beach destination.
Made up of 26 small towns, there are lots of communities for families to explore, each with its own character, including ‘Little Greece’, the Pass-a-Grille traditional Florida community, and the funky Gulfport, known as an artist hangout.
In fact, this region has 35 miles of award-winning beaches, including the eponymous St Pete Beach & Clearwater, Pass-a-Grille, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach and Fort DeSoto, Caladesi Island.
Watersports are easily accessible, so families can enjoy paddleboarding, kayaking, fishing, or book a ‘pirate cruise’, and there’s plenty of opportunities to play golf.
St Pete Clearwater also has a rescue rehabilitation centre for marine wildlife, the new Baycare Sound open air music venue, fine dining, art galleries, shopping malls and quaint boutiques.
In downtown St Pete, you’ll find the famous Dali Museum, which has the most comprehensive collection of the artist’s work outside Spain. Here too, you’ll see more than 70 street murals in the streets around Central Avenue.
Accommodation ranges from B&Bs to resort hotels, there are also plenty of self-catering options.
Not to be missed
Clients should try clear-bottomed kayaking or paddleboarding in the shallow waters of the Caladesi Island State Park, which is just north of Clearwater Beach and accessible on foot during low tide or via ferry from neighbouring Honeymoon Island State Park.
It boasts three miles of pristine white beaches, tunnels of cavernous mangroves, and a three-mile wildlife trail. Park rangers are available to give tours.
An alternative great day out is to ride by e-bike around the 1,136 acres of the Fort De Soto Park, located south of St Pete Beach. Guests can visit an abandoned army fort, and they’ll be rewarded for their exertions with sweeping views of the bay.
If they prefer to stay on two legs, they can hike around the Weedon island Preserve, whose 3,000 acres are home to hundreds of species of birds and aquatic life. Guided tours are available year-round.
Another highlight is dolphin spotting along the Gulf Coast, where conservation efforts have created the ideal habitat for them to thrive. Ninety-minute sightseeing trips with Little Toot depart daily from the Clearwater Marina.
Images supplied by VisitStPeteClearwater.com