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Florida Babies
Tampa/St Pete/Clearwater
Looking to go next month (DS will be 2). LOVE the idea of staying on the beach with a balcony to enjoy the views.......However we plan to stay for a week so its really not affordable. I see there is a lot to do in the Tampa area......Busch Garden, water park, Zoo, museum, DH talked about a baseball game. So I was thinking maybe 3 days in Tampa and then 3 days at a beach hotel, either Clearwater or St Pete. So I need a couple things from you ladies......
1) Where to stay in Tampa (I was looking near Busch Garden but I hear its not a great part of town)
2) Where to stay in Clearwater/St Pete (I was looking in Clearwater but was told St Pete might have nicer (more toddler friendly) beaches
3) Places to go, things to do, places to eat (in any of the locations)
4) Is my thought of 3 days in Tampa and 3 days on the beach a good idea since we would like a beach hotel at least for a few days and dont want to pay for it for the full week.
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Re: Tampa/St Pete/Clearwater
I would stay on St.Pete beach and drive over to Busch Gardens, the Zoo, the aquarium etc. if I were you. It is like 30 min. and more to do around the beach than in Tampa. Dont get me wrong Tampa is nice but with a baby I would rather hang out on the beach if I were u with a little one rather than in Tampa. All moms love the Tampa Aquarium.
As far as a hotel on St.Pete beach check out The Alden, The Sarata, or The Tradewinds Least expensive should be the Alden. Right on the beach. We live here (an hour from the beach) and the whole family stays there EVERY year around 4th of July.
Hi, Tampa is a great town, the area right around Busch Gardens is not very nice though, but definitely should be on your to do list. I agree with the PP that you should just stay near the beach the whole time and drive into Tampa to do Busch Gardens, Aquarium etc, as it is only a 30-45 min drive. That said if you can't find something affordable near the beach, the hotels near the airport are ok.
As far as near the beach, Tradewinds is a bit $$, but very kid friendly. One place my DH and I love is called the Madeira Bay Resort, www.madeirabayresort.com , it is not actually on the beach, but across the street, and it is within walking distance to a great shopping/dining area called St Johns Pass. All the units are one or two bedroom apartments with full kitchens, and very reasonably priced (we stayed there for a romantic weekend in Feb for $99/night, but that was the off season so may be more now).
As far as things to do: Busch Gardens, Florida Aquarium, The Dali Museum, Fort De Soto, Lowry Park Zoo, that's all I can think of off the top of my head. One fun place to eat, right on the beach is The Hurricane on Pass A Grille, and over in St Johns Pass is the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, also fun.
Not sure if you've already come and gone, but I would do maybe four nights at the beach and two in Tampa. I would not do Clearwater -- traffic is a mess. St. Pete Beach is beautiful and more low-key.
Tradewinds is nice, and there's a new place called the Post Card Inn that is great if you want something smaller and less resorty. The Don Cesar is gorgeous but not as kid-oriented as Tradewinds. Good ice cream parlor, though.
Sea Critters on Passagrill is good, Dockside Dave's has great grouper sandwiches and like the other poster mentioned, John's Pass has lots of options.
When in Tampa, definitely do not stay near Busch Gardens. The airport area (Westshore) is safe and nice (and has a great mall -- International Plaza). Downtown Tampa is also close to everything. Busch Gardens and Adventure Island are must-sees. The zoo is on the small side but great for families and kids. Aquarium is great. MOSI (museum of science and industry) is decent.
Good places to eat -- Estela's (Mexican, Davis Islands), Columbia (Spanish, in Ybor), Square One burgers (Henderson Rd), Cappy's Pizza (South Tampa and Seminole Heights), Lee Roy Selmon's (near airport), Green Iguana (multiple locations -- try lunch, though, gets a big bar crowd at night).
Hi,
I'm not sure if you've taken your trip already but, for this trip or future ones there is a motel in Indian Rocks Beach, Fl. (3mls south of Clearwater) on Gulf Blvd that is my FAVORITE. Not only is it affordable to stay for a week on the beach but, they are one bedroom apartments with fully furnished kitchens, living room, and one bathroom. Each unit is a litte different and everythign is high end...from the flat screen t.v's to the decor. The normal weekly rate ranges from $675-$750/week. Which is an AMAZING deal. The place is called Blue Water Beach Rentals and thier website is www.bluewaterbeachrentals.com. Trust me...you can not find any place cleaner, nicer, and more affordable anywhere on the beach! Have a great trip