12 minute read
TAMPA/ST. PETE CLEARWATER
DESTINATION ST. PETE/CLEARWATER
WHILE YOU’RE HERE...
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Enjoy the Magical Outdoors in Clearwater Beach .................................36 See the Surreal Exhibits at the Dali Museum..........................................42 Try an Original Cuban Sandwich in Historic Ybor City ................................45 And much more…
outdoors in clearwater beach There’s something magical about Clearwater Beach on Florida’s West Coast.
By Nancy Foster
Clearwater Beach Yoga hosts classes every morning
The combination of tranquil gulf waters, sugar-soft sands and brilliant sunsets combine to make this an award-winning destination, packed with opportunities to embrace nature, whether by land, sea or air.
The primary draw of Clearwater Beach, of course, is the vast expanse of beach, where crystalline sands, a lush tropical atmosphere and an abundance of outdoor activities have helped it racked up numerous awards as the top beach in the U.S. The public beach area is within walking distance or trolley ride from most beach resorts, making it easy to access the tropical gulf water and soak up the rays. Tons of eateries offer patio dining with incredible water views, while Sand Key Park provides picnic tables under the pines for a leisurely lunch. The park’s location
Up, up and away on a parasail
allows for post-lunch strolls along the nature trail or a swim on their isolated expanse of beach.
Getting around is easy. Clearwater Beach is very walkable, but a bit more fun can always be found at Fun Ride Rentals, where the automobile-adverse can rent a colorful surrey bike, scoot coupe or scooter. More traditional bikes are also available at Clearwater Beach Scooter & Bike Rentals in Shephard’s Beach Resort. Pedestrians and bicyclists can spend a day or half-day biking or hiking on the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail, a former railway route that winds its way 45 miles throughout the county. Along the trail, beautiful beach towns
Hop a Fun Ride coupe to get around Get out on the water
with quaint shops and pretty cafés make for picturesque pit stops.
Sports enthusiasts have many choices for outdoor fun. Tennis or pickleball players are drawn to stay at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort, which has three public outdoor courts, while yogis looking for early morning workouts might lean towards Clearwater Beach Hilton, where guests can take free classes with Clearwater Beach Yoga each morning from 8-9 a.m.
A beach vacation won’t be complete without getting out on the Gulf, and at Clearwater Beach Marina, there are many options. For sightseeing, the Little Toot, a repurposed tug, cruises gulf waters in search of bottlenose dolphins that playfully leap in the boat’s wake. Nearby, North Beach Watersports at Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill rents banana boats, kayaks and paddleboards to
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tour the waterways. For family fun, Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise takes ticket holders on a themed adventure that leaves everyone smiling. Anglers can choose from a dozen or more deep-sea fishing charters, where fresh catches can be cooked at several area restaurants. For an enchanting evening, Yacht StarShip IV sails out on a two-hour sunset dining cruise into gulf waters.
As beautiful as Clearwater is on land or sea, the view from above is even more spectacular, and there are several ways to experience it. Many beach concessionaires offer parasailing, including˙Clearwater Watersports. They’ll take patrons on a short boat ride out, far enough away to launch, then hoist them upwards for an exhilarating 10-12 minute ride soaring above the Gulf.
Tampa Bay Aviation offers helicopter tours manned by skilled pilots who fly over Clearwater’s beautiful shoreline and provide unparalleled panoramic views. Their tours can be customized to explore other beach communities, ballparks or the entire Tampa Bay region. visitstpeteclearwater.com
Nature surrounds you on Clearwater Beach
A visit to Clearwater Beach’s iconic Pier 60 Park is a must for visitors of all ages. The Pier is a perfect spot to reel a big catch without chartering a boat and features a 1,080-foot fishing pier and recreational park, with a bait house, telescopes and six covered pavilions. The bait house has all the equipment a budding angler might need, including rental equipment, a full line of bait and a staff that is knowledgeable and eager to assist. While the store also stocks T-shirts, souvenirs, drinks and snacks, the best shopping can be found at the free, nightly Sunsets at Pier 60 Festival. Live music, buskers and an outdoor market of local craft vendors entertain and entice from 6 - 9 p.m., complemented by the splendid sunset that so often graces the Floridian getaway.
Sizzling Sherry Shrimp at Bobby’s Bistro
Seafood Delights
A seafood feast at Jimmy’s Fish House & Iguana Bar Delicious seafood at Sea-Guini
Clearwater Beach chefs get creative with fabulous Florida fish
By Nancy Foster
Travelers headed to award-winning Clearwater Beach are just about guaranteed a blissful experience of sunfilled days and warm tranquil seas. Of course, fabulous meals go hand-in-hand with a blissful day, and Clearwater has an abundance of great dining spots up and down the beach, where area chefs raise the bar for amazing seafood creations.
JIMMY’S FISH HOUSE AND IGUANA BAR
Jimmy’s Fish House is a casual spot known for great seafood and panoramic views of the Gulf. The décor is nautical and fun and offers diners inside, bar or outside deck seating. The outside deck is the perfect tropical setting to enjoy affordably-priced meals. Breakfast delights with treats like the Lobster Bennie, while lunch and dinner bring tropical cocktails or cold beer to accompany flavorful dishes like Grilled Gulf Harvest Oysters, Coral Reef Calamari and the Trio Sampler of fresh Florida Grouper Nuggets, Gulf Fish Spread and Coconut Shrimp. jimmysfishhouse.net
BOBBY’S BISTRO & WINE BAR
Just one street over from the beach is an intimate bistro that satisfies hungry patrons with delicious cuisine. With a comfortable yet polished ambience, four dining rooms, a gourmet menu and a mind-blowing selection of wines by glass or bottle, Bobby’s Bistro & Wine Bar is a special culinary experience. Menu choices may change based on the day’s catch, but epicurean delights such as the specialty Sherry Garlic Sizzling Shrimp appetizer, a spicy Bronzed Grouper, char broiled and topped with herb garlic butter are recurring hits to look out for. The staff is super friendly, the service impeccable and the portions large. bobbysbistro.com
SEA-GUINI
For beachside dining where every seat offers tranquil views of the Gulf, there’s few places better than Sea-giuni on the northern side of Clearwater Beach inside the Opal Sands Resort. The restaurant is elegant, with a well-appointed dining room and inventive menu creations by a culinary team known to favor the flavors of the Mediterranean. Meal choices incorporate locally-sourced seafood and produce, exemplified in dishes like the Diver Scallops, PanSeared Local Snapper, Lobster Pappardelle and the Citrus-Glazed Gulf Grouper. seaguini.com
DALí & COMPANY
Surreal exhibits visit an exquisite museum
By Sean Davies
Picasso and Lee Miller in his studio, Liberation of Paris, Rue des Grands-Augustins, Paris, France, 1944 The surreal exterior of The Dalí Museum
The geodesic dome of The Dalí Museum has been the crowning jewel of the Southeastern United States since its construction in 2011. Resting comfortably in St. Petersburg, Florida, on the Tampa Bay waterfront, the structure known only as The Enigma is made up of 1,062 triangular pieces of glass. It stands 75 feet at its tallest point, and houses a spiraling helical staircase — a fitting tribute to the spiraling, enigmatic mind of one of the greatest surrealist artists to have ever lived.
The collection inside, formed by A. Reynolds and Eleanor R. Morse, traces its roots to 1943, when the Morses bought their first Dalí painting, “Daddy Longlegs of the Evening, Hope! (1940)”. This was the first of many acquisitions, which now number at an astounding 300 oil paintings, watercolors and drawings, and more than 2,100 prints, photographs, posters, textiles, sculptures and objects d’art, making the museum one of the most acclaimed collections of a single modern artist in the world, with works in every medium the artist attempted.
In addition to the extensive permanent collection of Dalí works, the museum showcases frequent special exhibitions curated from top worldwide collections in the Hough Family Wing. Through Jan. 2, 2022, the museum hosts “The Woman Who Broke Boundaries: Photographer Lee Miller,” focusing on 130 images from Miller’s prolific body of work: portraits of important writers and artists associated with the Surrealist movement in Paris, a small selection of striking self-portraits and images captured during the liberation of Paris and Germany at the end of World War II.
Soon after Lee Miller’s exhibit closes, the Dalí plans to debut “Picasso and the Allure of the South,” organized with Musée national Picasso-Paris, on Jan. 29-May 22, 2022. Promising to explore the influence of southern Europe on Picasso’s revolutionary work, the exhibit features many pieces on view for the first time in the U.S., from some of his most creative and prolific artistic periods. It was actually during this time in Europe when Picasso was photographed by Lee Miller, in a picture that will be on display only three weeks prior to his exhibit, in a museum dedicated to their mutual friend. Whether that is a surreal turn of events, or a calculated curation, both are equally fitting for the prestigious Dalí.
The exhibits are both exclusive to the Dalí, a point of pride for the museum, which also boasts of a museum store where 85 percent of inventory is only available on their shelves. Much like the museum’s one-of-a-kind Avant-Garden surrounding the building and even the artist himself, a trip to the Dalí is always a unique experience. thedali.org
The Dalí museum houses one of the largest collections of a single modern artist’s work
Picasso’s “Le Baiser,” on display this winter
FAR FROM YOUR TYPICAL NEIGHBORHOOD
By Heather Turk
Historic Ybor City is sure to charm visitors
No trip to Tampa Bay is complete without visiting Ybor City. The only neighborhood on Florida’s west coast designated a National Historic Landmark District, the vibrant Latin Quarter has something for everyone to enjoy.
History buffs who want to learn more about the area and its rich cultural heritage will want to stop by the Ybor City Museum. Located in the historic Ferlita Bakery building, the museum features exhibits on the various immigrant groups who settled in the community and how Ybor City earned its reputation as the Cigar Capital of the World. Two of America’s oldest cigar-making families are actually still rooted in Ybor City; Arturo Fuente Jr. sells his family’s Dominican handmade cigar brands at Tampa Sweethearts Cigar Company, while America’s oldest family-owned cigar manufacturer — the J.C. Newman Cigar Company — is headquartered in the 111-year-old El Reloj factory.
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Once the Cigar Capital of the World, Ybor City still boasts plenty of places to get hand-rolled cigars
Learn about Ybor City’s history at the Ybor City Museum
Ybor City Historic Walking Tours’ knowledgeable guides will take guests back in time as they explore the area
For those hungry for a taste of Cuba, Ybor City is not only home to several Cuban restaurants, but also a genuine piece of Cuban territory. Dedicated to the memory of the poet, journalist and firebrand who led the island’s revolution against Spanish rule in the 1880s and 1890s, José Martí Park is owned by the people of Cuba. Guests can visit the park — no passport required — to see a statue of Martí, as well as marked plots of earth from different parts of Cuba.
One of the best ways to explore the area is with Ybor City Historic Walking Tours. Offering tours daily, the informative tour company takes guests to several noteworthy spots in just 90 minutes, including 7th Avenue. Named one of the American Planning Association’s 10 Great Streets in America because of its history and character, 7th Avenue is one of Ybor City’s most popular attractions today thanks to its eclectic shops, restaurants and lively nightlife scene. yborwalkingtours.com
With so much to experience around every corner, visitors will leave Ybor City wishing it was their neighborhood! visittampabay.com/districts/ybor-city
Columbia’s Original Cuban Sandwich has been wowing taste buds for more than 100 years
A TAMPA TREASURE PERFECTED
Columbia’s Original Cuban Sandwich
Several restaurants in Ybor City may make a good Cuban sandwich, but only one restaurant can say that its Cuban sandwich was named “Best Sandwich in Florida” by Food & WineMagazine in 2021: The Columbia Restaurant.
Founded in 1905 by Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez, Sr., Florida’s oldest restaurant prides itself on using Hernandez’s original 1915 recipe when making its Cuban sandwich. Each sandwich is made precisely the same way, starting with house-baked sugar-glazed ham on the bottom slice of freshly baked Cuban bread. Then comes the mojo-marinated pork, prepared in house, followed by imported Genoa salami with black peppercorns. Atop of that is a layer of Swiss cheese, pickle chips and finally the top slice of the loaf, which is coated with yellow mustard.
Priced at $12, Columbia’s Original Cuban Sandwich may only be listed on its lunch menu, but guests can order the sandwich for dinner by request.
columbiarestaurant.com
