Area Attractions

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AREA ATTRACTIONS

This area truly can offer absolutely anything, unless you are wanting to go snow skiing: From the cultural centers of downtown Tampa and St. Petersburg to the nightlife of Ybor City, the beaches of Pinellas, a plethora of professional sports, and the charm of Tarpon Springs with it’s sponge docks. An added bonus is the area's proximity to many other Florida attractions. Just a few minutes away are the wonderful museums of St. Petersburg, professional sporting events and Tampa's Busch Gardens theme park. Orlando's attractions are about an hour's drive east. It would be extremely difficult to say what would be the ‘top ten’ things to do or see. Therefore, we made up the following list of some of the area attractions and activities. Take a visit to any of these and you are guaranteed a great time and experience.

Clearwater
Clearwater Aquarium
Clearwater Marine Aquarium 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, FL 33767-2244 phone: 727/441-1790 888-239-9414		The marine life of Florida is the main topic of this beautiful aquarium.
	Clearwater Marine Aquarium is dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of sick and injured marine mammals and animals such as dolphins, sea turtles, otters and whales. Also featuring exhibits, you can see stingrays, sharks and other fish. Also of note – the Clearwater Marine Aquarium offers educational programs, such as Sea Life Safari, Marine Life Adventures, and Kayak Adventures.
Pier 60
Pier 60 Pier 60 is one of the most popular attractions for Clearwater Beach - only a few steps from Amber Tides Motel.	Celebrate the setting of the sun over the Gulf of Mexico! This sightseeing and fishing pier extends over 1000 feet in to the ocean and has a lot to offer: fishing, air-conditioned shopping, restaurants, amusements, craft and art shops and the nightly street festival which celebrates the setting of the sun over the Gulf of Mexico. The festival features street performers, music, magicians and arts produced by local artists.
Clearwater Cruises
Clearwater Municipal Marina 25 Causeway Blvd. Clearwater, FL 33767 phone 813/462-6954	Headquarters for deep-sea fishing excursions, water sports and cruise attractions ...........................................................
Original Dolphin Encounter Cruise 25 Causeway Blvd., Slip #5 Clearwater Beach, FL 33767-2000 phone 727-442-7433	See these marine mammals in their natural habitat while relaxing aboard the double-deck 125-passenger Clearwater Express. This sightseeing tour provides a scenic view of Gulf beaches ...........................................................
Captain Memo's Pirate Cruise 25 Causeway Blvd. Clearwater Beach, FL 33767-2064 phone 727-446-2587	Offering sightseeing, sunset and private charter cruises with a pirate theme. Join the fun aboard the family attraction, the Pirate's Ransom. Frequent sightings of playful dolphins. Pirate fun and games. ...........................................................
Sea Screamer City of Clearwater Marina 25 Causeway Blvd. phone 813/447-7200	The world's largest speedboat, this 73-foot craft offers scenic nature and thrilling sightseeing cruises. ...........................................................
The Starlite Majesty Docked at the Clearwater Beach Marina P.O. Box 3335, Clearwater, Florida 34630 phone 813/462-2628	...........................................................
Show Queen Cruises Clearwater Beach Marina 25 Causeway Blvd. phone 727-461-3113 800-772-4479	Offers narrated sightseeing and dinner cruises.
Moccasin Lake Nature Trail
Moccasin Lake Nature Trail 2750 Park Trail Lane Clearwater phone 813/462-6024	50-acre park featuring a lake, upland forest, wetlands and many plant and animal species.e.
It's Our Nature
It's Our Nature 929 Bay Esplanade Clearwater, FL 33767-1112 phone 727-441-2599 888-535-7448	Guided educational walks and kayak paddles for all ages and experience levels. Official company for Honeymoon Island State Recreation Area and Caladesi Island State Park.
Boatyard Village
	This neighborhood brings the visitor back to the 1890s
Tanks-A-Lot
Tanks-A-Lot Clearwater phone: 727-531-9101	Take an adventure trip aboard a 33-foot vessel for an exciting day of scuba diving. Tanks-A-Lot offers dive charters from Clearwater and Capt Ben and Capt. Sue as well as the rest of the Tanks-A-Lot crew know the best dive sites in the area. The diving varies from natural ledges to ship wrecks to artifical reefs.
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Ruth Eckerd Hall 111 McMullen Booth Rd. Clearwater, FL 34619 phone / ticket reservation: 727-791-7400 oder 800-875-8682	This performance arts center was established in 1988 as a professional theater. Audiences reach well beyond the local community through imaginative adaptations of classic children's literature and original works.
TAMPA
Busch Garden's
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay 3605 E Bougainvillea Ave Tampa, FL 33612-6433 phone: 813-987-5082 800-372-1797	Probably the obvious first choice as the Gardens are one of Tampa’s most famous and long-standing attractions. That fact should'nt diminish the attractiveness of this destination however. The Gardens are home of an internationally famous zoo, fabulous botanicals, and of course the internationally renowned theme park. The zoo itself is the location of one of North America’s largest and most diverse wild animal parks. The Serengeti Plain was the first free-roaming habitat developed on the continent. A monorail train takes visitors through the heart of the habitat, allowing unsurpassed photo opportunities. A 335-acre African-themed family entertainment park, featuring world-class animal habitats, thrilling rides and live entertainment.

Adventure Island, Tampa
Adventure Island 10001 Malcolm McKinley Dr. Tampa, FL 33612-6401 phone: 813-987-5660 800-4-Adventure	Adventure Island is located directly across the street from the Busch Gardens entrance. Unquestionably Tampa Bay’s premier water park, it features over 30 acres of water-based attractions. In addition to children’s playgrounds and picnic/bathing areas, the park also features an arcade, outdoor cafes, and a volleyball complex. All this is in addition to the parks main attractions – unbeatable water slides, a wave pool, and Wahoo Run, a tunnel river raft ride. All of this is wrapped up in one of the most tropical settings in Florida.
Lowry Park Zoo
Lowry Park Zoo 1101 West Sligh Avenue Tampa, FL 33604-5958 phone 813-935-8552	Lowry park is a must visit attraction in Tampa Bay and one of Florida’s top zoos, ranked in the top three medium-sized zoos in the U.S. It features over 1500 animals in 25 acres of open-air habitats and is also noted for it’s events, kids nights, Halloween and Holiday celebrations
Ybor City
Ybor City Centro Ybor Visitor Information Center 1600 E. 8th Avenue Suite B 104 813-248-3712 ext. 1 877-9-FIESTA	Also known as Tampa Bay’s party central, the Ybor City district is home to not only entertaining (to say the least) nightlife, but numerous fine dining establishments, museums, and galleries. Once known as the ‘Cigar Capital of the World”, Ybor has a rich history, and it’s graceful old buildings, wrought-iron balconies, and wide piazzas exude an atmosphere of romance and a quirky charm found no where else. The district includes a 20-screen cineplex with stadium seating, restaurants, a comedy club, retail stores, and Steven Spielburg’s Game Works.
Ybor City State Museum
Ybor City State Museum 1818 E. Ninth Ave. Tampa, FL 33605-3818 phone 813-247-1434	Features exhibits on Ybor City, the cigar industry and immigrants who settled in Tampa. Tour includes a cigar worker's historic shotgun house.
Henry B. Plant Museum, Tampa
Henry B. Plant Museum 401 W. Kennedy Blvd Tampa, FL 33606 phone 813-254-1891 Ext. 4	One of Tampa’s most historic buildings, the Museum was once known as the Tampa Bay Hotel which in it’s hay-day was Tampa’s premier hotel. It is also the cornerstone of the University of Tampa Campus. A tour of the museum will take you back to the magical days when the wealthy lived the lives beyond everyone’s dreams. If you visit the museum, you can enjoy the opulent European furniture and art treasures of the original railroad resort and the Gilded Age. You'll want to visit the permanent exhibit on the Spanish American War as well.

Museum of Science and Industry and IMAX
MOSI - Museum of Science and Industrie / IMAX 4801 E. Fowler Ave. Tampa, FL 33617 phone 813-987-6100 800-995-MOSI 877-987-IMAX	The largest science center in the southeast, this playground of science and imagination allows visitors to learn by participation. Over 450 hands-on exhibits are available, several of which are truly unforgettable.
Tampa Town Ferry
Truly a treat, seeing Tampa from it’s rivers is an entirely new perspective on this beautiful city. Take the ferry along the Alaia River to Bird Island. From there you can move on up the Hillsborough River to the Performing Arts Center to catch a play or concert, or stop at the Plant Museum for a relaxing time on the exquisite victorian veranda.
Ballon Tours, Tampa
Big Red Balloon Sightseeing Adventures 7223 Creekwood Court Tampa, Florida 33615 phone 813/969-1518; 800/44-TAMPA
ST. PETERSBURG
Salvador Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg
Salvador Dalí Museum 1000 Third Street South St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 Phone: 813.823.3767	World-famous, the Salvador Dali Museum ranks as one of the top attractions in Florida receiving the highest rating by the Michelin Green Guide-the only such attraction on the west coast to be so honored.
		Daily tours of the museum's fascinating collection will educate, yet entertain you, about one of the 20th century's greatest artists - Salvador Dali.
Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg
Sunken Gardens 1825 Fourth Street N St Petersburg, FL 33704 phone 727-551-3100	Sunken Gardens has been a popular ‘roadside attraction’ since the 1930’s, You will see an incredible exotic collection of over 50,000 plants and flowers blooming all year round. One of the most fascinating features here is the walk-through aviary which is home to all types of birds and a phenomenal butterfly garden.
Bay Walk
Bay Walk is a shopping / dining / entertainment complex which brings even more new life into downtown St. Pete. Offering a 20-screen movieplex featuring stadium seating, numerous restaurants, shopping, galleries, and boat loads of atmosphere,
Florida International Museum
Florida International Museum 100 2nd St N St. Petersburg, FL 33701 phone 727-822-3693	Prior blockbuster exhibitions presented by the museum include the inaugural exhibition Treasures of the Czars, plus Splendors of Ancient Egypt, Alexander the Great, Titanic: The Exhibition, Empires of Mystery and John F. Kennedy: The Exhibition. Titanic alone drew over 800,000 visitors, making it one of the country’s top exhibitions in recent times.
Pier Aquarium
Pier Aquarium 800 2nd Ave NE St. Petersburg, FL 33701 phone 727-895-7437	Nine aquariums, marine life exhibits, guided tours and hands-on programs.
Starlite Cruises
Starlite Cruises 3400 Pasadena Ave. South St. Petersburg, FL 33707-4489 phone 727-462-2628 800-444-4814	Two vessels cruise the inland waters: one from the St. Pete Beach area, the other from the Clearwater Beach Marina. Sightseeing, lunch and dinner cruises are available.
SARASOTA
Treks & Cruises
Kayak Treks 3667 Bahia Vista Street Sarasota, FL 34232 phone: 941-365-3892	Fun kayaking down pristine rivers & bays. Trips for novice to intermediate paddlers. No experience necessary. Simple instruction provides a great time. Trips include experienced guides, transportation, kayak, equipment, safety gear, cooler & ice pack. Day trips include lunch. Solo & tandem kayaks. Day - overnight trips moonlight cruises
Marina Jack 2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota, Florida 34236 phone: 941-955-9488
Myakka State Park & Wilderness Preserve 13207 State Road 72, Sarasota, FL 34241 phone: 941-365-6511
Beautiful natural park and wilderness preserve not only offers pure nature and home for animals, but also various opportunities for walks, boat trips, rides, etc.
ORLANDO
Orlando - town of theme parks. Orlando is a place, where dreams come true. With more than 80 attractions and outstanding weather throughout the year, Orlando is one of the most popular destination for travellers of all ages around the world.
Disney World
Disney World, Orlando Disney Theme Parks - Magic Kingdom - Epcot Center - Disney MGM Studios - Disney's Animal Kingdom Disney Water Parks - Blizzard Beach - Typhoon Lagoon phone 407-WDW-MAGIC 939-6244	Disney World is located in the southwest of Orlando - the whole area consists of various parks, golf courses, an entertainment complex as well as hotels.
	The parks are Magic Kingdom - for most people (and kids) this is the real Disney, Epcot Center (the park for adults), Disney MGM Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
SeaWorld
Seaworld Orlando SeaWorld Orlando 7007 SeaWorld Drive Orlando, FL 32821 phone 800-327-2424	SeaWorld Orlando is the world's premiere marine adventure park with 200 acres of world-class shows, thrilling rides and unforgettable animal encounters. More than 80 million visitors have explored the mysteries of the sea with up-close animal interactions and exhilarating thrills. New state-of-the-art rides such as "Kraken" and "Journey To Atlantis" twist, turn, and drench guests with unprecedented thrills, while amazing animal encounters include killer whales, dolphins, sea lions, stingrays and more.

Universal Studios
Universal Studios Orlando Universal Orlando® Resort 1000 Universal Studios Plaza Orlando, Florida 32819-7610 Islands of Adventure Universal Studios Florida Universal City Walk phone (general information): 407-363-8000 * Universal Studios Florida Guest Services: 407-224-4233 * Islands of Adventure Guest Services: 407-224-4233	Universal Studios® Movie Theme Park -- Go beyond the screen and Ride the Movies®! At this real working film and TV studio, an incredible array of rides, shows, movie sets and attractions put you right in your favorite scenes from your favorite movies. It's the number one movie studio theme park in the world! Join forces with the TERMINATOR® in a battle to prevent mankind’s extinction at the cold, steel hands of futuristic cyborgs. Live action stunts, special effects and amazing 3-D film come together in an adventure that says “Hasta la vista, baby” to entertainment as you know it.
Gatorland
Gatorland 14501 South Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32837 Phone: 407-855-5496 800-393.JAWS	Gatorland® is located on Hwy 441 at the Orlando-Kissimmee line in South Orlando, only 15-20 minutes away from Walt Disney World®, Sea World® and the Orlando International Airport At one time, when Gatorland® was also a working alligator farm, there were six thousand alligators in the park. Right now there are a hundred and thirty alligators on the Breeding Marsh, several hundred adult animals in the front lake areas and another several hundred young alligators in the display pools and the nursery for a total of over one thousand alligators at Gatorland®, the Alligator Capital of the World!There's nothing like a ten-acre Florida marsh to set the mood. With 100 female and 25 male gators, our Gator Trackers are sure to see an amazing display of gators in their natural habitat. For an even more exhilarating spectacle, get a bird's-eye view from our three-story observation tower. Along with the gators, birds by the thousands can be seen in the breeding marsh. Wild and free, they come and go as they please. With no nets to prevent their flight, you can see them feeding and..You'll enjoy our smoked gator ribs, deep fried gator nuggets, Sorry. There are many more wild alligators than wild crocodiles in America. Researchers think there are about 1.5 million alligators and less than 500 crocodiles left in America.

You'll enjoy our smoked gator ribs, deep fried gator nuggets, Sorry. There are many more wild alligators than wild crocodiles in America. Researchers think there are about 1.5 million alligators and less than 500 crocodiles left in America.
Skull Kingdom
Skull Kingdom 5933 American Way Orlando, FL 32819 phone 407-354-1564	Behind forbidden castle walls... lies a twisted world of fright and fun. Enter a world where monsters rule ...Live monsters, animatronics, strobe lights, fog and other special effects, as well as sudden encounters in dark places, and ghouls around every turn await you. Oh Ya .....Did we mention that once you are inside...
Skyventure
Skyventure 6805 Visitors Circle Orlando, FL 32819 phone 407-903-1150 800-SKYFUN1 800-759-3861
Stallion 51 Corporation
Stallion 51 Corporation 3951 Merlin Drive Kissimmee, FL 34741 phone 407-846-4400	Take the chance to fly one of the world's greatest fighters, the P-51 Mustang!!. Stallion 51 specializes in Orientation Flights, Checkout Training, Unusual Attitude Training, Military Contracts, Air Shows and Aircraft Management. ...Ready to take a flight?
Titanic -The Exhibition
Titanic - The Exhibition 8445 International Drive Orlando, Florida 32819 phone 407-248-1166

Sonstige Highlights
Everglades
Everglades Fishing is the dominant game of this "Mangrove Jungle," which borders the 10,000 Islands and the Gulf of Mexico, but visitors of all ages are sure to find a variety of intriguing activities in the Everglades. The appeal of the untouched wilderness and its plentiful wildlife is sure to please sightseers from age 1 - 100 and the area provides a number of ways to experience the Everglades including boat, airplane, van, airboat, bicycle and even walking tours. Contrary to what the average visitor might expect, the Everglades is not a huge swamp inhabited only by large snakes and alligators, but is rather a masterpiece of nature's beauty in a mysterious forest containing many forms of wildlife and birds in their natural habitat.	The combination of climate, geographical location and ocean currents make the Everglades America's only sub-tropical wilderness. The Everglades City area has many fine accommodations and activities to make your stay a most memorable one. The Everglades Area Chamber of Commerce, located at the intersection of the famous Tamiami Trail and State Road 29, serves the communities of Carnestown, Chokoloskee, Copeland, Everglades City, Lee Cypress, Monroe Station, Ochopee, Plantation Island, Port of the Islands and Seaboard Village.

Wakulla Springs State Park
Wakulla Springs State Park 550 Wakulla Park Drive Wakulla Springs, FL 32305 phone 850-224-5950	Wakulla Springs State Park hosts one of the world's largest and deepest freshwater springs. The springs form the headwaters of the Wakulla River. The river runs through old-growth cypress swamp with abundant wildlife. Nature trails in the upland portion of the park traverse approximately 3,000 acres of pristine forest.
St. Nicholas Boat Line
St. Nicholas Boat Line 693 Dodecanese Blvd. Tarpon Springs, FL 34689 phone 727-942-6425	A 1/2 hour round-trip boat cruise on an authentic 50 foot Greek sponge diving boat through the historic sponge docks of Tarpon Springs. Complete narration of the history of the sponge diving industry and Greek community. Demonstration of sponge harvesting with live diver in traditional, historic helmet diving suit. See and feel a real, natural sponge before it is cleaned of its skin/living tissue. The cleaned sponge, as you know and see it in the shops, is really the skeleton of the animal!
Dinosaur World
Dinosaur World 5145 Harvey Tew Rd. Plant City, FL 33565-6101 phone 813-717-9865	More than 100 life-sized model dinosaurs reflecting modern scientific theories are displayed in a natural landscape.
Hubbard's Marino Deep Sea Fishing & Cruises
Hubbard's Marina Deep Sea Fishing & Cruises 150 John's Pass Boardwalk Madeira Beach, FL 33708 phone 727-393-1947 800-755-0677	Sea adventures include dolphin-watching nature cruise, snorkeling excursion, and Shell Island Beach BBQ. Deep sea fishing offered on party boats and private charters



TOURIST INFORMATION
For overall Florida tourism information: Department of Commerce, Division of Tourism, 126 Van Buren, Tallahassee, FL 32399 phone: 888/7FLA-USA For St. Petersburg area tourism information: St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Visitors Bureau, 14450 46th Street North, Suite 108, Clearwater, FL 33762, phone: 813/464-7200, 800/822-6461