Tips voor uitjes in de Tampa Bay Area

[Michael66]

Als het over de omgeving van Tampa Bay gaat, gaat het meestal over de stranden, Busch Gardens, de sporten (Devil Rays, Buccaneers, Lightning etc), dolfijnen-tours etc.

Maar er is zoveel meer te doen en te zien. Misschien niet zo bekend, niet zo spectaculair. Daarentegen wel erg leuk om net even wat anders te doen, net even wat anders te zien.

De beschrijvingewn heb ik gekopiëerd uit de betreffende artikelen. Je ziet hieronder steeds drie foto's, die betrekking hebben op de drie onderstaande bezienswaardigheden.

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A.L. Anderson Park
Named for a former Pinellas County Commissioner with a big heart for area conservation.Top-notch views of Lake Tarpon and Salmon Bay, rolling grassy hills, forests of oak and cypress, playgrounds, open fields, fishing, picnic pavilions, a big shady dog park and bustling boating, hiking and biking facilities make this a Pinellas Park not to be missed. Extra linkje.

Al Lopez Park
The park, just a punt and a bunt from Raymond James Stadium and Legends Field, thrusts a determined green jaw into Tampa's urban landscape. Named for Ybor City-born Baseball Hall of Famer Al Lopez, this is a classic urban park, equal parts gritty city and stubborn, occasionally exotic, nature. here else can you see peacocks strut their stuff while a car dealer's announcements boom through the woods?

Alderman's Ford Park
More than 1,100 acres of hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, camping and general all purpose fun make this magnificent park along the Alafia River a great place for the whole family. Alderman's Ford gets high marks for its cool boardwalk bridges, scenic views of the Alafia River, wide paved trails that can accommodate a lot of foot and bicycle traffic, abundant clean restrooms at frequent intervals along the trail and great picnic facilities.
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No picture of "The Baker House"

Anclote River Park
The centerpiece of the 30-acre park is the Anclote River waterfront beach, where you can fish, swim or watch big boats cruise the channel. Anclote River Park is a natural oasis in this industrial corner of Holiday, one of only four small gulf parks in Pasco. The park features a sandy beach with a lifeguard on duty, fishing, a playground, volleyball, concession stands, picnic areas and restrooms and showers.

The Baker House
The Baker House is billed as the "Oldest Cracker House in est Pasco." It was built in 1882 by Samuel Baker, whose descendant, Gordon Baker, gives tours of the home today. If a glimpse of our vanishing cracker history isn't reason enough for visiting this 123-year-old "amalgamation of country carpentry and the skills of a shipwright" then come just to enjoy native son Gordon Baker's personalized tour of the home.

Ben T. Davis Beach
Comprises the bulk of Tampa's " shoreline," a few hundred feet of white sandy beach fringing the Courtney Campbell Parkway and overlooking Tampa Bay. Don't be fooled by its size or location. This is a beautiful little beach, with plenty of parking (metered), park benches, picnic shelters, concessions, grills, volley ball nets, a cordoned swimming area and lifeguard stands. The views are great and the setting peaceful, especially on a weekday afternoon.
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Brooker Creek Headwaters Preserve
The preserve marks the headwaters of Brooker Creek, a vital tributary that winds through three counties on its way to Lake Tarpon, where it supplies 40 percent of the lake's water. Trails are numerous and interesting, vistas are spectacular, wildlife abundant. Sixty percent of the preserve is wetlands, but there's a huge variation in terrain, from cypress swamps to pine flatwoods, and from hardwood hammocks to wide grasslands. It's a plant- and animal-lovers' paradise, home to everything from the threatened hooded pitcher plant and the Catesby lily to deer, sandhill cranes, Sherman's fox squirrels and bobcats.

Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center
Billed as Pinellas County's "wildest place," Brooker Creek Preserve is 8,500 acres of watershed, forest and wildlife, stretching across three counties and making Lake Tarpon possible. The new $10-million Education Center is an example of a lot of money well spent, with something for everyone. Admission is free.

Cooper's Bayou Park
This wide swath of shade and lawn just calls you to pull in, get out and lay back. It's a great place for a picnic, a jog or to toss a Frisbee.
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Dunedin Fine Art Center
It's simply an unexpected gem of bustling art and education tucked into a residential neighborhood. The 18,000-square-foot museum houses the David L. Mason Children's Art Museum, the Gladys Douglas School for the Arts, three exhibition galleries for rotating displays, 10 studio classrooms for teaching everything from pottery to printmaking and a gallery gift shop. The Dunedin Fine Art Center offers a great way for children and adults to get the most out of visual arts - from quality gallery exhibits to engaging hands-on art education.

Flatwoods Park
It's likely that this will soon be the last outpost of pine flatwoods, wetlands and cypress domes in New Tampa. It's also a great place to see all that comes with that natural landscape, from an abundance of wildflowers, to wild turkeys, deer, hawks, armadillos and the occasional bobcat. There are covered picnic areas with grills near the Morris Bridge Road entrance, as well as restrooms, a pay telephone, cold drinks and a bike wash at the Flatwoods Visitor Center.

Florida Aquarium
The Florida Aquarium is a Tampa treasure. The nonprofit aquarium is swimming in possibilities for fun and learning, with a robust calendar of special events, classes, programs and activities. It's got something for everyone, including outdoor play areas and fine dining.
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Fort De Soto Park
At Fort DeSoto couples read, kids play football and sunbathers bask in the summer rays as they enjoy America's #1 Beach according to Dr. Stephen Leatherman, better known as Dr. Beach. Fort De Soto is Pinellas County's largest park, with 1,136 acres stretching across five interconnected islands. In addition to the fort that's right, a real fort!, there are 3 miles of beach, two fishing piers, a boat launch area, 14 large picnic shelters, a dog park, nearly 7 miles of hiking trails, more than 2 miles of canoe trails and a campground.

Fred Howard Park
Howard Park is full of great recreational opportunities, with nine picnic shelters, three playgrounds, a ballfield, watercraft launching areas, fishing, swimming and some of the best sunsets around. A mile-long causeway, along which visitors can fish, jog, launch windsurfers or just lounge, leads to a broad sandy recreational beach on the gulf. Extra linkje.

Great Explorations Museum
It's a great place to let the kids loose, and you might actually learn something, too.
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Henry B. Plant Museum
The Henry B. Plant Museum is the centerpiece of the University of Tampa, and one of the crown jewels of Tampa Bay history and culture. It was also a technological wonder, featuring the first elevator in Florida, electric lighting throughout, steam heat, private baths and telephones.

Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park
Starkey ilderness Park encompasses an enormous 8,069-acre tract in est Pasco, reaching from the headwaters of the Anclote River to the Pithlachascotee River. Starkey ilderness Park is the mother of all wilderness parks! There are 27 miles of backcountry hiking trails; 6.5 miles of biking and skating trails connecting with the 35-mile-long Suncoast Parkway Trail; 9 miles of bridle paths; cabins, tent sites and primitive camping facilities; picnic facilities; a 200 seat pavilion; and athletic fields, volleyball courts and a playground. That's not mentioning an abundance of wildlife, space and scenery. [urlhttp://www.tbt.com/features/guide/article13483.ece]Extra linkje[/url].

John Chesnut Sr. Park
Named for an early civic-minded county commissioner, John Chesnut Park features 255 acres of Lake Tarpon waterfront R&R. It accommodates 800,000 annual visitors with a generous six-lane boat ramp, more than a dozen large picnic shelters, two playgrounds, a softball field, beach volleyball, a fishing pier, a dog park, 3,000 feet of nature trails and a scenic overlook tower with spectacular views of Lake Tarpon. Chesnut Park makes an art of picnicking, especially along the boardwalk fishing area, which offers some of the most scenic hiking in town.
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[Dr. Phlox]

Dat wordt een verlenging van de vakantie als je het zo allemaal leest :lol:

[Michael66]

Nog een paar:

No picture of “Lake Park”

Lake Park
This nearly 600-acre park is dominated by St. Petersburg well fields, which draw from the site's signature five lakes: Starvation, Lane, Simmons, Oakley and Sproul. Not long ago, the lakes suffered from low water levels, but improved conservation and ground water augmentation efforts have restored all five to historic and recreationally enjoyable levels. In addition to the lakes, at least two of which are suitable for canoeing and fishing, there are generous pine flatwoods and hardwood hammocks among which to enjoy picnicking, hiking and horseback riding. There's also a BMX track, a radio-controlled car track, a couple of playgrounds, an archery range and equestrian facilities.

Lake Rogers Park
This beautiful, 272-acre lakefront park tucked in a remote corner of northwest Hillsborough County offers a wealth of recreational opportunities in a historic setting. Originally the site of an African-American resort, the remains of James alker's 15-room motel can still be seen along the Race Track Road boundary of the park, along with remnants of gardens at the edge of Lake Raleigh. A wide, well-marked trail traces Lake Rogers for 2 miles, providing some of the most scenic hiking in the area. The park is trimmed with sweet details, including a swinging bench with a gorgeous lakeside view and a fresh water dispenser -- with cups! -- at the canoe launch.

Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art
At the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art (on the grounds of St. Petersburg College), you and your family will be able to revisit the 20th century through art while exploring your creativity. A hands-on gallery. Traveling exhibitions, family workshops, summer camps, arts and cultural programs. Extra linkje.

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Moccasin Lake Nature Park, Clearwater
Moccasin Lake Nature Park is a 51-acre city park that includes a mile and a quarter of trails, a five-acre lake, three acres of watershed restoration areas, live wildlife exhibits and interactive and alternative energy educational displays, in addition to a wealth of classroom and ongoing community education programs. The park is a vibrant bit of greenery amid the congestion of Clearwater. Nestled between U.S. 19 and McMullen Booth Road, it's an urban oasis of babbling brooks and shady trails that deserves a little more of our attention. Extra linkje.

Museum of Science and Industry Tampa
MOSI is a staple Tampa entertainment and learning center. Like Busch Gardens and the Florida Aquarium, MOSI is just one of those places you visit when you're in Tampa. As long as you have a high tolerance for crowds (mostly of kids) and can endure some sensory overload, you'll find it has something for just about everyone.
Now at MOSI: Sesame Street Presents: The Body offers an engaging, free-flowing learning experience set in the familiar and reassuring world of Sesame Street. The loveable Sesame Street Muppets anchor an exciting collection of hands-on, interactive and multimedia experiences that allow children to explore the human body. Through Sept. 10, 2006.

National Armed Services and Law Enforcement Memorial Museum
This obscure little museum with the long name houses an impressive collection of arms and artifacts displayed in tribute to those who serve, or have served, in the U.S. Armed Forces or in federal, state or local law enforcement. Besides the guns, NASLEMM provided a fascinating and personal look at western martial arts, from the Revolutionary ar to the Persian Gulf ar, plus campy Miami Vice television props, a replica of "Old Sparky," Florida's infamous electric chair, and what the museum believes to be the largest private collection of miniature law enforcement memorabilia. Extra linkje.

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North Pinellas Historical Museum
This sweet little treasury of history is all but obscured amid the morass of construction along Curlew Road. Inside the beautiful block home beneath towering shade trees you'll find evidence of a past that is, in some ways, in sharp contrast to the noisy rumblings outside, and in other ways, in perfect harmony with it. The perspective is good, and so is the smell of cedar. Extra linkje.

Old McMicky's Farm
Old McMicky's Farm might not inspire a lot of confidence from the roadside. But it's a perfect example of not judging a book by its cover, which is only the first of many lessons children (and adults) can learn from a visit to this educational petting farm. Old McMicky's Farm is designed around the premise that many children don't have the opportunity to get up close and personal with traditional American farm life. From the little red barn to the array of mostly gentle farm animals, Old McMicky's Farm makes good on its promise to provide a fun, hands-on experience of what farm life is all about sans mucking out stalls. Extra linkje.

Pasco Arts Center
Besides housing a first rate arts center, the building is also on the National Register of Historic Places. All the rooms, including the kitchen, have been turned into galleries and studios showcasing the work of area artists. Who knew est Pasco was such a hot bed of culture? The Arts Center is a great place to see the work of up-and-coming artists and to admire the work of well-established ones.

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[mickey]

Hoi Michael,je hebt je huiswerk goed gedaan.
Ziet er erg leuk uit allemaal,bedankt. :wink:

[Michael66]

En over Fort DeSoto Beach/Park heb ik nog een leuke multimedia-presentatie gevonden, met mooie foto's en filmpjes.

Kijk/klik hier maar eens.

[marisca]

Hoi Michael,je hebt je huiswerk goed gedaan.
Ziet er erg leuk uit allemaal,bedankt. :wink:

Michael heeft tegenwoordig veel tijd over met zijn enkel!! :?

[Michael66]

Ook leuk om te doen:

Offbeat fun Sharon Kennedy Wynne Luis Santana/tbtWes Foster Climbs at the indoor Gym Vertical Ventures indoor Climbing Gym. Luis Santana/tbtFrank Rivera hangs on for dear life (okay, not really) at Vertical Ventures Indoor Climbing Gym. Luis Santana/tbtThis drummer goes by the name "Nucleus" and is one of the many who meet on Treasure Island Beach near the Bilmar Hotel every Sunday to jam together and admire the sunset. Luis Santana/tbtClub V Volleyball courts boasts 20 lighted sand courts. Owner Alan Hafez trucked in more than 4,000 tons of fine beach sand to the courts. tbt* filesIt's hard to imagine a better way to pass the hot summer days than by floating effortlessly down the Rainbow River.It's the middle of summer, and already you're sick of the beach, tired of the pool, over lying on the couch flipping through channels. You've got the urge, though, to go do ... something. If nothing else, so you can answer that inevitable dinner party question, "So what are you up to this summer?" You could do the standard and unimaginative route of visiting a theme park or taking in a movie (yawn). Or you could think outside the sandbox and try something you've never done before. We've taken a look at some of the primo time fillers around Tampa Bay. This list is by no means comprehensive, but it's a good place to start doing something just for curiosity's sake to kill an afternoon.

MARCH TO A DIFFERENT BEAT
Don't get stuck in a rut of doing the same old. Try these this summer - then brag about them to your family or friends who live in some landlocked sweltering suburb up north.

Treasure Island drumming circle
Every Sunday about an hour before sunset, the arrivals come to Treasure Island toting bongos, finger cymbals, even coffee cans and water jugs, to beat out a rhythm and get some release before starting a new week.
It started out as a college student's community project, and five years later, it's still drawing dozens of strangers from as far away as Sarasota and Plant City to join a meditative beat that rises and falls back into a heartbeat on the beach.
Find them at the county park just south of the Bilmar hotel on Treasure Island. Bring your hand drums or any percussion instruments, but modern drum sets played with sticks don't fit in very well. To find out about this and other Tampa Bay drum circles, go to tidrums.tripod.com.

Explore a cave
You'd be surprised by what you can find underground in places just a short drive from the city. But venture out with a group of avid cavers to sample the sport first. Cavers organize local "grottos" - groups devoted to studying, mapping, preserving, and above all exploring caves - under the auspices of the National Speleological Society (www.caves.org).
They are eager to welcome new members and amateurs interested in joining their next underground excursion. You can find the Tampa Bay Area Grotto at www.caves.org/grotto/tbag/ or call the chairman Tom Farnell in Largo at (727) 581-7462..

Get in climbing shape
You can get the feel of climbing even if you never intend to stick your head in a hole in central Florida. Vertical Ventures is an indoor climbing gym in Tampa that offers a lot of packages to those just trying out the sport. Beginners can take an introductory class for $30 that includes all the gear and covers the basics. From there, you can pay a daily rate of $11-$12.50 (not including gear rentals) to figure out how much you like clinging to a rock for dear life. Find them at 5402-E Pioneer Park Blvd Suite E in Tampa, or call (813) 884-7625

Play golf with a Frisbee
Disc golf is popular with the dudes who play hacky sack, but it's also a remarkably easy game for any skill level to play. Instead of chipping balls into a hole, you stand on a 12-foot-long concrete pad (the "tee") and spot an elevated metal basket some 100 feet away that has chains around the basket to stop the disc (and make a distinct clanging sound that is most satisfying after a good throw). Serious players get special discs that are smaller and flatter than your backyard variety. You can find a list of courses in your area a www.pdga.com. Of special note: Clearwater's two rugged shade-lovers courses at Cliff Stephens and Coachman parks and the Quarry Golf Course in Brooksville that is built around an old rock quarry. It wanders through an amazing landscape, including shots over a deep pit. It costs $5, (352) 544-5485, at that one, but most courses are at city parks and are free.

St. Pete Shuffle
A hip twist on an old game attracts the MTV crowd to a game long paired with the Lawrence Welk crowd. Considering that nearly 100 people - including a strong contingent of young artists and scenesters - show up every Friday to play shuffleboard, listen to music and enjoy local art, they might be onto something. Live bands play the third Friday of every month, kids and families are welcome. And even better, it's free; 7-11 p.m. at the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Courts, 559 Mirror Lake Drive N.

Play volleyball
A former Olympic volleyball player opened an amazing 20-court beach volleyball facility on U.S. 19 near Ulmerton Road this year to help others follow their dreams on the largest outdoor volleyball venue in the country. Alan Hafez, who played volleyball in the '72 and 1976 Olympics for his native Epgypt, made his money in business and real estate. Now he's pursuing his dream.
The Club V Beach facility has sand finer than Clearwater Beach's, without the shells or saggy nets that make beachfront play tough. The sturdy aluminum poles and heavy-gauge nets can be adjusted for men's or women's height. And it's got stadium lights for nighttime play.
No wonder its already hosted scores of national tournaments.
You don't need to have a team. Show up any time after 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and pay $5 a night for a pickup game. Hafez collects the "orphan players " and pairs you up with a team.
Join a nine-week league for $60 and you get in free on the weekends to practice. For more info, call the club at (727) 540-0222.

Geocaching scavenger hunts
There's a treasure chest somewhere in Sawgrass Lake Park in St. Petersburg, and another on Picnic Island in the Port of Tampa. How you find it, well, that's the fun of it.
DaVinci Code fans should love geocaching. You log onto a Web site (www.geocaching.com) and plug in your ZIP code, and up pops a couple of dozen hidden treasures in parks and alleys all across your town and hundreds in the whole Tampa Bay area. All you are given is a couple of clues and the precise latitude and longitude coordinates.
Then you head out with a GPS unit, which these days cost less than $100 and can get you within a few feet of the "treasure," which in most cases is just a Rubbermaid container or old ammo box that is filled with trinkets like key chains and Mardi Gras beads. Bring some dollar store trinket of your own to replace the ones you take.
Also inside will be a notebook and a pen so you can leave a note about when you found it and see the notes from the other treasure hunters who were there before you. Put the log and your own offerings back in the box and return it to its hiding place. Some caches have been hidden in the brush at parks or under bridges for years.
The finders are careful to avoid shouting "I found it!" and risk detection by "muggles" who are just there to enjoy the park and aren't aware of the secret hunt going on all around them.

GO TO CLASS AT THE BEACH
Sure they have yoga or self defense classes anywhere, but they don't have a beach. So why not take up a new sport or get in your daily stretch as dolphins leap nearby?

T'ai Ch'i by the water
This slow-moving ancient self defense practice that looks like underwater ballet is more about balance and control than raising your heart rate. Each Wednesday at 6 p.m., you can take a beginner level class that takes it outside for a nice view on Indian Rocks Beach at 16th Avenue. Teacher Roger Millen only asks for a $5 donation and no need to make reservations. Just show up in comfy clothes. For information, call (727) 595-8457.

Yoga on the beach
Tom Meagher, a hospital wellness adviser, conducts yoga classes on Indian Rocks Beach at 22nd Avenue on Tuesday and Thursday nights at 6 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. The 75-minute session of "Tom's eclectic yoga" is usually playful and energetic, but made for all abilities.
No need for reservations, but you can call (727) 365-4901 for information. A $6 donation is requested.

Kayoga
It's a marriage of kayak and yoga. The yoga teachers at Sculptured Bodies in Redington Shores lead kayak trips to an island, followed by a yoga session. It's for all skill levels and can be as relaxing as a morning stretch or a more intense boot camp-style workout.
They offer three or four trips a month either to an island 20 minutes off Redington Shores or the longer 30-minute paddle from Fort DeSoto to Shell Island. You can also book trips for your own crew by appointment. Prices range from $35-$65 per person. Call (727) 319-4990.

Carolina Mike's Kayaking 4 Fitness class
"Carolina" Mike Berthold takes paddlers out into Coffee Pot Bayou for a workout. The cost is $30 if you rent kayaks, $10 if using your own. You have to reserve a spot 24 hours before. Call (727) 235-1959 or see www.carolinamike.com
The class meets Mondays (beginners) and Wednesdays (intermediate) at 6:30 p.m. at the Coffee Pot Bayou boat ramp, 31st Avenue N and First Street in St. Petersburg.

SOAK IN A COLD SPRING
About late July when it's brutally hot outside, venture to the cool springs of the North Suncoast near Weeki Wachee, Crystal River or along the Withlacoochee. The water temperature never gets much above the mid-70s - a nice tonic on a 97-degree day.

Go tubing on the Rainbow River
The quintessential summer ritual for many Floridians is to grab an inner tube and find inner peace as you float the 5.8-mile Rainbow River, about two hours north of Tampa. This pristine river system discharges amazingly clear water in the fourth largest freshwater spring in Florida and the eighth largest in the world.
KP Hole Park in Dunnellon has restrooms, a snack bar, swimming beach and boat ramp. The park entrance fee is $3 per person. Canoes are $5 an hour. Tubes are $9 for the day. For information, call (352) 489-3055.

Play like a mermaid
Rent a kayak at Weeki Wachee Canoe and Kayak Rental, (352) 597-0360, where you get a boat for $38 to tour one of the last unspoiled water trails in the state. Take a half-day trip and then spend the rest of the afternoon checking out the so-retro-they're-cool-again mermaids and play in a water park designed around the springs.

Take home a cooler full of scallops
Collect them yourself near Crystal River. Scalloping season is July 1 through September and has been described as hunting for live Easter eggs. AquaMarine Images (toll free at 888-732-2692) takes a boatload of scallop hunters out at 7 a.m. and returns at 1:30 p.m. in time to start melting some butter. The $60 per person rate includes the snorkel gear you need, but you need to reserve ahead of time.

[RiannedeWit]

Wooow zo te zien is er genoeg te doen in en rond om Tampa! Ik ga me zekers vermaken, misschien slaap ik wel geeneens

[Michael66]

Als je eens wat anders wilt doen: Vanaf 22 juni in The Museaum of Sciece & Industry in Tampa:



Een interactief avontuur!

In "The World of Pirates," SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure visitors will be immersed in pirate lore, legend and facts. Pirates of the Caribbean are joined by Barbary Pirate Corsairs, Privateers, and Buccaneers in this interactive pirate exhibit. Raise the flags from some of the most famous and feared pirates. Learn to tie knots necessary in everyday pirate life. Test your ability to identify ships on the horizon as pirate predators or prey and find out what “treasures” pirates prized the most.

Meer info? Klik!

[Wannabe@Florida]

Boyd Hill National Preserve..
Old Hyde Park...