Outdoor Activities

When most people think of the Tampa area they think of top-rated beaches and amazing sunsets. We are all that and more.

In addition to St Pete boasting the third-largest waterfront park system in the United States, we also enjoy between 250-361 days of sunshine a year. In fact, St. Pete has been nicknamed “The Sunshine City” because it holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the most consecutive days of sun. Tierra Verde enjoys a similar number of awesome weather days as its neighbor St. Pete.

If you want to go out and enjoy them, we have a few ideas. Try:

Beachcombing and shell hunting on Caladesi Island in Dunedin, Ft. Desoto (a favorite spot for sand dollars), and Pass-A-Grille (this beach also boasts a special dog beach so your furry friend can enjoy the area’s beauty too)

• Hunting for shark’s teeth at Venice Beach
• Fishing in the Tampa Bay or taking a longer trip and trying your hand at some deep-sea fishing
• Dolphin sight-seeing cruises
• The Cross Bay Ferry to Tampa provides a scenic way to get to Tampa’s downtown waterfront and a Lightning game
• Kayaking the inner waterways, especially during the winter when manatees come into the warmer waters
• Seeing the area from a birds-eye view at the Myakka River State Park’s Canopy Walkway, a walkway that slices through the park 25 feet above the ground

Dining

This area is also home to a lot of dining adventures. From some of the freshest seafood you’ll ever taste to interesting fusion restaurants, even picky eaters will find some of their favorites in and around the Tierra Verde area. Or get to know it all through a local food tour.

•  Billy’s Stone Crab has been serving up delectable seafood and gorgeous sunsets for 43 years.  The restaurant is named for one of Florida specialties, the stone crab. Prized by locals yet enjoyed by the entire country, stone crabs are in season about half the year. Their tough shells are not a deterrent for the delicious sweetness that hides inside. While this is an amazing dish at Billy’s, it’s certainly not the only reason to visit. Billy’s is like several restaurants and bars in one with a dining room, piano bar, and outside space, you can pick your favorite spot.
• Nitallys in Pasadena and St. Pete bills itself as a ThaiMex fusion restaurant. It is the perfect spot if you’re going out with a group that can’t decide between those two different flavors. You just have to try it.
• Hawkers Asian Street Fare in downtown St. Pete’s EDGE district serves flavors inspired by Asian street vendors or Hawkers. They also serve an array of artisanal beverages.
• The Floridian You can’t come to this area without enjoying a Cuban sandwich (created with sweet ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard layered on a crispy roll) and the Floridian serves up a good one. Another great spot for this local taste is Habana Cafe in Gulfport.
• The Moon Under Water on St. Pete’s Beach Drive is an authentic British Colonial tavern and as such serves up traditional dishes like fish and chips and creative mains like curry. They offer 17 beers on tap including a large sample of local ones.

St Pete is also becoming known for its craft beer scene. They’re approximately 12 craft breweries in walking distance in downtown St Pete. Most of them are family-friendly and offer old fashioned games to keep the kids busy while you’re enjoying the flavors of the city.

Sports

The Tampa Bay area is home to a number of sports teams. No matter the season or your favorite sport, if you enjoy fast-paced and competitive games you’ll love the options here. They include:

• The Tampa Bay Rays (baseball)
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (football)
• The Tampa Bay Rowdies (soccer)
• The Tampa Bay Lightning (hockey)
• as well as nearby Orlando Magic (basketball)

This area is also home to a lot of spring training baseball teams such as the

• Philadelphia Phillies (Clearwater)
• Toronto Blue Jays (Dunedin)
• New York Yankees (Tampa)
• Baltimore Orioles (Sarasota).

But don’t feel sad if you miss spring training and love baseball. You can see some of tomorrows stars at one of our farm teams and minor league baseball team games including the:

• Tampa Tarpons
• Clearwater Threshers
• Dunedin Blue Jays

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the:

• Tampa Bay Vipers (American football)
• Tampa Bay Storm (Arena football)
• Tampa Marauders (soccer)
• Tampa Bay Mutiny(soccer)
• Tampa Mayhem (rugby)

For those of you who want to participate in your own sport why not try the iconic St Petersburg Shuffleboard Club?

Landmarks and Cultural Hotspots

n addition to the world’s largest shuffleboard club, this area is home to many historical and interesting landmarks as well as places of cultural significance. You’ll want to visit:

• Ft. De Soto Park
• Sunken Gardens
• The Dali Museum (enjoy reduced admission on Thursday nights)
• The Florida Holocaust Museum
• Museum of Fine Arts (they have the most cultured honey bees in the area)
• Imagine Museum
• The James Museum

The Grand Central District in St. Pete is also home to many studios as well as a collection of outdoor murals. View a map of those murals here. Use it to go on a self-directed walking tour.

St. Petersburg is also the city where Jack Kerouac reached the end of the road. He lived here briefly, referring to it as a “great place to die,” and ironically died at St. Anthony’s Hospital of a stomach hemorrhage in 1969.

There are so many things to do here in the Tierra Verde area. With nearby St Petersburg and Tampa, along with Sarasota and Clearwater all within a short drive, it will be months (maybe years) before you are able to do everything this area has to offer. And by the time you get to that point, we’ll have created even more ways to enjoy this amazing place.