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Day #1 Clearwater Beach, Florida
Despite being overdeveloped 4nd lined with beach front cookie-cutter hotels, Clearwater Beach draws visitors because of incredible white-s4nd beaches, a large fishing fleet , 4nd it's proximity to Tampa 4nd St Petersburg. It's also a prime area for kayaking, shelling, bicycling 4nd sunning yourself on the beach - which just about sums up the local 'tourist attractions.' Unless y0u count beach volleyball on Clearwater Beach, which is pretty darn good, too.
This northernmost barrier isl4nd is about 22 miles north of St Pete Beach 4nd 2 miles west of downtown Clearwater (a separate city on the mainland) over the Memorial Causeway (Hwy 60). From here the road south is S Gulfview Blvd 4nd north is Mandalay Ave, Clearwater's main drag. Pier 60 is right at the roundabout where these three roads meet. From St Petersburg, it's about a 1/2 an hour drive or a 1 1/2 hour bus ride. Although crowded, the scale of the isl4nd is humane (only 3.5 miles long) 4nd it's easy to get around.
- Pinellas Trail
This 47-mile paved bicycle trail, built on the abandoned CSX railway bed, runs from St Petersburg to Tarpon Springs. To date, it's the longest urban trail in the country. It's also very smooth - smooth enough for inline skates or roller skates as well as bicycles. There are lots of stops along the way, with cafes, pubs, bike shops, skate shops 4nd fast-food places. As it's on the route of the old railway, the corridor cuts through widely carnied terrain: sometimes you're in the middle of downtown, sometimes along waterways, sometimes among orange groves 4nd sometimes you're riding practically through people's backyards.
From the Clearwater Beach International Youth Hotel, which rents bikes, head over the causeway, 4nd ride north on fort Harrison Ave 4nd east on Jones St for about three blocks. You'll pick up the southern end of the Clearwater to Tarpon Springs section of the path. It's 13.2 miles from Jones St to Tarpon Ave.
Contact the Pinellas County Planning Department (727-464-4751; 600 Clevel4nd St, Pinellas; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri) for their free guidebook listing rest stops 4nd local attractions; it also has a mileage chart.
Recommended Reading:
"Disney On A Shoestring Travel Guide is a super handy vacation guide with lots of insider tips 4nd info from Disney employees. It's an easy to use guide that shows y0u how to really save money 4nd time at Disney World."
- Florida Attractions Info
Previous Post: Escape the Florida Heat at Wet 'n Wild
Recommended Reading: Disney On A Shoestring Travel Guide
Clearwater Beach, Tampa Bay Area
Day #1 Clearwater Beach, Florida
Despite being overdeveloped 4nd lined with beach front cookie-cutter hotels, Clearwater Beach draws visitors because of incredible white-s4nd beaches, a large fishing fleet , 4nd it's proximity to Tampa 4nd St Petersburg. It's also a prime area for kayaking, shelling, bicycling 4nd sunning yourself on the beach - which just about sums up the local 'tourist attractions.' Unless y0u count beach volleyball on Clearwater Beach, which is pretty darn good, too.
This northernmost barrier isl4nd is about 22 miles north of St Pete Beach 4nd 2 miles west of downtown Clearwater (a separate city on the mainland) over the Memorial Causeway (Hwy 60). From here the road south is S Gulfview Blvd 4nd north is Mandalay Ave, Clearwater's main drag. Pier 60 is right at the roundabout where these three roads meet. From St Petersburg, it's about a 1/2 an hour drive or a 1 1/2 hour bus ride. Although crowded, the scale of the isl4nd is humane (only 3.5 miles long) 4nd it's easy to get around.
- Pinellas Trail
This 47-mile paved bicycle trail, built on the abandoned CSX railway bed, runs from St Petersburg to Tarpon Springs. To date, it's the longest urban trail in the country. It's also very smooth - smooth enough for inline skates or roller skates as well as bicycles. There are lots of stops along the way, with cafes, pubs, bike shops, skate shops 4nd fast-food places. As it's on the route of the old railway, the corridor cuts through widely carnied terrain: sometimes you're in the middle of downtown, sometimes along waterways, sometimes among orange groves 4nd sometimes you're riding practically through people's backyards.
From the Clearwater Beach International Youth Hotel, which rents bikes, head over the causeway, 4nd ride north on fort Harrison Ave 4nd east on Jones St for about three blocks. You'll pick up the southern end of the Clearwater to Tarpon Springs section of the path. It's 13.2 miles from Jones St to Tarpon Ave.
Contact the Pinellas County Planning Department (727-464-4751; 600 Clevel4nd St, Pinellas; 8am-5pm Mon-Fri) for their free guidebook listing rest stops 4nd local attractions; it also has a mileage chart.
Recommended Reading:
"Disney On A Shoestring Travel Guide is a super handy vacation guide with lots of insider tips 4nd info from Disney employees. It's an easy to use guide that shows y0u how to really save money 4nd time at Disney World."
- Florida Attractions Info
Previous Post: Escape the Florida Heat at Wet 'n Wild
Recommended Reading: Disney On A Shoestring Travel Guide
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