Gulf Coast Vacation?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,385
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From: Mercer County, OH
Gulf Coast Vacation?
In late March my wife and I are planning to spend a short week (Monday-Friday) somewhere along Florida's West coast. We don't golf, play tennis or any of those "resort" kind of things but would rather relax on the beach or by the pool with a book, a few cold ones and soak in the sun. Any recommendations?
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Southern NH
St Petersburg is nice for exactly that. The state run beach parks are not crowded. I did that a while back ago when my daughters were really young. Set up a chair with an umbrella by the waters edge, while the girls played in the sand. For three days we stayed there all day, from when the park opened till it closed. We hardly saw anyone the whole time we were there. Just bring plenty of goodies in your cooler, and slather the sunscreen on. And there are bathrooms with showers near by that are decent.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,903
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From: Wyoming
St. Pete is pretty good. I hit Clearwater Beach every June for a fertilizer engineer convention at the Sand Key Sheraton. It's more of an upbeat place, lots of college kids hanging out. It was listed as one of the top ten beaches on the Travel channel recently.
We've had our best vacation just south of there at Anna Maria Island, just north of Bradenton. We rented a beach cottage and just hung out on the beach. Really laid back, good restaurants, quiet beaches. Having the cottage meant we could walk to the beach - didn't have to drive with wet bathing suits on.
We've had our best vacation just south of there at Anna Maria Island, just north of Bradenton. We rented a beach cottage and just hung out on the beach. Really laid back, good restaurants, quiet beaches. Having the cottage meant we could walk to the beach - didn't have to drive with wet bathing suits on.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: North of Tulsa, Oklahoma
Ditto to St. Petersburg. I took my wife down there last year to celebrate our 10th anniversary. 
Very nice white sandy beaches. We walked the beach and were able to pick up so many different types of beautiful shells, live sand dollars, live starfish, and such. You could fish from the shore or take a guided trip to do some fishing. If it weren't for the hurricanes, I'd almost have my wife convinced to move down there. 
Very nice white sandy beaches. We walked the beach and were able to pick up so many different types of beautiful shells, live sand dollars, live starfish, and such. You could fish from the shore or take a guided trip to do some fishing. If it weren't for the hurricanes, I'd almost have my wife convinced to move down there.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Wyoming
Ah, I'll have to look it up. We stayed at a motel the year before we got the cottage - it was just down the street. Once again, it was Anna Maria Island, and there are a couple of cottage rental outfits. We found the place on the Web - it was a duplex, 2 stories on top of concrete stilts, so the master bedroom was 3 stories high and overlooking the ocean. The beach was right across the street from the duplex, and the owner supplied beach gear (chairs, toys, etc) and a gas grill. Hopefully they are still renting it out - the owners lived on one side and rented out the other.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Tampa Bay, FL USA
Clearwater Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. Pure white sand, the consistency of powdered sugar. The beach is deep, too; several hundred yards from the parking lot to water's edge. Which means you can find a spot away from all the "action," if that's what you want. Clearwater/ Largo area is a little over-commercialized, but the hotels and restaurants are reasonably priced. (FWIW, it's the only area I'm considering for my snowbird hideout.) Naples/ Venice area is also very nice, but pricey compared to Clearwater.
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Junior User
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Lakeland, FL
St. Petersburg Beach is the best in my opinion!! I like it because it's not as crowded as Clearwater Beach. Great sand, nice snack bar, restrooms and showers to rinse off the sand when you're ready to leave. Right across the street form the beach you gotta go to The Hurricane Bar & Grill. If you want to do some saltwater fishing you can fish from the seawall in the intercoastal waterway across the block from the beach. If you want to know some good spots to fish send me an e-mail and I'll hook you up. My wife and I go to the beach for the afternoon and then fish in the evening. You can park about 6 feet from where you fish, set a lawn chair on the sidewalk and prop your feet on the seawall. You'll catch everything from Snook to small Sharks, Mackeral, Sea Trout, Salt Water Catfish, Stingrays.... etc. We've lived in the area here for 15 years now and love it!! 
BTW, there's also a bait shop right nearby plus you can take a short tour out to Shell Island. There's also parasailing available. Plus in the evening you can take a dinner cruise out into the gulf and gamble if you want!!
BTW, there's also a bait shop right nearby plus you can take a short tour out to Shell Island. There's also parasailing available. Plus in the evening you can take a dinner cruise out into the gulf and gamble if you want!!
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Tampa Bay, FL USA
Originally Posted by 19gator55
St. Petersburg Beach is the best in my opinion!! I like it because it's not as crowded as Clearwater Beach...
I once heard the west coast described this way: "The really, really old people in Florida live in St. Petersburg. And their parents live in Fort Myers!"
New User
Joined: Oct 2005
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The place i am going to suggest is in the same general area that most people are mentioning,
"Treasure Island"
I just got home from a week there - not too many people - nice beach -
good eats - you gotta try the Friendly Fishermanin Johns Pass (just up the road a couple of miles - We stayed in a beach side condo "Southbeach Condo Hotel" very nice - I think we were the only people staying there - that made it very very nice - I know we wer't there during peak season but I liked the fact that it wasnt crowded
-
Keep in mind that i have never cared for the beach, would much rather have been in Vegas or anywhere on a golf course, but if i have to go again I will go back there
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Where ever you go Have Fun
Chris
"Treasure Island"
I just got home from a week there - not too many people - nice beach -good eats - you gotta try the Friendly Fisherman
in Johns Pass (just up the road a couple of miles - We stayed in a beach side condo "Southbeach Condo Hotel" very nice - I think we were the only people staying there - that made it very very nice - I know we wer't there during peak season but I liked the fact that it wasnt crowded-
Keep in mind that i have never cared for the beach, would much rather have been in Vegas or anywhere on a golf course, but if i have to go again I will go back there
-
Where ever you go Have Fun
Chris
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