Getaways to the authentic Florida
Things to do in Tampa Bay, including St. Petersburg, Sarasota and the wider Tampa Bay area, RV and tent camping, kayaking, beaches, festivals.
St. Petersburg is full of Old Florida treasures, from a beautiful brick 1927 comfort station next to the new bayfront pier to the Sunken Gardens, a cherished roadside attraction complete with a flock of flamingoes. St. Pete has grown younger and livelier, but it retains much of its original charm.
Myakka River State Park near Sarasota is one of the biggest, oldest and best Florida state parks, but it was clobbered by Hurricane Milton in 2024. Even so, it’s a great place for seeing wildlife and kayaking a wild and scenic river this winter. Go here for its log cabins, appealing camp sites, hiking and good bike trails too.
It’s hard to imagine the world then – Florida before Disney. But the photos of a Sarasota photographer, Joseph Janney Steinmetz, can help transport you to an Old Florida Christmas.
Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park in New Port Richey is not well known outside its area. But it’s a good place to kayak both to see springs in the park and to paddle into the Gulf to see historic stilt houses.
Egmont Key is romantic, remote and historic. Located in the mouth of Tampa Bay, accessible only by boat, it is home to an intriguing fort, gopher tortoises, beautiful beaches and more.
