Jeanette

We are driving from Illinois and going to the east coast of Florida and Orlando first. In the last part of a 17 day trip we will be in the Tampa/Clearwater/St. Pete's area. Anyone have an opinion about staying near Busch Gardens or out in the beach areas? We will be going to Busch G. on one of the two days we are there. Anyone have a favorite lodging/restaurant in the area? It does get dark early and Busch closes at 6pm. Is the drive out to the coastal areas from Busch G. difficult? Any ideas for that area are welcome!

kathy

Jeanette,
I live in Tampa and have to admit it is not an exciting city to visit. I would definitively stay on the beach in Clearwater/St. Pete. We have wonderful sunsets here! the drive from the beach to Bush Garden is approx. 30 minutes depending on traffic. It is not a difficult drive. Try to stay away from rush hours. I don't know about your budget but Sheraton Sand key and the DonCesar are my two hotel preferences on the beach. Have a wonderful trip!

OliveOyl

There's really not a lot touristy up near Busch, in fact it's an ugly area, IMHO. By all means, stay at the beach! If you leave the park at 6 you'll be going against rush hour as you head toward downtown Tampa, and you'll run into some back up once past town and headed out toward the beaches on 275, but it's beginning to thin, and the value of staying on the beach far outweighs the disadvantage of the traffic. If you stay in St Pete Beach, it's interstate practically the entire distance. If you stay in Clearwater, you contend with more traffic and stoplights along 60. To me I-275 is the easier drive, but not everyone feels that way about interstate driving. My guess is it'll take you about an hour from the beach to Busch but the beaches are beautiful, so I don't believe you'll regret that choice!

A hint on rush hour. It begins to build around 4 and if you haven't cleared downtown by 4:30, it's worth your while to just wait and do it later!

frank

I made the same trip many moons ago... I liked Tampa (we eventually moved there) and I enjoy St. Pete beach up through Clearwater. This area has become very congested since the first visited it in the early seventies. It's a long ride from St. Pete to Busch Gardens (murder during rush hour!). Busch Garden is still my favorite amusement park (Free samples of beer! go figure). The area around the park is getting a little seedy so you might consider staying in a motel off I75 (exit 59), in Downtown TPA, or close to the airport. Make sure you make it over to Ybor City. (A small version of New Orleans). The old time cigar center with lots of great restaurants and entertainment.
My favorite place in the world is
Sarasota (50 miles south of TPA off I75)... Everyone from Illinois eventually moves there. You might want to add this to your itinerary. They have some the most beautiful beaches (I love Siesta Key), great night life (I love the Quay and downtown SRQ), theater & arts (Check out the Ringling Museum (its free on Saturdays). Some of the best fine arts in FL. Have fun!

duane

I lived there a few years ago. You definately don't want to stay near the park, probably the beach would be the most enjoyable & worth the extra drive. If you can make it into town for a meal you should go to Bern's steakhouse (and ask for a tour of the kitchen), it is worth the trip.

Jeanette

Three excellent answers to my questions!
Thank you so much, as you hit on each issue that will color my decision. I havn't seen a Gulf sunset in such a long time, and am really looking forward to it. I think we are going to go to the beach and then head south.

Frank, I have many friends/relatives who are in Clearwater, Venice, Englewood, Sarasota and Ft. Meyers. Two are very, very good life-long friends. I think we are going to cut one/two days off of the east coast portion of the trip and add them to the Sarasota area portion at the end. There is a possiblity of staying with friends in either Venice or Englewood, if I wanted to. We might do that after all. We really want to go at our own pace, which is a bit faster than most others- and see as much as we can. It's real hard to do this and visit at the same time. For the most part, we are not even making reservations as we sometimes like to skip out or linger. But I would have a good reason to leave on time as we are doing the Mammoth Cave discovery tour for a whole day in the midst of driving home.

Any more Gulf Coast ideas? We are not sun bathers, but will do some shelling.
We especially like zoos, animals and especially birds. I'll swim, but he won't. We are fifties and active walkers/ will bike too. Any favorite resort etc. for beach walking and seeing some animal/marine wildlife in the gulf?

Your suggestions so far were GREAT- we will use them.

Good trip wishes are appreciated!

Jeanette

Thanks too, Duane. Our posts crossed and I will look out for Bern's. I don't think I have ever had a steak in Florida. One of my cousins in Clearwater used to make me bring sliders in coolers. This time the one person who knows I'm coming wants me to bring deep-dish pizza in a cooler. We are going to try all kinds of places on this trip. We are definitely going to Ybor City and going to have some Cuban style cooking too.

joan

Hi Jeanette! Since you like animals etc I want to chime in and suggest Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. It used to be old and rundown but a facelift and some great exhibits (seeing manatees from above AND below water) make for a nice afternoon (perhaps followed by dinner at Bern's?). And you'll love Busch Gardens - be sure to visit the animal nursery there. We've had the weird fun coincidence of seeing animals mate every time we've gone there (ever wonder how giant tortoises mate? . Olive's right about SPBeach - if you stay in Pass a Grille (south end of SPB) you'll have a great walking beach and a two minute hop onto the interstate. There's some nice B&B's there, one poster used to recommend a small mom & pop place called (I think) Island's End. I drove by - very cute, good views, tiki hut kind of place.

Have a good trip.
And oh yeah, what's a "slider"?

Frank

P.S. Another attaction in Sarasoota is the Mote Marine Laboratory. You can check out the site.
http://www.marinelab.sarasota.fl.us/

OliveOyl

Hi Jeanette, I'm with Joan (hi Joan! gt;) what are sliders? Her rec on Island's End is good. A very trusted poster here stayed and loved it. The Don Cesar is the most upscale on the beach (St Pete) and the hotel is beautiful but $$$. Small rooms though, and teeny bathrooms (if that matters...it doesn't to me). It's an elegant old 20's era resort, all refurbished, but that's the way hotels were built in those days.

We live in the Tampa Bay area and do Sarasota as a day trip. That option will be available to you if you don't want to be changing locations all the time. It really isn't a bad drive...close and easy enough in fact, that I came within inches of volunteering at Selby Gardens there...except they wanted me on Saturdays. If you do go to Sarasota, that's another very worthwhile side trip. They are world renown for their orchid gardens.

Ditto Joan's rec on Lowry Park Zoo too. We enjoy that more than Busch Gardens, actually, as my husband is not much into the amusement park aspect of Busch. There is more to Busch than the rides, but that is primarily what folks go for, and I'd have to drug him to get him on any one of them!

Have a great trip. We are hoping that by that time, some of this heat may have abated. It should be pleasant.

kevin

Put the Tampa Aquarium on your list, too. We went one day the weather was bad and the lines were very long for Busch Gardens and LOVED it.

Very peaceful with great aquatic and bird life.

sara

I believe sliders are White Castle burgers. Chicago area people swear by them. The DJs at an area radio station fly them in a couple times a year!

Jeanette

Thanks everyone for some great ideas. It's made me rethink the pacing and the possible lodging placements during the last 4 or 5 days in Florida. I don't often get to see salt water, and should take the chance when I can.

Sliders are white castle "hamburgers." It would be more accurate to say that they are a sub-type all their own. They are small and square shaped (both the meat and bun are square-shaped)and they are packaged into very small white cartons, individually. They have grease and tons of solid dehydrated onions. The joints are open 24 hours a day- and you can watch them getting cooked on the grill in tightly packed rows with their bun on top of them. You either love them or hate them, but regardless you may crave them.

C

The other thing to know about "sliders" is that many people have after effects the next day.

joan

Thanks for crash course in Sliders! Being a burger lover, I'll be sure to try 'em if I ever see a White Castle...and I'll think of all my Fodorite friends when I do (and the next day too! .

Jen

Hi Jeanette!

I've lived in Tampa for over 25 yrs and actually worked at Busch Gardens too. I think it is a great trip along with a visit to Lowry Park Zoo which is a slower pace I think.

Another vote to stay out on the beach. My vote goes to the Sheraton Sand Key as well. I think Sand Key is a good choice - a little quieter than Clearwater but close enough to it if you want. You may even catch a listen to a bagpiper who plays in the Sand Key Park in the mornings and evenings.

I have been a true Bern's fan for years. It has recently been fashionable to trash the place but I went again recently and my visit reinforced my love of it again. I like going early in the evening - less people, more attention to the guests. A trip through the kitchen and the wine cellar as well as the dessert room are also in order.

Another great restaurant is the Columbia. The original is in Ybor City but there is a great one out on Sand Key as well. Great cuban sandwiches that they serve only during the day but you can usually get them to serve you one at night at the Sand Key spot if you smile pretty and are eating outside.

I hope you enjoy your trip!

Jeanette

Thanks, Jen. And thank you Joan & OliveOyl for the B & B suggestion. We are trying to get into Island's End. I'm waiting for a response from them right now. Their web page looks fabulous. Being able to fish off of our own pier, and the views have clinched it. If they answer that they have no room, we will try the Sheraton Sand Key. It sounds peaceful also. After that we'll be going down to Sarasota area for our final two/three Florida days (mostly Venice and on Longboat Key.)

The first day on the way to St. Pete's beach, we are going to the zoo and Bern's. The next day we will go to Busch Gardens and then veg. on the beach/ fish the day after that.

I have asked travel questions several times in the past 3 years or so on this board, but this one has had the most excellent responses. You have REALLY helped me on this trip. THANKS!

Two more things about sliders- if you carry them anywhere (even frozen) they have this very, very specific aroma. Impossible to hide that you have them! I have personally smelt them out in an airplane and once, absolute truth- in a labor and delivery room. 2nd, and most important fact. This is from personal experience. If you have jaw surgery or any extensive dental surgery or wiring- you can still eat white castles. You don't have to chew (they kind of melt) and they are so soft you can squish them between the wires. I had surgery for TMJ in my 30's and they saved me from starving to death. Hope it can help some poor soul in the same state.

Bobbie

We recently stayed at Hotel Isis in Redington Shores http://hotelisisflorida.com/ Recently renovated, on the Gulf, beautiful grounds, pool, hammocks and teak loungers to relax on, we had a 2 bedrm suite, beds were great, everything was great quality. Lots of local restaurants, but we grilled out and ate in a covered room on the beach watching the sunset. Fabulous!

Lisa

Jeanette,
2 nice places to stay on St. Pete's beach, The Alden... oceanfront rooms available & very clean & good out of season rates this time of year.
Also, The Bonaire... also very clean,
more "motel like" and very inexpensive.
They have a great beach bar w/ the best burgers on the beach.
Enjoy!