You've done the right thing by booking with Captain Mike, capetown---and Homosassa is one of the best places for manatee watching/swimming. I hope you enjoy the Clearwater area! You may want to have one dinner in Dunedin, a small town just north of Clearwater (about 15 min.) on Alt. 19. It is a darling small town with many shops and art galleries, and there is a great restaurant called Kelly's For Just About Everything. It has an extensive menu and the food is pretty good--kind of a diner atmosphere. Also on the water in Dunedin is Bon Appetit, a very nice Continental restaurant run by a lovely German family that serves delicious food in a beautiful setting. The Christmas lights and decorations make it especially nice when you'll be visiting. It makes me very nostalgic to think of it, as every Christmas Eve after our church service up the street at St. Alfred's, we had a festive dinner at Bon Appetit. If you are lucky enough to get a table on the water it will make your trip!

St. Augustine is a great place, but your kids would probably rather see the theme parks.

Thank you kswl, you have started my day with a smile

I hadn't thought of goingto Dunedin for a dinner whilst at Clearwater but it is an excellent idea and I will follow up.

I will call Bon Apetit and book a table on the water - would you by any chance have a number or a web link? Bit difficult to source these things from Africa- thank goodness for the internet.

I thought we might try Kellys for a late lunch on the drive up to Homosassa

Capetownfolk,

There are lots of great suggestions here, so I thought I would add one of my favorite things. Take a boat trip on the St. John's river. Go to Deland (about 1 hour from Orlando) to rent a pontoon boat. check out www.hontoon.com. This trip always impresses our out of town guests. I also would second (or third) St. Augustine it is one of my favorite places. Amelia island is OK if you are staying there, I would not make a day trip there. You cannot get to Cumberland Island from Fernandina beach unless you are staying at the Greyfield Inn. If you just want to visit for the day you must go to St. Mary's GA. to catch the ferry.

Here is the website for Bon Appetit:

http://www.bonappetitrestaurant.com/

and for Kelly's:http://www.kellyschicaboom.com/

(The website looks a bit flustered, if you know what I mean!)

and a review of Kelly's from the St. Pete Times: tp://www.sptimes.com/2004/11/11/Weekend/Something_for_everyone.shtml

and on the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, a write up in Southern Living (our alternate Bible, lol!): http://www.dunedin-fl.com/solivingarticle.htm