Florida’S #1 Visitors Guidetm Destinatiolntm FLORIDA
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SUMMER/FALL 2019 Florida’s #1 Visitors GuideTM DESTINATIOlNTM FLORIDA EAT. TAKE ME AWAY! DRINK. Allegiant Is Your CHILL. Ticket to Ride REPEAT. Your Go-To Oktoberfest Guide Tampa + 59 Other Fun Happenings TAMPA ST. PETERSBURG CLEARWATER SARASOTA GAINESVILLE OCALA CEDAR KEY DestinationFlorida.com • 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 & 14 day cruises Tampa leads the way with an engaging variety of • New Western, Eastern and Southern things to do and see before and after the cruise, THIS CLOSE Caribbean itineraries including Cuba from Busch Gardens, Ybor City, and Downtown TO AMAZING • Fast, Easy, Congestion Free Tampa to the beaches of St. Petersburg/ • More than 4,000 safe and secure parking Clearwater. And that’s just the beginning — your spaces steps from the cruise terminals cruise ships are less than an hour from the world- • North America’s second-best airport and fifth renowned theme parks in Orlando. in the world in customer satisfaction1 1Airports Council International Get face-to-face with thousands of captivating creatures, ranging from huge sand tiger sharks to playful otters and adorable ring-tailed lemurs. Kids will love The Splash Pad, our expanded rainforest themed wet and dry play area, while parents enjoy our Fins Cantina. Take fun to a new dimension at our 4-D theater and even go on a Wild Dolphin Cruise* where we search for dolphins in Tampa Bay. fl aquarium.org | 813.273.4000 *Reservations and additional fees required. Weather permitting. 1101 CHANNELSIDE DRIVE, TAMPA, FLORIDA 33602 WWW.PORTTB.COM | 800-741-2297 • 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 & 14 day cruises Tampa leads the way with an engaging variety of • New Western, Eastern and Southern things to do and see before and after the cruise, THIS CLOSE Caribbean itineraries including Cuba from Busch Gardens, Ybor City, and Downtown TO AMAZING • Fast, Easy, Congestion Free Tampa to the beaches of St. Petersburg/ • More than 4,000 safe and secure parking Clearwater. And that’s just the beginning — your spaces steps from the cruise terminals cruise ships are less than an hour from the world- • North America’s second-best airport and fifth renowned theme parks in Orlando. in the world in customer satisfaction1 1Airports Council International Get face-to-face with thousands of captivating creatures, ranging from huge sand tiger sharks to playful otters and adorable ring-tailed lemurs. Kids will love The Splash Pad, our expanded rainforest themed wet and dry play area, while parents enjoy our Fins Cantina. Take fun to a new dimension at our 4-D theater and even go on a Wild Dolphin Cruise* where we search for dolphins in Tampa Bay. fl aquarium.org | 813.273.4000 *Reservations and additional fees required. Weather permitting. 1101 CHANNELSIDE DRIVE, TAMPA, FLORIDA 33602 WWW.PORTTB.COM | 800-741-2297 SUMMER/FALL 2019 3 p 8-14 What’s Up 15-22 Xplore p 23-43 Good Eats DESTINATIOlN what’s inside... FLORIDA TAMPA • ST. PETE • CLEARWATER 6 - 7 Concierge’s Top Picks 30 A Must See SARASOTA • GAINESVILLE The best of Tampa Bay, St Petersburg, Surprising St. Pete OCALA • CEDAR KEY Clearwater and Gainesville 32 Everything Under The Sun 8 - 14 What’s Up Clearwater Fun happenings, special events & theater 35 Where Nature And Culture Meet Gainesville 15 - 22 Xplore Unique attractions for all ages 36 Small Town Charm In Gainesville Haile Village 16 So Much to See and Do! Founder & CEO Tampa At A Glance 38 Tampa Bay The Easy Way Mark L. Wodlinger St Pete/Clearwater Airport CO & Director Of Marketing 23 - 43 Good Eats Marilyn B.Wodlinger Cool spots to eat, drink and party 39 A Taste Of Old Florida Cedar Key Creative Director 24 Brats, Beer & Schnitzel Pamela Childs 10th Annual Oktoberfest Tampa 40 America’s Happiest Seaside Town Art Director Sarasota Marsha Michaels 26 Local Flavor Hyde Park Village 41 - 43 What’s On The Menu? Web Master Sample menus from some of our Lance Belew 28 Bite favorite restaurants Contributors Delicious French Onion Soup Recipe Jenna Carina from the acclaimed Bascom’s Chop 46 - 49 Getting Around Hunter Jonathan House in Clearwater Local area maps Elizabeth McFarlane C. Stone J. Christ M. Louis Published Tri-Annually Maps Produced by: Creative Force Maps, creativeforce.com Online Edition @ ABOUT THE COVER DestinationFloridaGulfCoast.com The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) is home to Allegiant Airlines which currently flies nonstop to 52 cities from the Greater Tampa Bay area. To become a Marketing Partner We hope that you enjoy all the wonderful things our beautiful destination has to or to order complimentary copies for your lodging property, please offer. If you’re flying on, be sure to check out FLY2PIE.com. contact us at [email protected] The official in-room visitors guide for the top lodging properties in GreaterTampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota Gainesville, Ocala and Cedar Key. Also Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. distributed at local Chambers, restaurants, attractions and other popular locations. 4 DESTINATION FLORIDA Concierge TOP PICKS BEST ATTRACTIONS DEAL Tampa Bay City Pass With the Tampa Bay City Pass, you can save a whopping 53% off combined admission to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay along with four additional attractions in the Tampa Bay area including The Florida Aquarium, Lowry Park Zoo, Clearwater Marina Aquarium (home to Winter, star of the popular Dolphin Tale movies) and your choice of either the Museum Of Science and Industry (MOSI) or the Chihuly Collection. City Pass Booklets are valid for nine consecutive days beginning with the first day of use. Such a deal! Find it at citypass.com/tampa. BEST RESORT FOR AGES 2 -12 BEST CLASSIC Legoland BURGER If there’s anything that makes you Shula’s Steak House long to be a kid again, it’s this totally Everything here is outrageously good! In If you love Don Shula’s famous steaks, awesome 150-acre interactive theme Ocala at 53 S Magnolia (352-622-5550); you’ll really flip over his fresh, juicy park specifically designed for kids and in Williston at 106 NW Mail St (352- char grilled burgers. The legendary NFL 2 -12 years old. With more than 50 528-5410). ivyhousefl.com. unique rides, 10 theme zones and all Coach raises the bar with a big beefy kinds of really cool attractions, it is the patty that is always made fresh from his absolute bomb! Lots of special events BEST SHARK ENCOUNTER own signature blend of Premium Black here, too. FYI: The water ride, “Quest The Florida Aquarium Angus Chuck, Short Rib and brisket, perfectly seasoned and served with For Chi” is an absolute blast! Find it Ok, Ok, so maybe going nose-to-nose lettuce, tomatoe, pickle and your choice at 1 Legoland Way in Winter Haven. with a 600 lb Great White is not your of cheese on a brioche style bun. Once 877-350-5346;Aw legoland.com.esome ideaA ofw a greata dayi tat thes beach,! you’ve tackled one of these bad boys, especially when it flashes those pearly you’ll never suffer another “Mac-Attack” whites at you. But fear not. At Tampa’s SOUTHERN COOKING again. Two locations: Westshore Grand BEST Florida Aquarium you can actually Hotel, 4860 West Kennedy Blvd, Tampa Ivy On The FSquareor discountswim ti orc diveke withts sharks, as well as with (813-286-4366); Hilton Univeristy of 1600 other colorful fish including sting Southern food is synonymous with comfort Florida Conference Center, 1714 SW rays, barracudas, sea turtles and more food so it’s not surprisingpl ethata greatse visit your 34th St., Gainesville (305-664-2321). — all without being a certified SCUBA Southern recipes, passed down from one Info: shulas.com. generation to Gthe next,ue ares cherishedt Se andrv icdiver!es It’sD alle parts kof the. Aquarium’s protected. And that brings us to Marjorie special “Shark Swim”program — an ”Mimi” Hale - the matriarch of the in-water reef experience that is truly an award-winning “Ivy House Restaurant & adventure of a lifetime (must be age 9 Catering” in WillistonLEG asO wellL asA theN new,D. comor older/F l too participate).rida The Aquarium’s hip “Ivy On The1 L Square”EGOLA inN downtownD Way, WinterCoral Hav Reefen, GalleryFL 338 simulates84 an actual Ocala. Two restaurants, two different vibes reef in the Dry Tortugas just off of but both share the same authentic Southern Key West. While you get up close specialties created from Mimi’s cherished and personal with the fishes, friends family recipes. You’ll find perennial and family can watch from the exhibit favorites like homemade Pimento Cheese, pathway. How cool is that! 701 Channelside Dr., Tampa, FL 33602 . Fried Green Tomatoes, Shrimp & Grits and p u o r Mimi’s signature Baked Krispy Chicken. (813) 273-4000; flaquarium.org , e G r u O g G n i E n L i e M h e T 6 DESTINATION FLORIDA h t 8 1 , s 0 2 n o © i t . a p r u u o g r n G n o O c G b E o L n e K h t d f n o a s k k c r i r a B m e e h d t a , r t o g e r o l a O D G N E A L L e O h t G , E L O G d E n a L BEST OF BROADWAY STRAZ Center If you love Broadway musicals, the STRAZ Center is just the ticket. This extraordinary 335,000 square foot performance center stages some of Broadway’s greatest hits Including Cabaret, Wicked, An American In Paris, and other Tony Award-winners, as well as grand opera and a variety of concerts, performances and events.