Chelle Koster Walton HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC. 130 Campus Drive Edison, NJ08818-7816 % 732-225-1900 / 800-255-0343 / fax 732-417-1744 Web site: www.hunterpublishing.com E-mail: [email protected] IN CANADA: Ulysses Travel Publications 4176 Saint-Denis, Montal, Qbec Canada H2W 2M5 % 514-843-9882 ext. 2232 / fax 514-843-9448 IN THE UNITED KINGDOM: Windsor Books International The Boundary, Wheatley Road, Garsington Oxford, OX44 9EJEngland % 01865-361122 / fax 01865-361133 ISBN 1-55650-888-3 © 2000 Chelle Koster Walton All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, elec- tronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. This guide focuses on recreational activities. As all such activities contain elements of risk, the publisher, author, affiliated individuals and compa- nies disclaim any responsibility for any injury, harm, or illness that may occur to anyone through, or by use of, the information in this book. Every effort was made to insure the accuracy of information in this book, but the publisher and author do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any liability or any loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or potential travel problems caused by this guide, even if such errors or omis- sions result from negligence, accident or any other cause. Maps by Lissa K. Dailey, © 2000 Hunter Publishing, Inc. Illustrations by Joe Kohl Indexing by Kathleen Barber 4321 Contents Introduction 1 The History of Adventure 1 The People & Culture 3 Natural Makeup 5 Government-Protected Parks & Refuges 10 How To Use This Book 12 Information 13 Transportation 13 Weather/What to Pack 14 Sights & Attractions 16 Adventures 16 Where To Stay 22 Where To Eat 24 Nightlife 24 Tourist Information 25 Recommended Reading 25 The Nature Coast 29 Overview 29 Transportation 31 Information 32 Festivals & Events 32 Crystal River 33 Getting Here 34 Information 34 Sights & Attractions 35 Adventures 36 Shopping 38 Where To Stay 38 Where To Eat 39 Inverness 39 Getting Here 39 Information 39 Sights & Attractions 40 Adventures 40 Where To Stay 41 Where To Eat 42 Homosassa Area 43 Getting Here 43 Information 43 Sights & Attractions 43 Adventures 45 Where To Stay 46 Where To Eat 47 iv n Tampa Bay & Florida’s West Coast Withlacoochee State Forest 48 Getting Here 48 Sights & Attractions 49 Adventures 49 Where To Stay 52 Brooksville 53 Getting Here 53 Sights & Attractions 53 Adventures 54 Shopping 54 Where To Stay 54 Where To Eat 55 Weeki Wachee 55 Getting Here 55 Sights & Attractions 56 Adventures 57 Where To Stay 59 Where To Eat 59 St. Petersburg & Clearwater 61 Overview 61 Transportation 62 Information 64 Festivals & Events 64 Tarpon Springs & Dunedin 65 Getting Here 66 Information 67 Sights & Attractions 67 Adventures 70 Shopping 72 Where To Stay 73 Where To Eat 74 Clearwater & Clearwater Beach 75 Getting Here 75 Information 76 Sights & Attractions 76 Adventures 78 Shopping 81 Where To Stay 82 Where To Eat 83 Nightlife 84 Sand Key Communities 85 Getting Here 85 Information 85 Sights & Attractions 86 Adventures 88 Where To Stay 90 Where To Eat 91 Contents n v Treasure Island 91 Getting Here 92 Information 92 Sights & Attractions 92 Adventures 92 Where To Stay 93 Where To Eat 93 Nightlife 94 St. Pete Beach & Lower Islands 94 Getting Here 95 Information 95 Sights & Attractions 95 Adventures 96 Where To Stay 99 Where To Eat 100 Nightlife 101 St. Petersburg 102 Getting Here 102 Information 102 Sights & Attractions 103 Adventures 106 Shopping 108 Where To Stay 108 Where To Eat 109 Nightlife 110 Tampa 111 Overview 111 Transportation 112 Information 113 Festivals & Events 113 Downtown Tampa 116 Getting Here 116 Sights & Attractions 117 Adventures 119 Shopping 120 Where To Stay 121 Where To Eat 122 Nightlife 123 Ybor City 123 Getting Here 124 Information 124 Sights & Attractions 124 Adventures 126 Shopping 126 Where To Stay 126 Where To Eat 126 Nightlife 128 vi n Tampa Bay & Florida’s West Coast Northeast, Northwest & South of Tampa 128 Getting Here 128 Information 128 Sights & Attractions 129 Adventures 133 Shopping 136 Where To Stay 137 Where To Eat 138 Nightlife 139 Bradenton & Sarasota 141 Overview 141 Transportation 142 Information 143 Festivals & Events 144 Bradenton 145 Getting Here 146 Information 146 Sights & Attractions 146 Adventures 149 Shopping 152 Where To Stay 152 Where To Eat 153 Anna Maria Island 154 Getting Here 154 Information 154 Sights & Attractions 155 Adventures 155 Where To Stay 157 Where To Eat 158 Longboat Key 159 Getting Here 160 Information 160 Sights & Attractions 160 Adventures 160 Shopping 161 Where To Stay 161 Where To Eat 163 Lido Key & St. Armands Key 164 Getting Here 164 Sights & Attractions 164 Adventures 165 Shopping 166 Where To Stay 167 Where To Eat 167 Nightlife 168 Sarasota 168 Getting Here 168 Contents n vii Information 168 Sights & Attractions 169 Adventures 172 Shopping 174 Where To Stay 175 Where To Eat 176 Nightlife 177 Siesta Key 178 Getting Here 178 Information 178 Sights & Attractions 179 Adventures 179 Where To Stay 180 Where To Eat 181 Nightlife 182 Nokomis Area 182 Getting Here 183 Sights & Attractions 183 Adventures 184 Where To Stay 187 Where To Eat 188 Venice 188 Getting Here 189 Information 189 Sights & Attractions 189 Adventures 190 Shopping 192 Where To Stay 192 Where To Eat 193 Charlotte Harbor 195 Overview 195 Transportation 196 Information 197 Festivals & Events 197 Manasota Key/Englewood 199 Getting Here 199 Information 200 Sights & Attractions 200 Adventures 202 Where To Stay 204 Where To Eat 205 Gasparilla Island & Out-Islands 205 Getting Here 206 Information 206 Sights & Attractions 206 Adventures 208 Shopping 210 viii n Tampa Bay & Florida’s West Coast Where To Stay 210 Where To Eat 211 Port Charlotte & Environs 212 Getting Here 212 Sights & Attractions 212 Adventures 213 Where To Stay 214 Where To Eat 214 Nightlife 215 Punta Gorda 215 Getting Here 215 Sights & Attractions 215 Adventures 217 Shopping 219 Where To Stay 220 Where To Eat 221 Lee Island Coast 223 Overview 223 Transportation 223 Information 225 Festivals & Events 225 Cape Coral & North Fort Myers 226 Getting Here 227 Information 228 Sights & Attractions 229 Adventures 230 Where To Stay 231 Where To Eat 231 Pine Island & Out-Islands 232 Getting Here 233 Information 233 Sights & Attractions 234 Adventures 235 Where To Stay 237 Where To Eat 238 Fort Myers 239 Getting Here 239 Information242 Sights&Attractions242 Adventures245 Shopping247 WhereToStay247 WhereToEat248 Nightlife249 Sanibel&CaptivaIslands249 GettingHere250 Information250 Contents n ix Sights&Attractions250 Adventures254 Shopping259 WhereToStay259 WhereToEat260 Nightlife262 FortMyersBeach262 GettingHere262 Information263 Sights&Attractions263 Adventures264 WhereToStay266 WhereToEat267 Nightlife267 SanCarlosPark&Estero268 GettingHere268 Sights&Attractions268 Adventures269 WhereToStay269 WhereToEat270 BonitaSprings&BonitaBeach270 GettingHere270 Information271 Sights&Attractions271 Adventures272 Shopping273 WhereToStay274 WhereToEat274 Naples&TheEverglades276 Overview276 Transportation278 Festivals&Events279 Naples280 GettingHere282 Information282 Sights&Attractions284 Adventures288 Shopping291 WhereToStay292 WhereToEat293 Nightlife295 MarcoIsland295 GettingHere295 Information297 Sights&Attractions297 Adventures298 WhereToStay301 x n Tampa Bay & Florida’s West Coast WhereToEat302 EvergladesCity&ChokoloskeeIsland303 GettingHere305 Information306 Sights&Attractions306 Adventures308 WhereToStay311 WhereToEat313 Acknowledgments Many thanks to all who assisted me in the adventure of writing a Florida adventure guide, especially to these helpful souls: Alisa Bennett, Kelly Earnest, Joe Faulk, Nancy Hamilton, Beth Preddy, Frances Purvey, and Wit Tuttell. I couldn’t have done it without you. Dedication To Rob and his fabulous Walton Adventures. About the Author Chelle Koster Walton began her greatest life adventure when she moved to Sanibel Island sight unseen in 1981. She’s never looked back, except to wonder why she didn’t move sooner. From her favorite island, the author travels around Florida and the Caribbean researching guidebooks, of which she has published eight, and writing magazine articles for Carib- bean Travel & Life, National Geographic Traveler, Arthur Frommer’s Bud- get Travel, Endless Vacation, New YorkPost, and other print and electronic media. Walton is co-founder of www.guidebookwriters.com and a member of the Society of American Travel Writers. Introduction Introduction or the purposes of this guide, the West Coast of Florida describes a slice Fof coastline along the Gulf of Mexico beginning in the quiet rural set- ting of Citrus County, north of the Tampa Bay area, and ending in the south at Naples and the utter wilderness of the Everglades. It encom- passes the coastal portions of Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hills- borough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties. This region is cohesive in its types of vegetation and climate, yet it is infinitely diverse. The History of Adventure f you’re looking for adventure, you’re in the right place. West ICoast Florida, as one of the nation’s final frontiers, claims a his- tory and heritage of rugged outdoorsmanship. While the rest of the nation was busily traveling along paved roads and buying their supplies from general stores, in the farthest corners of Florida’s Gulf Coast – down Naples way and in the Florida Everglades – folks were still