Don't Miss Sanding Ovations or Pier 60 Sugar Sand FestivalAmerica's best beaches is more than just great sand between the toes - it also means great sand sculptures on the beach! Sanding Ovations annual Master's Cup brings master sculptors from throughout the world to Treasure Island for a competition of the best of the best for some outSANDing works of art. The exhibition and competition has roots dating back to 1985, when Florida Governor Jeb Bush proclaimed Treasure Island as the Sand Sculpture Capital of Florida. The annual event takes place every November. Show
Meanwhile in spring, the Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival features 17 days of fun, with more than 1,000 tons of sand in a 21,000-square-foot exhibit. The festival features a children's play area, street performers, artisans and weekend fireworks. You can even attend a sand-sculpting class! Listen to the MusicExperience music weekly at concert halls and music venues such as Jannus Live, Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Mahaffey Theatre and the Floridian Social Club. For a concert experience, listen to live jazz at the Clearwater Jazz Holiday in October, when internationally renowned musician's perform on the city's waterfront or the Reggae Rise Up festival in Vinoy Park during the spring. Don't forget about the original Tampa Bay Blues Festival, which also takes place at Vinoy Park in April. Art in the StreetsSt. Pete/Clearwater is itself a canvas for local and internationally-renowned artists to leave their mark and social commentary on the destination and world. Each year in the fall, The SHINE St. Pete Mural festival features a lineup of some of the worlds best muralists, who contribute over a dozen fresh art installations on the buildings of St. Pete. Navigate Your Way Through the ArtsOverwhelmed by the wealth of arts events in St. Pete/Clearwater? The interactive Arts Navigator can help you find your way. Is a classical music concert or sand-sculpting festival more your speed? Do you prefer traditional tourist experiences or hidden local gems? Answer a few questions, and the app will come up with a custom list of curated arts experiences that will get you exploring all that St. Pete/Clearwater has to offer! Launch the Arts Navigator Proud and We Show ItSt Pete Pride Festival is a month (plus) long celebration each June since 2003. Events during the Pride festival include a beauty pageant, a kick-off party, a parade, a family day and many more. St Pete Pride is Florida's largest Pride celebration and ranked in the top 40 largest Pride celebrations in the world!  The St. Petersburg/ Clearwater area of Pinellas County, Florida is an absolutely amazing place to visit on a family vacation. And there’s a ton of things to do for locals as well! (This is where I grew up and I’m now raising my own family here in this gorgeous area. I’d love to share with you its secrets!) Here, in Pinellas County, you can relax on award-winning beaches, stroll through world-famous art museums, kayak through incredible environments, see amazing wildlife and so much more. There’s truly something for everyone! But finding these top sites and activities can sometimes be extremely frustrating, even for me at times and I’ve lived in this area almost my entire life! This is because there are actually 24 different cities on this small peninsula of Pinellas County. Therefore you can’t just simply search, Top Things to Do in Clearwater, because these searches won’t pull up the Top Things to do in Largo, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Belleair Beach, Safety Harbor, etc that all happen to border the city of Clearwater. And each of these smaller cities has some pretty cool things to do as well. And, if that’s not confusing enough, each little beach town, lining the coast of Pinellas County, many times is actually its own city as well and so its top things to do will not come up under broader searches of this area. But don’t let this discourage you. There are a few simple tricks you can use to easily find the Top Things to Do in Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Largo and the rest of Pinellas County and I’d love to share them with you. Pinellas County City MapFirst, take a look at this simplified map of the cities in Pinellas County. Then, if you know your vacation destination, for example Clearwater Beach, you can now easily look at the neighboring cities to see if they have an fun things you’d like to do as well. This technique works great for sites like Trip Advisor that are city specific when you search. Another easy way to find nearby fun things to do is to use the map function on Trip Advisor or Google Maps. That way you don’t miss great things to do that are nearby. This works great for locals too! (I use the map function all the time to find fun activities for my family.) But this post isn’t just about how to find things to do on your own. Below I’m also going to share with you my family’s favorite things to do in Pinellas County. These sights are perfect for family vacations or for locals looking for a weekend adventure. They are the sights that our family keeps going back to and they are the sights that have given us our best memories. These are Top Things to Do in Pinellas County and I hope they can help you create an incredible adventure for your family. VISIT THE BEACHThe St. Petersburg/ Clearwater area in Florida is completely bursting with incredible award-winning beaches! In fact, there are 35 miles of white sand beaches just on the 11 barrier islands that line the coast of this little peninsula. And it is these beaches and their incredible white sand that attracts visitors from around the world. Here are a few of my favorite beaches in Pinellas County.
Clearwater Beach is a spectacular 2.5 mile long beach with soft, powdery-white sand, gentle waves and set next to a fun little beach town. Here you can easily find numerous resorts, restaurants, and a ton of fun activities to do. Fun Things to Do at Clearwater Beach:
Fun Activities by Clearwater Beach:
Great Restaurants near Clearwater Beach:
Lodging idea for larger groups/ families
In 2018, Clearwater Beach was voted #1 beach in the U.S. by Trip Advisor and it has been voted the best beach town in Florida!
Caladesi Island is a gorgeous, uninhabited “island,” with 3 miles of pristine white sandy beaches, located just north of Clearwater Beach. To reach Caladesi you can take the Caladesi Ferry, arrive by private boat, kayak here or you can even try the 6.5 mile round trip walk from Clearwater Beach. Fun Things to Do on Caladesi Island:
Caladesi Island was voted a Top 10 Beach in America by Dr. Beach in 2021!
Honeymoon Island is a wonderful State Park with a great beach that is located just north of Caladesi Island and just west of Dunedin, FL. You can easily drive to Honeymoon Island and there is a small state park fee to enter. Fun Things to Do on Honeymoon Island:
Sand Key Beach (also called Sand Key Park) is a true hidden gem in Pinellas County! This fantastic beach is located directly south of Clearwater Beach, just over the barrier island bridge and on your right. Fun Things to Do at Sand Key:
Great Restaurants Near Sand Key:
Great Lodging on Sand Key
5. Madeira BeachMadeira Beach is located further south down the peninsula, and here you can find a fun touristy area full of shops and restaurants at John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk. Fun Things to Do at John’s Pass/ Madeira Beach
Lodging near John’s Pass for Larger Groups/ Families
In 2021, St. Pete Beach was voted the #1 Beach in the U.S. by Trip Advisor, and the #5 beach in the world! Over 4 miles of gorgeous white-powder sand with emerald-green water, set next to laid-back beach towns, makes St. Pete Beach and Pass-A-Grill fantastic beach vacation destination. Fun Things to Do near St. Pete Beach and Pass-A-Grill
Great Restaurants near St. Pete Beach
Great Lodging near St. Pete Beach/ Pass-A-Grill
Located at the very southern tip of Pinellas County, Fort De Soto Park is a fantastic site, full of a ton of activities, that would be the perfect addition to any family vacation in the Tampa Bay area. Fun Things to Do at Fort De Soto Park
And if this wasn’t enough, North Beach at Fort De Soto Park, has been voted America’s Top Beach several times over the years by Dr. Beach, Trip Advisor & USA Today!
POPULAR TOURS NEAR CLEARWATER BEACHAMAZING KAYAKINGKayaking is a fantastic activity to try in Pinellas County. There are some really unique and incredibly fun, family-friendly adventures you can take. Here are our favorites! 8. Kayak the Mangrove Tunnels of Weedon Island
For Families: You’ll want an adult in each kayak to help navigate the narrow mangrove tunnels on this trail. Voted the #1 Activity in the United States by Trip Advisor’s Travelers Choice Awards in 2022!
Side Note: We always pay for all of our own tours and our thoughts are our own.
POPULAR KAYAKING TOURS IN THE TAMPA BAY AREAHANG OUT WITH ANIMALS
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a wonderful non-profit marine animal hospital. It was the home to “Winter” the famous dolphin with a prosthetic tail, who starred in the movies Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2 (with Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr and Ashley Judd.) Sadly Winter passed away on November 11, 2021 at the age of 16. Fun Things to Do at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Address: 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, FL 33767 The Seaside Seabird Sanctuary is a wonderful, small, non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue and treatment of sick and injured wild birds. It’s free to visit, but donations are greatly appreciated. Fun Things to Do at the Seabird Sanctuary
Address: 18328 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores, Florida 33785 14. George C. McGough Nature Park “Turtle Park”George C. McGough Park, also known locally as Turtle Park, is a great family-friendly place to stop and see native Florida landscapes and wildlife. Our family has been visiting this park for years and it’s one of our favorites, especially for families! Fun Things to Do at Turtle Park
Address: 11901 146th St N, Largo, FL 33774 POPULAR ANIMAL TOURS IN THE TAMPA BAY AREAVISIT AN ART MUSEUMThe St. Petersburg/ Clearwater area of Pinellas County has several amazing art museums that are definitely worth checking out, even with kids! It might surprise you what they like. 15. The Dali MuseumThe Dali Museum in St. Petersburg houses the world’s most comprehensive collection of Salvador Dalí’s art outside of Spain! Fun Things to Do at the Dali Museum
Tip: Ticket Discounts are offered Thursdays after 5pm. Address: 1 Dali Blvd, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
I absolutely love Chihuly Glass! It’s so vibrant, colorful and it’s fantastically unique. And although this is not a large museum, the Chihuly Museum in St. Petersburg has a fantastic collection of Chihuly Glass and it is a great place to see it! Address: 720 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 And as an added bonus: Glassblowing Demonstrations at the Morean Glass Studio are included with your Chihuly Collection tickets. (See below) The Morean Glass Studio is a fantastic place to watch glass artwork being made, and it’s free with your Chihuly Glass Museum ticket! Here, you’ll get to watch the step-by-step process of how glass artwork is made in an intimate setting. This is a great experience!
Address: 714 1st Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 Our family only just recently discovered the Imagine Museum in downtown St. Petersburg and we were thoroughly impressed! This is a contemporary glass art museum with pieces from all over the world. Now originally I wasn’t sure if my children would have any interest, but they honestly really liked it. Oh, and don’t miss the room with the video that shows how some of the glass artwork in the museum is made. We found it fascinating! Family Tip: Ask about the Scavenger Hunt. This was a great way for our kids to get involved with searching for specific pieces of artwork or pieces. Our kids’ favorite was discovering the monkey! Side Note: This museum may not be the best for younger children since there are delicate glass pieces on stands throughout the museum. Check their website for discounts like their $5 after 5pm on Thursdays or special discounts for Tampa Bay locals. Address: 1901 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg, FL 33713 The Museum of Fine Arts is a wonderful museum full of gorgeous European Paintings, fantastic African Art and intriguing American Photography. With a collection that covers almost 5,000 years of civilization, there really is a little bit of everything. Highlights include masterpieces from Monet, O’Keeffe, De Kooning, Wiley, and others, a sculpture garden, and one of Florida’s most respected photography collections. Address: 255 Beach Dr NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
The Florida Botanical Gardens is a wonderful, free, 100-acre garden full of beautiful palms, tropical plants and gorgeous flowers. See how mangos, avocados or bananas grow in the Tropical Fruit Garden. Wander past over 75 different plants that are used for their medicinal or edible qualities in the Herb Garden. Stroll down the Wetlands Walkway and see a glimpse of a natural Florida wetland habitat. On top of all of this, on the park’s east side, you can take a walk on a natural Florida trail loop and get the chance to see Ospreys, Bald Eagles and other native Florida wildlife. For Families: Download the Taleblazer App on your phone for a fun way to learn about the gardens or print out a Florida Botanical Gardens Scavenger Hunt to create a fun family adventure. Address: 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL 33774 Explore the 100-year-old Sunken Garden and discover some of the oldest tropical plants in Florida. Wander past over 50,000 tropical plants and flowers, and even see a flock of flamingos! Address: 1825 4th St. N., St. Petersburg, FL GREAT PLACES TO LEARNHeritage Village is a free, 21-acre historical village and museum (located next to the Florida Botanical Gardens) where you can step back in time and learn a little bit about local Florida history. Walk through structures that date back to the mid-late 19th century. Explore a one-room school house, buy a cold drink at a 19-century grocery store, wander through the train station and check out an original caboose. And on certain days, watch demonstrations at the blacksmith shop, sugar cane mill and wood working areas. We learn so much every time we visit Heritage Village! Check out the Heritage Village Self-Guided Audio Files to learn even more about each of the structures you are visiting as you wander through this fascinating village. Address: 11909 125th St. N., Largo, FL 33774 Visit the Sponge Capital of the World at Tarpon Springs! Learn how the sponge industry helped build this Greek community and find out all about how natural sponges grow and are harvested. And while you wander the Sponge Docks check out a few of the trinket shops, don’t forget to grab a bite at one of Tarpon Spring’s famous Greek Restaurants. Great Explorations, in St. Petersburg, is a 24,000 square foot museum geared towards children, 10 and under. Discover 16 different exhibits where kids can learn about science, art, healthcare, animals, math and more. Kid can shop at a play grocery store, pretend they are a restaurant owner or imagine they are a fireman, vet, broadcaster and more. They can build with legos, create original art and climb up a fun tower. Our kids loved visiting Great Explorations when they were young and we hope yours do too! Address: 1925 4th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33704 HIKE A TRAILSEE THE “REAL” NATURAL FLORIDASawgrass Lake Park is one of my favorite small hiking trails in Pinellas County! It’s short, it’s easy and it’s jam packed with diversity. Here you can…
Address: 7400 25th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33702 Brooker Creek Preserve has fantastic hiking trails, that really let you get out into nature in Pinellas County! Just pick your trail length or what type of adventure you’re looking for and set off into this beautiful and diverse Florida environment. Here you can…
Address: 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL 34688 Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, located in the heart of St. Petersburg, is a wonderful and unique nature experience. Explore 5 miles of trails and boardwalks that wander through 5 distinct eco-systems that are the home to over 60 species of amphibians and reptiles, over 50 species of butterflies and over 165 species of birds. The eco-systems here consist of hardwood hammocks, sand pine scrub, pine flatwoods, willow marsh and the Lake Maggiore shoreline. Be sure to check out the Environmental Education Center and see the exhibit, “The Ripple Effect: Understanding Nature’s Connections.” You can also visit the Bird-Aviary that houses rescued and injured birds. Address: 1101 Country Club Way S., St. Petersburg, FL 33705 Weedon Island Preserve is an outstanding place to experience Florida’s coastal ecosystem, explore trails on both land & water and discover a little about the cultural & natural history of this area of Florida! Here you can…
(And Don’t Forget the Amazing Mangrove Tunnel Kayaking Experience here at Weedon Island as well that was mentioned above.) Address: 1800 Weedon Drive NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33702 FAMILY FUN
Younger kids will love this action-packed 3000 square foot sprayground full of tons of fun ways to play with the water. And it’s free! But do try to arrive early because it is first-come, first-serve with a max of 60 kids. (Open seasonally from March – October.) Address: 1937 Ed Eckert Drive, Dunedin, FL 34698
Tube down a 42 foot waterslide, float down a lazy river or let your kids play in the Splash Zone here at Slash Harbor Waterpark. This is perfect for families looking for a small waterpark out near the beaches or for a hotel with a waterpark onsite. To stay the night here, the hotel is called, The New Hotel Collection Harborside. Check it out and see how fun this small waterpark looks! Address: 399 Second Street, Indian Rocks Beach, FL 33785
Personally, my favorite family-friendly mini-waterpark in Pinellas County is the Highland Family Aquatic Center. Experience a 214 foot corkscrew, a 3 story speed slide, a zero-depth play area with sprays and more! This little waterpark has it all, and it’s not too expensive, just $8 per person if you don’t have a rec card. The only downside to this fun little park is that you are limited to specific 2 hour time slots. (One slot is in the morning and one in the afternoon. Times vary depending on the day.) Two hours is usually the right amount of time for our family, but if your family is looking for a longer adventure then you may want to look at one of the other options. Family Note: There are height restrictions for most of the slides (and kids must be able to swim without a life jacket on the big slides.) Address: 400 Highland Ave, Largo, FL 33770 32. Largo Park – Ride a Small Train with Largo Central RailroadLargo Park is a fantastic local park to visit if you are looking for a good children’s playground that has a nice, shaded path to walk. But Largo Park also has a hidden surprise. On the first weekend of every month, you can ride a small, kid-friendly train around the 70-acre park for free! (a small donation is appreciated) Address: 101 Central Park Dr, Largo, FL 33771 33. Smuggler’s Cove – Play Put-Put Golf with GatorsGolf With Gators At Smuggler’s Cove! Kids will love the 18-hole adventure style course where they will put through caves, pirate ships, and past waterfalls. You can also feed alligators using long, cane fishing poles. Address: 19463 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores, FL 33785 OR 15395 Gulf Blvd., Madeira Beach, FL 33708 Other Options: Captain Bligh’s Landing on Clearwater Beach Or Congo River Golf in Clearwater (on the east side of the county) – This is where our family goes the most! 34. The Replay Amusement MuseumIn Tarpon Springs, discover the Replay Amuseument Museum with over 100 pinball games, video games and other old-school amusements that you can play. But don’t worry about bringing coins, one admission fee gives you access to all of the machines for a great family day out. The Replay Museum opens Thursdays-Sunday in Tarpon Springs and admission is $8 for children 7-12 years old with a paying adult and $14 for Adults. Children ages 6 and under play for FREE with paying adult. Address: 119 E Tarpon Avenue, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689 Climb at St. Petersburg’s only indoor climbing gym. Offering 40 foot tall walls, 10,000 square feet of climbing, 80+ climbing lines, a dedicated training area and more. This is a fun family adventure that will really get your adrenaline pumping as you reach heights you may have never thought possible. Address: 116 18th Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712 Snorkel the ruins of Fort Dade at Egmont Key! Located on the south-most part of Pinellas County, (south of even Fort De Soto Park) this island has gorgeous water to snorkel, a remote beach to explore and a lighthouse from 1858 to visit. Just hop aboard the Ferry Service to Egmont Key from Fort De Soto (and sign up for the snorkeling option) or arrive on a private boat for a fantastic day snorkeling out on the water and exploring the beach and island of Egmont Key. Explore the 4 islands of Anclote Key Preserve State Park! Enjoy the blue-green waters along these islands remote beaches. View the picturesque lighthouse, built in 1887, on the main island’s southside. Or even primitive camp here out under the stars! Located just 3 miles off the coast of Tarpon Springs, these remote islands are only accessible by boat, with several companies you can choose from to take you there. Please note: There are no provisions on the islands, so bring your own water and supplies when visiting. Also, Ferry Services do not drop off visitors for overnight camping. For this fun adventure, you must have your own transportation. Do you have a need for speed? Check out Tampa Bay Grand Prix in Clearwater. This is a really fun, indoor go-kart track that has both adult and junior level electric go-karts that can reach speeds up to 50mph. Family Note: Kids must be 48 inches to race the junior level karts or 56 inches to race the adult karts. (Junior karts race only with other junior karts on the track and adult karts only race together.) Address: 12350 Automobile Blvd., Clearwater, FL 33762 Awaken your spirit of adventure on a 2-hour guided zipline experience! You’ll encounter over 3,000′ of zip lines and exhilarating aerial challenges while overlooking the wildlife and waters of Bayou Wilderness and Tampa Bay. Traverse the 200’ suspension bridge over water. Challenge yourself on the aerial obstacle course. Finish with a fun rappel. This is a fantastic adrenaline-filled adventure that is great for families with older children. Family Note: Children must be 7 or older for this experience. Address: 423 Lafayette Blvd, Oldsmar, FL 34677
Finish your day with watching a beautiful sunset over the water at Sunset Beach in Tarpon Springs. A perfect ending to any day exploring Pinellas County in Florida. Address: 1800 Gulf Rd, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689 Have a Great Time Exploring Pinellas County with Your Traveling Feet! If You Found This Post Helpful, Please Share / Pin It THE MOST POPULAR TOURS IN TAMPA BAY
What is Pinellas County famous for?Three of the top ten beaches in the nation are located in Pinellas County (Fort De Soto Park which has won many awards, Clearwater Beach and Caladesi Island State Park). Pinellas County's top key business sectors are health services, tourism services, manufacturing and financial services.
Is Pinellas County a good place to live?Pinellas County is one of the best places to live in Florida. In Pinellas County, most residents own their homes. In Pinellas County there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many young professionals and retirees live in Pinellas County and residents tend to have moderate political views.
How do I report a street light out in Pinellas County?Please report malfunctions to the Pinellas County Signal Shop at 727-464-8926 or use the online form Report a Traffic Sign or Signal Issue or call Pinellas County Sheriff's Office North District Station 727-582-6900. Street lights within the Dunedin City limits are maintained by Duke Energy of Florida.
How densely populated is Pinellas County?There are 3,504 people per square mile in Pinellas County. The next closest county with a highly concentrated population is Broward with 1,616 people per square mile. Clearwater is the County Seat, St.
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