There’s no such thing as a dull moment when you visit Indian Shores and its surrounding areas where there’s always something fun to do. Check out these popular attractions:
- Clearwater Marine Aquarium
249 Windward Passage
Clearwater, FLThe Aquarium is a nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to the rescue of sick or injured marine creatures, as well as their subsequent rehabilitation and release back to the wild. Famous exhibits include the Winter Zone, which serves as the home of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins named Winter and Hope who can be seen through the underwater viewing tunnel.
Mavis’s Rescue Hideaway is another highlight, featuring stingrays, tarpon, and sea turtles, the most popular of which is Harold, an animal actor who played Mavis in “Dolphin Tale 2.”
- Busch Gardens/Adventure Island
10165 N McKinley Drive
Tampa, FLHop on the rides at Busch Gardens – your choices include Wild Surge, a drop tower; Serengeti Express, a relaxing train ride; and Kumba, the Garden’s famed steel coaster. This outdoor attraction also harbors over 12,000 animals, including tigers, lions, and giraffes.
Adventure Island brings you a host of water slides, pools, and lazy rivers. Check out their newest attraction, Vanish Point, a drop slide that lets you plunge 70 feet into the water.
- Pier 60
7 Causeway Boulevard
Clearwater Beach, FLLocated on scenic Clearwater Beach, Pier 60 offers countless opportunities for swimming, fishing, shopping, and dining along one of the finest beaches in Florida. Amenities include a 1,080-foot fishing pier and park, several telescopes, six pavilions, and a bait house offering bait, fishing tackle, souvenirs, t-shirts, rental equipment, and drinks and snacks.
The pier is a popular spot for anglers who can catch Spanish mackerel, snook, redfish, snappers, tarpon, flounder, and spotted and silver trout, depending on the season. The lighting fixtures along the pier make it ideal for night fishing as well.
- John’s Pass Village& Boardwalk
12901 Gulf Boulevard
Madeira Beach, FLEnjoy a variety of shops, restaurants, and family-friendly activities at John’s Pass Village & Boardwalk. Meet the alligators, tortoises, and frogs that call Alligator Attraction home, go on a dolphin tour of Boca Ciega Bay, and have dinner at Sculley’s Waterfront Restaurant. Drop by for the annual John’s Pass Seafood & Music Festival and check out the stores selling surf gear, wind chimes, and soap.
- Dali Museum
1 Dali Boulevard
St. Petersburg, FLCelebrate the life and work of Salvador Dali at the museum, which showcases over 2,000 artworks representing each phase of the artist’s illustrious career. The permanent collection includes oil paintings, drawings, prints, photos, book illustrations, sculptures, manuscripts, and documents.
The museum library holds an estimated 7,000 books, sound recordings, exhibition and sale catalogs, and special collections on Dali’s work, making it a valuable resource for artists, scholars, and art students.
- Sea Bird Sanctuary
18328 Gulf Boulevard
Indian Shores, FLGet the chance to see over 100 birds on display, including pelicans, hawks, vultures, and gulls. Located on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the sanctuary spans 1.5 acres, with its own avian hospital and observation tower. The gift shop offers a wide selection of souvenirs and beverages. Visitors can purchase a memorial brick, adopt a sanctuary bird, or become a feeding sponsor.
- Downtown St. Petersburg
Central Avenue and 2nd Street
St. Petersburg, FLHere you’ll find the Dali Museum, along with other cultural venues like the Morean Arts Center, Museum of Fine Arts and Florida Holocaust Museum. Visitors will also find plenty of green spaces, including Boyd Hill Nature Park and Fort De Soto Park. Spend the day looking at art, relaxing at the park or sampling the shops and restaurants in the area.
- The Florida Aquarium
701 Channelside Dr
Tampa, FLSee lemurs, sharks, and stingrays up close here at the Florida Aquarium. Exhibits include a magnificent glass atrium recreating the damp environment of Florida’s wetlands and a thriving coral reef ecosystem under half a million gallons of seawater. Guests can go swimming or diving in the aquarium for a chance to interact with the sea creatures that call this place home.
- International Plaza & Bay Street
2223 North Westshore Boulevard
Tampa, FLShop for your favorite brands in this popular mall which features retailers like Allen Edmonds, Aveda, Bath & Body Works, and Burberry. Visitors also have a wide selection of casual dining restaurants to choose from, including The Capital Grille and Frankie’s Lobstah Trap.
- Clearwater Beach and John’s Pass
Guests can enjoy deep-water fishing at Clearwater Beach and John’s Pass. Rent a boat and head out into the water for a half or whole-day fishing trip with the whole family. You’ll find plenty of companies offering sport fishing charters in both locations. Some companies also offer night shark fishing trips for the more adventurous. Catch amberjacks, red groupers, and grey snapper, depending on the season.