West Coast Road Trip
FIRST, THE BEACH
Let’s be clear, the main motive of this trip was beach time. Dining out and exploring all came second to pure rest and salt-filled relaxation. I thought I would be spending my time at one main beach, but that didn’t go to plan.
The first beach we went to was the highly talked about Honeymoon Island! There is a fee to enter the park, I believe it was $10, and then you drive through to an area with a few different parking areas on the beach. There was a lot of construction happening right now, so only one area of the beach was open. This area is covered in rocks. There are large rocks everywhere on the sand and into the water, making it a bit difficult to walk anywhere barefoot. Also, there wasn’t much beach left. If you go, bring water shoes for sure. The water is gorgeous, but at least for now, very difficult to enjoy comfortably.
Fred Howard Park
Due to the less than desirable beach conditions at Honeymoon Island, I had to find a different beach to visit. Clearwater was not an option as I wanted something secluded and less touristy. To my surprise, the West Coast is not lined with beaches to choose from! I eventually found Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs. It’s known as a local beach most tourists don’t know about.
It was indeed a gem, and we went here multiple times. It’s a smaller beach, but plenty of sand and space, and because it’s lesser-known, it was never packed (during the week at least).
There is no fee to enter this park, but when you drive out to the beach area, there is a parking fee.
Palm Harbor Sunsets
Our Airbnb was actually in Palm Harbor in a small beach community called Crystal Beach. There wasn’t much excitement in Palm Harbor (except for one really tasty Deli) but the sunsets at Crystal Beach are beautiful. If you find yourself in that area you can catch a chill sunset at Live Oak neighborhood park.
QUICK STOP IN TAMPA
Willa’s Provisions
One of the newer cafes in Tampa is Willa Provisions. It’s aesthetically on-trend, but more importantly, the coffee is from local roaster King State, so that’s a definite perk. I got a breakfast sandwich which was nothing earth-shattering, but still not a bad quick brekkie spot. DO NOT MISS THE BATHROOM; IT’S GLORIOUS. The cafe has an adjoining space which is their other dinner concept that I hope to check out another time.
Hyde Park Village
Hyde Park is a bit bougie for me, but I did want to go see some new murals they had and check out this plant shop, Leafy Luv Affair that wasn’t here on my last visit. It’s a cute plant shop, Within Hyde Park Village that you’ll wanna stop at even if it’s just for some inspiration.
The Far Forest
Made a quick stop to a new (to me) vintage shop in Seminole Heights. Really cute stuff in this tiny shop. There’s a mix of books, home decor, and clothing. If you are thrifting or looking for vintage in Tampa, add this to your list.
Armature Works
Wanting to secure an outside place to eat, going to Armature Works seemed like the easiest thing to do, so we grabbed a bit of Cuban and tacos. Hemingway's Cuban Cuisine has always been good to me on every visit, I especially love their yucca fries. I also tried a new (to me) spot, Muchachas and I was pleasantly surprised at how solid these tacos were.
Jeni’s Ice Cream
For any Jeni’s lovers that live in Orlando and are still mad we don’t have a scoop shop yet, Tampa has TWO. You can visit this location right behind Armature Works or the one at Sparkman Warf.
If you’d like more Tampa ideas, I have a few related posts, try this one.
DOWNTOWN DUNEDIN
We’ve traveled to downtown Dunedin before, and found it to have the most options of all the smaller beach towns north of St. Pete. This visit, we were looking for what was new and our first stop was Sonder Social Club.
Sonder Social Club
Sonder Social Club is a beautiful bar in downtown Dunedin. We arrived just as it opened at 4 pm, and we ended up having the entire place to ourselves for the duration of our stay. The bartender said during the week it’s rare for people to show up before six. I took advantage of the emptiness and took all the pictures my heart desired while trying a few of their craft cocktails.
The bartender was so hospitable (genuinely, not just because we were his only patrons) and led my husband through some Whiskey tasting so he could find something new he hadn’t tried yet.
Of course, the aesthetics were pleasing, but the drinks were good too, and they had a great happy hour. I would highly recommend visiting.
Pisces Sushi and Global Bistro
Our bartender gave us some recommendations for dinner, which led us down the street to Pisces. It was a another great spot to enjoy outdoor dining. The rolls were all top notch and I especially liked the Everything Bagel roll. Prices were moderate and they had a happy hour.
Seeds
New since my last visit was a plant shop right across from Pisces called Seeds. If you are a plant lover of course this is worth checking out. The prices are comparable with most hip plant palaces. If you don’t feel like buying a plant on vacation they have a few other home goods items as well.
Crown and Bull
Another lunch spot that we tried in downtown Dunedin was Crown and Bull. The exterior has a facade that feels like a pub, which is how the interior feels, the patio is all Florida vibes. This is a popular brunch spot, but we checked it out for a late lunch. The expansive back patio was a great open-air spot to eat but still enjoy some lovely shade. I got the Kimchi Fried Chicken which came with a sweet tea brined chicken breast topped with purple kimchi. I enjoyed it with a side salad. The menu is pretty diverse, which can sometimes be a bit concerning, but no complaints here.
Other places worth checking out in Dunedin:
Reboot Arcade
Lucky Lobster
9th Bar Coffee Co.
Taco Baby
The Scone Age
Harley’s Gourmet Popcorn + Cider Shop
If you want more ideas from past trips to Dunedin look here.
SAFETY HARBOR
We spent a few short hours in Safety Harbor one morning to see what the downtown area had to offer. Unfortunately, many restaurants are late afternoon/dinner only, so we didn’t try any local eateries. We made a quick stop for coffee at Lucky Cup Coffee, hidden inside a juice bar.
We also went to check out Phillipe Park. It’s a large and beautiful local park that gives you a view of Old Tampa Bay while strolling along the one-mile shoreline. It’s full of picturesque trees with lots of shade for some relaxing downtime.
The main drag of Safety Harbor itself is small but full of color, local restaurants, and breweries. I didn’t notice a whole lot of retail here. I would come here with a specific list of places to check out when they are open, definitely not a weekday morning.
Some murals to find:
On the side of Elite Signs Unlimited 887 2nd St N,
855 Main St
Daydreamers Cafe 143 7th Avenue
Lucky Coffee Co. can be found on the 2nd level of the building at Main and 2nd Ave inside the Karma Juice Bar.
Spots I had on my list that I didn’t get to try:
Cafe Vino Tinto
Gigglewaters
The Nona Slice House
Troubled Waters Brewing
Whimzeyland in Safety Harbor
An attraction you may want to check out is Whimzeyland. This is a private residence in a nearby neighborhood, but they welcome visitors to tour the outside grounds. The owners have been amassing their collection of artsy features for the past twenty years, with bowling balls, mosaic tiles, paintings, etc., and allow people to tour it. There is no cost, but there are donation boxes where you can leave a bit of gratitude.
At first glance, it felt very odd to be approaching someone’s house in a residential neighborhood, but you’ll see an entrance area, and once you spot that, you feel more confident in entering. I don't think the neighbors enjoy the local attraction, so be wise where you park and how loud you are.
While I wouldn’t make a drive out to Safety Harbor just for this, it was a unique and colorful experience to take some pictures and enjoy how different elements blend to make art.
No trip to the West Coast would be complete with a quick stop to St. Pete to support my friend Celine at Valhalla Bakery and my beloved Bandit.
These murals can be found at:
2730 Central Ave.
2361 1st Ave S.
3050 1st Ave S.
As always, this was a personal trip, all expenses paid for by me. No business asked to be included, and no mentions are sponsored.