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Family Fun in North Redington Beach?

by randogg

My wife and I and our three year old duaghter are plannig a trip to North Redington Beach mid May and would love to have some suggestions for things to do and not to do....we love the beach, shopping, culture and of course dining. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

We are traveling from the (currently)very cold province of Nova Scotia and are looking forward to some heat! (We just had a blizzard a few weeks back...YIPES!)

Also any tips on doing a day trip to disney would be a big help....we will have rental car and want to at least have a few pics of our little girl with the big mouse nothing much more....this would just be a day trip.....our real purpose in taking the trip for the heat and the water!!

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

Randdog

Re: Family Fun in North Redington Beach?

by lmclaughlin1216

I am not from Tampa but visited there recently. Took a drive along the gulf beaches from St Pete Beach to Clearwater. The Redington beach area looked very nice - I stopped and took a walk at Treasure Island.

Other than the beach area, there is the Baywalk Area on the Tampa Bay Side of St Pete.

Frankly, the area really does not have that much to offer.

Orlando is about and hour and half away and I would focus on that area with your daughter. I took my daughter there when she was around 2 and she went till she dropped. Plan to stay in a Disney park and spend the whole day in the Magic Kingdom and perhaps Sea World as well.

If I could give a preference on which side of Florida to stay in, I would stay on the Ocean Side. Our Family loves Cocoa Beach and it is about as far to Orlando.

Have fun with your daughter, mine is in college now and the time passes way too fast.

Re: Family Fun in North Redington Beach?

by randogg

Thanks Larry and Donna!

Great tips on what to do! We are so excited to visit Florida.....we have so many friends who go annually but we have never gotten around to visiting...we love Cuba and hope that there is a Cuban vibe in the state of Florida!

How is driving in this area of the state? Any tips on driving....we will have a rental car (with GPS)and hope to see as much as possible.....we are not accustomed to traffic problems in this area of the world so that will be new to us!

Again thanks for your help we are so excited about our visit!

Randdog

Travel Tips for Tampa

Manatees!

by emilienoelle

Mantatees are huge aquatic mammals native to Florida. They are closely related to dolphins and whales and live mostly in fresh or brackish water. Manatees are very slow-moving creatures and are often killed by outboard motors on speed boats. Many Floridians that we spoke with told us that they see manatees quite frequently though they are high on the national endangered species list and are federally protected. They range in size from 6 - 12 feet (15.5 - 30.5 meters) and have heads that seem much too small for their bodies! In spite of their large size, manatees are vegetarians and eat mostly leafy aquatic plants.

Packing List

by LJF

It is quite hot in Tampa all year round, but during July - October the is a thunder storm almost every afternoon so bring a rain jacket but not an umbrella unless you want to join the statistics of people who get hit by lightening each year in Tampa (the highest in the world!)

Watch space shuttles & rockets launch toward space

by Ewingjr98

One morning I was getting ready to walk out the door to head to work just after 6:30 AM on a bright, sunny summer day. As I took one last look at the horizon and soon-to-be-rising sun, I noticed a brilliant white streak across the sky. Stepping outside I realized the lower end of the cloudy streak, that was not yet touched by the sun was brown, just above that it was reddish orange, and for the vast majority of the smoky contrail, it was a glowing white.

On the way to work I turned on the radio, and people were calling in asking about the streak. Some speculated it was a surface-to-air missile, others thought it was shot off nearby MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. But my suspicions were proven correct when the DJ finally let listeners know this was a Delta II rocket launched from 145 miles away at Kennedy Space Center, carrying the last of the Air Force's Global Positioning System satellites into space.

I never imagined you could see NASA's launches from so far away. Now I have to decide it it's worth it to see a space shuttle take off at two AM on a weeknight....

Cypress Gardens

by tampa_shawn

This is a traditional Florida attraction that offers gardens, rides, shows

Midway between Orlando and Tampa the park is located less than 60 minutes from both metro areas in Winter Haven. Cypress Gardens is off U.S. Highway 27 south of Interstate 4.

From Tampa: Take I-4 EAST to Exit 27. Take Polk County Parkway for 12 miles. Take Winter Haven exit (2nd Toll Booth) at S.R. 540. Take S.R. 540 eight miles to Hwy 17 North. Take Hwy 17 North two miles over the bridge to first light and turn right. Park is on the right at Kehoe Way behind the Cypress Gardens entrance sign.

Regular Admission ticket (Age 10-54) $44.95, plus tax
Seniors (55 and over) $39.95, plus tax
Juniors (3-9) $39.95, plus tax

However the yearly pass is about $70 so if you live in the area it is well worth it

My Favorite Liquor Store

by tampa_shawn about Total Wines

The Walmart of Liquor stores - Absolutely huge with great prices

Each of our stores carries approximately 8,000 different types of wine, 2,000 types of spirits and 1,000 different beers.

The Tampa store also has a nice selection of cigars With this crazy selection I always seem to be trying something new Normal maybe less than other stores - this store is a gem because of the selection

Excellent	25%	8
Very Good	34%	11
Average	15%	5
Poor	9%	3
Terrible	15%	5

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More about Tampa

Photos

Forum Posts

Family Fun in North Redington Beach?

Re: Family Fun in North Redington Beach?

Re: Family Fun in North Redington Beach?

Travel Tips for Tampa

Manatees!

Packing List

Watch space shuttles & rockets launch toward space

Cypress Gardens

My Favorite Liquor Store

Comments

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Sleep Inn

Check rates and availability

74%

Satisfaction Average

Value Score Average Value

Good For Solo

More about Tampa

Photos

Forum Posts

Family Fun in North Redington Beach?

Re: Family Fun in North Redington Beach?

Re: Family Fun in North Redington Beach?

Travel Tips for Tampa

Manatees!

Packing List

Watch space shuttles & rockets launch toward space

Cypress Gardens

My Favorite Liquor Store

Comments

Explore the World

Map of Sleep Inn

Nearby Attractions

Same Stars, Better Value Hotels

Travelers Recommended Hotels

Best VT Value Hotels

Hotels Nearby

Lowest Price Hotels

Sleep Inn

74^%