Tarpon Springs Travel Guide

 
by Ewingjr98
 
  •   Tarpon Springs
    by Ewingjr98
  •   Things to Do
    by Ewingjr98
  • Harvested Sponges on the Dock at Tarpon Springs
      Harvested Sponges on the Dock at Tarpon...
    by atufft
  • Fred H Howard Park, Tarpon Springs, FL
      Fred H Howard Park, Tarpon Springs, FL
    by atufft
  •   Things to Do
    by Ewingjr98
 

Explore Tarpon Springs

Things to Do  

Florida Tarpons

Florida Tarpons, Tarpon Springs

 emion Says:  If you happen to be in Naples Florida, don't forget to watch the game of the season. It will be fun and exciting because I for one did have the grandest time watching it. It was totally amazing! You can check out their website to see the schedule but I know there will be a... 

Fred H Howard Park, Bayside Picnicking

Fred H Howard Park, Bayside Picnicking, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  The lush tropical picnic grounds of this part are developed so that large groups can reserve their own space. But, this part of the park is also popular for joggers and cyclists pushing through to the causeway and beach areas of the park. 

Tarpon Springs Cultural Center

Tarpon Springs Cultural Center, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  The Tarpon Springs Cultural Center has a variety of actives, but for starters there's the building that houses them. This neoclassical style brick building was once the Tarpon Springs City Hall, designed by Ernest Ivey Cook and dedicated in 1915. The city government has... 

St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  Dedicated in 1942, after the sponge boom had largely ended, the Orthodox Church has presented a lasting edifice of Greek influence in this town for past 70 years. The copper domed structure, which was intended to resemble the Byzantine Haga Sophia in Constantinople, was... 

Browse the Greek Fishing Village

Browse the Greek Fishing Village, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  Many of the older shops and restaurants were buildings used in the sponge industry at one time. Others were originally restaurants and fish markets that catered to the sponge divers. The buildings are painted pleasant pastel colors, and wandering in and out of these along... 

Wander the Sponge Docks

Wander the Sponge Docks, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  Probably the best thing to do is simply to wander along the docks, enjoying the fresh sea air and breezes that frequent Tarpon Springs along the waterfront. Before or after lunch, the embarcadero is pleasant enough, and hopefully, one of the two sponge divers will return and... 

Hotels  

Restaurants  

Parthenon Greek Restaurant: Grilled Octopus and Gyros

Parthenon Greek Restaurant: Grilled Octopus and Gyros, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  Actually, there are many really great Greek restaurants on the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks, but my host recommended this one. We sat outside and watched the promenade of fishing boats and tourists. As an economical move, we ordered gyros, but then I noticed the grilled... 

Mama's Greek Cuisine - Please Close the Light!

Mama's Greek Cuisine - Please Close the Light!, Tarpon Springs

 Ewingjr98 Says:  Mama's is probably the biggest restaurant in Tarpon Springs. Though it is slightly off the main tourist track away from the water, it gets a huge crowd for lunch and dinner. During our first visit to Tarpon Springs, Mama's was very busy, but we decided on a different place... 

Nightlife  

snookers: key west style
doug48 profile photo

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doug48 5204 reviews
snookers grill

snookers is a key west style restaurant and bar located on 19ALT in downtown tarpon springs. they offer local seafood and american fare. the reason i am writting this as a nightlife tip is that snookers is the best bar in tarpon springs.

Dress Code: casual.

Written Mar 19, 2009

Address: 606 n. pinellas ave (US 19ALT)

Phone: 727-937-6665

Website: http://www.snookersgrill.com/

Related to:
 Historical Travel
 Beaches
 Architecture

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Transportation  

Parking at the Sponge Docks
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2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

atufft 2868 reviews
Tarpon Springs, FL
1 more image

Forget transit in this part of Florida, that I know of. This is all about finding a parking space, and then paying for it. Right at the entrance to the sponge docks, there are several parking lots, but their prices vary a lot. Check this out carefully to save a dollar or more. For the most part, there's no parallel parking for cars on the street, but motorcyclists might be able to find more creative ways to park. There's lots of disability parking available.

Written Jun 1, 2011

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Shopping  

Fresh Seafood Market, Tarpon Springs: Buying Fish

Fresh Seafood Market, Tarpon Springs: Buying Fish, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  At the very end of the sponge docks, there are a couple of fishing boats that do bring in a daily catch. There's also a good fish market there with a variety of locally caught fresh fish, some of which (such as the shrimp) appeared to me brought in from the open fish market.... 

Various Vendors: Buying Sponges

Various Vendors: Buying Sponges, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  In the 1920's there was a sponge exchange for the fisherman, but now that is all gone, and most of the sponges sold in Tarpon Springs are imported. Nevertheless, the selection of sponges available at the sponge docks really is pretty amazing. At the first souvenir shop, I... 

Local Customs  

Epiphany City

Epiphany City, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  Reportedly the largest Greek Orthodox festival in the western hemisphere, the Tarpon Springs Epiphany celebration in January has become something of a tourist attraction. The ceremonies begin with a church service at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox church in Tarpon Springs, then... 

Sponge docks is the place...

Sponge docks is the place..., Tarpon Springs

 Tolik Says:  Sponge docks is the place which most of the people visit first. It’s only a quarter mile north of the historic district. Here you can eat, shop, take cruises to the Gulf of Mexico, or go deep-sea fishing. Besides numerous shops and restaurants, there are 2 museums here.... 

Tourist Traps  

Sea shells, bath bars, and sponges

Sea shells, bath bars, and sponges, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  Although there are some notable exceptions, most of the beauty products sold at Tarpon Springs are NOT locally produced. Most of the olive oil moisturizer bath soaps and even the natural sponges are imported. The long luffa body scrubbers are actually a type of gourd,... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Mother Meres Memorial

Mother Meres Memorial, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  There is an eye catching mural memorial to Mother Meres, a early immigrant settler made famous for her gardening and hotel hospitality. See the link below for a very pleasant story about this "garden fairy". The mural is located at Meres Municipal Plaza on Tarpon Avenue,... 

Old Downtown Tarpon Springs

Old Downtown Tarpon Springs, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  The sponge docks are not the only place to shop or eat. Try browse for a better deal downtown. Tarpon Springs has a nice tree lined vintage downtown with plenty of parallel parking and few other tourists. 

Sports & Outdoors  

Kayaking at Fred H Howard Park

Kayaking at Fred H Howard Park, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  Tarpon Spring's Fred H Howard Park has excellent parking and launching facilities for kayakers and canoes. The gulf is normally pretty tranquil as it is, but the bay is even easier to enjoy. There's plenty to navigate around Tarpon Springs, and there are no entrance fees to... 

Windsurfing at Fred H Howard Park

Windsurfing at Fred H Howard Park, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  There aren't any waves, particularly on the bayside at Fred H Howard Park, but the winds are gentle and constant. Parking and launching for windsurfing is easy and popular here. I don't recall any rental kiosk though. 

Favorites  

Sponges

Sponges, Tarpon Springs

 atufft Says:  Natural sponges are the skeletons of invertebrate animals. After they are harvested, the diver must squeeze and clean the sponges using special chemicals. Originally bleach was used, but this was found to damage the sponge, so now more delicate chemicals are used. It's a... 

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Map of Tarpon Springs