St. Pete Beach

After canceling trip after trip in 2020, our family was excited to finally get some quality time in St. Pete Beach near Tampa, Florida.  This location is so convenient to amazing adventures in every direction even in neighboring areas.  You can go north to swim with manatees in Crystal River.  You’re not far from all the major theme parks (with the nearest being Busch Gardens that’s right in town).  You also have quick access to countless beautiful beaches all along the Gulf Coast.  This is an area that offers so much for every type of traveler, especially families!

Details:

At the top of our “Must Do” list while visiting the area, we immediately knew we wanted to make the day trip up to Crystal River to swim with manatees.  Unless you just happen upon one in the wild (like we had the luck of in Belize), this is the only location in the world that allows you to actually swim alongside them.  Thankfully, they take this responsibility VERY seriously, require passive observation (no swimming after, reaching out, etc.) and do a tremendous job of ensuring the manatees’ safety and well being.  Thus, we’ve had our eye on this destination for years.  This encounter did not disappoint!  We swam alongside a mama and baby for over an hour plus got to experience the crystal clear waters of Three Sisters Springs.  We loved that Explorida tours allowed kids three and up to participate!  This combined with the $60 price tag for this tour makes this a pretty amazing option for a true, authentic wildlife encounter (no cages, tanks, just in their natural environment) as most run at least $100 per person.

After checking off this major bucket list item, we booked dolphin sightseeing, deep sea fishing, and a snorkeling cruise through Hubbard’s Marina right in the heart of St. Pete Beach.  Similarly to our manatee tour, they not only allowed and tolerated kids joining in on the fun, they welcomed them!  Our kids screamed with delight seeing a dolphin jump into the air and beamed with pride after catching the only mackerel on the boat.  Abigail is still talking about what an amazing driver she was after the cruise captain allowed her to help on their way to Egmont Key.  We love when we find one great company to book multiple tours through (hello Costa Rica), and Hubbard’s definitely fits the bill.  

While Dad and Abigail had a date exploring Egmont Key, Mom and Brandon set off for some thrills at Busch Gardens.  We knew this would be the highlight of the week for him and a smile did not leave his face from sunup to sundown!  The park perfectly incorporates their amazing animal exhibits, beautiful scenery, and themed thrill rides all into one cohesive park.  We were able to walk on pretty much every ride throughout the day which translated to mom limping off her 30th roller coaster by the end of the day (totally worth it!).  Just riding the train alone allowed us to see an array of their animals, and they also have a safari option (for an extra fee) that allows you a closer experience throughout their savannah.  We opted for a break at their Serengeti Overlook Restaurant for amazing views while we ate some lunch.

If you are interested in exploring more of Florida, head on over to our posts on Panama City Beach, Disney World, and Miami for more family travel inspiration!

Notes and Tips:

• Crystal River is a pretty small area not too close to much else.  There are beautiful vacation rentals along the river canals (like these here) if you wanted to make a weekend of it.  Otherwise, Tampa (at 1.5 hours away) is about as close as you are going to get as far as major cities go.
• If you need beach supplies once you arrive, Publix was by far the cheapest option for umbrellas, beach chairs, boogie boards, etc.  Dollar Tree would be another great option for floaties, googles, and beach toys.  The average beach/souvenir shop was almost double! 

Gear:

• Our kids love reading on their Kindle Fires: Kids Edition during long drives.  We’ve also recently been loading free audiobooks from our local library on these tablets.
• As adults, we can make do with whatever snorkel set is provided for us.  Our kids, however, are  still getting the hang of it so a quality, yet inexpensive set like this Kids Snorkel Set makes a huge difference!

Accomodations:
Coral Reef Beach Resort

Activities:
Explorida Adventures Manatee Tour
Hubbard’s Marina Tours (fishing, dolphins, Egmont key)
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay 

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If you have questions or tips for traveling to St. Pete Beach / Tampa with your family, let us know!