» Gems of Pinellas County

• The Pinellas Trail

  Written by MyPinellas.com No Comments
  Last Updated: April 24, 2009

  Built along a former railroad track, the Pinellas Trail offers a respite from traffic congestion, and a way to walk, bike, jog or rollerblade from one end of the county to the other. Extending from Tarpon Springs to St. Petersburg, a total of 47 miles and with a delightful spur to Honeymoon Island by Dunedin, this paved trail traverses woodlands and urban neighborhoods, passes quiet waterways and groves of live oaks, winds through quaint downtowns and alongside pristine beach preserves.

  Take the scenic route from one end of Pinellas County to the other – and leave the car at home. A super training ground for athletes, the trail is also family-friendly, elder-friendly and wheelchair-accessible. It is as enjoyable to stroll a mile or so along this green corridor as it is to bike the length of it. An abundance of parks, cafes and other pleasant rest stops makes the Pinellas Trail an active destination that appeals to just about everyone.

  In fact, it’s Florida’s most popular recreational trail.  And, it’s only in Pinellas.

• Island Time

  Written by MyPinellas.com No Comments
  Last Updated: April 24, 2009

  While many of Pinellas County’s communities are, indeed, islands, sometimes you just want to get away to another kind of island. Fortunately, you don’t have to go far: several island experiences are available to you without having to leave the county.

  Egmont Key, at the mouth of Tampa Bay, is a wildlife refuge that also happens to be on the National Register of Historic Places thanks to its 150-year old lighthouse and remains of Fort Dade, a relic of the Spanish-American War. A visit there is a step back in time.

  Caladesi Island State Park, designated as the 2008 #1 Beach in the U.S., is only accessible by boat – your own, or by taking the ferry with hourly departure. It is one of the few remaining all-natural islands on the west coast of Florida where you can swim, hike, fish, study or just loll on a pristine beach. Explore the mangrove-covered kayak trail. Spot a gopher tortoise. This is the way Florida looked a century ago.

  Honeymoon Island is an island, but you can walk or drive there via a causeway from Dunedin. The natural preserve is known for its bird watching – it’s a rookery for eagles and ospreys. Gulf currents deposit a huge variety of seashells on the island’s newly re-nourished beaches, making the island a paradise for shell collectors.

  Getting away for a little island time doesn’t require a plane ticket.  For the lucky ones who live here, island time is only minutes away.

  

• Fort De Soto

  Written by MyPinellas.com No Comments
  Last Updated: April 24, 2009

  Locals have always known that Fort De Soto Park has one of the top beaches in the world and it’s right here in our own back yard. Experts and travelers from around the world agree.

  In fact, in 2005 famous beach preservationist Dr. Stephen Leatherman named Fort De Soto North America’s number one beach. For two of the last three years, the world’s largest online travel community Trip Advisor has named Fort De Soto America’s Top Beach. Some 2.7 million visitors come every year to relax in this tranquil, breathtakingly lovely place.

  Fort De Soto Beach is located in Fort De Soto Park, Pinellas County’s largest park, with 1,136 acres spread across five interconnected islands. The 12-inch mortar battery, located at the fort for which the park was named, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, making the place a magnet to history buffs.

  In Ft. De Soto Park nature is the real star with over 7 miles of waterfront, including almost three miles of the finest white sand beach in the United States. Visitors from near and far come to launch a boat or kayak, pitch a tent, throw a line in the water or hike the recreation trail. This is one of the few beaches in Florida where you can camp overnight, and fall to sleep to the sound of waves lapping the shore and wind rustling the palms.

  Fort De Soto Park is one of the most incredible natural environments in the state, and probably the country.  And it’s only in Pinellas.

• Epiphany Day Celebration

  Written by MyPinellas.com No Comments
  Last Updated: April 23, 2009

  A year of good luck and blessings. That’s what’s at stake for the over 50 Greek Orthodox teens who dive into the chilly waters of Spring Bayou in Tarpon Springs on January 6 every year.  Each young man hopes to be the one who retrieves the cross tossed into the water by the Bishop, thus securing a blessing for himself and his church. The crowds – numbering in the tens of thousands – cheer as one youth surfaces triumphantly, cross in hand.  And the celebration begins!

  The celebration engages the entire community. Local schools and businesses close so that families can join in this annual festival, beginning with a prayer for calm seas, a blessing of the waters, followed by singing, dancing and very fine Greek food. All are welcome, and celebrants come from all over the country and beyond.

  For more than 100 years, Epiphany Day has been the most important celebration day in the town of  Tarpon Springs. It is a holiday rich in symbolism and beauty, steeped in the traditions of the church as well as the original Greek divers who brought their strong island and maritime heritage to Tarpon Springs.

  Tarpon Springs’ Epiphany Day celebration is the largest in the Western hemisphere. And, it’s only in Pinellas.

• Clearwater Jazz Holiday

  Written by MyPinellas.com No Comments
  Last Updated: April 23, 2009

  New Orleans has its Jazz Fest. Montreux has its Jazz Festival. In NYC, it’s the JVC. In Pinellas County we gather for our own world-class musical celebration held every October at the Clearwater Jazz Holiday in the city’s downtown area.

  What started as a 10-day series of jazz concerts staged from the back of a flatbed truck has evolved into a major regional jazz festival. For three decades now, the Clearwater Jazz Holiday has brought together some of the greatest jazz talents in the world in front of a large and appreciative crowd of fans. And there’s been a lot to appreciate.

  Through the years the Clearwater Jazz Holiday stage has been graced by legends: Herbie Mann, Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Woody Herman and the Count Basie Orchestra only to name a few. The festival has also showcased contemporary jazz stars such as Jean-Luc Ponty, Bela Fleck, Buckwheat Zydeco, Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Natalie Cole and many more.

  Against the backdrop of the Gulf of Mexico, intense sunsets vie with the music for your attention. Most spectacular of all, the event is free to the public. The Clearwater Jazz Holiday is no doubt one of the most magical musical events in the world. And, it’s only in Pinellas.
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