Tampa, FL in mid-april

http://www.wordtravels.com/Cities/Florida/Tampa/Climate

Soz- It is a bit chilly to swim in April, unless you go to a place with a heated pool. Snowbirds DO brave the chill though, and the weather is great in April.

You would have quite a walk though, to get to the ocean. Tampa is near Tampa Bay, (not great for swimming) and the Gulf of Mexico, (Wonderful beaches).

I am not sure exactly when spring break occurs, but I know of a few places in the area that are not too crowded.

Could anyone recommend a day trip to a good, swimmable beach from Tampa?

I can find a heated pool in Columbus, I want the ocean!

Thanks for your link, Phoenix, went to "attractions", useful, forgot that Busch Gardens was there and the aquarium looks cool.

Hubby's been invited for a talk, trying to figure out if we want to make a family trip of it. The timing makes me nervous.

Soz, the ocean is a 2 hour(?) drive East...mmm 3 hours. Best put your ocean dreams away.

That'd be fine, though, as a day trip.

Well, two hours, three may be pushing it.

Any details?

http://www.drbeach.org/drbeach/

Caladesi Island State Park, and Fort De Soto Park are a day trip away. Both are within an hour of Tampa. There is an old fort on Fort De Soto (how 'bout that?) that the Sozlet might like-there is also canoeing.

To get to Caladesi, you go to Honeymoon Island State Park and take a ferry from there. To me, Caladesi is the closest thing to paradise that I have seen in these parts. If you are interested, I'll give you more info.

Siesta Key is gorgeous, but that is farther away.

Interested!

(Thanks guys!)

Soz- The Museum of Science and Industry is smack dab in the middle of town. There is some neat interactive stuff, and an IMAX theatre. I think that the sozlet would love it:

http://www.mosi.org/

Only someone from Florida would distinguish ocean from gulf.

Remember, Soz, what those people call frigid, you will call balmy. Watch for jellyfish, sharks, stingrays, moray eels, and alligators. And have a good time

http://www.floridastateparks.org/caladesiisland/default.asp

http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_Ft_DeSoto.htm

http://www.myakkariver.org/

I included Myakka River State Park. It is probably about 1- 1/2-2 hours from Tampa, but it is my most favorite places in Florida. There is a huge lake, and they have airboat rides. There is a nature walk, and a bridge, where you can walk along the tops of the trees.

Rog- There is a BIG difference between the gulf and the ocean. First of all, you do not have the big waves that you have in the ocean, so swimming is much safer for kids. There is not as big a drop off, so you can go out pretty far, and you will not be over your head. And in Caladesi, the water is turquoise!

Good point Phoenix...The sozlet would be in some danger in the winter surf...although it's my favorite time to body surf.
I never swim in the Gulf but I do enjoy sailing my Hobie Cat there.

Myakka River is wonderful. I heartily recommend it.

Ooh, does sound nice!

Thanks for all these links, excellent!

My favorite time to body surf, too. My grandma lived in Palm Beach -- I forget now if West Palm or what, not an especially tony area, regular condo -- and I'd visit her annually from when I was tiny until I was in college, so Florida in April is familiar to me... just further south. There was a beach we'd go to -- West Palm Beach, I think! -- that had a sort of a sandbar a certain distance out (20 yards?), so there was a natural "kiddy pool" with smaller waves/ calmer waters, and then big 'uns beyond the sandbar.

I used to live in Treasure Island, soze (it's about 45 minutes to an hour west from Tampa, and lies just to the north of St. Pete) and it has a wonderful HUGE beach (large enough for dozens of volleyball games at once and plenty of room left over).

Even this picture of the beach doesn't do its size justice. I really couldn't tell you much about water temperature in April, but it will still be pleasant enought to stroll a beach that's just too large to get filled up with people.

Go just five minutes north of the public access to the Treasure Island beach to John's Pass, a cut from the harbor to the gulf that separates TI from Madiera Beach, and sit outside and watch the drawbridge go up and down as the sailboats and motorboats traverse.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/entertainment/content/entertainment/recreation/guides/beaches/beaches_bathtubreef.html

This is where I take Northern visitors with small children.

There's a shallow basin where the waves enter gently and a small reef where kids can snorkle or just view the fishes and reef life.

It's a bit North of Palm Beach

I find the St. Pete Beach area a bit congested for my taste during the "season". If you are in that area though, here is a nice place to take the Sozlet.

http://www.seabirdsanctuary.org/location.htm

As I remember, there is a public beach, on the gulf, near the sanctuary. When I first moved to Florida, I volunteered at the sanctuary for awhile. I then decided that I was not about to travel 1 1/4 hours each way, in order to clean bird poop! It is a small, but great place for kids.......of all ages!

Re: Tampa, FL in mid-april


I think spring breaks are mostly over by the end of March...?

If my memory serves (and again, the Florida A2Kers will have the best advice) you're kind of in-between seasons in April -- the snowbirds have flown north for the summer (I speak here of the blue-haired beakless variety) and the summer vacationers are still packing for their trips.

Enjoy, and let us know how your trip was.

Right. The first two days of the first meet were really crowded. Then they all went home, or wherever they go.

I don't understand what the hell you guys are talking about. I used to live in Orlando, and I'd just drive West for an hour, pick a spot and there would be a beach. I never knew what beach I was going to, and I always found one. Nice beaches too. There are beaches everywhere, Soz. You don't need special directions to find one. If you can tell West from East, you'll find a beach.