PAID POST BY VISIT ST. PETE-CLEARWATER
St. Pete-Clearwater is home to America’s Best Beaches and boasts limitless outdoor adventures, perfect for every type of traveler. Kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkeling and boating are only a few of the ways to explore the Gulf waters. If you prefer your adventure on land, lush parks with biking and walking trails, campgrounds and nature preserves offer endless ways to experience this beautiful landscape and its wildlife.
Locals love the outdoors as much as visitors and are eager to share it. Captain Dylan Hubbard, the fourth-generation owner and operator of the award-winning Hubbard’s Marina, located at John’s Pass Village in Madeira Beach, says he’s still taken by the beauty of his home: “It is really just absolutely breathtaking around here.” He seeks to share that local beauty and his love of being on the water with guests. “I’m blessed to be an owner operator of Hubbard’s Marina,” he says. “It’s one of the most famous fishing villages along the west coast of Florida, and we’re actually considered the grouper capital of the world. We land more grouper out of our port than anywhere else in the Gulf. Not only can you catch grouper on one of our boats, but our family’s neighboring restaurant will cook it for you as well. When you go out fishing with us, you can walk right next door to the Friendly Fisherman, and we’ll cook what you caught. It’s the freshest way to eat fish.” Hubbard is confident he can help guests create the perfect outdoor getaway: “We do everything, we’re kind of a one-stop shop when it comes to water activities, from deep sea fishing to near-shore fishing, in-shore fishing, island trips, shelling, snorkeling, sunset cruises and private charters.”
If local nature is what you seek, unique landscapes give visitors a chance to get up-close and personal with various species in their natural habitat. Egmont Key State Park is situated at the mouth of Tampa Bay. The park is home to a wildlife refuge that can be explored on foot and is surrounded by waters that are perfect for snorkeling. Hike to historical Fort Dade and visit the Spanish American War relic. Rent a clear bottom kayak and paddle to Shell Key Preserve, where visitors can glide through Gulf waters and maybe get a glimpse of rays or dolphins. For a truly exceptional experience, Caladesi Island State Park, located in Dunedin, is a pristine island. It’s home to lush mangrove tunnels that offer a one-of-a-kind kayaking trail and outstanding birdwatching. And, if you’re interested in more extensive birdwatching, St. Pete-Clearwater is home to the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail. This natural gem is a network of 500 wildlife viewing sites along 2,000 miles of self-guided trails. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, it’s home to hundreds of migrating bird species.
For the more daring, St. Pete-Clearwater is a great place to try out a new water sport. Kitesurfing is wildly popular with locals and visitors. St. Pete Beach is a peninsula with steady wind currents and relatively calm waters, making it a great spot for novice and experienced kitesurfers. Plus, nearby Elite Watersports offers lessons for all levels. The calm Gulf waters also make St. Pete-Clearwater a great place to paddleboard or kayak. If it’s your first time, rentals, lessons and even guided tours are widely available. Try your hand at something new and you may just pick up a new hobby as a souvenir.
No matter how you like to get outdoors, St. Pete-Clearwater offers an outdoor experience sure to entice any traveler. In the words of Hubbard, the variety of outdoor options combined with the warm local welcome keeps visitors coming back for more and he wouldn’t have it any other way. “Families have been coming down for generations,” he says. “It’s unique to see and it’s because we have so much packed in a coastal town.”
Let’s shine—Explore more outdoor adventures at VisitSPC.com
This article has been supplied by Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, a paid advertiser. The editorial staff of Chicago magazine had no role in this post’s preparation.