Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tootles around Clearwater Beach and south to Sand Key. A day pass costs $4.50.
Suncoast Beach Trolley
TROLLEYBUS
(
727-540-1900;
www.psta.net
; 14840 49th Ave N; adult/reduced $2/1;
5am-10pm Sun-Thu, to
midnight Fri & Sat)
PSTA's Suncoast Beach Trolley connects downtown Clearwater, Clearwater Beach and the
barrier-island beaches south to Pass-a-Grille.
NORTH OF TAMPA
Florida's Nature Coast tracks south from the Panhandle through a largely rural landscape
of parkland, preserves and estuaries. As such, it retains more of that oft-promised but hard-
to-find Old Florida atmosphere with its moss-draped rivers, warm-water springs and quiet
creeks and bays filled with scallops and tarpon. North of Clearwater, the main highway
through the area is US 19, which runs through small towns full of boat dealers and bait
shops all the way to Cedar Key on Waccasassa Bay. When travelling its length, its highly
recommended to travel with a boat or kayak, as its one thing to see these amazing rivers
and creeks, but quite another to get out on their crystal-clear waters.
Weeki Wachee Springs
Were the 'City of Mermaids' ever to close up shop, a bit of Florida's soul would be lost
forever. The 'city' of Weeki Wachee is almost entirely constituted by this
state park
(
352-592-5656;
www.weekiwachee.com
; 6131 Commercial Way, Spring Hill; adult/child 6-12yr $13/8;
9am-5:30pm)
and is dedicated to its underwater
mermaid show
that has entertained
families since 1947. Esther Williams, Danny Thomas and Elvis Presley have all sat in the
glass-paneled underwater theater and watched as pink-tailed mermaids perform pirouettes
while turtles and fish swim past. The three daily half-hour shows (at 11am, 1:30pm and
3pm) remain gleeful celebrations of nostalgic kitsch, particularly the mainstay,
The Little
Mermaid
. While there's no mystery to the trick - the mermaids hold air hoses as they swim
and gulp air as needed - there's an undeniable theatrical magic to their effortless perform-
ances. The park also offers animal shows, a sedate
riverboat cruise
and a modest,
weekend-only
water park
, plus picnic areas. Perfect for an afternoon's entertainment.
