Growing up in Tampa, I learned first that getting to my area's most celebrated beaches isn't continually as uncomplicated as it looks.
Clearwater and St. Pete Beach are undeniably gorgeous, but by mid-morning on a weekend, the parking many are full, and the dirt is packed alongside umbrellas — and then, the traffic getting residence takes hours.
So these days, whenever I desire sodium chloride air and sunshine without the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, I run my car to a location that feels akin a well-kept concealed hiding in plain sight.
Tarpon Springs is a Greek enclave on the Gulf Coast
Known as the "sponge chief of the world," Tarpon Springs sits concerning 30 minutes north of Clearwater on Florida's Gulf Coast, or 20 minutes from my family's residence in northern Tampa.
The coast is special, but so are the layers of former and civilization wrapped about it. In the first 1900s, Greek immigrants arrived to activity in the sponge-diving industry, and their bequest motionless shapes the town's food, architecture, and beat today.
Walking about feels small akin you're in Florida, and additional akin you're strolling into a small border of the Mediterranean.
I continually commencement at the sponge docks. The operating waterfront is lined alongside boats, and vendors motionless market natural sponges pulled direct from the Gulf. It's part market, part living museum.
From there, I roam into the Greektown Historic District, filled alongside delicious food options. This is anywhere I've eaten several of the most authentic Greek cooking I've established anyplace in the state: flaky spanakopita, thick Greek coffee, and fresh, crunchy Greek salad.
The beaches can awareness calm, beautiful, and comparatively uncrowded
When I'm prepared to jump in several chill water, I caput to Fred Howard Park.
This is my favorite part of visiting. The park connects the mainland to a small obstacle island, and the h2o current is calm, clear, and blissfully uncrowded compared to the bigger-name beaches downward the coast.
I akin to rent a kayak or paddleboard to examine the inlet coves, drifting former mangroves and spotting the occasional dolphin or heron in the water. Whenever I'm paddling, it's uncomplicated to ignore how near I am to a important metro area.
On the island, I affection the scenic, mile-long Fred Howard Causeway, which links the mainland to the beach. You can stroll it, bicycle it, or run it gradually alongside the windows down, and the h2o stretches out on the two sides the complete way.
The park is the ideal location to unwind
Fred Howard Park is family-friendly and the ideal location to expend several norm period alongside loved ones.
On the mainland side, kids can perform at the two playgrounds or dispersed out on the open softball and domain field. When I go alongside my family, we normally assertion a shady outing spot, unpack a dispersed of food, and resolve in for the afternoon. My favorite tradition is staying delayed adequate to observe the sunset.
There's a extend anywhere the sky turns orange and pink complete the Gulf, the heat gets a small cooler, and the entire location feels akin it belongs to fair us.
Tampa's header beaches volition continually diagram in crowds, and I comprehend the appeal. But whenever I desire beauty, history, awesome food, and area to breathe all in one trip, Tarpon Springs wins all time.
Read next
Anika Nayak is a freelance newsman focused on health equity. She holds a bachelor's flat in community health from the University of California, Berkeley. When she's not writing, she enjoys volunteering, upcycling old clothing, and traveling the world.
