Diane's List
Clearwater Beach Vacation Rentals Sand Key Lighthouse Towers
email me to add to the list gordon-s@comcast.net
Restaurants
Caretta on the Gulf (Located in the Sand Pearl Resort): 500 Mandalay Ave, Clearwater Beach, 877-726-3111, http://www.sandpearl.com/Resort/Dining_Fine_Clearwater_Hotel_SandPearl.asp Excellent menu and food. A little pricey but well worth it for a nice dining experience.
Marlin Darlin: 2819 West Bay Drive, Belleair Bluffs, 727-584-1700, take a right out of the condo then at the first set of lights, take a left, go over the bridge and the Marlin Darlin will be on the left. Very good restaurant with early birds from 4:00-5:45 @$9.90 per meal.
Panera Bread: West Bay Drive, Belleair Bluffs, same directions as above only Panera Bread will be on the right.
Post Corner Pizza and Restaurant: 431 Gulf View Blvd, Clearwater Beach 727-461-7795
Excellent pizza and reasonably priced. Recommend
Ceasar's : North Sand key Bridge in Clearwater Beach, 794 South Gulf View Blvd 727-449-8797
Excellent Italian Restaurant. Pricey but not too bad. Service was great!
Island Grill: 20 Island Way, Clearwater 727-461-6617 http://www.islandwaygrill.com/ Great sushi menu and wine list. Kids menu was impressive. Service was great. Highly Recommend. Early bird specials from 4-5 include salad, meal and dessert.
The Conch Republic Grill and Raw Bar, 16699 Gulf Blvd, N. Redington Beach, 33708 ; 727-320-0536 http://www.conchrepublicgrill.com/food.html / Casual dining; Great Cuban Sandwich, reasonably priced
Dominic's Capri, 411 Mandalay Ave, Clearwater Beach. 727-411-1111. The sauce is red, pasta simple, seafood fresh and wine endless, as it should be in a restaurant shaped like a wine barrel. The wine is under the trapdoor in a real cellar; the specialty is, naturally, Italian. Very good restaurant. Feels like walking into a wine barrel.
Shell Fresh Seafood,
http://www.shellsseafood.com/process.cfm?PageID=1
Very good seafood. We went to the one in Redington Shores.
Guppy's on the Beach, 1701 Gulf Blvd, Indian Rocks Beach, (south of Sand Key) 727-593-2032 http://3bestchefs.com/guppys_main.php Very good, nice atmosphere!
Beachcomber, 447 Mandalay Ave, North Clearwater Beach, 727-442-4144
http://heilmansbeachcomber.com/index.html We had dinner here on Christmas Day. There was a wait even with a reservation, but the food was really good. Behind the Beachcomber, owned by the same people is the Bistro. Excellent food, less expensive. Just walk around the back of the Beachcomber and you will find it.
Maggie Mae's Sunrise Cafe, 1261 Gulf Blvd, Sand Key, 727-461-7795
This is directly across the street from our condo in the shopping plaza. It's about a 4 minute walk. We have had breakfast here and it is really good and the prices are very reasonable. The strawberry waffle's are my favorite.
Kiku's Japanese Restaurant, 483 Mandalay Ave, Pelican Walk Plaze (upstairs), Clearwater Beach, 727-461-2633
http://clearwaterbeachkiku.com/ Excellent Japanese restaurant! Call early for reservations at the Tea Table.
Salt Rock Grill, Indian Shores, 19325 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores FL 33708, 727-595-7625 http://www.saltrockgrill.com/ Very good. Sister restaurant to Island Grill. No early bird.
Cabana Grill , Sand Key, 1590 Gulf Blvd, Sand Key in the Cabana Condominiums, mile marker 20/21, 727-595-1807, http://www.cabanagrill.com You can take the jolley trolley there if you don't want to walk.
The following restaurants have not been tried yet but come recommended:
Crabby Bills, 37 Causeway Blvd, Clearwater Beach, 727-210-1313. coupons online
Frenchy's , many locations, 351 S. Gulfview Blvd, Clearwater Beach, 727-441-9991
Alternative to Theme Parks
Lowry Zoo : http://www.lowryparkzoo.com/ Similar to Sea World at half the price. Highly Recommend.
Clearwater Aquarium : http://www.cmaquarium.org/ Don't miss this one. Spend 2 - 3 hours here on an afternoon. Watch dolphins and turtles close up. Highly Recommend.
Tampa Science Museum : Mosi http://www.mosi.org/ We finally went here. The kids enjoyed it and it was a fun afternoon. Arrive early.
The Florida Aquarium: http://www.flaquarium.org/ A great aquarium to visit. The kids did the scuba with the fish program and had a wonderful time http://www.flaquarium.org/html/l2/l2_explore_swim.html . Reservations should be made well in advance. The cost included one adult admission with each child in the program. We arrived early and were able to spend the whole day there.
Area Entertainment
Bok Tower Gardens : http://www.boktower.org Historic Bok Sanctuary offers visitors Florida's most abundant opportunities for aesthetic, cultural and personal enrichment.
Bush Gardens : http://www.bushgardens.com
Cypress Gardens : http://www.cypressgardens.com
Lansbrook Golf : http://www.lansbrookgolf.com Golf Academy : http://www.beachgolfschool.com/
Ruth Eckerd Hall : http://www.rutheckerdhall.com Center for Performing Arts
Tampa Bay Performing Arts : http://www.tampacenter.com
Tampa Bay Symphony : http://www.tampabaysymphony.com
Florida International Museum : http://www.floridamuseum.org
Museum of Fine Arts : http://www.fine-arts.org
ST. Petersburg Museum of History : http://www.spmoh.org
Tampa Museum of Art : http://www.tampagov.net/dept_Museum/
Pirate Cruise : http://www.captainmemo.com/
Jolly Trolley : http://www.thejolleytrolley.com
Pier 60 Sunsets : http://www.sunsetsatpier60.com/
Suncoast Sea Bird Sanctuary : http://www.seabirdsanctuary.org/
Information
General Hospital : http://www.stpetemedical.com
Pinellas County : http://www.co.pinellas.fl.us/
Clearwater Beach : http://www.beachchamber.com