Clearwater Beach, FL

April 3, 2018

Spring break here we come. Thanks to a direct flight from Peoria to Clearwater Beach, Florida, my family and I went from chilly Peoria, Illinois at 9am to standing on the beach by lunchtime. We checked into the Opal Sands hotel, 430 S Gulfview, which sits right on Clearwater Beach. No need to cross streets or drive and park, just a few steps out the back door of the hotel and my feet were submerged in the hot white sands of the Gulf of Mexico. The Opal Sands has an amazing pool for those visitors who don’t like sand stuck between their toes. Me? I don’t mind. The Opal Sands also had a small but nice spa where we had pedicures the first day before slipping on our sandals.

https://www.opalsands.com

April 4, 2018

Just a short walk from the hotel, my dad and I came upon the Chute Em Up Parasail, 28 Causeway Blvd. Adventurous types can fly high above the gulf in pairs for a small price and a signed waiver. I had never been parasailing before, but I always wanted to try it. My mom took a pass with her fear of heights, while my dad, sister, and I decided to fly the friendly skies above the gulf. It was terrifying at first but once in the air, the view makes it all worth it. Through the clear water I saw not only my shadow, but all the sharks, dolphins, and whales swimming below me. I felt on top of the world. http://proparasail.com/

My dad, sister, and I parasailing

April 5, 2018

At the recommendation of some family friends, our family set out for Tarpon Springs. Tarpon Springs is a small village about an hour from Clearwater. It was settled by men from Greece who came there to dive for sponges in the early 1900s. Not much has changed since those early days. Tiny Greek restaurants line the little village street, as do cute little shops which sell artwork, sea shells and of course sponges of various types. In order to get a better look at what makes this place world renowned, we boarded a fishing boat and set out with a professional sponge diver. The boat captain and sponge diver were both Greek and descendents of the first generation of sponge divers who came there from Greece. Our diver suited up and jumped off the boat just a few minutes out and came up with a handful of sponges. Little did we know there are dozens if not hundreds of types of sponges. He rinsed them off, explained what they were and how they were used in everyday life in our homes. The diver also explained how they preserve the sponge population for future generations. https://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/cities/tarpon-springs.html

April 6, 2018

This was our last night in town and my dad booked us on a sunset cruise of the gulf. Little did he know that the cruise he booked was an interactive pirate ship excursion mainly designed for young families. As soon as we boarded, I quickly observed adult actors dressed as pirates handing out squirt guns. There were at least fifty children under the age of twelve and for them, this was about to be a fun two hour adventure. For us, it was memorable to say the least. The sun was just starting to set as my sister and I tried to capture a few pictures of the coast dimly lit by the setting sun. Suddenly our peaceful photo shoot was interrupted by the sound of a cannon firing and adult pirates racing through the ship shooting children with water guns. My mom dove for cover while my dad laughed hysterically. My sister and I couldn’t believe our eyes. The kids on board were having a blast while we were bracing for what wouldn’t after all be a peaceful sunset cruise. After two hours of hiding from Jack Sparrow and his crew we docked and rushed off the ship. I would highly recommend the Captain Memo Pirate Cruise experience for children under the age of twelve. For teens and adults looking for a leisurely sunset cruise, please check the cruise description before buying tickets. There are numerous sunset cruise options to choose from. https://captainmemo.com/cruise-info

My sister and I on the ship at sunset

Out of all of the beaches I have been to in Florida, Clearwater is now my favorite. It is as simple as it sounds, the water was unbelievably clear! The beach was very clean and well kept. And there was endless amounts of activities to do. I would highly recommend going on a trip with a friend or family member to this beach.