Tarpon Springs
Tarpon Springs is a great one-day side trip just north of Clearwater Beach. It has been called the sponge capital of the world. Be sure to arrive on an empty stomach to take in the Greek food of course desserts. There are lots of shops that sell sponges; you should buy some as they don’t end up smelly like the current “plastic” ones sold in your local store. Also plan time to take an eco-friendly tour as you see the beauty of the river and gulf area and If you are lucky maybe a dolphin or two also.
Image from the Visit Florida website: https://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/cities/tarpon-springs.html
Busch Gardens
A day at Busch Gardens Tampa is still a must and the beauty of Florida is you can visit any time of the year including Christmas time.
Busch Gardens Tampa is a 335-acre African-themed animal theme park located in the city of Tampa, Florida. Busch Gardens Tampa opened on March 31, 1959 as an admission-free hospitality facility for Tampa Anheuser-Busch; in addition to various beer tastings, they had a bird garden and the “Stairway to the Stars”, which was an escalator that took guests to the roof of the brewery. The brewery has since closed down but lots of restaurants offer libations for the grown ups.
Busch Gardens continued to grow and in 1965, opened the 29-acre Serengeti Plains, which allowed the African wildlife to roam freely. It continued to focus on its tropical landscape, exotic animals and amusements to draw visitors. Busch Gardens began charging admission as the entertainment became more complex, with extra fees for the thrill rides, such as the roller coasters for which Busch Gardens is now known. For example, on April 19th, 2019, Busch Gardens opened its newest roller coaster, a Sky Rocket II named Tigris.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busch_Gardens_Tampa
https://buschgardens.com/tampa/
Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach has been named one of the best beaches by Trip Advisor, USA Today, Forbes and more. White sparkly sand, wide enough for all your family/friends/groups, even at high tide and the beautiful blue water are some the reasons for these great ratings. Plus, Clearwater Beach has lots of restaurants, reasonable priced hotels and shopping all close by.
Of course events like the Sugar Sand Festival typically held in April, regular music and food festivals and the nightly sunsets are all must do and ones to add to your bucket list.