Be down in about 2 weeks, for 5 days.   Staying at Cambria Madeira beach.  Traveling from SC just a for a family get away.

Good places to eat?  

Areas to avoid?

General attractions?

Thanks in advance.

Ted Peters fish house


http://www.tedpetersfish.com/

Fpni!

I also like Mazzaro’s, but haven’t been in a while.

I used to like Frog Pond for breakfast, and Conch Republic had pretty awesome cheesecake

I enjoyed the Dali museum.  

Fort Desoto is beautiful but gets crowded

Everyone always recommends this place.  I think smoked fish/dip/etc is gross.  

Their salmon and mullet were good. Fish dip is also good.
Mackerel I do better by far......But still worth a visit.

Grand Plaza Hotel got great restaurant that is turning 360 degrees with great views.

Salt Rock Grill got great seafood.

Friendly Fisherman at John's Pass got some nice simple fried fish sandwiches. Don't drive to John's Pass on weekend. Parking is $35 no matter 1 hour or 24.

New St Pete pier is good place to visit. Lots of food around that area.

Visit Clearwater pier 60. Nice area to walk around.

Unfortunately that red tide may ruin your fun a little. Lots of dead fish washed along Madeira beach. With smell and everything....

Mad beach brewing  at John’s pass is pretty good if you like craft beer. Food is good too. I recommend the jelly cheese burger. Madeira does allow booze on the beach…. I’ve never seen anything get out of control. I usually see a group or two of rich and vibrant folk making their presence known every time I’ve been. Check out Fort  De Soto while you’re here. Also the St Pete pier is nice. They have a out door splash pad your kids will like depending on age. Hope you enjoy the state.

Frenchys in Clearwater ,not the one one the beach . Theres Three of them i perfer the hideaway on the back street across from the intercostal .  our chimney sweep crew eats out in quite a few of the local joints we’re all foodies hit me up when your in town and i can point you to a few just depending on what you want there’s even a good creole place using grandmas creole recipes

Out on the beaches is perfectly safe, just don’t get run over. Idiots think that they can cross ,usually drunk ,where and whenever they want on the main road that is usually 40+ mph and four lanes in most places.

Downtown is safe now and really always has been,there’s lots of new developments and businesses . If you like art at all there is the Dali and the Saint Petersburg museum has a surprisingly impressive collection for a museum it’s size. The Don Cesar is a pretty unique old world style hotel if you make it down to that part of Saint Pete Beach.

Don’t go to the south side of St Pete at night, it’s the only real dangerous area, but it’s worst at night. Basically East of 49th Street and south of 5th Ave south, and east of I-275 south of downtown after 10 or so blocks. Some parts are gentrified but others are really not and it’s best not to find out which is which if you don’t have to.

Just got back last week. Stayed in Clearwater, drove down to Venice and Myakka. Had a blast, kiddo wanted to see the dolphins at the Clearwater aquarium so that was the main point of the trip.

Saw 2 whooping cranes over the bridge on the edge of Venice-9 known birds in Florida so it was awesome to stumble across 2. Alligators from 4 feet to 10 or 12 all over Myakka and a few bucket list bird species for me.


ETA-saw a 2 or 3 foot wide stingray right below the Clearwater pier the first visit and two of what I think were barracudas the evening of our last night. The look on my daughter's face when I told her what she'd been swimming with was hilarious-and as soon as the "oh shit" reaction went away she was back in the water.