Find out what's doing in this family-friendly beach area along Florida's west coast, where calm waters mean fun for little ones.

Florida's Beach, the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area of Florida, is a super place for a family vacation. This sunny destination provides so much of what a vacation in Florida should have with some of the nation's finest beaches, facing the calm and shallow Gulf of Mexico and many family-friendly resorts.

Located in a great spot, the area is a 90-minute drive from Orlando's Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Studios, and just 30 minutes from Tampa's Busch Gardens. For general information, contact the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 877/352-3224 or visit online at www.floridasbeach.com.  For information on where to stay in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area, see Clearwater Hotel Reservations.

Fun For the Kids

(Toddler to Age 8)

Clearwater Marine Aquarium
249 Windward Passage
Clearwater, FL 33767
727/441-1790
This small aquarium is dedicated to public education, marine research and the rescue and rehabilitation of injured and sick sea creatures. Kids will love the live displays of local Gulf marine life, including dolphins, sea turtles and much more. Now you can even see Winter, the dolphin who had her tail amputated and is now adapting to a new way of life. Ask about their programs designed for young visitors.

Great Explorations- The Children's Museum
1925 Fourth St. N
St. Petersburg, FL 33704
727/821-8992
This museum does not support the "hands off" policy. Children are encouraged to touch exhibitions and partake in programs that provide opportunities to arouse their curiosity.

Science Center of Pinellas County
7701 22nd Ave N
St. Petersburg, FL 33710
727/384-0027
This center motivates students of all ages by offering a "hands on" approach to learning about science. Included are science laboratories, workshops, field studies, and exhibits. Kids might enjoy the planetarium or observatory, or maybe they'd be more into the marine touch tank or the animal room. Either way, this attraction has a lot to offer.

L. Mason Children's Museum
1143 Michigan Blvd
Dunedin, FL 34698
727/298-3322
Located in the Dunedin Fine Arts Center, this museum presents interactive exhibits that help children, in partnership with adults, to be creative and develop a new understanding of the arts.

Captain Memos Pirate Cruise
Clearwater Marina
Clearwater, FL 33767
727/446-2587
Captain Memo’s features sightseeing and sunset cruises along the Gulf's white sand coastline, with a pirate theme. Soft drinks, beer, wine and champagne are also provided while you search the seas for dolphins, and activites aboard ship include face-painting and water gun fights.

Fun For Older Children

(Up to Age 18)

Dolphin Encounter Cruise
Clearwater Marina/Dunedin Causeway
Clearwater, FL 33767
727/442-7433
These cruises allow kids to see beautiful marine animals in their natural surroundings. Ships cruise out into the Gulf of Mexico to get a first hand view of the shoreline along Clearwater and Caladesi Island. Trips available to Caladesi Island State Park daily. Food is also provided for any bird feeding that your kids want to do.

Florida International Museum
244 Second Avenue N.
St. Petersburg College Downtown Center
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
727/341-7900
This museum, now a Smithsonian affiliate, showcases cultural, historical and educational exhibits. It gets lots of blockbuster shows, from relics of H.M.S. Titanic to "Treasures of the Forbidden City" and more. Check out their website for current exhibits, most of which offer child-focused workshops on weekends. Note: This museum is currently closed to the public and will reopen in November 2010.

Sea Screamer at Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Municipal Marina (Slip #15)
Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
800/979-3370
Visitors can take an exhilarating ride for a narrated look at birds and marine life around Boca Ciega Nay and the Gulf of Mexico on the Sea Screamer, the world’s largest speedboat. Be warned- some seats will get wet in this open-top boat!

Sunken Gardens
1825 4th St. N
St. Petersburg, FL 33704
727/551-3102
This is a popular attraction among nature lovers, with a butterfly aviary and beautiful botanical displays. There are children's activities, wildlife presentations and tours. At one convenient attraction, a visitor can walk through an aviary of macaws, flamingoes, and other tropical birds.

Fun For the Whole Family

The Pier
800 2nd Avenue N.E.
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
727/821-6443
The Pier is a five-story festival market. This is the place to experience the Tampa Bay waterfront as well as the spot to shop, eat, fish, bike, listen to live music, and just have fun. The Pier hosts a number of free entertainment events each year.

Salvador Dali Museum
1000 Third Street South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
727/823-3767
In its current home, this museum of the surreal and often eccentric paintings of Spanish artist Salvador Dali is sure to interest, if not intrigue, children of all ages. Everything is well labeled and in an educational context, providing plenty of fodder for stimulating conversation. Though the current building is open, a new museum building will open in 2011.

Clearwater Beach Pier 60 Park
Clearwater Beach, Florida 33767
727-434-6060
Clearwater offers an endless number of beach activities. Pier 60 Park, located on the beach, features a family recreation complex with covered playgrounds, fishing and concessions. The Sunsets at Pier 60 Festival features music and other types of entertainment at dusk throughout the summer. See website for schedule.

Fort De Soto Park
3500 Pinellas Bayway S.
Tierra Verde, FL 33715
727/893-9185
Fort De Soto Park is the place to spend a day. This park consists of seven miles of beaches, two fishing piers, covered picnic shelters, and camping areas, all directly on the Gulf of Mexico. Biking and skating trails have already been made for visitors. Rental facilities for canoes, kayaks and bicycles as well as the vital concession stand and bathrooms are available.

Caladesi Island State Park
#1 Causeway Blvd.
Dunedin, FL 34698
727/469-5918, 727/734-5263 (ferry information)
Only accessible by boat, the island is suitable for swimming, shelling, fishing, picnics, scuba diving, and nature study. There is a three-mile nature trail, which winds through the island's interior. A snack bar and shelters are available. A ferry departs daily from nearby Honeymoon Island to bring you to this barrier island.

Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary
18328 Gulf Blvd
Indian Shores, FL 33785
727/391-6211
This is North America's largest wild bird hospital featuring over 500 injured birds on display. The Sanctuary is a non-profit refuge. It has undergone an expansion that includes a renovated treatment area, new caging, sinks, and insulation. Visitors can tour the open-air facility and beach front area for free.

J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
1 Wildlife Drive
Sanibel, FL 33957
239/472-1100
A drive down the Gulf Coast might be worth it to view this wildlife refuge on Sanibel Island, FL, home to over 220 species of birds. On the wildlife drive, you’ll wind through mangrove forests and marshes and view the abundant bird life, including shore birds, sea birds, water fowl, and raptors. You can either drive or bike the route, which is open every day except Fridays.