Located in the heart of St. Petersburg, Florida is a leafy oasis and one of the longest running roadside attractions in the Country. In 1903 a plumber named George Turner, Sr. bought this four acre parcel that included an ancient sinkhole and a lake. He drained the lake to use the nutrient rich soil beneath to pursue his love of gardening and ornamental horticulture.
By 1924 his amazing gardens were attracting visitors at 25 cents a head and has continued to this day and visited by tourists from around the World.
Now owned by the City of St. Pete it’s a local destination for school children and tourists to visit as well as the perfect setting for many weddings. It brings a bit of the tropical forest with plants, birds and other animals to this sub-tropical paradise.
I was fortunate to visit The Gardens with our local Photography Club where I assure you there is no shortage of photo opportunities.
It’s a place you might like to add to your “must-See” list when you visit the Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater Beach area. It’s located at 1825 4th Street North in St. Petersburg, Florida. More photos on our Suncoast Visitor’s Guide at https://www.facebook.com/TampaBaySnowbirdGuide/. -Jack Armstrong
Tampa Bay USA!
Family Fun and Free near Clearwater Beach
The April issue of Jack & Niki’s Suncoast Snowbird Visitors’ Guide is now live on the ‘Net.
In this issue we suggest ten local nature parks to visit. All are within a ten mile radius both in and surrounding Clearwater and all offer something special for visitors.
All are FREE to visit. Most have picnic areas, children’s play areas and trails to visit Nature’s flora and fauna. They are also a great source to find “Art Rocks”.
So get out and enjoy Spring and the beautiful paradise that surrounds us.
You can find it here: http://www.tampabaysnowbirder.com/
Welcome to “America’s Best Beach”
Our New March issue of Niki & Jack’s Suncoast Snowbird Visitor’s Guide welcomes everyone on Spring Break to “America’s Best Beach” – that’s Clearwater Beach, Florida” with places to go, things to do and our favorite eateries near The Beach.
Come join the fun at http://www.tampabaysnowbirder.com/.
It’s why we live here and why you should visit!
Have you been wondering about the best place to spend Spring Break or your next family Beach Vacation?
BIG NEWS! Clearwater Beach has been ranked Number One Beach by Trip Advisor on their 2018 list of America’s Best Beaches! Sugar sand, emerald green water, and 365 days of sunshine are just a few reasons why!
Trip Advisor’s List of America’s Best Beaches:
1. Clearwater Beach, Florida
2. Siesta Beach, Florida
3. Ka’anapali Beach, Maui, Hawaii
4. South Beach, Florida
5. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Oahu, Hawaii
6. Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida
7. St. Pete Beach, Florida
8. Hollywood Beach, Florida
9. Santa Monica Beach, California
10. Lanikai Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
Psssst! Trip Advisor has also ranked our Clearwater Beach as Number 7 of the Best World Beaches as well!
On March 1st check the newest issue of our Jack & Niki’s Suncoast & Tampa Bay Visitors Guide to see fun things to do while you visit us in March. See http://www.tampabaysnowbirder.com/. We’ll give you some other great ideas of things to do!
A State Fair in the middle of Winter??
In February when much of the Country is buried in snow and freezing temperatures it’s nice to visit the Florida State Fair in sunny Tampa with blue skies and temps in the 70’s. It’s rides, food, entertainment and attractions – musical acts, racing pigs, zoo, circus, flying dogs, dancing bears and all of the cuddly baby animals you can take!
Join me as we take a photographic tour of this year’s 2018 Florida State Fair on my Pinterest page at https://www.pinterest.com/snowbirdrvtrail/this-is-the-florida-state-fair/.
Keep current on Tampa and Suncoast Area happenings on our free monthly Snowbird Visitor’s Guide at http://www.tampabaysnowbirder.com/.
February on Florida’s Suncoast – Things to Do!
Okay, what do an Italian-American Festival, a concert band, community chorus, running in your underwear, Mardi Gras, a State Fair and a Flamingo Festival have in common?
To find the answer to this and other more serious conundrums check out Jack and Niki’s Tampa Bay – Suncoast Snowbirder. Our new February issue of things to do and places to go on Florida’s West Coast – the Suncoast and Tampa Bay area – is free and online at http://www.tampabaysnowbirder.com/.
Exploring Florida’s Suncoast in November
Jack and Niki bring you the November issue of our Suncoast & Tampa Bay Snowbird Visitor’s Guide. It’s now up on the Internet at http://www.tampabaysnowbirder.com/.
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This issue explores a 12-mile scenic stretch of the 45-mile Pinellas Trail that runs along a former railroad bed with Parks and other interesting places to visit as you bike, walk or jog. Where to park, what to see and some interesting mile markers.
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Did you know the Beach Markets are reopening for the Season? When and where are they?
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How about a list of area restaurants open for a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner?
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All of the above plus our regular features including what’s playing this month at the Pier 60 Sunset Cinema, a listing of November’s local art & craft fairs and festivals, area attractions by city/town, webcams, shopping, parks, dining and more.
Happy November from Niki & Jack Armstrong!
Dunedin, Florida – because it is!
In the new August Issue of our online Suncoast Visitor’s Guide we’ll take you on a photo tour of Dunedin Florida. This special little community is located on St. Joseph Sound and the Gulf of Mexico. The Main Street recalls an earlier time without fast food eateries and big box corporate stores. It sits begging to be strolled and window shopped while you enjoy an old-fashioned ice cream cone you’ll find hard to resist. We’ll end this visit down at the end of Main Street where it meets the Dunedin Marina for a peek at a golden Gulf Sunset. It’s just that kind of a fun and colorful place to visit for many reasons. – Niki and Jack
Photos that tell stories – sometimes fairy tales
Get the Nature Children’s story at more examples on our website page at
“Nature’s Children”
