St. Petersburg • Clearwater 2009 - (Page 70) CMA also offers behind-the-scenes tours of its working animal hospital. This haven for rescued sea turtles, otters and other sea animals is definitely worth the trip. when he’s older. But, for now, this experience is heaven for the under-10 set. While inside the pier’s upside-down pyramid building, we see a candle-maker, fire-eater, face-painter and eat some retro candy cigarettes (not so politically correct, but I give in). I feel as if we’ve entered a time warp; I ate chocolate-chip mint ice cream with my grandparents at the same pier in the 1970s. Since we are in a nostalgic mood, we browse through D.D. Collectibles, where they sell signed celebrity guitar picks, Grateful Dead and sports memorabilia. It’s quite clear, as I play tourist in my hometown, that both Clearwater and St. Petersburg are filled with kid-friendly activities. I may have traded in the tanning oil for sunscreen and the bikini for a cover-up, but I still love a good day at the beach – and beyond. To learn more about the adventures families can have, see the Activities & Attractions section beginning on page 72, or visit www.VisitStPeteClearwater.com. » Peerless Pier The Pier, St. Petersburg. The Pier on the St. Petersburg waterfront is another great place to take the kids to avoid sandy sneakers. There have been seven piers since 1889. This one is open 365 days a year. The natural surroundings are a great place to catch a fish – or watch someone else hook a big one in Tampa Bay. My seven-year-old and I ride the trolley from the Dolphin Parking Lot to the end of the pier, where we rent a Deuce Coupe at Wheel Fun Rentals. They rent bikes and surreys too, but once my son saw this fancy cruiser, he had made up his mind. As he learns how to steer this car-shaped bicycle-built-fortwo and avoid strolling pedestrians, he says, “Mommy, this is the best day of my life!” I am sure the only thing better would be a Segway tour around the pier >her tail after being caught in a crab trap. While awaiting a prosthetic replacement, she learned how to swim sideways. Her inspiring rescue, adaptation and survival story is documented on film and can be viewed at the entrance to the aquarium. You can see Winter, along with her surrogate mother and dolphin friends, up close and personal daily. The CMA has dolphin shows, photo opportunities and programs such as “Trainer for A Day. ” : WINTER CAPTURES THE WORLD’S HEART The Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s main attraction these days is an energetic bottlenose dolphin named Winter who lost her tail when she became accidentally tangled in a crab trap at only two months of age. She not only beat the odds of survival, but learned how to swim without her tail. The world watched as Winter gained a prosthesis and global fame as the “Bionic Dolphin. ” The see-it-to-believe-it story, www.SeeWinter.com, has inspired hundreds of thousands of visitors to add the CMA to their lists of “must-see” destinations on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The public is invited to watch her swim freely in her new habitat, where she began her lengthy recovery two years ago after a heroic rescue near Cape Canaveral. Winter’s journey, inspiring energy and adaptability to her new physical form, is summed up in the facility’s statement: “She may have lost her tail, but she’ll capture your heart. ” While Winter has brought international fame to the CMA, the attraction’s goals remain the same: the rescue, rehabilitation and release of marine wildlife. The intimate setting at the aquarium has drawn visitors for 30 years with shows, behind-the-scenes tours and interactive programs like “Trainer for a Day, “Day with a Dolphin” and “Dolphin Encounter. ” ” Guests can get up close with resident dolphins in the “Splash Zone, ” where the view of Winter and her dolphin friends is closer than anywhere in the world. "We humans can learn a lot from Winter’s fighting spirit, says David ” Yates, CEO of the nonprofit marine animal rescue center. “She has been through a lot, but she never says quit. ” 70 : Fun f o r f a mi l i e s http://www.VisitStPeteClearwater.com http://www.SeeWinter.com
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