Florida Beach Getaways 2008

Fishing in the St. Petersburg Clearwater area Fans will be happy to know that there is a new Gilligan tale, set on a real-live island in the Gulf of Mexico. Since being rescued from Gilligan’s Island, actress Dawn Wells (a.k.a. Mary Ann) has been a part-time castaway in Redington Shores on Sand Key, an island off the coast of St. Petersburg. The 14-mile-long barrier island stretches from Sand Key Park in the north (just across a bridge from Clearwater Beach) to the weathered shops of John’s Pass at the southern end. Along the way, it passes through well-heeled Belleair Shores, low-key Indian Rocks Beach and Indian Shores and the three retro Redingtons to ﬁshing-focused Madeira Beach. Like so many others who arrive in this quiet beach area year after year, Wells comes to the island to slow down. Her modest 1950s beach cottage in Redington Shores is her hideaway: a place to ﬁsh in the surf, enjoy sunsets and relax from her demanding theater schedule. “I love the beach and the water, the casualness of the area,” Wells said. “And when I look out over that ocean, it reminds me of how small we are in the scheme of things.” Outside of Madeira Beach, Sand Key is generally quieter and less commercial than some other islands in the area. This has helped the island hang onto its slow pace, which makes it attractive to families and others who would rather gaze at the stars than party the night away. But this “quiet” is not inaccessible. Five short bridges connect Sand Key to St. Petersburg and Clearwater. There are few things Wells loves more than ﬁshing (she once had her own ﬁshing show), and Madeira Beach is the place to ﬁnd it. Madeira Beach has labeled itself the Grouper Capital of the World and celebrates that status with its Grouper Fest each October. Every day, charter deep-sea ﬁshing and group party boats, as well as sightseeing boats, sail from John’s Pass Marina. If you’d rather let someone else do the catching, enjoy the fruits of ﬁshermen’s labors at local restaurants, which serve ﬁsh fresh from the docks. Dockside Dave’s on Gulf Boulevard is renowned for its fresh grouper sandwiches, and the Friendly Fisherman Seafood Restaurant dishes up ﬁsh from the boats docked right outside its dining room window. If you visit the area in October, be sure to check out the annual John’s Pass Seafood Festival, now in its 26th year. Madeira Beach’s gritty maritime culture has receded a bit with the rise of condos and the growth of the beach’s largest tourist attraction, John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk. There you can buy everything from string bikinis to a painting of Emmett Kelly, the famous Ringling clown of the 1950s. The shops are a great place to wile away a hot, sunny afternoon; each member of the family is sure to ﬁnd something he or she just can’t go home without. The new, nonproﬁt National Comedy Hall of Fame in John’s Pass Village displays a wickedly elaborate 24 VISITFLORIDA.com/beaches http://VISITFLORIDA.com/beaches

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Florida Beach Getaways 2008

Florida Beach Getaways 2008 Contents Shorts: Sea Schools, Beach Events Travel File: Boat Tours Books: On the Water Deals: Seasonal Florida List: Lifeguard Stands Water: St. Lucie Inlet Key Biscayne Redington Beach Others: Ad Index Others: Florida Map Looking Back: Casinos

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