By Nanette Wiser
If air travel gives you the willies, there are plenty of day-ventures and quick vacays to explore in and near Tampa Bay. It’s festival season and of course it’s time to book your hotel for Daytona Beach’s Bike Week 3/4-3/13. www.officialbikeweek.com/Bike-Week-Calendar
PARTY HEARTY While New Orleans and Brazil might tickle your Mardi Gras fancy, you can celebrate closer to home with local festivities. Celebrate Mardi Gras in style at the Mardi Gras Block Party 2/26 starting @11pm downtown St. Pete (710 Fifth St. N) or in Downtown Dunedin’s Parade & Festival Saturday with food, drink, music and the 7pm parade with 50+ floats. At Busch Gardens, the good times roll through 3/6 with Mardi Gras-style live music, dancing, New Orleans-inspired entertainment, stilt walkers and festival beads. Feast on classic Cajun cuisine including shrimp po’ boy, hearty jambalaya and gumbo, or specialty sweets like iconic beignets. Handcrafted cocktail classics like Hurricanes join new signature drinks; sample them all with a festival lanyard.
RAMBLE & GAMBLE Why not a Tampa staycation at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, where they host spectacular world-class concerts in the 1,500-seat venue as well as live music in the Hard Rock Café, Rez Grill, Council Oak Lounge and poolside. It’s a fantastic girls’ overnight out or special occasion date. February headliners include 2/9 38 Special, 2/11 Dean Cole, 2/17 TLC, 2/19 George Thorogood & The Destroyers, 2/21 The Jacksons, 2/24 Foghat and 2/27 The Whisperers. In March, Howie Mandel performs 3/10, followed by Wayne Newton 3/20. I personally cannot wait to see RuPaul’s Drag Race July 10!
Dining is a pleasure, from the sophisticated Council Oak American Steakhouse to Cipresso’s Italian fare and The Rez Grill’s American fare with Southern soul. The AAA Four-Diamond rated hotel is sleekly stylish and modern, with exceptional amenities and cool pool scene. Florida residents can save up to 20% off. It’s a great place to stay if you plan to attend the Florida State Fair in Tampa 2/10-21, with the largest midway in the USA.
CULTURE & COCKTAILS From coast to coast, Florida boasts some of most exceptional art scenes including Miami’s Art Basel and St. Pete’s Mainsail Festival. Miami’s Coconut Grove Arts Festival 2/19-2/20 features 350+ exhibitors on a beautiful waterfront setting with food and top entertainers. Jupiter’s ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival 2/19-20 is a top juried show with 300 artists and Naples National Art Festival (2/19-2/20) in Cambier Park is one of the best as is their Ritz-Carlton resort.
Get beyond the beach at Sarasota with a concert at the Van Wezel or play at Asolo Theatre. Love movies and documentaries? Founded in 1998, the prestigious Sarasota Film Festival 4/1-4/10 showcases the best in local and international cinema, with 10 days of star-studded red-carpet events, parties, street festivals and the black-tie Filmmakers Tribute Dinner. Sarasota Jazz Festival 2022 features Arturo Sandoval and 30 artists 3/13-19 at Nathan Benderson Park. For luxury, book The Resort at Longboat Key Club, Hyatt Regency Sarasota or The Westin Sarasota.
Music buffs should plan their trip now to Panama City’s Seabreeze Jazz Festival 4/20-24. Named a “Top 10 Jazz Festival in the USA” by JazzIZ Magazine, you’ll groove with national smooth jazz artists such as Boney James, Spyro Gyra, Hiroshima, Gerald Albright, Keiko Matsui and more at Aaron Bessant Park, enjoy after parties and jazz brunch and dinner cruises. www.seabreezejazzfestival.com